The scary element of Middle Eastern conflicts is that no matter how divided certain factions may be, they are always united on one point – their hatred for the State of Israel. We see this daily in Lebanon – as I mentioned the other day, despite the fact that the country is in the brink of civil war, the regular anti-Israel chanting is still there.
At the moment, we are also seeing this very strongly in Gaza, where Fatah and Hamas are fighting against each other. Last night, while watching the news, they were interviewing a man, he could have been from either faction – its not important.
What’s important, is that the first thing he said, in English was, ‘we are an occupied people in an occupied place. We are fighting with each other about nothing.’ And yet, the guy wasn’t just anyone – he was Sufian Abu Zaydeh of Fatah, whom Hamas had kidnapped. Kidnappings, exchanging of gunfire – this is all nothing in comparison to the ‘occupation’.
This is why the Palestinian propaganda machine works so well. They have one catchphrase and they use it over and over again. It is their key message, and it is so simple that there is absolutely nothing that could possibly more effective. Former Ambassador to the United States Dore Gold put it best when he said something to the effect of: you could ask Saeb Erekat what he ate for breakfast and he would answer you with “the occupation”.
The Pro-Israel voices are never so united. You ask ten Israelis a question and you get twenty answers. It is the beauty of this country, but it the media it is her biggest downfall.
What scares me/interests me/ignites my interest is the fact that all of this Palestinian infighting is going on so close to me, and yet, had I not turned on the television the other day and seen the news, I would never have known.
Watching the images on the television frightens me, not only because of the magnitude of people who riot in the streets, but because this is all happening an hour or so away from me. It is the equivalent of the drive from Beth Weizmann to Tullamarine airport. Of course I do not need to explain Middle Eastern geography to the advocates, it’s just that when I sit in front of my computer or television back at home in Melbourne, I forget just how unique the situation is here. How ‘on top’ of each other everyone here is.
Meanwhile, I am surrounded by people who form one of two views.
The first is that there is nothing to worry about. Yes there is violence in Gaza, but this is the way it always has been and for the meantime, will continue to be. The country is dealing with the aftermath of the war, with the ceasefire with the Palestinians in Gaza, in their own way, and slowly, slowly, things will return to normal. Or even still, things are never or are always normal, whichever way you look at it.
The second view is that another war that will be fought on many fronts is imminent. Gaza and the West Bank will erupt out of control, and Israel will go to war against Lebanon, Syria and more frighteningly, Iran. Israel needs to prepare herself in order to be better equipped to handle herself during and afterwards.
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I was very interested to read your piece on the differences in the messages the Palestinian factions and the Israeli press give their respective communities and, I guess, the world. One side gives a 'united' message regardless of what is happening within their ranks, while the other gives the range of views that reflects the broad spectrum of opinions held by its constituents. Unity versus diversity; restraint versus freedom. In a 'free' state, we champion the right to express our feelings regardless, but in the propaganda war, is unity more powerful than diversity?
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