Halpern: History of nations

I'm thinking

By Micah D. Halpern

Issue of October 30 2009/ 12 Cheshvan 5770

Like family lore, the history of a nation is handed down from generation to generation. In families, personalities and stories are turned into larger than life figures and events. Nation’s take it a step farther. The history of a nation is grounded in myth, in heroic tales and in battles of good against evil.

When Khaled Mashaal delivered a speech in Damascus about Jerusalem the Hamas leader argued that the future of Jerusalem will not be determined by negotiations or by treaties. And then he emphasized how important it is for the entire Islamic world to step forward and be part of the battle now being waged by Palestinians to liberate Jerusalem.

In Arabic, Jerusalem is referred to as Al Kuds. Al Kuds means The Holy City. Like Hebrew, Arabic uses three letter roots and KDS is the root for holy. In Arabic, Jerusalem is referred to as “The Holy,” shorthand for the Holy City, much as the prophets of Israel called Jerusalem Ir Ha’Kodesh.

In his speech Mashaal was not merely extolling Islamic worshippers worldwide to come to the aid of Palestinians, he was showing a deep understanding of the fight he faces to wrest control of Jerusalem. Mashaal understands that his conflict is not just with Israel, his conflict is also with those Arabs and those Palestinians who wish to come to an agreement with Israel through negotiations. And myths are not built from negotiations, myths are built from battles.

In many ways, Khaled Mashaal is echoing Yasser Arafat’s understanding of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Arafat knew that he could achieve more through negotiations than he could through violence. He knew that acts of terror were successful only in alienating him from the United States and the West, that terror put a target on his back. And when Arafat actually succumbed and changed his style and promised to put down his bombs and curb terror, the West and Israel were transfixed by the transformation — and Arafat was awarded a peace prize and promised a state with borders and a government. Arafat was promised everything he dreamed of, but he never received it. Even though he sat down at negotiating tables, Arafat could never bring himself to really negotiate and went to his death preaching negotiations but embracing terror.

Khaled Mashaal does not even want to sit down at the tables. The leader of Hamas equates negotiations with weakness — and nations are not built on weakness — myths and great legends are not created around the weak. Fatah believes that the future of the Palestinians alongside Israel will be sealed through negotiations and Fatah is weak.

Mashaal envisions a Palestinian War of Independence similar to the American Revolution. But Khaled Mashaal, no matter what myths or legends he might be creating, is no George Washington. Washington cut down the cherry tree, he did not blow it to smithereens.

The Hamas leader is doing his best to oust Fatah leadership. He is calling Mahmoud Abbas and all Fatah leadership traitors to the Palestinian cause. He is making a play for the masses that supported Arafat. He is putting the fight and the myths back into Palestinian history. And unfortunately, Khaled Mashaal is gaining popularity and that means only one thing: more terror.

Micah D. Halpern is a columnist and a social and political commentator. Read his latest book THUGS. He maintains The Micah Report at www.micahhalpern.com