Lebanese Victory Dispels Zionist Myths
By: Dr. Abdul-Wahab Al-Massiri
summary: The Arab-Zionist struggle is a struggle where ideology and metaphor play an important role. Palestine is of strong religious significance to us. It is a country located in the heart of the Arab world, and whoever takes control of it splits our Arab homeland in half. Zionists have transformed Palestine into Eretz Yezrael (Land of "Israel") or Zion, and they`ve reinterpreted the history of Jewish communities in a manner constantly indicating the desire to return to the center, Palestine that is, or Eretz Yezrael.
For this reason, we discover that Zionists have surrounded Palestine with heavy fog of myths (some of us believed them). They indicated that Palestine is a land without a people on which Zionists will bring together the displaced miserable Jews (a people without a land) from the ends of the world. They`ve also referred to our Arab nation as the "Middle East" or simply as the "Region"; that is, Palestine is merely a land (which Zionists can buy and displace its inhabitants) and the Arab East is a region where the Zionist army can wander about it to defend its `security` and `rights`.
This vision has been interpreted in the form of several metaphors: The Zionist state is an "Asian wall protecting Europe" and a "strong fortress for western civilization against barbarism"(the white Zionist`s burden). At other times, it is the "western guard in the region". And in moments of truth it employs the metaphor "watchdog: head in Washington, tail in Jerusalem (Al-Quds)" meaning that it`s a brainless watchdog, with its head in Washington which thinks and gives the dog life whereas its executive tail is here in the heart of our Arab world. Of course, there are the more obvious metaphors such as "`"Israel"`, the aircraft carrier" together with other metaphoric images like ""Israel"`s" army which is considered the long arm which can reach any place and the invincible mythical tyrannical force, and the `unassailable fierce warrior` Zionist that defends his land ferociously. It`s worth mentioning here that all these metaphors topple the Arab `other` in his capacity as an entity defying the Zionist existence, eliminating elements of time and history in view of the fact that they are the range in which this Arab other expresses himself .
Disavowal of Time
Disavowing time is a trait of Zionist intellect which converts time (where man takes action and attains or aborts his humanity, and where he practices his liberty and willpower) into a solid place. Time to the Arab person is the space in which he can reawaken and liberate both himself and his land. Therefore, the Zionist intellect abhors time and favors taking the bull by the horns in the scope of place. With the 1967 setback, this trend was completely reinforced. Consequently, the Zionists declared that they reached the `safe`, permanent borders, and that they intend to stay there until Arabs surrender. The Parlev Line became the embodiment ¬¬¬of this stance which was supported by the western world that felt that time was ended and that Arab history and the Arab-""Israeli"" struggle had come to an end.
However, the victory in south Lebanon confirms to the enemy that we are living and that our history hasn`t come to an end... that our hearts are filled with life...that the spirit of resistance is in our veins.... And that the possibility of conquering the ""Israeli"" military intelligence (backed by the U.S.A. and the West) is a realizable truth.
The Myth of Creating Facts
The basic myths which the "Israelis" believe in were actually inherited from the arsenal western imperial beliefs which state that power can accomplish anything. So, at length, the world is a jungle. This was translated in what Moshe Dayan named as "Creating Facts". That is, to usurp land... and after some time, it becomes an actual fact that people should admit and deal with. That`s what they did with all of Palestine and in other regions of the Arab world.
Zionist expansionism is a manifestation of the jungle-world concept, employing power as a sole means to settle the struggle. Yet, the Zionist military machine didn`t pave the way for the national homeland to spread from the Nile to Euphrates (As rabbi Fishman , member of the Jewish Organization, claimed in the 40`s of the previous century). Ori Avneri clarified that what stimulates Zionists isn`t really doctrinal incentive, but rather the mere balance of powers. Hence, as long as there was a gap resulting from the absence of Arabs, Zionist expansion will not stop. The Zionists have expanded to fill the gaps in south Lebanon, bringing out new concrete facts in it.
That`s what they thought...Hizbullah proved that there exists no such gap in South Lebanon. What does exists is determination and yearning for martyrdom for the sake of God and for the country. So, instead of the Zionist expansionism, we find the Zionist shrinkage and humiliating retreat. An "Israeli" newspaper used the same metaphor to state, "Hizbullah got their hands on all the winning cards" whereas America couldn`t.
The Myths of Massada and the Jewish Protocols
It is beyond doubt that Jewish shrinkage will leave a deep wound in the Zionist conscience fortifying around the place and believing the lie that he, the Jew, is an invincible power. This "Israeli" illusion was transformed as the Massada myth. Massada is an Aramaic means `castle`. An ancient Roman fortress in "Israel" was used as a stronghold by the Jewish zealots in the final years of their rebellion against Roman rule in 66 A.D. All the occupants of the fortress committed suicide rather than surrender to the Romans. This story proved to be fiction. What`s more, the "Israeli" mass media besieges the "Israeli" and Jewish mentality with the Massada myth. So every year the "Israeli" army performs ceremonies at the top of the fortress to iterate the oath of devotion. In the end, they swear that Massada won`t fall again.
