Greetings Readers,
Why do the Israelis hold on so tightly to Palestine.
Just as any colonial power it’s the old story of follow the money, the wealth, and the continuing exploitation.
As we know there are over 600,000 Israeli settlers occupying the land taken from the Palestinians. These were the best agricultural lands, living locations, and prime water resources available at the time. Firstly the Israeli settlers positioned themselves on hilltops overlooking scenic views and of decrepit Palestinian villages, cities, and ghettos of the people they had previously conquered. The settlers quickly and easily improved their conditions by constructing, private roads, farms, businesses, gardens, swimming pools, and other recreational facilities. They rapidly established free government schools and administrative offices.
The land they currently occupy was acquired by violent confiscations in 1948 and 1967 and a goodly portion before those years. Since taking over the Israelis have erased the identities of the previous owners who once lived and worked their lands. Moreover, the Israeli have obliterated the land’s identity as well as the people who once lived in Palestine. In doing so Israel has covered the West Bank with settlements, structures, military encampments, parks and particularly with lavishly spread cover trees. (The plant a tree in Israel campaign) There are today just a few places that have not been forested, removed, or destroyed by Israel that still cling to the ground like ghostly spirits reminders of the past.
During those violent years of confiscation that not only included farms, orchards, and populations, but growing and matured crops taken as a bonus for rapid military deployment and advances. Thousand of orange and olive groves were forcible gathered from poor farming people as they fled in panic. The Jews may often quote they “made the land bloom” but at the expense of the Arab people’s original sweat and toil. Along with the confiscation of valuable farm lands, of groves and meadows came large contributions by American and European Zionist investors that added significantly in helping push the Palestinians further into retrograde pockets of poverty in the years hence the major takeovers. This regrettable situation has been on-going for over six decades with no end in sight.
From approximately 60,000 Jewish settlers the population has grown to over 600,000 since 1995.
The land has brought Israel a vast prosperity and a strong loyal settler voter block providing political support for additional confiscations when needed by any means legal, illegal, or otherwise, otherwise meaning military intervention. The taking of land from the Palestinians is done less by force of arms these days. Duplicity is common using phony deeds, bribery, alignments by the designations of areas to be used for military maneuver and for security posts to guard settlements. The infringement never end, the Palestinians are packed into only 22% of the land they once owned.
The Jewish settlers are there to stay. They consider it their home and firmly state ‘no power on earth can make us move.’ Of course protecting homes, farms, and businesses is second nature to any citizen-occupant in any country. Yes, the settlements reside on lands that were not theirs to begin with. Perhaps the settlements will remain, but what of Justice and Fair Play? Can a compromise be reached for reparations, or the right for Palestinians to return to what is left? So far, since inception, the Israel government has stonewalled the idea as well as many other compromises. The Two State Solution appears to be dead, as long as Netanyahu and Lieberman are in office.
The new owners on the new frontier were give generous subsidies. Once entrenched these special settlers were given free schools, security, tax and other breaks that are thought to be well beyond the ordinary Israelis financial reach.
The exploitation of Palestine doesn’t end there. There are other commercial benefits to the occupation. Do you want a quality bar of soap? Do you buy canned goods, clothing, anything from Europe, America? You may purchase the product at your local West Bank or Gaza store. The merchandise has been either traded through or manufactured in Israel, or occasionally jointly with Palestinians. The tax and profit for these will go to an Israel company or trading firm. Most companies in Israel are owned by the active or retired military officer veterans. That’s true in many countries, Myanmar, Indonesia and Thailand; however, these are free countries and are not occupied for 60 years as is Palestine.
You want a job? Israel is always employing. First ‘shut your mouth’ and become a Zionist supporter, perhaps even an informer or spy. If so and you qualify come and get a travel pass that will allow you to easily pass through check points and to work in Israel at less than wages of course, than an Israeli would get.
Prominent Israels have become extremely wealthy by managing enterprises on stolen land: Vice President Lieberman for one, (No wonder he’s the most pro-settler politician) and when alive Ariel Sharon owned the largest farm in Israel on occupied territory. These few wealthy Israel Jews are merely the tip of the Iceberg. (Check out the 500 wealthiest Israel Jews on Google)
Since the U. N. has halted the practice thus preventing funds from being arbitrarily assigned to Israel’s pocket. The U. N. has also previously taken over the wages and salaries for Palestinians working within the Israel controlled West bank territorial government. Despite this wages are sometimes held up by Israel for months or at a time as is present during period of unrest or crises.
What all this amounts to is the West Bank is an open air prison with no future or hope unless we as Westerners, as combined dedicated individuals, stand up to the Zionist occupiers and say… All these years it has been a plain and simple terrible injustice to the Palestinians, so Israel get out peacefully while you can.
All the Best.
Ron Miller
