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The 100 year war on Palestine w/Rashid Khalidi | The Chris Hedges Report

The Real News Network・42 minutes read

The conflict between Palestinians and Israel is rooted in a 100-year colonial occupation by Jewish Zionists, supported by major imperial powers, leading to ethnic cleansing, wars, and ongoing violence. Rashid Khalidi divides the conflict into six periods, highlighting British and Zionist actions, Palestinian resistance, and the current Israeli government's policies, while emphasizing the importance of understanding historical context and interpretations in the conflict.

Insights

  • The conflict between Palestinians and Israel is deeply rooted in a 100-year colonial occupation by Jewish Zionists, supported by major imperial powers like the British and later the US, leading to ethnic cleansing and ongoing violence in the region.
  • The disparity in understanding global politics between Zionist leaders like Chaim Weizmann, Golda Meir, and Herzl, who comprehended Western societies and power dynamics, and Palestinian leaders contributed significantly to negotiation disadvantages and conflict outcomes.
  • Israel's treatment of Palestinians reflects a racist colonial attitude, with discriminatory laws, military occupation, and harsh repression of resistance movements, aiming to maintain control, deny rights, and perpetuate annexation and colonization.

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Recent questions

  • What caused the conflict between Palestinians and Israel?

    The conflict between Palestinians and Israel originated from a 100-year colonial occupation by Jewish Zionists, supported by major imperial powers like Britain and later the US. This occupation led to events like the Nakba in 1947-1948, where Zionist militias ethnically cleansed 750,000 Palestinians from historic Palestine, and the 1967 war where Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. The conflict has been marked by various periods of violence and displacement, shaping the current situation in the region.

  • What role did the British play in the conflict?

    The British played a significant role in the conflict by supporting Jewish Zionists during their occupation of Palestine from 1917-1939. This support, culminating in the Balfour Declaration of 1917, aimed to establish a Jewish national home in Palestine, disregarding the rights of Palestinians. The British strategic interests, including creating a buffer to defend Egypt's eastern frontier and controlling the Mediterranean terminus, drove their support for Zionism. However, their shifting alliances and broken promises to Palestinians during the Arab revolt of 1936-1939 showcased the complexities of their involvement in the conflict.

  • What were the consequences of the 1947 UN partition plan?

    The UN partition plan in 1947 allocated most of Palestine to the Zionists, leading to war and ethnic cleansing of Arab populations by the Zionists. By May 15, 1948, 300,000 Palestinians had become refugees, with Arab armies intervening in the conflict, resulting in the Arab-Israeli War. This plan and its aftermath significantly impacted the demographics and territorial control in the region, setting the stage for ongoing conflicts and disputes over land and rights.

  • How has the Palestinian resistance movement been affected?

    The Palestinian resistance movement has faced challenges due to Arab leaders' failure to support Palestinians and their collusion with Israel, weakening the movement. Additionally, the advantage of Zionist leaders who understood Western societies contrasted with the lack of similar understanding among Palestinian leaders, leading to disparities in negotiations and outcomes. The repression of Palestinian resistance movements by Israel, harsher against nonviolent actions, aims to maintain a terrorist narrative and perpetuate annexation and colonization in the region.

  • What influences US support for Israel?

    US support for Israel is influenced by factors like Christian Zionism, generational beliefs, and significant aid provided to the Israeli government. The blind support from both Democratic and Republican parties for the Netanyahu government showcases the influence of political and ideological factors in shaping US policies towards Israel. Despite growing support for Palestinian rights among younger generations and minorities, the influence of money in politics, exemplified by AIPAC's spending to oppose politicians advocating for a ceasefire, continues to impact US-Israel relations.

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Summary

00:00

"Roots of Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A History"

  • Conflict between Palestinians and Israel stems from a 100-year colonial occupation by Jewish Zionists, supported by major imperial powers like the British and later the US.
  • Historian Rashid Khalidi divides the conflict into six periods, starting with British support for Jewish Zionists during the British occupation of Palestine from 1917-1939.
  • The 1947-1948 Nakba saw Zionist militias ethnically cleanse 750,000 Palestinians from historic Palestine, followed by the 1967 war where Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza.
  • Ariel Sharon's invasion of Lebanon and the siege of Beirut marked the fourth declaration of war, leading to the departure of Palestinian Liberation Organization fighters and the 1982 massacre at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps.
  • The conflict continued with the First and Second Intifadas, culminating in the current Israeli assault on Gaza.
  • Arab leaders' failure to support Palestinians and their collusion with Israel weakened the Palestinian resistance movement.
  • The Balfour Declaration of 1917, supported by Britain, was crucial in establishing a Jewish national home in Palestine, ignoring the Palestinians.
  • British strategic interests, including creating a buffer to defend Egypt's eastern frontier and controlling the Mediterranean terminus, drove their support for Zionism.
  • Nationalism developed in Palestine, contributing to Palestinian identity and nationalist movements in the region.
  • The Zionist leadership's duplicity, promising not to expel Arabs while planning ethnic cleansing, has been a constant in the conflict, aiming for a majority Jewish state in a majority Arab country.

