Arab solidarity on Gaza urged

01.26.2009 | gulf-daily-news.com
By TOM HANRATTY

THERE is more solidarity with the people of Gaza in South America than there is in neighbouring Arab states, according to American-Jewish political scientist Dr Norman Finkelstein.

He described the Arab world’s response to Israel’s assault on Gaza as “a total disgrace” and even “funny”, shortly after arriving in Bahrain to deliver a series of lectures.

“The reaction from the Arab world was a total disgrace, a disgrace to the whole region and its people,” Dr Finkelstein told a Press conference at the Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel, Residence and Spa yesterday.

“This region has no shame. It’s very funny really because when they teach you about the Arab world in the West, they say it’s a shame culture, and that people are obsessed with issues of shame.

“I actually think it’s the opposite. What you showed in the last massacre in Gaza is that you have no shame at all.

“The most powerful reactions in the world came from Bolivia, Venezuela, Mauritania, Turkey and Qatar – and that’s just funny.

“There was more solidarity in South America than here.”

Dr Finkelstein, who has been invited to Bahrain by the Palestine Support Society, made his damning assessment of the Arab world ahead of two lectures.

He will give the first tonight at the Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel, Residence and Spa, followed by one tomorrow at the Shaikh Isa Cultural Centre and National Library, in Juffair. Both start at 8pm.

Dr Finkelstein is an independent scholar whose primary fields of research are the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the politics of the Holocaust.

He has previously lectured in a number of top universities across the US and is also the author of five books.

Speaking to the GDN yesterday, Dr Finkelstein said the first lecture would focus on the background to the Israeli war in Gaza, while the second would discuss reasons for the attack.

“First of all I will speak on the background to the Israeli massacre in Gaza,” he said.

“I don’t think it is linguistically correct to describe it as a war – there was no war in Gaza because there were not two sides fighting. It was just one side annihilating the other and that’s a massacre.

Evidence

“I understand there are some misconceptions in this part of world with people believing that Hamas was responsible for what happened.

“There is no evidence in my opinion to support this claim. The records show very clearly that, as Israeli newspapers themselves reported, the attack on Gaza had been planned as early as March 2007.

“For me, there are two main reasons for the attacks. Number one, because of the defeat they suffered in 2006 in the war with Hizbollah.

“After that they wanted to demonstrate to the Arabs that Israel was still a fighting force and one that could still inspire terror in the Arab world.

“Secondly, because Hamas was becoming too moderate, making statements that it was willing to settle conflict in accordance with the Arab League Peace plan of 2002.

“This was deemed a disaster for the Israelis.”

He suggested that any peace deal would have deprived Israel of an excuse for seizing control of Palestine.

Meanwhile, he claimed the idea that Israel controlled US foreign policy in the Middle East was a myth.

“There is no evidence to support that,” he said.

“Whether it is Iran, Iraq or Saudi Arabia, major US interests are at stake and so the US ruling elite make decisions on these issues based on what they perceive to be US strategic interests.

“On the other hand, in my opinion, it is true to say that when major US interests are not at stake – for example the US has no real interest in West Bank or Gaza, if tomorrow Israel leaves the West Bank and Gaza, US ruling elites wouldn’t care.”

When asked for his opinion on bringing a war crimes case against Israel, Dr Finkelstein responded sharply that if Slobodan Milosevic and Saddam Hussein could be prosecuted, the same standards should be applied to Israel in this case.

Finkelstein in Bahrain

Arab solidarity on Gaza urged

01.26.2009 | gulf-daily-news.com
By TOM HANRATTY

THERE is more solidarity with the people of Gaza in South America than there is in neighbouring Arab states, according to American-Jewish political scientist Dr Norman Finkelstein.

He described the Arab world’s response to Israel’s assault on Gaza as “a total disgrace” and even “funny”, shortly after arriving in Bahrain to deliver a series of lectures.

“The reaction from the Arab world was a total disgrace, a disgrace to the whole region and its people,” Dr Finkelstein told a Press conference at the Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel, Residence and Spa yesterday.

“This region has no shame. It’s very funny really because when they teach you about the Arab world in the West, they say it’s a shame culture, and that people are obsessed with issues of shame.

“I actually think it’s the opposite. What you showed in the last massacre in Gaza is that you have no shame at all.

“The most powerful reactions in the world came from Bolivia, Venezuela, Mauritania, Turkey and Qatar – and that’s just funny.

“There was more solidarity in South America than here.”

Dr Finkelstein, who has been invited to Bahrain by the Palestine Support Society, made his damning assessment of the Arab world ahead of two lectures.

He will give the first tonight at the Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel, Residence and Spa, followed by one tomorrow at the Shaikh Isa Cultural Centre and National Library, in Juffair. Both start at 8pm.

Dr Finkelstein is an independent scholar whose primary fields of research are the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the politics of the Holocaust.

He has previously lectured in a number of top universities across the US and is also the author of five books.

Speaking to the GDN yesterday, Dr Finkelstein said the first lecture would focus on the background to the Israeli war in Gaza, while the second would discuss reasons for the attack.

“First of all I will speak on the background to the Israeli massacre in Gaza,” he said.

“I don’t think it is linguistically correct to describe it as a war – there was no war in Gaza because there were not two sides fighting. It was just one side annihilating the other and that’s a massacre.

Evidence

“I understand there are some misconceptions in this part of world with people believing that Hamas was responsible for what happened.

“There is no evidence in my opinion to support this claim. The records show very clearly that, as Israeli newspapers themselves reported, the attack on Gaza had been planned as early as March 2007.

“For me, there are two main reasons for the attacks. Number one, because of the defeat they suffered in 2006 in the war with Hizbollah.

“After that they wanted to demonstrate to the Arabs that Israel was still a fighting force and one that could still inspire terror in the Arab world.

“Secondly, because Hamas was becoming too moderate, making statements that it was willing to settle conflict in accordance with the Arab League Peace plan of 2002.

“This was deemed a disaster for the Israelis.”

He suggested that any peace deal would have deprived Israel of an excuse for seizing control of Palestine.

Meanwhile, he claimed the idea that Israel controlled US foreign policy in the Middle East was a myth.

“There is no evidence to support that,” he said.

“Whether it is Iran, Iraq or Saudi Arabia, major US interests are at stake and so the US ruling elite make decisions on these issues based on what they perceive to be US strategic interests.

“On the other hand, in my opinion, it is true to say that when major US interests are not at stake – for example the US has no real interest in West Bank or Gaza, if tomorrow Israel leaves the West Bank and Gaza, US ruling elites wouldn’t care.”

When asked for his opinion on bringing a war crimes case against Israel, Dr Finkelstein responded sharply that if Slobodan Milosevic and Saddam Hussein could be prosecuted, the same standards should be applied to Israel in this case.