The root causes of resentment in view of sep 11th attacks

THE ROOT CAUSES OF RESENTMENT IN VIEW OF SEP 11th ATTACKS

Mohammad Abo Galzeh

Aichi National University

Nagoya- Japan,

October 29th, 2001.

The September 11th attack on the United States, which left a huge political, economic and security losses is certainly horrible. But it is not the worst in human history. This is by no way means to underestimate the terrorist attacks; absolutely not: killing innocent or secure people cannot be justified under any circumstances. But this is to direct our attention to other calamities taking place in our globe. There were many other tragedies left by terrorist activities in many places in this world as we have seen in Vietnam, Rwanda, Bosnia, Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan. Tens of thousands of civilians and innocent people have been killed and many others have been frightened in the name of “freedom and democracy.” However, it is true that this attack is the biggest in US history as a sole hegemon controlling global system. Although human and material losses are not bearable for a country like the US, the harder shock for many Americans and many others in the world as well is the insult of the prestige and veneration of the ‘greatest’ superpower in contemporary politics.

It is expected that any government have to respond to such a threat. But what kind of response is a real question. With the metaphysic acceleration of events, conservatives started to talk only about military solutions and wars, even before conducting any real investigation. They ignored that the killing of more civilians and innocent people will not solve the problem; rather it will lead to serious and profound transformations in world politics. This assumption is not because of the attack itself; but it is due to the potentials behind it and the call for a new strategic alliance against terrorism. Whatever the US officials try to explain, it comes to the mind of millions of people that the US is indeed hiding its own agenda to reinforce its dominance of the global system. So military action is not the solution; it is in fact worsening the problem.

That is why it is much more important to understand and treat the causes and circumstances that facilitate the rise of hatred and resentment in Muslim World against the US, which may throw some light upon the terrorist attacks on US. While the case is so complex, but some of them can be identified.

The US government double-standard foreign policies in the last 50 years in particular in the Middle East have, in the eyes of millions of people including many Americans, created so much frustration among Muslim and Arab peoples. According to a new Newsweek poll, most Americans view U.S. policies in the Middle East as a prime motivator for the terrorist attacks on U.S. targets. But the public is split down the middle about whether those policies should be changed. A survey conducted by the Newsweek after the attack shows that 58 % of American believed that the attack on the US was because of the US policy toward Israel and Palestinian question in the Middle East.¹ To understand the reflections of the US policies in Muslim and Arab world, it is necessary to review its history.

1. Palestinian Question: The situation in Palestine created vast reservoir of anger and resentment towards the US in Muslim World.² Palestine is one of the oldest civilized regions in the world and it has a great importance in the hearts of all Muslims because it is a land of many prophets and a seat for Muslim holy places. It is also a holy land for Jews and Christians as well. Jews regard it as ‘the promise land’ and the center for their holy places in Jerusalem and Hebron. Christians also regarded it a holy land because it is the cradle of their religion where Messiah (Jesus)³ was born and preached Christianity. Since Palestine is important and sacred place for Arabs, Muslims, Christians and Jews, it is very important to review its history.

The oldest people to settle in Palestine were the Arab Canaanites some 3000 D.C. Present Palestinians, who include Arab Muslims, Christians and Jews, are one of their progeny. Although Palestine was occupied and governed, from time to time, by various peoples, its original people continued to build and develop it. Arabs inhabited Palestine 1500 years before the David establish his first state. After the Islamic Conquest, majority of Palestinian people embraced Islam and the Islamic governance of Palestine continues for 14 centuries, from 636 to 1917 DC, with the exception of the Crusade period which lasted for 90 years.

