26/05/2008

Last week, Palestinians around the globe also marked the 60th anniversary of the birth of Israel with solemn processions and lamentation. They marked their violent expulsion from their homes, lands, schools and farms to make way for the creation of the state of Israel.

Refugee camps in Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan still serve as the only home for thousands of Palestinians in their diaspora.

Palestinians refer to the creation of the State of Israel as Al-Nakba, which roughly means “The Catastrophe,” and they are not about to give up on their home any time soon, no matter how powerful the invaders happen to be.

President Bush has returned from a trip to the Middle East after visiting Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. His first stop was perhaps the most memorable, for aside from reiterating his blind support, the only thing he did while in Israel was to verbally assault Arabs who disagree with him and refuse to recognize Israel. Additionally, in a speech before the Israeli Knesset, he took a swipe at Democratic candidate Barack Obama as an appeaser, comparing him to former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlin, who appeased Hitler by recognizing his claims over Czechoslovakia.

Bush’s second stop was Saudi Arabia, where the Saudis told him that they were in no mood to please him by increasing their oil output. Part of this response can be linked to his broadside against Islamists while in Palestine. To the chagrin of most Arabs and Muslims, he characterized Hamas in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon as terrorist organizations. Most Arabs and Muslims do not agree with Bush or his pandering.

As expected, he met with even less success in his third destination, the resort of Sharm Al-Sheik in Egypt. As far as I can surmise, the trip was a dismal failure. He berated Arabs for having authoritarian regimes.

I agree with Bush. The Middle East is fraught with dictatorial regimes that have retarded all forms of development and human rights in the region. But I certainly do not agree with his pontificating. Have Libyans benefited from his re-establishment of relations with Col. Qaddafi? And where is the logic in cuddling to Egypt’s archaic strongman Hosni Mubarak? I don’t want to talk about the Saudis, Kuwaitis or others.

What is odd is Bush’s fixation on Hamas and Hezbollah, the only two democratically elected bodies in the Arab world. Bush has never put his money where his mouth is, and his use of many of these regimes to do his dirty work such as torture of inmates in overnight flights is something he needs to be ashamed of. However, if one has no shame, he can do what he wants.

The president of the United States uses these dictators to promote his agenda, and when he has no use for them, he tells them to disband. And that is precisely what he is asking them to do.

This brings me back to Palestine, where the economic situation is becoming more desperate. Praising Israel at the expense of the Arabs increases Arab animosity not only towards him but also towards the U.S. It is imperative for the next American leader to talk to Hamas and Hezbollah as well as foes and friends.

melkikhia@satx.rr.com

Published  22/05/2008 (San Antonio Express-News)

http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/columnists/melkikhia/stories/MYSA.052308.OPEDmansour.1c602382.html