16. important statement 6 July 2006 by the Fédération Anarchiste (France) on the situation in the Middle East
7th July 2006
Post 16. to the On the Ground Category, by Bill Templer
Here a brief but important statement on the current Israeli incursion in Gaza by the Fédération anarchiste francophone in France: http://international.federation-anarchiste.org/breve.php3?id_breve=9 It reminds us that politics in Palestine/Israel must project beyond the interminable clash of narrow nationalisms:
“It is once again the civilian population, directly affected, who is paying with its blood, living conditions, and freedom for the conflict between two nationalist, capitalist, military, and religious logics in the ongoing war between the State of Israel and the Palestinian Authority. [….]
Israeli governments have always sought out this religious conflict and as such encouraged the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in order to legitimate their colonial policies of domination and ethnic apartheid to the West.
As anarchists we know that States separate peoples by erecting borders. Just as creating the State of Israel did not settle anything in this region or for the exiled Jewish peoples, themselves in a desperate situation in another era, the creation of a real Palestinian State cannot satisfy us. Indeed, how would a more formal State help Palestinians ? [….]
We propose anarchist federalism, fundamentally egalitarian and adapted to a Middle East composed of a mosaic of peoples, favouring the free association and federation on egalitarian bases of the individuals and groups of individuals making up this federalism. [….]
An alternative is possible in the Middle-East if both Israeli and Palestinian peoples reject the artificial barriers which separate and oppose them in order to unite against their common enemies, political, economic, religious, and military power to together build the bases of a society which guarantees peace and harmony.
The existence of collectives made up of Palestinian and Israeli individuals, for example struggling together against the Wall or supporting military deserters and opponents, proves once again that that which unites us, mutual aid and solidarity, is stronger than that which divides us.”
The FA is is the French affiliate of the International of Anarchist Federations: http://www.iaf-ifa.org/ , an international network of class struggle anarchist socialists. The only national affiliate of the IAF in an English-speaking country is the Anarchist Federation in UK: http://www.libcom.org/hosted/af/
The future may see an akin organization emerge insh’allah in Palestine. ان شاء الله