The foundation of Zionist movement, which sought establishing Jewish entity in Palestine, goes back to the emergence of Zionist tendencies in Europe in particular among Protestants in the sixteenth century. The emergence of nationalist ideology and the oppression against Jewish in East Europe created what was called ‘Jewish problem’. After the establishment of the Zionist Movement in Basel 1897, Britain adopted the Zionist program and issued the Balfour Promise in Nov 1917 to establish a national state for the Jewish in Palestine. This Promise completely ignored the rights of native Palestinians. As a result of Sikes-Picot agreement 1917, Great Syria fell directly or indirectly under the sovereignty of either Britain or France. In 1920, the Balfour Declaration was included in the San Remo Agreement of 1920. From July 24, 1922, the declaration was included into the mandate through which Britain temporarily administered Palestine. Then the Britain during its colonialism to the region paved the way for the Jewish immigrations to Palestine and, therefore, the number of Jews increased from 55,000 in 1918 to 646,000 in 1948 (8% in 1918 to 31% in 1948). Nevertheless, indigenous population during this period was 69 % controlling 93.3 % of Palestine. Supported by Britain, Jews succeeded in building their institutions, colonies and organizations to declare their state. In 29 Nov 1947, the United Nation issued the resolution number 181 to divide Palestine into two states: an Arab state controlling 45% of Palestine, and a Jewish state controlling 54 %; while internationalizing Jerusalem, 1 % of Palestine. In 1948, the Jewish declared their state, defeated Arab arms, captured 77% of Palestine, displaced 800,000 Palestinians from their land and homes and destroyed 478 villages.⁴

The rest of Palestine including Jerusalem was occupied in 1967 and more than 330,000 people were displaced again. Israel continues to Judaize Palestine, confiscate peoples’ lands and properties, build settlements, destroy homes of ordinary peoples, and suppress Palestinians. All these actions are being committed under the absolute US support on all fronts without giving real attention to the Palestinian people’s suffering during more than 50 odd years or to Muslims feelings in the world. Because of the US intimate relationship with Israel, Palestinians and Muslims are widely convinced that they cannot expect even a modicum of justice from the US government. The savage and brutal oppression of the Second Intifaddah which witnessed Israel unleash the full fury of state suppression upon armless people and children was perhaps “the last straw that broke the camel’s back.”⁵ It is widely known that Israel merciless oppression could not have embarked without the US infinite support.

The Palestinian question in its political and human dimensions represents the cry of ‘the oppressed,’ the victim of injustice, in the face of the propagandists of human rights. It indeed unveils double standards and uncovers the “hypocrisy” of a superpower which promotes and protects animal rights while it allows casting millions of people in the open air.

2. The continuing suffering of the Iraqi people because of the brutal sanctions imposed by the U.N at the command of the US and Britain. As known, the US fought to protect American interests in the Gulf. But it has been estimated that more that a half million children have died as a direct and indirect consequence of the US engineered sanctions.

3. Although the US claim that it is the protector of democracy and human rights, but it is the US which support autocratic regimes that continue to resist demands for social justice and democratic rule. Therefore, for the US it is not a question of freedom or justice, but it is a matter of interests and extreme realism to maintain US hegemony.

4. Millions of peoples, most of them are women, old persons and children, had died and perished in Vietnam, Indochina, Panama, El-Salvador, Nicaragua, and Chile from the fifties to the early eighties, as a consequence of a superpower desire to perpetuate its dominance through covert operations and unjustified subversions. So in the name of what these millions have been killed: Morals or interests.

This is why in many parts of the world while there are so much sympathy for the bereaving people of America, there is a great opposition towards arrogate superpower. It is very clear that violence and terror breed violence and terror. But the victims are usually innocent and secure people. It is believed that the US hegemonic policy is one of the root causes of global injustices, inequality, poverty and marginalization, which can lead to disastrous consequences not only to international peace and security, but also to the integrity of mankind.

Footnotes:

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¹ NEWSWEEK, October 6, 2001.

² British Prime Minister Tony Blair admitted on 15 Oct. 2001 that the situation in the Middle East invoked a deep feeling of injustice in the Arab Word.

³ It should be indicated here that ‘no Muslim is a Muslim’ if he does not believe in Jesus and his miracles.

⁴ Saleh, Mohsen. Basic Facts on the Palestinian Issue (London: Palestinian Return Center, 2001), pp. 10-15.

⁵ Muzaffar, Chandra. Commentary, Vol. 1, No. 9, September 2001.