The Middle East Crisis and the Principles of Secular Politics
By
Abdulsalam Olatubosun Ajetunmobi
Abdsalm@aol.com
[LONDON]
In the last few days, there has been a raging and sustained Israeli's offensive
against its Palestinian neighbours under the cover of the world-wide war on
terrorism. To me this is ironic, given the vital role terrorism played in the
establishment of state of Israel in the first instance. On every occasion,
Israel always speaks of Palestinians as 'terrorists' even though it was Israel
that first initiated and practised terrorism.
For our information, I should recall the bloody events that occurred before the
Second World War, preparatory to the emergence of state of Israel. In the run up
to the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, Jews extremists set up an
organisation called, "Irgun Zvia Leumi" (IZL) or simply, "The
Irgun" and a splinter group known as the "Stern" initially as
campaign bodies for the establishment of the state of Israel. However, these two
groups then, once under the leaderships of Menachem Begin, the future Prime
Minister of Israel 1977-83, and Abraham Stern respectively perpetrated barbaric
and dreadful acts of terrorism involving kidnappings, beatings, murders and
hangings on both uniformed and civilian population of Palestine before the
creation of the state of Israel. In fact, hundreds of British men and women,
soldiers and civilians were killed between the year 1945 and 1948 with, firstly,
the use of bombs attacks on the "immigration offices, tax offices and
police stations," and then progressing to the use of guns and explosives on
hotels, car park, etc. These attacks, which was intensified unabated, in the
immediate years before the British left in 1948 were directed indiscriminately
against the British as well as Arab civilians. The ruined Muslim cities of
"Der Yasin, Jaffa, Kabia, West Beirut, Sa and Shatila" all bear to
this terrorism (See Dispossessed: The Ordeal of the Palestinians: By David
Gilmour and The Origins & Evolution of the Palestine Problem 1917 -1989.
Published by the United Nations, New York 1990)
Yesterday I read a published article written by a Christian priest on the net.
The article (at: http://nigeriaworld.com/letters/2002/apr/041.html) purportedly
made a clarion call to all Christians to fall line for Israel as a show of
solidarity for its course. Being full of quotations from the Bible, it
highlighted why Israel must maintain its overall claim to the whole of
Palestine. For example, the writer said and I quote: "But a Christian who
is truly a Child of God should rather 'bless Israel,' 'comfort Zion' and 'pray
for the peace of Jerusalem.' No matter in what guise, any one that curses Israel
or condemns it based on the land issues of today, can hardly be doing that on a
sound Christian doctrine." This is ironic too. Indeed, it is quite
astonishing that Israelis themselves have conveniently and successively
forgotten good deeds the Muslim did to them. It will be instrumental, in this
regard to mention the following incidents, among others.
In 1480, Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain subjected Jews to Inquisitions (a
method used by Christians to investigate heretics and those whose beliefs and
doctrines were suspected or were opposed to the established Church) wreaking
havoc on the converted Jews. That period of suffering has no parallel in human
history. Even then the clergy's ferocity against them was not satiated and there
was an order for the expulsion of the Jews in 1492. There was also the incident
of 'Black Death' which plagued Europe from 1347 to 1352. People died in droves.
But it was rumoured that
"Satan was protecting the Jews and that they were paying back the Devil by
poisoning wells used by Christians. The solution was to torture, murder and burn
the Jews. "In Bavaria...12,000 Jews...perished; in the small town of
Erfurt...3,000; Rue Brulée...2,000 Jews; near Tours, an immense trench was dug,
filled with blazing wood and in a single day 160 Jews were burned." (5) In
Strasbourg 2,000 Jews were burned. In Maintz 6,000 were killed...; in Worms
400..." ("The Pale of Settlement and the pogroms of 1881 in
Russia," at: http://204.165.132.2/crucible/whunts/frames_pogromrussia.htm
As a result of this development, the Jews tried to flee their tormentors to
Europe and Spain. They could not find refuge anywhere in the world except in the
Muslim ruled Palestine and Turkey, where they found tolerance among the Muslims.
Also when the Jews were persecuted by Nazi Germany, they sought and obtained
refuge in Muslim Palestine. Throughout the Islamic history the Muslims treated
the Jews with magnanimity and had given them sanctuary, refuge and asylum. Is it
not then ironic today that the Jews are avenging themselves on the Muslims for
the wrong done to them by the Christians?
On the current impasse between the Israel and the Palestinian people, the US,
Europe and the rest of Christian World are happy with the 'peace plan' offered
the aggrieved Palestinians which include the Palestinians "losing three
quarters of their land, having the remaining quarter covered in illegal
settlements, having their capital, Jerusalem, illegally annexed, and having
three and a half million made refugees." That is justice and magnanimity of
the occupier, Israel in the eye of the West Christian world. Furthermore, and
against this background, Israel is inflicting on Palestinians one cruelty after
the other. Would it not be legitimate and rightful too for them to resist the
illegal occupation of their land with whatever means at their disposal? Yet
Israel and its allies in the West Christian World speak of their action as
'terrorism' calling every resistant a 'terrorist.'