15:51

British-Zionist Conflict: Impact on Palestine's Rights

  • The British and Zionist approach to Palestine, rooted in the belief that there was no Palestinian people, led to limited rights for Palestinians, focusing on civil and religious rights.
  • The 1936-1939 Arab revolt was sparked by growing Palestinian militancy due to increased Jewish immigration, leading to a general strike and armed revolt against British rule.
  • The British response to the revolt included arming Zionist militias and employing brutal counterinsurgency tactics, training future Israeli army generals.
  • The revolt resulted in significant casualties among the Palestinian population, with many killed, wounded, imprisoned, or exiled.
  • The British shifted their support away from the Zionists in 1939 due to the need for Arab support in World War II, leading to broken promises to the Palestinians.
  • After World War II, the Zionists turned to Washington and Moscow for support, as the British abandoned Palestine and handed the issue to the United Nations.
  • The UN partition plan in 1947 allocated most of Palestine to the Zionists, leading to war and ethnic cleansing of Arab populations by the Zionists.
  • By May 15, 1948, 300,000 Palestinians had become refugees, with Arab armies intervening in the conflict, resulting in the Arab-Israeli War.
  • The failure of Palestinian leadership to understand global politics, unlike the Zionist leaders who had a deep understanding of Western societies, contributed to their disadvantage in negotiations and conflicts.
  • The advantage of Zionist leaders like Chaim Weizmann, Golda Meir, and Herzl, who understood Western societies and power dynamics, contrasted with the lack of similar understanding among Palestinian leaders, leading to significant disparities in negotiations and outcomes.

29:54

Israeli Fascism: Racism, Supremacy, and Ethnic Cleansing

  • Jewish fascism, exemplified by figures like Jabotinsky and Meir Kahane, has a historical presence, with Mussolini even praising Jabotinsky.
  • Israel banned Kahane's party, Kach, in 1994 due to its overtly racist and fascistic nature.
  • Within Zionism, there are elements of anti-democracy and racism, particularly evident in the treatment of Arab citizens in Israel.
  • Palestinian citizens faced a police state regime for the first 18 years of Israel's existence, contrasting with the democratic rights enjoyed by Jewish citizens.
  • The rise of anti-democratic and Jewish supremacist ideologies, seen in parties like Kach, has influenced the current Israeli government.
  • Israel's treatment of Palestinians reflects a racist colonial attitude, with discriminatory laws and military occupation.
  • The repression of Palestinian resistance movements is harsher against nonviolent actions to maintain a terrorist narrative.
  • Israeli tactics aim to deny Palestinians rights and avoid negotiations, perpetuating annexation and colonization.
  • The current Israeli government, supported by significant US aid, advocates for ethnic cleansing and demographic transformations.
  • Israeli plans for ethnic cleansing in Gaza were met with opposition from Arab governments and the US, leading to a humanitarian crisis and ongoing conflict.

45:08

Growing support for Palestinian rights challenges Israel

  • Approximately 20,000 people have been killed in Gaza, with 14,800 confirmed deaths by Gazan authorities and potentially thousands more buried under rubble.
  • The claim of targeting Hamas militants is contradicted by the destruction of numerous United Nations schools in Gaza.
  • Israel's policy aims to inflict suffering on the Gazan population as retribution for Hamas' actions and to potentially force them to leave Gaza.
  • Gazans are attempting to return to the northern part of Gaza, with relief supplies being sent there.
  • The Democratic and Republican parties in the US show blind support for the Netanyahu government, influenced by factors like Christian Zionism and generational beliefs.
  • Younger generations, including Jewish students, are more critical of Israel and supportive of Palestinian rights, evident in movements like Jewish Voice for Peace.
  • AIPAC plans to spend $100 million to oppose politicians advocating for a ceasefire, showcasing the influence of money in politics.
  • Universities have shown bias towards Jewish students' concerns over antisemitism, while Palestinian and pro-Palestinian students face hostility.
  • Despite initial sympathy for Israel due to civilian casualties, support for Palestinian rights is growing, especially among young people and minorities.
  • The debate on Palestinian rights is often shut down by labeling opponents as antisemitic, despite valid criticisms of Israel's actions and policies.

59:35

Support for Gaza massacre divides Americans and Democrats.

  • Polls show overwhelming support for the ethnic cleansing and massacre of Gaza by Israel, with a majority of Democrats and Americans opposing Biden's policy of war until Hamas is destroyed. Rashid Khalidi, a professor at Columbia University, explains the difference in interpretations of the phrase "from the river to the sea" between students advocating for equal rights and Netanyahu advocating for Jewish or Israeli supremacy. Rashid Khalidi is the author of The Hundred Years' War on Palestine, a book providing context to the current conflict.
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