‘Israel cannot survive in peace, reliant on conflict’
The Zionist entity survives through conflict with its neighbors, with the support of the United States and Britain, a prominent activist tells Press TV.
On November 14, the Israeli military launched a series of new air and sea attacks, dubbed Operation Pillar of Cloud, against the Gazans, leaving at least 131 Palestinians dead, including senior Hamas commander Ahmed al-Ja’abari, the head of Ezzedeen al-Qassam Brigades.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Mark Glenn of the Crescent & Cross Solidarity Movement, from Coeur d’Alene, to further discuss the issue. Glenn is joined by Adie Mormech, a human rights activist from Gaza, and Richard Weitz, the director of the Center for Political-Military Analysis at the Hudson Institute, from Washington. The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Do you think that the fact that we’re seeing this continuous barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip landing into Israel at the same time that these raids are continuing – of course, looking at the number of casualties, you can’t compare them. They’re not causing a lot of casualties in Israel. Up until now, we’re hearing of three Israelis killed when 103 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip.
Do you think that the fact that these rockets are landing, are continuing to land even at a distance reaching Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, al-Quds, this is causing concern for Israel in terms of what it’s going to do, what it’s next step is going to be especially when it comes to a ground incursion?
Glenn: No, absolutely not. Israel’s not worried about these rockets at all. In fact, every time one of them is launched from Gaza, the military and the political planners in Tel Aviv are toasting each other and cheering because they’re able to make their case before the world that the bloodshed they are inflicting upon the innocent people in Gaza is justified.
There is a report that came out just in the last day that a lot of these rockets don’t even have warheads on them. They’re just basically flying kites. And, of course, the low numbers of injuries on the Israeli side from these “rockets” is proof of that.
There’s nothing deadly about them unless you happen to be standing and it lands right on top of you; which if you wanted to do the statistics on that, they are probably so low as to be incalculable.
I don’t think Israel is worried about this all. I think every time one of these rockets gets launched and they’re able to capture it on film, they’re able to capture the drama of Israelis running for cover and acting scared. This works for them internationally in proving the case “that they’re justified in holding this religiously inspired bloodshed.”
Press TV: Looking at what started this conflict. The international community or rather a lot of the media have been giving various accounts. Today we had Khaled Mashaal, the Hamas political leader, saying that Ahmad Jabari, the Hamas official who was assassinated, was said to be carrying a document for a peace agreement. Do you think that there is a link between Israel’s onslaught and what could have been a roadmap for some kind of a peace?
Glenn: Absolutely. Israel absolutely cannot exist in an environment of peace. She has to be in constant conflict with her neighbors in order to survive. A conflict is like the air that she breathes.
Any sort of development that would lead to peace between Israel and her neighbors is something that has to be aborted at all costs.
I think that for the sake of the victims, we have to be honest in this discussion in saying to ourselves that there is nothing about what is taking place in Gaza now or what has taken place up to this point over the course of the last 60 years that should be a surprise to any of us.
If people would be honest with themselves and understand that the entire Zionist project from the beginning was something that was going to be drenched in blood, drenched in conflict because of the philosophical underpinnings of what Zionism is, then we wouldn’t be having these conversations.
This mad dog is on the loose because principally people of the West – England and the United States – had let her out of her cage and set her loose on her rampage against these innocent people.
It was this way from the beginning and it is this way now, and it will always be this way because Israel cannot exist in an environment of peace and brotherhood with those around her. It’s simply is just not possible.
