Re: smashing that other infrastructure

["Seth Sandronsky" <ssandron@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Seth: Looks like primitive accumulation to me, Jim.

smashing that other infrastructure
by Devine, James
12 April 2002 15:32 Thread Index


comment: this is not "tragic." Instead, it seems very clear that the Sharon
government's goal is to drive many of the "cockroaches" out of the occupied
territories by permanently impoverishing their political economy. This would
set the stage for a full-scale "cleansing" or what's been called "transfer."

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New York TIMES/April 12, 2002

Editorial: Bulldozing Hope in the Mideast

One tragic consequence of this month's Israeli military offensive across the
West Bank has been the heavy blow it inflicted on a Palestinian economy and
civil society that had begun to show signs of life. If these two proud and
talented peoples are ever to live side by side in peace and cooperation, one
obvious prerequisite will be a Palestinian economy that generates jobs and
prosperity for its people and civil institutions that can broaden debate and
begin to supplant the paramilitary secular and Islamist groups that now
monopolize Palestinian political activity.

Israel's long-term interest lies in nurturing Palestinian development, not
demolishing it. While Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's determination to strike
back at terrorists is understandable, Israel's destruction of Palestinian
homes, businesses and public utilities is not. Knocking down houses,
destroying electricity pylons and interfering with health care, as Israeli
forces have done across the West Bank, cannot be justified by any compelling
military need.

The Palestinians are among the most educated and entrepreneurial people in
the Arab world. Yet economic progress was disappointingly slow in the first
years after the Oslo peace agreement. Official corruption, Israeli military
blockades of Palestinian towns and uncertainty about the future all worked
to discourage investment and disrupt commerce. Several years ago, promising
signs of improvement appeared, helped by aid from the United States, the
European Union, the Arab League and international organizations. Industrial
parks and malls began to sprout, including some financed by
Palestinian-Americans. There was a successful casino in Jericho and a new
airport in Gaza.

These gains have been obliterated by the past 19 months of conflict, with
the greatest damage concentrated in the past two weeks. Yasir Arafat bears
much of the blame. Now Israel claims to have proof that he has not only
failed to oppose terrorism but has directly authorized it. Still, Israeli
military tactics are responsible for much of the civilian destruction.

While the ostensible goal of Israel's offensive is capturing terrorists and
uprooting their organizations, it has resulted in a prolonged siege
affecting hundreds of thousands of civilians trying to go about their
everyday lives. Mr. Sharon needs to make it clear to his commanders that
Palestinian civilians are not Israel's enemy and that their lives,
livelihoods and property deserve respect.

Better yet, with Secretary of State Colin Powell in Israel, Mr. Sharon
should belatedly heed President Bush's call for immediate withdrawal.
Continuing this offensive may yield more terrorist arrests, but at grievous
cost to Israel's long-term interests.

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Jim Devine jdevine@xxxxxxx &  http://bellarmine.lmu.edu/~jdevine



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