Israel Accepts America's Carte Blanche
In the weeks since U.S. president George Bush delivered a speech which, in essence, declared that Israel was justified in any actions it carried out to combat terrorism, the Israeli army has reoccupied virtually the entire West Bank.
Under Operation Determined Path, Israeli battalions have entered and shut down seven of the largest cities in the West Bank. In Nablus, described by the Israelis as a hotbed of terrorist activity, an almost continuous curfew has been imposed, lifted for a brief interval every 96 hours so residents can scurry quickly to accomplish some of the necessities of day-to-day life which they are otherwise denied.
In Ramallah and Jenin, also under almost constant curfew, Israeli soldiers have moved quickly to bulldoze the homes of alleged terrorists and their families and have continued with their policy of destroying key institutions of the Palestinian Authority, including offices, schools and police stations. Israeli soldiers and tanks have once again surrounded the compound of Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat in Ramallah. This is all the more chilling given that it comes as an open debate takes place in the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) and on Israeli television and radio about whether or not Arafat should be "eliminated" if he is re-elected in PA elections scheduled for January 2003. (U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice has weighed in, saying Arafat can only be removed by elections, which seems somewhat at odds with Bush's speech, in which he simply declared that the current PA leadership must change).
It is becoming clear that the Israeli aim is not to stop the suicide bombings, which will continue as soon as groups have reorganized under the occupation. Rather, it is to re-establish their permanent presence in the Occupied Territories.
Besides brute military force, Israeli is also turning to the courts to crush Palestinian resistance. On July 11, the Sharon government announced that Marwan Barghouti, the head of the Fatah movement who was arrested and has been held without charges since April 15, will be prosecuted. The trial will be the first in years involving a senior Palestinian figure, and will be held in civilian court, which Israel claims is proof that its intent is to conduct a fair trial.
According to the Israeli Justice Ministry, Barghouti will be tried with four other Palestinians in relation to "several attacks in Israel", without specifying which attacks. It is rumoured the prosecution will try to link speeches delivered by Barghouti and suicide bombings which would, in effect, establish an Israeli legal precedent criminalizing Palestinians who call publicly for self-determination and an end to occupation.