Knowledge Partner
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
T
he on-going Israeli-Pales*nian conflict between the state of Israel and
the stateless Pales*nians seeking a state of their own began much
before the establishment of Israel in 1948. For years ajer the 1917
Balfour Declara*on, Muslims and Jews in Pales*ne, then under the mandate
of the UK, con*nued to live in reasonable peace. It was only when the
Jewish immigra*on increased rapidly, and it became clear that the Zionists
wanted a Jewish state in Pales*ne that tensions between the two
communi*es led to violent confronta*ons.
Arabs. Fourth, the Pales*nians have always been outwiQed by the Israelis
at the conference table. Last, but not the least, Israel has not been sincere
in its search for a peace-based on compromise, justness and fairness to
both sides.
Before seeking an explana*on for the signal failure of diplomacy to resolve
the Israeli-Pales*nian conflict, it is necessary to recall a few points. First,
both sides have resorted to propaganda, but Israel has succeeded much
beQer in influencing public opinion in its favour even when it has no case.
Scholars and the media have bought the Israeli propaganda knowingly or
otherwise. For example, the public, especially the young, is not aware that
the Zionists successfully resorted to terrorism to beget their state. There are
histories of Israel by reputed scholars omiqng to men*on the bombing of
the King David Hotel on 22 July 1946 in which 91 people were killed,
including 41 Pales*nian Arabs, 28 Bri*sh, and 17 Jews. The aQack was
carried out by Irgun (Na*onal Military Organisa*on in the Land of Israel).
Chaim Weizmann—who subsequently became the first president of Israel—
living in London, told Labour MP Richard Crossman, “I can't help feeling
proud of our boys. If only it had been a German headquarters, they would
have goQen the Victoria Cross.”
On 16 September 1948, the then
Both sides have resorted to
Un i t e d Na * o n s Me d i a t o r i n
propaganda, but Israel has
Pales*ne, Count Folke BernadoQe,
succeeded much beaer in
was murdered in cold blood by Lehi
influencing public opinion in
(Freedom Fighters for Israel).
During the war, as head of the
its favour even when it has
Swedish Red Cross, Count
no case. Scholars and the
BernadoQe had saved thousands of
media have bought the
Jews. As a UN peace mediator,
Israeli propaganda
Count BernadoQe had proposed
some modifica*ons to the UN knowingly or otherwise.
Par**on Plan which were seen as
disadvantageous to Israel. Before
the assassina*on, Lehi carried out a disinforma*on campaign against him by
branding him as a Bri*sh agent who had collaborated with the Nazis. Yitzhak
Shamir was part of the small group that arranged for the assassina*on.
Although Lehi was subsequently disbanded, Shamir was never tried and he
eventually went on to become Israel's prime minister (1983-84 and
1986-1992). However, the Jewish Virtual Library s*ll says that Shamir
“reportedly played a role" [Italics added for emphasis].
Image 16: The explosion of a second bomb at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem on 22
July 1946, by the militant Zionist underground organisaLon, the Irgun, on the BriLsh
administraLve headquarters for PalesLne, which was housed in the southern wing of
the Hotel
Israel-PLO Talks and the Oslo Accords
Pales*ne Libera*on Organisa*on (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat had been
asking Norway to arrange for talks since 1979. In 1990, Arafat’s support
for Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, when the laQer invaded Kuwait cost
the PLO dearly. The Gulf Coopera*on Council (GCC) stopped its funding,
Arafat was sta*oned in Tunis, and his leadership was not fully accepted in
Pales*ne. Finally, the first round of talks between Israel and the PLO took
place in 1993 and was arranged by Norway. The talks, held in small towns
in Norway, were secret. Ini*ally there was no official Israeli representa*ve
and a draj Declara*on of Principles (DoP) was drawn up. Meanwhile,
Israel was playing a clever game. It sent an official nego*ator and changed
the DoP draj to its advantage. For instance, the draj had previously
provided for interna*onal arbitra*on and for UN or Egypt to take charge
Third, the support for Zionists from the West has been more consistent and
more reliable as compared to what the Pales*nians got from their fellow
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