[lbo-talk] The Situation in Palestine: A Trap of Miserable Choices and Dead Ends

[Bryan Atinsky]

The Situation in Palestine: A Trap of Miserable Choices and Dead Ends

Written by Nassar Ibrahim, Alternative Information Center (AIC)


With the events that have been taking place in the Gaza Strip and the 
depths to which they reached, the Palestinian tragedy has moved to the 
level of farce.

True, some may laugh at our situation now—the Palestinians have two states:

Gazastan or Hamasistan and Westbankstan or Fatahstan. Some are now 
talking about a solution of two states for one people or three states 
for two people!

These people have every right to poke fun at our tragedy-turned-farce, 
with bloodshed on the streets of Gaza following infighting between 
brothers turned foes. Still, in spite of the bloody outcome, the 
resulting violent tear in the Palestinian political fabric and the 
ramifications these have on the social and moral levels, there are still 
major questions that require answers.

Why and how did matters reach such a point? Who is responsible for 
pushing Palestinian society to the precipice of internal fighting? And 
what are the reasons that turned our tragedy into farce? Finally, what 
options are open to the various parties?

Dealing with these questions in a methodological and accurate fashion 
requires a return to the beginning so that our study and evaluation is 
not a superficial and naïve process, as if the bloody events occurred on 
the spur of the moment without any background. This radically 
contradicts the logic imposed by the analysis of any socio-political event.

A methodological reading of the events will protect the analysis from 
hasty and erroneous conclusions. It will also provide us with an 
opportunity to view it in its historical, political and social context, 
thus uncovering the depth of the crisis, the failed strategies or the 
exaggerated wagers on delusional and feeble choices.

This method of studying the events will force us to go back to the 
factors that brought these contradictions to the Palestinian arena, so 
that we do not fall into the illusion of interpreting the infighting 
that gripped the Gaza Strip as if it were simply a reaction. The truth 
is that it was a reflection of the growing struggle between visions and 
options of the feuding political forces, regardless of the political 
rhetoric of each one and their justifications for resorting to arms as a 
way of defending the Palestinian national interest, as if this interest 
could not be achieved except though shedding Palestinian blood at the 
hands of other Palestinians.

[...]

To read the whole article: 
http://www.alternativenews.org/blogs/nassar-ibrahim/the-trap-of-the-miserable-choices-leading-to-a-dead-end-20070628.html