Response to Does the Irish Anti-War Movement condemn terrorist attacks enough?


First & foremost I am speaking for myself here, this is my own personal opinion and I do accept that it would run contrary to those of several members and I respect that. Two recent examples of high profile incidents in Israel & the occupied territories. 1) Suicide Bombing in Bethlehem This is terrorism pure & simple and yes the anti-war movement should have a policy or running statement indicating that it deplores and condemns these attacks, while noting that the it is the horrendous treatment of the palestinian people by their colonizers, and their subsequent abandonment by the international community, that has led to these acts by extremist members of a truly desperate people. 2) Attack on soldiers & settler police inside the occupied territories This is not terrorism. This is legal resistance under international law (yet try to find a mainstream media report that will mention this pertinent fact). The soldiers are an occupying army and the police are attempting to secure illegally held land - therefore resistance by the disposessed is legal. I would like to see the militants in palestinian society renounce suicide bombing and declare no attacks will take place inside Israel's 1967 borders. Then - if the Israelis refuse to sit down and hold real actual peace talks aimed at giving the palestinians back the mere 22% of their homeland the majority of them are asking for (see "fateful triangle - noam chomsky" for a catalogue of how Israel has remained terrified of peace talks") - I would prefer to see them adopt guerilla tactics and carry out attacks that are all legal under international law. They have got to stop hitting Israelis inside the '67 borders, the best hope for years is the new Labor party leader. But he will never get enough support while people are terrified to merely get on a bus. As long as the israeli population are terrified then there the conditions arise for horrendous ideas like 'transfer' (read: ethnic cleansing) to flourish. Just as when the palestinians remain brutalised that the conditions for seeing suicide bombing as a viable option arise. If genuine peace talks are rejected out of hand by Likud (to be expected sadly) then the palestinians must make life in the occupied territories unbearable for the Israeli occupation forces. Although certainly easier said then done when you are facing an army backed by a super-power. If that is the case, then hopefully the ranks of the refuseniks will swell, Likud will be removed from power and hopefully the electorate will hold Labor to it's promise of real peace talks & evacuating settlements. Boy I really wandered from the original question there eh? ;-)

Created By: Mark Greene