Recollections and a Question.
13 January 2009.

I was in Gaza in 2001 and with Yasser Arafat when news of the first plane hitting the world tower came in. It was of course September 11 and world attention became focused on that. But I also recall an aid coming in to tell Abu Amar that there was an incursion by the Israelis into a village. To my shame I don’t recall the villages name or what happened.

I had arrived in Gaza only 11 days before. My father was being held hostage by Arafat and most of my energy was focused on getting him released but very quickly I was deeply immersed into Gaza life.  I quickly acclimatised to the regular Israeli scud missiles that were referred to missions to hunt down ‘terrorists’ and innocent civilians that were killed were dismissed as ‘collateral damage’.

My initial fear of the helicopters hovering above and the fighter planes whizzing by soon gave way to acceptance at this way of life, controlled to all intents and purposes by Israel. We knew the borders were open when there was lettuce and the Herald Tribune newspaper.

On any given day plans were abandoned by Gazzans to travel, go shopping or visit family and friends. You couldn’t make any plans. Every day every hour every minute was governed by some sort of action by Israel, whether it was the lack of electricity or borders closed.

Over time my admiration and respect for the Gazzans grew as I witnessed the daily struggle for survival. Yet everyone seemed to have time for me and my father’s plight. In spite of their own problems the people of Gaza were kind and extraordinary generous sharing the little they had. It was then I fell in love with Gaza and the people of Gaza and I made a promise to myself that I would go back and do something.

Circumstances to date didn’t give me the opportunity to pursue that dream. I kept in touch with most people, by phone and by email. A link was maintained and I shared with my friends their news. It wasn’t always regular but news got through, deaths births marriages. Some of the people that I became close to had different political ideologies to mine, different approaches as to how Palestinian statehood should be achieved, but one thing that was very clear and stuck a resonance with me, is that in spite of political differences there was a genuine desire to listen to the opposing argument.

I recall the days I spent arguing, debating, discussing, fighting with what the West would term as ‘militant’ men. These discussions would go on for hours, as this was the period of America’s ‘War on Terror’. I learnt so many things. Having been educated and brought up in England, freedom of speech, civil rights, lack of fear were an inherent part of my life. If I wanted to criticise the British Government, the media, MP’s I could without fear of repercussions.

Working in the media I also knew of how the media functioned from both a commercial and political perspective. Lobbyist Public relations company’s organizations would regularly try to get their story across. Everyone had an agenda but ultimately  the media was independent.

This was not the case in the Arab world or Palestine. Criticism of the leadership could result in closure of the paper or arrest of the journalist. The rule of law was arbitrary and social rights and benefits were sporadic and relied on who you knew. The point I am getting at is that I began to understand that it’s a diffcult concept for someone to grasp  civil rights or liberties, freedom of speech rule of law  and just general freedom if they have been in the first instance brought up under occupation and in the second under a leadership that had failed to deliver either on social rights or on peace and independence.  It was all very well for me to take the ‘high’ line intellectually but I was not daily fighting for my very survival.

To me it is obvious that if you are struggling for survival and every door has been slammed in your face you would do everything to defend your very survival.

Israel uses that line all the time that it’s fighting for its survival. Its narrative, its discourse has been the dominant one. All our cries as Palestinians for our survival seems to rest on some distant vague statement that soon a Palestinian state will come to fruition if…

I do feel a sense of hopelessness and frustration  at American and Israeli policy. It is short sighted and brings neither peace security or stability to anyone. It’s easy for me to say from the security of being in London that there needs to be a political settlement and that it is the only way. I passionately do believe that is the only option. But I wonder what right do I have as a Palestinian commentator to tell the people of Gaza who are being murdered daily and very publicly that they should give political dialogue a chance and give up the resistance?

The Way Forward

By Mona Al-Ghussein Bauwens
10 Jan 2009.



I am a Palestinian and like all Palestinians I have watched with dismay, over the years the endless struggle for a state that we can call our own. Like every Palestinian I have felt frustrated, angry at all the injustice and unfairness of the worlds response to our legitimate aspirations and rights.

For decades the Palestinian Israeli conflict has rested on blame, counter blame, rights, injustices and two completely different narratives. It seemed to me that whatever we did, whatever step we took forward, whatever we gave up or conceded whatever glimmer of hope that we were almost there always ultimately ended in us being a hundred steps back and further away from our homeland.

