MDadmin
Reactionary circles will soon be celebrating the 41st anniversary of one of the most unpopular events in contemporary history, the founding of the Zionist Israeli state. A state planted in the heart of the Middle East, like a dagger, which daily draws blood from the Palestinian people and other Arab people.From its terroristic origins to-date, Israel has occupied a “most favoured state” position in the links of modern imperialism. United States military and economic aid have enabled the Israelis to build up a highly militarized economy.
Israel is by far, the largest recipient of United States aid, even without counting the conveniently forgotten loans, which range between half and one billion dollars each year. From 1948 to 1984 American aid totaled about $29 billion.
Between 1950 and 1981, Israel received more than half, $13.5 billion, out of a total $24.85billion, United States foreign military sales assistance. These truly phenomenal amounts of money will begin to make a meaning when one can understand a bit of history.
Political Zionism and the international Zionist organisation emerged as a direct result of the struggle of the Jewish bourgeoisie to expand its influence in the capitalist countries. Its immediate expression was the release in 1893, of Theodore Herzl’s book DEN JUDENSTAT (THE JEWISH STATE). Five years later, in 1898 the first Zionist Congress was held whose goal was to create a Jewish State.May it be noted that these developments occurred around the turn of the century, when capitalism itself was making the transition into imperialism. Zionism’s history from emergence, is inseparable from imperialist history, from imperialist policies, and from the changes experienced by imperialism-political, economic, social.
The continued assertions by the United States politicians on the strategic importance of Israel, coated with statements about “moral obligations” to Jews, are therefore nothing earthshakingly new. They follow a historically carved trend.
United States aid and involvement with the Zionist entity grew as a result of the expansion of imperialist interests in the Middle East, as the year passed. The USA was only too aware of the significance of having a base in a region that contained half of the oil reserves for the world
In the 41st year of existence, Israel feels much more insecurity than perhaps at any other time, since its creation. This is so because of the worldwide sympathy for the Palestinian Intifadah, which is now entering its eighteenth month. Over these months, the Israeli oppressive machinery has been let loose on the unarmed Palestinian population; the diplomatic isolation of Israel is greater, a Palestinian State that is recognized by a majority of nations has been proclaimed. While even the United States, the strategic ally of the Zionist state, has begun a dialogue with the PLO, and the demand for an international Middle East Conference sounds louder each passing day.
It is within the fast-moving pace of developments that the ruling circles of the Zionist state, have attempted very desperate efforts to paper up the cracks within their own circles. This is the meaning of the government of national unity formed by the Likud and Labour groups to better achieve a consensus of repressing the Intifada at one level, while on the other, white washing the same oldCamp David settlement, long rejected by serious observers as being incapable of being the basis for solution.
One of the most persistent myths about the Zionist state, has been its alleged economic success. It is an old hobby horse, that reactionary circles everywhere, and particularly in Africa, have often mounted, in their effort to help the Israelis out of their international outlaw status.
It is a well-known fact, however, that Israel survives as a result of the huge dole-out it receives from the United States. Already, between 1983 and 1986 serious questions were beginning to be raised about the influx of the dollar into Israel and whether or not the economic reforms could be put off indefinitely.
Thus $36 billion in military and economic aid for 1986 was approved, but other US loans were halted until Israel registered progress in certain areas, such as the elimination of subsides including export subsidies; unification of effective protection rates; elimination of all anti-competitive government regulations; denationalization of the Israel capital market; selling off state-owned enterprises; reducing public sector labour force, amongst other.
In other words, the United States now deems it of vital importance at this stage that Israel rehabilitate its economy by becoming more integrated into the world imperialist market, but under the formal auspices of the USA. This is reflected in the stress on the era of high technical solution, private sector investments, switching relations from ones of financial aid to ones of business, etc. It is this new state that Shimon Perez of the Israeli Labour party, described as the “third stage of Zionism”
Forty one year of the Zionist state, the whole world, which for too long had the crimes the Nazis committed against Jews in the Second world war at the back of the mind, in relation with the excesses of the Israelis, can see clearly that today, that the Zionist Israeli state- as distinct from the Jewish people- is one of the perpetrators of fascist-like crimes, along with apartheid South Africa – in so far as we consider the plight of the Palestinians in the occupied territories.
