As the UN Security Council considers whether to pass another anti-Israel resolution, this one granting the illegitimate government of the Palestinians control over a state in the West Bank and Gaza, I find it interesting to look at the nations doing the deciding, especially the permanent members of the UN Security Council: France, Great Britain, the People's Republic of China, Russia and the United States. Looking at these nations' recent history is interesting in context when considering what the UN-backed creation of Palestine would mean.
Russia - Russia has endured a number of localized nationalist insurrections since the Soviet government collapsed. Ignoring some of the horrific acts of the Soviet governments against other "nations" within their borders (such as the forced deportation of the Chechens and many other groups), the Russian governments operations against the Chechnya, Abkazia and South Ossetia show a huge nation that is unwilling to oblige the separatist and nationalist aspirations of a variety of its ethnic groups. Russia has suppressed these attempts at independence with extreme violence, repeatedly demolishing Grozny in Chechnya, killing thousands of Chechens and invading Georgia in 2008 as a result of Georgia's unwillingness to support the independence of Abkazia and South Ossetia.
China - While China's most notable anti-separatist movement began with its 1951 invasion of the heretofore independent nation of Tibet, China too has acted to significantly reduce the power of supposed nationalist movements, especially those in Xiajiang that seek greater independence. Of course, Tibet must be the major focus, as the PRC government has absolutely refused to acknowledge political independence for Tibet, has jailed Tibetan activists, chased the young Dalai Lama from Lhasa and continues to hold the current Panchen Lama in a Chinese prison. The standard of living for Tibetans and many other minority ethnic groups is quite low compared to that of the majority Han Chinese, and many lack the limited political rights that the Chinese enjoy.
France - I would say that in many ways, France is post-colonial in name only. The French have gotten their fingers into many African nations' soups, most recently playing a key role in resolving the Guinean presidential conflict in favor of French-back Alassane Ouattara and against the more independently minded Laurent Gbagbo. In the more distant past, French commandos overthrew Central African President (and Emperor) Jean-Bidel Bokassa to place French-backed David Dacko back in the CAR presidency in Operation Barracuda. After the collapse of its colonial empire, the French have continued to involve themselves in the internal affairs of their former colonial possessions, often to the detriment of those developing nations.
Great Britain - Great Britain, like France, has continued to involve itself in the internal affairs of its prior colonies. More significantly, the last century of English history has involved significant action by the British to stifle Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Cornish efforts at greater sovereignty and independence from the British.
The United States - Ah, the big kahuna. I always find American support for the Palestinians interesting when thinking about what would happen if several Native American tribes (a) started firing rockets into major U.S. cities and stating that they were doing so because their attempts to regain their independent lands were being usurped by the United States and (b) that they were going to the United Nations to seek approval of an independent state. I guarantee that Iran, Syria, Venezuela and a host of other nations would vote in favor of such independence, arguing that the white Americans stole the land and illegitimately took the land of Native Americans through war, deceit and outright slaughter. Of course, it doesn't need to stop with the United States...why can't all "native peoples" demand to parts of ALL North and South American nations that were conquered by the French, British, Spanish and Portuguese. Surely their claims are no weaker than those of the Palestinians, who at least have a nation where they represent a national majority in Jordan.
The point here is not to validate the actions of any of the above nations or indeed to pass judgment on Israel. The point, quite simply, is that those who are throwing stones at Israel are far worse sinners than the Israelis vis-a-vis the Palestinians. In fact, other Middle Eastern nations have treated the Palestinians far worse than the Israelis have. No one now mentions how the Kuwaitis orchestrated a Soviet-style mass deportations of Palestinians after the PLO openly backed Saddam Hussein's annexation of Kuwait. Only slightly more remembered are Jordan's actions during Black September in 1970.
It is truly amazing that Russia, China, France, England and the United States, powerful nations that fought and continue to fight tooth and nail to keep upstart groups seeking self determination from "liberating" even an inch of their land are more than willing to give away tiny Israel's land to its enemies. At least the subnational independence movements in those nations still allow for their continued existence, whereas both the PLO and Hamas view the destruction of Israel and the Jewish homeland as their primary goal. The irony and hypocrisy are palpable, but the focus on the UN vote is far too narrowly focused on the supposed "merits" of a Palestinian state without considering the irony associated with who is actually voting on whether or not to "grant" such a state.
Russia - Russia has endured a number of localized nationalist insurrections since the Soviet government collapsed. Ignoring some of the horrific acts of the Soviet governments against other "nations" within their borders (such as the forced deportation of the Chechens and many other groups), the Russian governments operations against the Chechnya, Abkazia and South Ossetia show a huge nation that is unwilling to oblige the separatist and nationalist aspirations of a variety of its ethnic groups. Russia has suppressed these attempts at independence with extreme violence, repeatedly demolishing Grozny in Chechnya, killing thousands of Chechens and invading Georgia in 2008 as a result of Georgia's unwillingness to support the independence of Abkazia and South Ossetia.
