Increasing Israeli Arrogance

Her arrogance is growing day by day, perhaps it's in reaction to the slow but noticeable change of opinion towards her, or maybe it's just stemming from growing levels of ignorance. One doesn't have to dig deep to see the signs. In one instance we have Israeli President, Peres, warning that Syria should not expect the Golan heights to be given back to her on a silver platter. In another she's upping the ante against Iran to make sure that she's the only one in the region with nuclear weapons. We hear her Prime Minister using a new language for legitimizing settlements, "natural growth" he calls it, completely ignoring that the natural growth of these illegal settlements is counterbalanced with an unnatural confiscation of Palestinian farm lands. Her politicians were furious when President Obama applied but the tiniest pressure to freeze the "natural growth". Taking 78% percent of original Palestine wasn't enough, she's after he 22% using force, illegal occupation, and an ever changing set of laws designed to rob Palestinians of their homes and farms. Her media uses the laughable expression "security fence" to describe the electronically monitored, soldier manned, automatic rifle protected, nine meter high concrete wall, cutting deep into Palestinian territory robbing even more land, and imposing a status quo. I'm talking about the same "fence" that the International Court of Justice had deemed illegal, and called for the dismantelement of yet again just a few days ago. They are trying to make gains even in their travel posters posted all over London. In the poster a map is shown including the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and the Golan Heights under the banner of Experience Israel. The tourism ministry defended the poster saying that they intended to show areas in and around Israel, not to convey a political message. How nice of them to promote vacationing in occupied Palestinian and Syrian land.

Things on the inside are also getting worse for 1948 Palestinians living inside Israel. Last week the Israeli Transport Ministry decided to get rid of Arabic and English names for cities and villages on street signs keeping only Hebrew names, in a clear attempt at erasing any memory of the existence of Palestinians before the "creation" of Israel. And to artificially turn Israel into a pure Jewish state, arid of any Arab roots. Jerusalem will now be referred to as Yerushalaim in all languages, completely disregarding Jerusalem and Al-Quds. To finish off the job Jewish extremists in Jerusalem are going around the city defacing the Arabic writing on street signs.

Maybe it's an illusion but it seems like things are getting worse at a much quicker pace than before. I interpret it as desperate attempt for Israel at making as much gains as possible before pressure mounts (if it ever will) from the international community. It has been mounting on a grassroots level. I have certainly witnessed stronger, better organized activist campaigns that have been and continue to be very successful at showing what's really happening. It took the world 300 hundred years to recognize the horrors in South Africa. I have a feeling it will take a lot less time to realize the horrors perpetrated by Israel. Especially when we have the likes of President Carter, Archbishop Tutu, and John Dugard agreeing that what's happening in Palestine is worse than Apartheid in South Africa. But who knows I could be just an optimist.