 Numerous Wars and guerrilla activities have consistently failed to bring any security to Israel or the establishment of a Palestinian state. Israel’s recent bombardment of Gaza, its 18-month siege and blockade of the territory will neither erase Hamas nor stop Palestinian aspirations for their own sovereign state. But lets be blunt and brutal here. Palestinian justice, legal rights powerful as they may be have little impact in the arena of international politics. They count for very little particularly with the super power. Our strategy needs to be one of political maturity where our aspirations become a part of US interest. Israel has been a master at ensuring that their interests are closely allied with those of the United States and the West.  This interest is vested in two factors:  first access to oil. Second as a counter balance to the emerging and established political ideology that is fundamentally or is perceived to be fundamentally of detriment to Western values and interests.

Its not rocket science. The world of politics may hide under the guise of universal rights, democracy and freedom but the reality is based on interest. That is the nature of power and the Arabs have regrettably over the years tended to act independently and not collectively and as such any power i.e. oil has not been used strategically to resolve on the one hand the Palestinian ‘problem’ or give the oil producing nations an influential role in the world arena as equal partners on the political stage. No Arab country sits as a permanent member of the Security Council. No Arab state exerts any meaningful influence on global issues. We are supporting actors in world affairs.

  What we Palestinians need to consider is how to formulate a political strategy that will make us essential partners and allies to the West, Israel and our Arab neighbours as a first step. We also need to be pragmatic and accept that the way forward, is a dialogue and settlement with Israel.


For all its failures to date, the only way forward is a negotiated settlement between the Palestinians and the Israelis. This is the only game in town.  This does not mean submission or enslavement. This settlement should have a fundamental principal that this is a final solution between two equal partners that will translate into an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders and encompass all the outstanding issues on Jerusalem, right of return and give Palestinians control of their own borders. It will entail compromise, neither party will get everything it wants or hopes for. More importantly this settlement should not be a phased transitional agreement but one that is conclusive and finite.

For all its apparent failures The Oslo peace agreement, which was front-loaded into Israel’s favours, did allow the Palestinians to have some entity and limited control and it gave us a base to work from. From that perspective it was a success. Nation building is a journey that is more problematic than the struggle for liberation. It entails the building of institutions, rule of law, civil rights and compromise between all the political parties involved. And by its very nature construction is a laborious process. It needs many components from architects, designers, engineers, labourers and each one is dependent on the other to enable the building to be solid and complete.

The continued schism between Fateh and Hamas does not serve the Palestinian people and gives ammunition to both Israel and its Western allies to uphold the myth that there is no partner to make peace with. All Palestinian factions and political parties need to work under the elected President Mahmoud Abbas under the banner of the Palestinian government irrespective of what loyalties or factions they belong to. The Palestinian rights should not be based on political partisanship but the common goal of achieving a Palestinian state. A state that I believe should be founded on democracy, civil rights and liberties and the rule of law. Gaza has so much potential in being developed as a business centre, tax-free destination, and tourist resort.  The West Bank can become an exciting centre for education research medical or scientific excellence. The potential is limitless if we have the vision and imagination to think beyond the conventional box.

The Betrayal of Gaza, By Mona Al-Ghussein Bauwens

Mona pic

The Betrayal of Gaza
By Mona Al-Ghussein Bauwens

7 Jan 2009.


Its almost surreal watching the horrific events unfold in Gaza. Was I shocked? Surprised, at what President Abbas describes as Israelis ‘brutal aggression’? Bluntly no.

The annihilation of Gaza was a disaster waiting to happen. Israel needed no pretext to wage a war on a city that had been under siege for over 18 months. Israel’s political policy and strategy has been to undermine and weaken Palestinian legitimacy to a homeland and an independent Palestinian state. It actively promoted and encouraged the founder of Hamas, the  late Sheik Ahmad Yassin in the late eighties as a counter balance to the PLO, which it declared at the time as a terrorist organization. It saw in Hamas a potential to weaken the secular nationalism of the PLO and it was a tactic developed to divide and rule.

What Israel failed to understand at the time and continues to fail to comprehend is that they cannot deny the aspirations of a people for a homeland. Nor can they ever stop a resistance movement by brute force or submission. Nor can the international mantra of the international community led by the USA that a ceasefire, limited or otherwise can be achieved if Hamas gives up the resistance movement euphemistically referred to as offensive unprovoked rocket launches to the Israeli population.