We have topped that with the myth of Jewish protocols that picture the Jew as a devil capable of moving the whole world by: planting corruption in the world, toppling the governments, gripping on to mass media and the movements of capitalists ... all at his will. Supposing that the Jew was that strong, then, all what we can do is to surrender or flee because war against this devil is suicide. Thus, both the Anti-Jewish Protocols and the Zionist Massada agree on the necessity to surrender and the futility of Jihad movements.
But evidence proves the situation contrary and that we have favored Jihad rather than defeat. Let`s take the Massada myth that we are supposedly required to believe. History didn`t stop at a certain date such as1967, but proceeded till the Arab man developed himself and moved in1973A.D. till the Barlev Line fell. It wasn`t a strong wall against eastern underdevelopment, as Theodore Herzl claimed, but full with holes like a piece of cheese (as Dayan stated). It`s a known truth that "Israeli" forces which were besieged behind the Barlev Line in 1973 surrendered in a wise practical manner witnessed by the International Red Cross and the Egyptian TV. In one of these posts, the soldiers asked their commander sarcastically whether they should fight till death to repeat Massada or not. They were told to surrender and smile to the Egyptian TV cameras.
During the Intifada, no one spoke about the Massada. They spoke about the helicopter. And what is the story of the helicopter? Sharon says if the "Israeli`s" don`t withstand, the helicopters will evacuate them from the roof of the American embassy, resembling the retreat of the Americans in Vietnam. At that time, Heim Haifer wrote a poem titled "We`ll All Depart to America". It starts in the Knesset where the vote is taken on the final departure. So, "Let`s leave for America now, we`ve packed our luggage and hopes," Everyone shoves disorderly. "Don`t crowd around...there`s space for everyone / Excuse me, don`t push around like this." Our government has packed its bags to leave for the US. The prime minister pictures this rapid exodus operation from his seat on the plane. "He enjoys it. He announces: No place left for the rest," as if he and his ministers are saying: "And Bob`s your uncle". The prevailing image here is contrary to that of the hero in Massada that perishes with his friends:
Hastily the plane began to fly away...
But the government...
Has fled and...
Left `"Israel"` alone...
Left the rest behind though...
"We all ... want to go..."
Far Away...
From the perished Massada...away
From the fires burning in Zion...
To the United States, the safe national and, maybe, true homeland.
A number of "Israeli" soldiers in south Lebanon committed suicide, and it wasn`t to express their insistence on `defending their posts and places`. It was to protest against a meaningless war from their point of view. Likewise a phenomenon of fleeing from military service was noticed. The Massada myth, similar to other myths such as the fierce Zionist warrior and the devilish Jew that controls the world, are mere lies aimed at stimulating the "Israeli" zeal and spreading an Arab defeat mentality.
Despite the fact that the myth was subverted several times, and despite the crossing of Sinai Channel of 1973 A.D. and the Intifada of the 80`s, the enemy in his nature cannot abandon the disavowal of time and history due to his alien occupational colonial factor. So, he remained barricaded behind the theory of "Israeli" security which is based on the notion of place. Consequently, the invading "Israeli" army proceeded, occupied South Lebanon, and developed the Barlev Line into a security belt where they dwell with certain operational combatants, just as the Americans did in Vietnam. But here they are, fleeing like they did before, and they must reconsider their "Israeli" place theory, and their myths such as the Massada myth, the land without a people, the non-history geographical region, the fierce "Israeli" warrior...etc.
Post-Withdrawal
We must grasp the message sent out by the victory in South Lebanon, and realize that the humiliating withdrawal isn`t the concluding episode nor is it an answer to our problems at all. The "Israeli`s" believe that by withdrawing they`ll achieve several things among which are the appearance in a positive picture as civilized people abiding by the resolutions of the United Nations (only 22 years late!). Moreover, Zionists won`t let down their dream of dividing the region into mini ethnic racial states at war. In the center "Israel" is located tantamount to the focus, arbitrator, and big boss. Lebanon is the primary candidate to put that in effect, and the Zionists, therefore, suppose that with their withdrawal they plant the seeds of division, and dispute among the Lebanese people.
