Public Meeting on Palestine:Raise Voices against Israeli Occupation-University Community

Dr. Zafrul Islam Khan, Proff. Achin Vanaik and Proff. Arjumand Ara

 

New Delhi, :  University Community, a group of students and teachers of the University of Delhi, organised a public meeting on ‘Palestinian Liberation Struggle’ and a film screening titled ‘Gaza: The Killing Zone’ on February 10 in room number 22, Faculty of Arts, University of Delhi, North Campus.

Speaking on this occasion Professor Achin Vanaik, Head, Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, went back in the history and said Palestine has repeatedly been made a pawn for the furthering imperial designs of various colonisers- the French, the British and now the United States. The Balfour Declaration of 1917, whereby Britain declared support for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine, laid the foundation for the ethnic cleansing that was to follow.

“Following the fall of the Ottoman Empire, France and Britain divided the Arab countries amongst themselves, and Palestine was placed under the British mandate. In the process, a cruel and absurd history was written, as the two colonisers decided between themselves to give away Palestine to the Jews, with the Palestinians having absolutely no say in the matter. The Palestinians did not take this colonial meddling lying down, and the large-scale unrest took the shape of a massive uprising in 1936. This was brutally crushed by the Hagenah (which was originally trained by the British), and Irgon, Zionist terrorist brigades. Since then, Palestine saw a systematic immigration of Jews, mostly from Europe. In 1923, Jews constituted 12% of the population, and owned 3% of the land. By 1945, these were 31% of the population, and owned 6% of the land,” he added. He further said that in 1947, the United Nations carved the state of Israel for the Jews out of Palestine, giving Israel 55% of Palestinian land. The period following World War II is acclaimed to be the era of ‘independence’. “Ironically, it is in this era that the UN decided to snatch an entire peoples’ land and “gift” it away, an event that will probably go down as the most audacious legalised thievery of our times”, Vanaik maintained. “In the bloodbath that followed the UN mandate, thousands of Palestinians were killed and millions brutally evicted from their homelands in 1947-48 to make way for the Jewish settlers. The indigenous population in hundreds of villages and towns was either wiped out or driven away, in one of the most barbaric instances of ethnic cleansing of our times. At the end of it, Israel had occupied 80% of Palestine, far exceeding even the UN mandate”, said the professor. He said far from fighting for its legal and moral “right to exist”, Israel is waging a virtual holocaust against peoples struggling to protect their lands. The history of the Israel-Palestine conflict is painful history of Palestinians struggling to retain lesser and lesser portions of their lands, of Israel repeatedly illegally occupying their territories, and of Israel forcing millions of Palestinians to live in dehumanising conditions in walled, heavily armed ghettos. Each and every so called peace agreement has paved the way for more Israeli settlements, more Israeli control and more Bantustans. For the past six decades, Israel has stubbornly insisted on being a jailer, and a settler coloniser and not a neighbour.

              Marking Israel arrogance as “targeted assisination” he said that this was longest running illegal military occupation in 100 years. Israel wanted to destroy Hamas and strengthen Mohammad Abbas but failed in its mission. “The prestige and support of Hamas has increased”, he added. Justifying Hamas attacks on Israel he said the country having illegal military occupation has a right to resist. Lambasting on those countries which considers Palestinians struggle as “Islamic terrorism” he asked as to why these countries do not demand Israel to end its occupation and pull out its forces from Palestine. “Israeli accord was violated by Israeli army. They fear if Palestinian regains their power their Zionism will be ended,” he added.

Vanaik suggested we should show solidarity with Palestinians as a measure of our humanity and dignity. Responding to a question Vanaik said if Palestinian struggle for freedom is terrorism then what can be said about Israel which is killing innocents in Palestine. “If India is saying that Pakistan is sponsoring terrorism then what about that which India is doing in North-East and Kashmir? Was that not a terrorism when more than 2000 people brutally killed in Gujarat in 2002”, he asked. He also added that the new US President Barrack Obama might do better than his predecessor George W. Bush in a number of things but Palestine was certainly not one of them. Obama infact holds Hamas as a guilty party for the bombings in Gaza.

            Addressing the gathering, Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, editor in chief, Milli Gezatte Weekly and an Expert on Palestinian issue, said Israel has not only targeted Palestine but also several countries like New York, Argentina etc. This violence was started since 1948, not today or tomorrow, he said. Referring to the Oslo accord Dr Khan said Palestinians had been given authority only on 22% of their own land and disappointingly this small portion is also under illegal occupation of Israel. Describing pathetic condition of Palestinians he said 98% of people of Palestine are unemployed, 99% industries are closed due to shortage of its necessities. Since Israel imports everything from different countries and due to severe blockade they are facing this pathetic condition.     

“This war was a one-sided one fought between two dissimilar forces. Israeli forces in the beginning targeted Palestinian police stations which are civilian force used for maintaining law and order and not a part of army. One after another the Israelis attacked all government buildings including the parliament . Then they wiped out everything and when they got nothing to attack, they started targeting civilians and their buildings including schools, hospitals. The United Nations Head Quarter in Gaza was also attacked by them. This was nothing but a war crime,” Dr Khan asserted asserted.

Describing the Quasam rockets, which Isreal wants to destroy, he said these rockets are more like fire crackers made up of explosives in water pipes. Its maximum range is 15 Km and when it lands causes only noises and no casualties.

            The programme was chaired by Arjumand Ara, Department of Urdu,University of Delhi. Around 150 students and teachers attended the meeting. The meeting ended with the formal vote of thanks by Shikha Pandey, a student of Law at Campus Law Centre, DU.