Moreover, Hamas must close its tunnels, the only regular access in the last 18 months for provisions for Palestinian civilians due to the blockade imposed on Gaza. That the tunnels are also used for smuggling is not questioned but the right to resists a siege, blockade and indirect occupation imposed by Israel is a fundamental right of every individual. As Israel argues that it has the legitimate right to protect its civilians and borders and freedom to life so must that right be given to the Palestinians. Ultimately this senseless carnage of attack and counter attack will end not by force but by a negotiated settlement and the partners will need to include all Palestinian factions led by President Abbas. To suggest that a settlement can be reached without all the parties involved in the conflict is an unrealistic goal. History has demonstrated over time that organizations once termed as terrorist have become legitimate representatives of the people. This is particularly true of both Israel and Palestine.

Ehud Baraks statement that the ‘operations’ would continue until ‘peace and tranquility’ is achieved is as disingenuous as claiming there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza, it’s beyond laughable. Peace?  That is an Israeli myth that has been weaved and imbedded into the international language of politics and diplomacy. It means nothing to a people who have been imprisoned either by occupation, siege or denial of their own state. We Palestinians have been sold this word ‘peace’ by the West,  ‘if only we would stop resisting the occupation, if only we would stop shooting rockets into Israelis civilian population, if only we would stop this nonsense of democratically electing a party that is not acceptable to Israel, if only we would give up our right to return,  if only we give up Jerusalem, if only we don’t have control of our borders be they by land sea or air, If only we would stop claiming our fundamental basic rights that every American and Israeli is allowed to exercise.

Regrettably, however, the lack of Arab cohesion and unification has contributed a large part to Israel’s strength and apparent supremacy. The Arab states have consistently betrayed the Palestinian plight and cause, yes I appreciate that is a strong criticism but I make no apology for it.  The Palestinian cause has been bartered exchanged and  sold depending on the current political climate. Moving statements made by Arab Governments of support are rarely executed.  Financial commitments that are pledged to the Palestinians rarely reach the people. Travel and work permits to Arab states for Palestinians are virtually impossible to get. Any rights of Palestinians residing as refugees or as guests in Arab host countries are negligible. Any sphere of influence that the senior Arab nations have with the West is used to little effect. And we Palestinians and by that I mean those in power either political influential or financial have been unable to work either in unison or  with those that reflect a different methodology and have allowed this lack of cooperation to weaken a legitimate cause to a homeland. In effect we have fallen into the trap designed by Israel to bring dissent and friction amongst Palestinian political parties at the expense of the people. As such Israel has been effective in dividing us and instead of Palestinian leaders focusing their strategy on establishing a Palestinian state, energy has been expended on protecting and preserving political power and influence. This criticism applies to both Fateh and Hamas as their political differences have only served to sustain Israel’s myth that the Palestinians are not partners to peace and are incapable of being a sovereign state based on democracy and rule of law.

All the public sympathy and support in the world will not bring about a homeland to the Palestinians anymore than Israel’s persistent determination to destroy Gaza and the Palestinian people will end Palestinian dreams of a state.

Palestinian aspiration and rights to a sovereign state will only become a reality when Palestinians themselves are able to speak with one unified voice, with the same consistent message and when our political parties are able to put their ideologies aside for the common cause. Nation building is in many ways a journey more arduous than that of liberation for it entails compromise, pragmatism and inclusion.

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No act or threat of terrorism against innocent civilians can ever be justified no matter how mitigating the circumstances are. The rational behind Jaweed's philosophy and his family is based on the rule of law and the rights of every individual to live without fear. We passionately believe that every individual has the right to free speech and should be able to express their opinion and view without repercussions.

The recent threat towards the UAE and its citizens is not one we support. While we have specific complains about the legal system in the UAE and its arbitrary use  we do not have any grievances towards the people of the Emirates nor do we support its people or its rulers being subjected to external or internal terror threats.

We do not support in any form the threat of violence towards others and feel the optimum way to achieve equity and freedom is through education and debate. It is we accept the long route. Nevertheless, it is only through a process of change that evolves without violence that we feel a  strong vibrant and compassionate society can emerge.

The rule of Law should be a fundamental right for every individual. it is the foundation of society.
Our campaign is based on the enforcement of the rule of law and due process.

We do urge the Emirates to address its human rights abuses and to respect and uphold the Rule of Law.



  

AL GHUSSEIN-BAUWENS