Upon being notified by an American reporter that it was over (the end of history, that space and timelessness reprevail) , `"Israeli"` general Shawul Muwfaz said, "What are you talking about? Over ? This is a new situation; Let`s see what`s going to happen." We are the ones capable of deciding what will happen, for the doors of jurisprudence and jihad are wide open to those who want to pass through... And the mud of despair and defeatism are there for those who want to sink in them.... But victory is from God, and He will not change what afflicts a people until they change what is in themselves...and God is most knowledgeable.
summary: The Arab-Zionist struggle is a struggle where ideology and metaphor play an important role. Palestine is of strong religious significance to us. It is a country located in the heart of the Arab world, and whoever takes control of it splits our Arab homeland in half. Zionists have transformed Palestine into Eretz Yezrael (Land of "Israel") or Zion, and they`ve reinterpreted the history of Jewish communities in a manner constantly indicating the desire to return to the center, Palestine that is, or Eretz Yezrael.
For this reason, we discover that Zionists have surrounded Palestine with heavy fog of myths (some of us believed them). They indicated that Palestine is a land without a people on which Zionists will bring together the displaced miserable Jews (a people without a land) from the ends of the world. They`ve also referred to our Arab nation as the "Middle East" or simply as the "Region"; that is, Palestine is merely a land (which Zionists can buy and displace its inhabitants) and the Arab East is a region where the Zionist army can wander about it to defend its `security` and `rights`.
This vision has been interpreted in the form of several metaphors: The Zionist state is an "Asian wall protecting Europe" and a "strong fortress for western civilization against barbarism"(the white Zionist`s burden). At other times, it is the "western guard in the region". And in moments of truth it employs the metaphor "watchdog: head in Washington, tail in Jerusalem (Al-Quds)" meaning that it`s a brainless watchdog, with its head in Washington which thinks and gives the dog life whereas its executive tail is here in the heart of our Arab world. Of course, there are the more obvious metaphors such as "`"Israel"`, the aircraft carrier" together with other metaphoric images like ""Israel"`s" army which is considered the long arm which can reach any place and the invincible mythical tyrannical force, and the `unassailable fierce warrior` Zionist that defends his land ferociously. It`s worth mentioning here that all these metaphors topple the Arab `other` in his capacity as an entity defying the Zionist existence, eliminating elements of time and history in view of the fact that they are the range in which this Arab other expresses himself .
Disavowal of Time
Disavowing time is a trait of Zionist intellect which converts time (where man takes action and attains or aborts his humanity, and where he practices his liberty and willpower) into a solid place. Time to the Arab person is the space in which he can reawaken and liberate both himself and his land. Therefore, the Zionist intellect abhors time and favors taking the bull by the horns in the scope of place. With the 1967 setback, this trend was completely reinforced. Consequently, the Zionists declared that they reached the `safe`, permanent borders, and that they intend to stay there until Arabs surrender. The Parlev Line became the embodiment ¬¬¬of this stance which was supported by the western world that felt that time was ended and that Arab history and the Arab-""Israeli"" struggle had come to an end.
However, the victory in south Lebanon confirms to the enemy that we are living and that our history hasn`t come to an end... that our hearts are filled with life...that the spirit of resistance is in our veins.... And that the possibility of conquering the ""Israeli"" military intelligence (backed by the U.S.A. and the West) is a realizable truth.
The Myth of Creating Facts
The basic myths which the "Israelis" believe in were actually inherited from the arsenal western imperial beliefs which state that power can accomplish anything. So, at length, the world is a jungle. This was translated in what Moshe Dayan named as "Creating Facts". That is, to usurp land... and after some time, it becomes an actual fact that people should admit and deal with. That`s what they did with all of Palestine and in other regions of the Arab world.
Zionist expansionism is a manifestation of the jungle-world concept, employing power as a sole means to settle the struggle. Yet, the Zionist military machine didn`t pave the way for the national homeland to spread from the Nile to Euphrates (As rabbi Fishman , member of the Jewish Organization, claimed in the 40`s of the previous century). Ori Avneri clarified that what stimulates Zionists isn`t really doctrinal incentive, but rather the mere balance of powers. Hence, as long as there was a gap resulting from the absence of Arabs, Zionist expansion will not stop. The Zionists have expanded to fill the gaps in south Lebanon, bringing out new concrete facts in it.
That`s what they thought...Hizbullah proved that there exists no such gap in South Lebanon. What does exists is determination and yearning for martyrdom for the sake of God and for the country. So, instead of the Zionist expansionism, we find the Zionist shrinkage and humiliating retreat. An "Israeli" newspaper used the same metaphor to state, "Hizbullah got their hands on all the winning cards" whereas America couldn`t.
The Myths of Massada and the Jewish Protocols
It is beyond doubt that Jewish shrinkage will leave a deep wound in the Zionist conscience fortifying around the place and believing the lie that he, the Jew, is an invincible power. This "Israeli" illusion was transformed as the Massada myth. Massada is an Aramaic means `castle`. An ancient Roman fortress in "Israel" was used as a stronghold by the Jewish zealots in the final years of their rebellion against Roman rule in 66 A.D. All the occupants of the fortress committed suicide rather than surrender to the Romans. This story proved to be fiction. What`s more, the "Israeli" mass media besieges the "Israeli" and Jewish mentality with the Massada myth. So every year the "Israeli" army performs ceremonies at the top of the fortress to iterate the oath of devotion. In the end, they swear that Massada won`t fall again.