We should remember however that the French people had employed similar
resistance method (chiefly know as French Resistance) to free their homeland
from the German occupiers in the years between 1940 and 1944. Incensed by German
atrocities, the French people organised themselves and engaged in resistance
activities that "included the bombing of bridges … risked their lives and
the lives of their families" to which Dwight D. Eisenhower, in his Crusade
in Europe (1948) commented: "Throughout France the resistance had been of
inestimable value in the campaign. Without their great assistance the liberation
of France would have consumed a much longer time and meant greater losses of
ourselves."
It is evident from the above that Palestinians resistance struggle is not akin
to terrorism It is will be a sheer emotionalism and ignorance to equate that
struggle with terrorism. I think well-informed among the Christian populations
should rather stop deluding themselves in thinking that God, according to
Biblical tales, has transferred the right of occupancy, ab initio to Israel and
therefore, "Israel and Church are of the same destiny on this issue."
Of course, the US and the Christian Europe in an attempt to deflect the Jewish
wrath against them towards the Muslims, for the atrocities against the Jews in
the past, as highlighted above, would rather speak and repeatedly too that
Israel struggle is democracy's struggle. But what are the basic principles
underlining the western democracy? What makes Israel the only recipient of these
basic principles of secular politics in the Middle East given the fact that they
are in vogue everywhere.
Well, secular politics, since ancient times has adhered to "three basic
principle" which are common to every practitioner around the world. These
three principles underline the concept of Western democracy as we know it today
and these principles are embodied in the policy of Israel, the only anchor of
'democracy' in the Middle East.
The First Principle of secular politics is that whenever the tribal racial or
national interests of a nation clash with the principles of Justice, then
priority and precedence must only be given to tribal, group or national
interests even if the principle of Justice have to be totally torn to shreds.
As against this the principle of politics, the teachings of the Holy Qur'an are
totally different and largely at variance to this principle. The Holy Qur'an 5:
8 states:
"O you who
believe, be upright for Allah, bearers of witness with justice; and let not
hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably. Be just; that is nearer to
observance of duty. And keep your duty to Allah. Surely Allah is Aware of what
you do."
The Second governing Principle of Secular Politics is that if you possess power
and strength, then you must attain your objective through this sheer superiority
of strength, since, for them, "might is right". As if apart from this
belief there is no other principle of fidelity existent in the world. In this
regard, the Holy Qur'an 8: 42 presents a completely different principle; as it
states:
"Only, he deserves
to perish, against whom you are equipped with the criterion of Truthfulness,
which should also stand open as your testimony. And only he, should survive,
whose survival is supported by Truth."
The Islamic principle, therefore advocates that "Right is might" as
against "Might is right"!
The Third fundamental principle of irreligious secular politics is that in order
to achieve your objective you should, without hesitation, indulge in false
Propaganda. This is not only permitted, but the greater the deception or
falsehood, the better it serves the interest of their objective. You must defeat
the enemy not only in the battlefield but also project and depict him as
defeated in the field of ideologies and concepts through persistent propagation
of falsehood
Opposed to it, the Holy Qur'an
presents this principle: "…so shun the filth of the idols and shun
false words." (22: 30) Elsewhere the Holy Qur'an says: "... When
you speak, be just though it be (against) a relative…" (6: 153)
From above it is crystal clear that there is a distinct difference between the
western democracy vis-à-vis its politics and Islamic Statecraft. Israel is a
projecting West Christian democratic principles through and through It is not
surprising therefore to see it intensifying its military offensive in the West
Bank in spite of the well-meaning calls around the world and in particular the
US President, George Bush's strongest statement yet (as at yesterday) that he
expected Israel "to heed his advice" and withdraw from Palestinian
areas "without delay.
So anybody, who has been watching on TV, Internet, etc., the Israeli 'massacre'
in the Palestinian towns and villages since the beginning of its offensive
against its Palestinian neighbours last week, anyone seeing the Israel firing
its heavy weaponry from the 'hills around the town' and preventing ambulances
from reaching the 'dead and wounded', nay, anyone noticing the several thousand
peace campaigners around the world including those of Israel that gathered in
Tel Aviv yesterday night (Saturday) under the slogan "End occupation, start
negotiation" should go and note that hate will not triumph in this world.
It is the high virtues that will eventually emerge as victorious.
In Islam, the code of conduct of the Holy Prophet (sas) succeeds, because that
is the conduct of the best behaviour. Such a code of conduct is invincible hence
no power on earth can eclipse the code of conduct of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas).
So let every Muslim in his/her struggle against occupation, injustice and
whatever evil on the face of the earth revert to that code of justice which I
briefly set out above and then adopt their precept. It is certain that the
evildoers will never prosper!
Yours faithfully,
Abdulsalam Olatubosun Ajetunmobi
London (UK)