How does Israel fit into the big picture?

[Magda Hassan]

I see Israel as like a cookoo bird. It sits in a nest not their own. A European out post in the Arab and Turkish world. It was a creation of colonialism. Part of the play between France, England Russian and the Ottoman empires with not a small role by the US. Naturally France and England wanted control over the Ottoman empire remains and it was the Ashkenazi (European) not Sephardi Jews who ruled the roost. Most of the land was bought from wealthy and absent Turkish landlords by the Rothschilds and other wealthy European Jewish families. They still lived in Europe though but the poor Jews of Europe were encouraged to move there and work. The poor Plaestinians who lived there for centuries and who got licked off their land. In most cases they never knew someone else owned it. Land was also taken from the Turkey by Britain as reparations for the war. The early Zionist considered many other locations before settling in Palestine. Uganda, Patagonia, Australia. It was a political movement not religious. For many religious Jew the state of Israel is illegitmate though it is supported by other religous elements in Judaism and Christianity. The creation of Israel was supported by the European powers in some cases as a mean of dealing with the 'Jewish' problem there. In the case of England and the US it also served as a means of controling oil fields. Perfidious Britain made promises to both Palestinians and Jews. Britain needed the help of the Arabs in their war against the Turks (who were allies of the Germans) to keep access to the oil of the middle east (Lawrence of Arabia) . Palestinians were promised independence after the war. The Balfour Declaration promised British backing for a Jewish home land. Jewish capitalists just wanted to expand their business opportunities and they were happy to use poor and idealistic European Jews to make it happen. They were also funding the British government and had some leverage.

Well that's a couple more sentences than you wanted.

Just want to stress that class interests play a huge part in this. Rich Jews bought much of the land from Rich Turks and Arabs moving in poor Jews and dispossessing poor Palestinians. The rich Jews and Arabs have always lived else where. There are huge tax breaks and lots of incentives (and bigger houses) for those Israelis who want to live in the occupied territories. And an army to protect you. Life is hard for the average Jewish Israei but not as hard as the average Palestinian who is probably living in a refugee camp outside Israel and they are not permitted to return. Generally speaking Israeli industry and business is better integrated into Europe and and US economies (and vis-a-versa) and also rides on the back of Palestinian dispossession. Israel also serves to keep the Arab world divided and disorganised. Arab ruling class are bought by the US and European business interests. Palestinian interests are sacrificed all round.

Does that answer your question?