We have topped that with the myth of Jewish protocols that picture the Jew as a devil capable of moving the whole world by: planting corruption in the world, toppling the governments, gripping on to mass media and the movements of capitalists ... all at his will. Supposing that the Jew was that strong, then, all what we can do is to surrender or flee because war against this devil is suicide. Thus, both the Anti-Jewish Protocols and the Zionist Massada agree on the necessity to surrender and the futility of Jihad movements.
But evidence proves the situation contrary and that we have favored Jihad rather than defeat. Let`s take the Massada myth that we are supposedly required to believe. History didn`t stop at a certain date such as1967, but proceeded till the Arab man developed himself and moved in1973A.D. till the Barlev Line fell. It wasn`t a strong wall against eastern underdevelopment, as Theodore Herzl claimed, but full with holes like a piece of cheese (as Dayan stated). It`s a known truth that "Israeli" forces which were besieged behind the Barlev Line in 1973 surrendered in a wise practical manner witnessed by the International Red Cross and the Egyptian TV. In one of these posts, the soldiers asked their commander sarcastically whether they should fight till death to repeat Massada or not. They were told to surrender and smile to the Egyptian TV cameras.
During the Intifada, no one spoke about the Massada. They spoke about the helicopter. And what is the story of the helicopter? Sharon says if the "Israeli`s" don`t withstand, the helicopters will evacuate them from the roof of the American embassy, resembling the retreat of the Americans in Vietnam. At that time, Heim Haifer wrote a poem titled "We`ll All Depart to America". It starts in the Knesset where the vote is taken on the final departure. So, "Let`s leave for America now, we`ve packed our luggage and hopes," Everyone shoves disorderly. "Don`t crowd around...there`s space for everyone / Excuse me, don`t push around like this." Our government has packed its bags to leave for the US. The prime minister pictures this rapid exodus operation from his seat on the plane. "He enjoys it. He announces: No place left for the rest," as if he and his ministers are saying: "And Bob`s your uncle". The prevailing image here is contrary to that of the hero in Massada that perishes with his friends:
Hastily the plane began to fly away...
But the government...
Has fled and...
Left `"Israel"` alone...
Left the rest behind though...
"We all ... want to go..."
Far Away...
From the perished Massada...away
From the fires burning in Zion...
To the United States, the safe national and, maybe, true homeland.
A number of "Israeli" soldiers in south Lebanon committed suicide, and it wasn`t to express their insistence on `defending their posts and places`. It was to protest against a meaningless war from their point of view. Likewise a phenomenon of fleeing from military service was noticed. The Massada myth, similar to other myths such as the fierce Zionist warrior and the devilish Jew that controls the world, are mere lies aimed at stimulating the "Israeli" zeal and spreading an Arab defeat mentality.
Despite the fact that the myth was subverted several times, and despite the crossing of Sinai Channel of 1973 A.D. and the Intifada of the 80`s, the enemy in his nature cannot abandon the disavowal of time and history due to his alien occupational colonial factor. So, he remained barricaded behind the theory of "Israeli" security which is based on the notion of place. Consequently, the invading "Israeli" army proceeded, occupied South Lebanon, and developed the Barlev Line into a security belt where they dwell with certain operational combatants, just as the Americans did in Vietnam. But here they are, fleeing like they did before, and they must reconsider their "Israeli" place theory, and their myths such as the Massada myth, the land without a people, the non-history geographical region, the fierce "Israeli" warrior...etc.
Post-Withdrawal
We must grasp the message sent out by the victory in South Lebanon, and realize that the humiliating withdrawal isn`t the concluding episode nor is it an answer to our problems at all. The "Israeli`s" believe that by withdrawing they`ll achieve several things among which are the appearance in a positive picture as civilized people abiding by the resolutions of the United Nations (only 22 years late!). Moreover, Zionists won`t let down their dream of dividing the region into mini ethnic racial states at war. In the center "Israel" is located tantamount to the focus, arbitrator, and big boss. Lebanon is the primary candidate to put that in effect, and the Zionists, therefore, suppose that with their withdrawal they plant the seeds of division, and dispute among the Lebanese people.
Upon being notified by an American reporter that it was over (the end of history, that space and timelessness reprevail) , `"Israeli"` general Shawul Muwfaz said, "What are you talking about? Over ? This is a new situation; Let`s see what`s going to happen." We are the ones capable of deciding what will happen, for the doors of jurisprudence and jihad are wide open to those who want to pass through... And the mud of despair and defeatism are there for those who want to sink in them.... But victory is from God, and He will not change what afflicts a people until they change what is in themselves...and God is most knowledgeable.
