The Root of Terrorism in the Holy Land

[East Jerusalem, Nov. 8, 2006]According to Dr. Pappe, "On March 10, 1948, eleven
Dr. Ilan Pappe, is Israeli born and a graduate ofmen had a meeting in the Red House headed by Ben
Hebrew University and Oxford who is currentlyGurion. The eleven decided to expel one million
teaching at Haifa University. He is a well knownPalestinians from historical Palestine. No minutes were
revisionist or "post-Zionist" Israeli historian who hastaken, but many memoirs were written about that
been both acclaimed and demonized. His most recentfateful meeting. A systematic ethnic cleansing of
work is "A History of Modern Palestine: One Land,Palestine began and within seven months the Zionists
Two Peoples" which documents the expulsion ofmanaged to expel one half of all the Palestinian
Palestinians as an orchestrated crime of ethnicpeople from their villages and towns.
cleansing."The New York Times followed Israeli troops and
He spoke at the Notre Dame Conference center inreported the truth of the expulsion and separation of
East Jerusalem to over 330 International ecumenicalmen and women, and of the many massacres. The
Christians during Sabeel's 6th Internationalworld was well informed in 1948, but a year later not
Conference: The Forgotten Faithful: AKA Palestiniana trace was reported in the USA press or books. It
Christians.was as if nothing ever happened.
His topic was the "Dynamics of Forgetting" and"From March to October 1948 the USA State
because of the "fierce urgency of now" [-Rev. MLK,Department stated what was happening was a
Jr.] the world is beginning to remember that onceCRIME against humanity and ethnic cleansing. When
there was a Red House, which birthed a mostever one ethnic group expels another group they
diabolical plan.should be treated as War Criminals and the victims
Dr. Pappe stated that, "The Red House in Tel Aviv isshould be allowed to return. This is never mentioned
gone now. It was a typical building in Tel Aviv thatin the USA about Palestine.
had all the characteristics of Mediterranean homes"Israel is so successful in their ethnic cleansing
but with the local Palestinian architecture of the '20's.because the world doesn't care! The ethnic cleansing
Today a USA Sheraton Hotel stands in its place. Thecontinues via the apartheid policies of the Israeli
Red House was the home of the Hagganah; a Jewishgovernment and because of the denial of the truth
underground organization but before 1948 it was theby the the USA media.
home of a socialist movement, from which it"To claim Israel is the only democracy in the Middle
received its name.East is bullshit! The Six Day War of 1967 escalated
Haganah is Hebrew for "The Defense" and was athe ethnic cleansing and today in Jerusalem every
Jewish paramilitary organization formed in what wasPalestinian who fails to pay taxes, or has a minor
then the British Mandate for Palestine from 1920 toinfraction will loose their citizenship.
1948. It began as a small group of "Jewish immigrants"In 1948 the mechanism of denial and ethnic cleansing
who guarded settlements for an annual fee. At noas an IDEOLOGY, not a policy but a formula began.
time did the group have more than 100 membersWhen Zionism began in the 19th century it was
until after the Arab riots of 1920 and 1921. Themeant to be a safe haven for Jews and to help
Jewish leadership in Palestine believed that the British,redefine Judaism as a national movement, not just a
whom the League of Nations had given the Mandatereligion. Nothing wrong with either of those goals!
of Palestine in 1920, had no desire to confront the"But by the late 19th Century it was decided the only
Arabs about attacks on the Palestinian Jews, andway these goals could be achieved was by ridding
thus created the Haganah to protect their farmersthe indigenous population and it became an evil
and settlements. The initial role of the Haganah wasideology.
to guard the Jewish Kibbutzim and farms, and to"Israeli Jewish life will never be simple, good, or worth
warn the residents of and repel attacks by Palestinianliving while this ideology of domination, exclusiveness
Arabs.and superiority is allowed to continue. The mind set
"In the period between 1920 to 1929, the Haganahtoday is that unless Israel is an exclusive Jewish
lacked a strong central authority or coordination.State, Palestinians will continue to be obstacles.
