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Arafat
European Jews for a Just Peace offers its deepest condolences to the Palestinain people on the death of President Arafat. He was qute properly seen by his people as the father of their nation. In the aftermath of the 1948 war the Palestinains were left not only as a people without a land but as a people whose very existence as a nation was denied by some and ignored by others. Yasser Arafat transformed them into a population whose natural demands for their own nation state - a demand for no more than natural justice - were acknowledged across the world.
Such an achievement did not prevent his vilification by political opponents. Like any leader, Arafat was far from flawless. Yet those who criticised most readily were those who most feared his ability to represent the yearning of his people on the world political and diplomatic stage. Since his journey to Paris, the world has been confronted with Israeli politicians and their apologists in the West engaging in a hideous competition to outdo one another in their demonisation of Yasser Arafat. The Western world has been too ready to accept this skewed vision. In truth, the Israeli government has for years attempted to demonise the entire Palestinian population and to deny the opportunity for Israelis and Palestinians to encounter one another except in a lopsided cycle of violence in which the Israelis always have greater weaponry and resources and in which a far greater number of Palestinians lose their lives. Only in the quality of loss, for death is a wicked leveller, is there any similarlity.
Arafat renounced violence in favour of peace negotiations. He recognised Israel and he recognised that a two state solution was the only way forward. There has always been a partner for peace: the Palestinian people are that partner. There has not always been a willingness on the part of the Israeli government to engage with the elected leader, Yasser Arafat. They failed the test of statesmanship that their militasry victories set them. We can only hope now that Yasser Arafat's victory in the battle for recognition of the Palestinians' right to a viable nation state is crowned by the establishment of that nationj state before thousands more die.
Executive Committee, EJJP
November 13th, 2004
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