KEEPING THE ARAB PUBLIC MOBILIZED BY FIGHTING OFF ISRAEL'S THEFT OF PALESTINIAN LAND

Iran is aware that the mobilization of the Arab Gulf public against the American bases is made easier by the continued Israeli theft of Arab land and the suppression of Palestinian society.  Therefore, Iran should be expected to increase its financial assistance to the Palestinian fighters to intensify their operations in Palestine and Israel.  (The Iranian press bears out an acute support of and sympathy towards the Palestinians.)  Iran's job shouldn't be difficult, as it has an ally in Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Likud Party.  


It is probable that the intelligence services of Iran, Syria, and Iraq, have reached, or are soon to reach, an agreement to ignite the Lebanese front with Israel as soon as the United States invades Iraq, if ever it does.  This would be Iran's concession to its Syrian ally, which is more sympathetic to Iraq's lot than the Iranians.  At this stage, the Iranian-Syrian-Iraqi effort is to sabotage the attempts by the United States, via Egypt, to quiet the internal Palestinian front.   This explains Hezballa's operation in early December, in which a bomb exploded in northern Israel, near the Lebanese border, which injured two Israeli soldiers.  In addition, Hezballah staged an attack on an Israeli outpost in the Shebaa Farms area as recently as January 21.

To counter Iranian policy, The United States, through Egypt (and indirectly, Saudi Arabia) is trying to diffuse the Palestinian-Israeli civil war, by convening the various champions of Palestinian liberation in Cairo to persuade them to ease up on armed resistance.  But Egypt's hands are tied:    Unless the left of Labor in Israel gains power, it would be difficult to persuade the Palestinian fighters to stand on the diplomatic foot, so to speak.  This is particularly true if one considers that the Israeli Prime Minister is intent on continuing on with his assassination campaign against the Palestinian leaders; worse it was reported that his secret service intends on killing Palestinian activists overseas, in Europe and North America, taking advantage of the West's war on terror.

The United States, via British Prime Minister Tony Blair, is also trying to moderate the Palestinians by holding a conference for them, in London, on the reforms needed for the Palestine Authority--a conference that was conducted mostly by video since Prime Minister Sharon did not allow the occupied Palestinians to travel.  (Prime Minister Sharon and the Likud just can't stand the idea that the Palestinians are capable of signing on as clients of the West, just as the Israelis have done.)

The hands of the United States are tied: the U.S. is unwilling to force Israel out of the occupied territories.  It can only hope for more accusations of corruption against Prime Minister Sharon, and Likud's eventual defeat.  Amram Mitzna's refusal to join a coalition government should result in an such defeat for Likud, or in forcing the extremist party to soften its stand on withdrawal.

Amram Mitzna (a mayor of a city who has Palestinian constituents) seems to be coordinating with the West.   To contain Sharon, Britain is playing up to the Labor leader, grooming him in the hope of diffusing the tension in the occupied territories.  Britain is doing America's bidding, since the British leadership has more room to maneuver on Israel than any American administration.

The hands of the United States are tied for yet another reason, as members of its ruling elite spout out hateful comments.   For instance, one member of the Defense Policy Board, ruling the Pentagon, revealed his views of Islam.  He called it "militaristic."  He went back to Islam's founder, the prophet Muhammad, and depicted him as a warrior who had no affinity for peace.  Such views are flashed on the pages of the Arab press, owned mostly by Saudi Arabia and therefore pro-American, and are read by the same public which sees the U.S. bases as a colonial enterprise.

(Meanwhile, the Public Broadcasting Network, PBS, played a charming and objective account of Islam and the Prophet.  PBS has a sense for the dangers that lurk in extremist views spouted by some American opinion-makers about Islam.  Perhaps the public relations firms hired by the Saudi government should think about creating a foundation that supports PBS instead of wasting money on advertisements in newspapers.  These advertisement have a bitter taste to them as they remind Americans of September 11.)