The feeling manifest in Israeli society since the establishment of the state of Israel is that “everybody is against us”, but maybe Israeli society has a thing or two to learn from an article by Hafez Al-Barghouti. Al-Barghouti relates to the aid given by the West to Israel and to the indifference of the Arab states. The title of his article “everyone is an enemy” sums up his personal feelings, as well as national Palestinian feelings.
Al-Barghouti, a columnist in the Palestinian Authority’s official daily paper, Al-Hayyat Al-Jadida, opens the article with the following statement: “A third of the Israeli army is composed of new immigrants, the budget of the army and their weapons are from the United States, and the welfare of the settlers is also due to American aid. The Israeli government is now requesting that the U.S. send them additional military aid for the total sum of four billion dollars, as well as guarantees for the sum of ten billion dollars.”
After discussing the American aid, Al-Barghouti addresses the subject of the aid given to Israel by Germany and Britain: “Germany is responsible for protecting Israel’s skies through Patriot rockets [bought from the U.S.]. Germany also supplies Israel with APCs [Armored Personnel Carriers] for use in the [West] Bank and in Gaza, and with submarines which have the capacity to carry nuclear war heads.”
“As for Britain, we do not know what types of weaponry Britain supplies to Israel but everyone aids them [Israel] and arms them.”
“If this is so,” asks Al-Barghouti, “does there still exist a Palestinian who honestly believes that Europe will assist him in obtaining his rights, and that the United States is serious about solving his troubles?” Al-Barghouti responds: “I do not think so…even the contents of [Bush’s] Road Map is nothing but futile talk, because it will lead us to hell. Everyone is an enemy, even friends have changed their face.”
“The situation at present is as follows: Russia supplies them with family [meaning the new immigrants from Russia], the United States and Europe supply them with the weapons and the money, the Arabs supply them with nothing but declarations and [Germany’s Chancellor Gerhard] Schroeder supplies them with a Heil salute.”