A politics of deceit: Israel and US annexation of Palestinian lands

In political and diplomatic circles, choirs have been singing about an illusion called the two-state solution. Any eyes wide open visitor to the West Bank, to Gaza, to any refugee camp, would show the two states idea is a mirage. Even if visitors do not witness the destruction of Palestinian homes and Bedouin camps, a quick glance at settlers' rapidly expanding homes and gardens would teach that politicians fool themselves by repeating their two state ideals.

In the illusion business, the Palestinian Authority has also been active. Its operatives might regard themselves as instruments of their own government, but they exist to carry out Israeli orders. Refugee camps are maintained, hundreds of checkpoints occupied, Palestinian children are imprisoned by military courts, the siege of Gaza is into a fourteenth year but the PA conjures the self-image that it is independent, and a sovereign Palestine is just around the corner.

Another annexation con trick is that if Netanyahu's proposals are stopped, a more just outcome could be achieved. The West Bank land has been stolen. The horse has bolted but nations supportive of Palestinians are mustering courage to demand that the stable door be closed.

In Europe, the US and in Australia, it's convenient to pretend that Israel is in control. US Secretary of State Pompeo says that what Israel decides will be honoured, yet he needs the wealthy and powerful in Washington. The outcome of the Annexation controversy appears to depend on what casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson wants. The objectives of this largest donor to the US Republican Party are aided by the settler loving US Ambassador David Friedman who links annexation to the Trump 'Vision for Peace' which is about Israel's occupation becoming permanent, about one state two systems, a fully-fledged apartheid regime, most citizens with full rights, the remainder with none.

Adelson's requests have been heeded. Tearing up the Iran deal. Removing the US Embassy to Jerusalem. Taking the Golan Heights. Defunding UNRWA and Palestinian hospitals. Treating the settlement movement as legitimate and finally the push to have annexation adopted before the November US Presidential election. Government via a wealthy plutocrat masquerades as democracy.

Touches of Truth and Reality

Two weeks ago, in response to deceit and illusion, a bold touch of reality came from six thousand Israeli protesters in a Tel Aviv square who insisted that years of occupation had been a serious crime and should not be replaced with an apartheid that would last forever.

A different perspective, but also grounded in an attempt to be frank and realistic, is offered by Haaretz journalist Gideon Levy who suggests, with characteristic hope, that annexation might be more reversible than settlements, that annexation could eventually be changed into democracy.

To say that discussion of Netanyahu's proposal to annex the West Bank is characterized by deceit, illusion and indifference to human rights may provoke the demand, 'stop picking on Israel, how about all the other human rights abusers?'

To anticipate that demand, I concede that in politics and the media, where human rights have been concerned, deceit has been widespread. In his Memoir, veteran US journalist Seymour Hersh concluded that the powerful prey mercilessly on the powerless, they lie constantly about their predations and the media let the powerful get away with it, not least in fear to be honest about the colonization of Palestine.

It should not take too much courage to say that constant deceit produces a schizophrenic version of reality, results in cruelty to the vulnerable, indifference to international law and other ill effects. 'Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.'