ISRAEL

Counterpunch: Terrorism And Assassination -
The Ultimate Deception

The recent assassinations of Hamas leaders Sheikh Yassin and Dr. Abdulaziz Rantisi are part of a long term Israeli strategy -- the latest in a series of actions taken by Israel toward the ultimate destruction of Palestinian society. Their implications may be far more reaching than many analysts have observed, and the need for re-examination of US policy in the Middle East has never been greater.

The first among Israel's objectives has been to convince the public in Israel and in the West that the destruction of Palestinian society is acceptable. Israel has succeeded in creating the wide spread perception within Israel and among American society that violence committed by the Palestinian paramilitary is reprehensible and never justified, but that the violence committed by the Israeli occupation forces is somehow defensible. Israel has unfortunately succeeded in convincing the Israeli and American public that a Palestinian life is worth less than an Israeli Jewish life. [1]

Israel's second objective has been to transfer (expel) Palestinians to areas outside Palestine. In spite of its efforts and the support of Jewish communities around the world, Israel's plan to import enough immigrants to offset the increase in the Palestinian population has failed. The plan failed even with the intense recruiting among gentiles, in Asia, Latin America and elsewhere, and even with the promise of free transportation, cash allowances, subsidized living and free housing on confiscated Palestinian land. The alternative left for the Israeli government -- long advocated by a sector of Israeli society -- has been to transfer Palestinians out of Palestine by making life for Palestinians so unbearable that they would "opt" to leave or by force if "voluntary" departure fails. This plan will eventually succeed unless Palestinian living conditions improve, which is not likely in the foreseeable future, and the world community remains alert to Israel's plan.

Israel's third and latest strategy in pursuing its objective of destroying Palestinian society has been to deceptively enlist the help of the United States, with its military might and world domination, not only as a partner, which it has already succeeded in doing as was recently confirmed and announced by George W. Bush, but also as an active combatant. This deception is no where clearer than in the case of the assassination of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin and Dr. Abdulaziz Rantisi. Sharon knows that Hamas holds their leaders in high esteem and would no doubt avenge their assassination. From their side, the Palestinians know that no Israeli action of this magnitude is ever taken without first consulting with the United States and getting US approval, in spite of denial of such complicity by the Bush administration