China - While China's most notable anti-separatist movement began with its 1951 invasion of the heretofore independent nation of Tibet, China too has acted to significantly reduce the power of supposed nationalist movements, especially those in Xiajiang that seek greater independence. Of course, Tibet must be the major focus, as the PRC government has absolutely refused to acknowledge political independence for Tibet, has jailed Tibetan activists, chased the young Dalai Lama from Lhasa and continues to hold the current Panchen Lama in a Chinese prison. The standard of living for Tibetans and many other minority ethnic groups is quite low compared to that of the majority Han Chinese, and many lack the limited political rights that the Chinese enjoy.
France - I would say that in many ways, France is post-colonial in name only. The French have gotten their fingers into many African nations' soups, most recently playing a key role in resolving the Guinean presidential conflict in favor of French-back Alassane Ouattara and against the more independently minded Laurent Gbagbo. In the more distant past, French commandos overthrew Central African President (and Emperor) Jean-Bidel Bokassa to place French-backed David Dacko back in the CAR presidency in Operation Barracuda. After the collapse of its colonial empire, the French have continued to involve themselves in the internal affairs of their former colonial possessions, often to the detriment of those developing nations.
Great Britain - Great Britain, like France, has continued to involve itself in the internal affairs of its prior colonies. More significantly, the last century of English history has involved significant action by the British to stifle Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Cornish efforts at greater sovereignty and independence from the British.
The United States - Ah, the big kahuna. I always find American support for the Palestinians interesting when thinking about what would happen if several Native American tribes (a) started firing rockets into major U.S. cities and stating that they were doing so because their attempts to regain their independent lands were being usurped by the United States and (b) that they were going to the United Nations to seek approval of an independent state. I guarantee that Iran, Syria, Venezuela and a host of other nations would vote in favor of such independence, arguing that the white Americans stole the land and illegitimately took the land of Native Americans through war, deceit and outright slaughter. Of course, it doesn't need to stop with the United States...why can't all "native peoples" demand to parts of ALL North and South American nations that were conquered by the French, British, Spanish and Portuguese. Surely their claims are no weaker than those of the Palestinians, who at least have a nation where they represent a national majority in Jordan.
The point here is not to validate the actions of any of the above nations or indeed to pass judgment on Israel. The point, quite simply, is that those who are throwing stones at Israel are far worse sinners than the Israelis vis-a-vis the Palestinians. In fact, other Middle Eastern nations have treated the Palestinians far worse than the Israelis have. No one now mentions how the Kuwaitis orchestrated a Soviet-style mass deportations of Palestinians after the PLO openly backed Saddam Hussein's annexation of Kuwait. Only slightly more remembered are Jordan's actions during Black September in 1970.
It is truly amazing that Russia, China, France, England and the United States, powerful nations that fought and continue to fight tooth and nail to keep upstart groups seeking self determination from "liberating" even an inch of their land are more than willing to give away tiny Israel's land to its enemies. At least the subnational independence movements in those nations still allow for their continued existence, whereas both the PLO and Hamas view the destruction of Israel and the Jewish homeland as their primary goal. The irony and hypocrisy are palpable, but the focus on the UN vote is far too narrowly focused on the supposed "merits" of a Palestinian state without considering the irony associated with who is actually voting on whether or not to "grant" such a state.
4 comments:
By "American support for the Palestinians," surely you don't mean the U.S. government's hard line stance against Palestinian statehood via UN? I know you feel strongly about Obama, but even Bibi thinks Obama has earned a "badge of honor." In your previous examples, you're really discussing government policy. American government policy already agrees with the point you're making.
(What I neglected to mention is that I otherwise completely agree with everything in this post.)
It wasn't a point about any specific administration. In many ways, the U.S. government's stance on the Palestinians has come so far that backsliding on the current UN debate means little. Consider how much importance the U.S. has placed on the Palestinian issue (and how little emphasis has been placed on Tamil, East Timorese, Sahrawi or Tibetan independence) and one realizes that even if the U.S. government disagrees on a particular issue in a particular situation, it is the U.S. government's belief that Palestine is the key to "peace in the Middle East" that has brought a lot of the pressure that is placed on Israel. I do agree that vetoing the Palestinian state is without question a show of support for Israel, but my comment was meant far more generally. But you are definitely right on that front.
I absolutely agree with your criticism of not only the U.S. government's belief, but also the belief of academics and foreign policy experts, that Middle East conflict is entirely or primarily about Palestine. That said, I think it's beyond unfair to characterize the U.S. government's stance on Palestinian statehood via the U.N. as merely a "particular issue in a particular situation" that "means little."
Your use of the term "backsliding" is also interesting. It implies the U.S. government ever supported Palestinian statehood via the U.N. absent a negotiated agreement with Israel. That has never existed, so your use of the term is inaccurate. But, as a completely independent matter, the term has an interesting history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backslide
In any event, I think your criticisms are valid for the most part. But, I think it dilutes the strength of those valid criticisms when you give "little" credence to what even Bibi thinks is incredibly important for Israel.
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