Haganah "units" were very localized and poorly armed:However, there has always been a small vocal
they consisted mainly of Jewish farmers who tookminority challenging this.
turns guarding their farms or their kibbutzim. Following"The only thing that can save Palestinians is for the
the Arab 1929 Hebron massacre that led to theworld to say "ENOUGH is ENOUGH!" The way to
ethnic cleansing by the British authorities of all Jewschallenge and change the ethnic cleansing is to pursue
from the city of Hebron, the Haganah's role changedtrue democracy and the use of sanctions and
dramatically. It became a much larger organizationdivestment, for money talks."[end Dr. Pappe]
encompassing nearly all the youth and adults in the"America's $84.8 billion in aid to Israel from fiscal
Jewish settlements, as well as thousands ofyears 1949 through 1998, and the interest the U.S.
members from the cities. It also acquired foreignpaid to borrow this money, has cost U.S. taxpayers
arms and began to develop workshops to create$134.8 billion, not adjusted for inflation. Or, put
hand grenades and simple military equipment. It wentanother way, the nearly $14,630 every one of 5.8
from being an untrained militia to a capable army."million Israelis received from the U.S. government by
-wikipediaOct. 31, 1997 has cost American taxpayers $23,240
The British did not officially recognize the Haganah,butper Israeli."[IfAmericansknew]
the British security forces cooperated with it by"The Israeli government and military receive
forming the Jewish Settlement Police, Jewish Auxiliary$15,139,178.00 from the USA every day while NGO's
Forces and Special Night Squads. By 1931, the mostworking to feed and care for the poor in Palestine
right-wing elements of Haganah branched off andreceive $232,290.00 from the USA per day." [Ibid]
formed Irgun Tsva'i-Leumi (the National MilitaryIn June 2005, I visited Rev. Naim Ateek at his
Organization), better known as "Irgun" (or by itsJerusalem Sabeel office. I had been reading the
Hebrew acronym, pronounced "HaEtsel"). They wereSabeel Documents about the divestment issue
discontented with the policy of restraint when facedespecially in regards to Sabeel's position on morally
with British and Arab pressure and "terrorists" in theirresponsible investment as a nonviolent response to
own right. Irgun later split in 1940, and their off-shootthe occupation. I commented then that is exactly the
became known as the "Lehi" (Hebrew acronym ofissue American Christians should be discussing and not
Lochamei Herut Israel, standing for Freedom Fightersthe continuing debate over the mystery of love and
of Israel, and also known by the British as the "Sternmarriage in regards to gays and lesbians and the
Gang" after its leader, Abraham Stern).ordination of the first HONEST gay Bishop Gene
Because the British severely restricted JewishRobinson.
immigration to Palestine, in 1939 the Haganah created"The fierce urgency of now"[Rev. MLK, Jr.] should
the Palmach - the Haganah's strike force, which alsocompel all USA citizens to seriously consider, debate
organized illegal Jewish immigration of over 100,000and take action on where we lay down our money,
Jews to Palestine.what we invest in and how our government spends
In 1944, in response to the assassination of Lordour hard earned tax dollars. To continue to support
Moyne (the British Minister of State for the Middlecorporations that support occupation and fuel the fire
East) by members of the Jewish Lehi underground,of terrorism should be morally repugnant to any one
the Haganah worked with the British to round up,of good will as those actions are not democratic.
interrogate, and, in some cases, deport IrgunRev. Ateek has been demonized as an anti-Semite
members. This action was called the Saison (orbecause of his outspoken and firm stand for justice
hunting season), and seriously demoralized the Irgunand only justice as the way to peace and security
and reduced its activities.for all the people in the Holy Land.
The Saison could not stop the Irgun, Haganah andMoney talks and the USA should only support
the Stern Group from working together. The threedemocracies that are true to that name, for a
groups had different functions, which served todemocracy quarantees, delivers and protects all
move the British out of Palestine, and to makepeople with equal human rights.
Palestine a Jewish state rather than created a Jewish"In the long run, there is no justice without
home in Palestine.FREEDOM. There can be no human rights without
Menachem Begin, an Irgun commander, stated in aLIBERTY. All who live in tyranny and hopelessness
1944 meeting: "In fact, there is a division of roles;can know the United States will not ignore your
One organisation advocates individual terrorism (theoppression or excuse your oppressors. When you
Lehi), the other conducts sporadic military operationsstand for liberty, we stand with you."-President
(the Irgun) and there is a third organisation whichGeorge W. Bush, Second Inaugural Address
prepares itself to throw its final weight in the decisive"The fierce urgency of now" should compel all USA
war."-wikipedia.citizens to demand President Bush honor that vow.