By Dr .David Matsanga in London
This is a topic that many don’t want to venture into. From the onset I want to state that I hate VIOLENCE from either side . There are those who might read this article and might not know that there is a PEACEFUL PALESTINE living side by side with Israel .
So I will bring out these facts about the creation of Hamas and PLO for readers to make better judgement on matters of Israel / Palestine. It is imperative that one separates facts from fiction.A lot of mob hysteria reasoning is everywhere in media and many facts have been lost in the amnesia of the conflict .
I want to tell my readers that historical injustices are well recorded .It depends on which side you want to support and that is not my problem for today . Mine is my right to state my opinion and what I feel as a scholar on the current crisis. You can add or subtract from what I have written but at the end of it we ALL need peace in the MIDDLE-EAST.
It will be a historical mistake on my part to forget serious facts like the existence of TWO types of PALESTINIANS.The two Palestines are the PLO (Fatah).The orignal PLO that fought for peaceful and nation of Palestine based in RAMALLAH.There is harmony. No war in PA.
Then there is Hamas (Ḥarakat al-Muqāwamah al-Islāmiyyah) that decided to oppose the PLO and killed many PLO fighters and separated . For those who want in English HAMAS is (Islamic Resistance Movement) They are based GAZA which is the hotbed of the conflict .
I have gone down this memory lane to add my voice that I hate violence from either side . I hate violence from Hamas and I hate violence from I srael . I am love peace having seen violence in my own country where I was born .
The world must find an urgent solution to the conflict .But unfortunately UN comes in too late and does very little when people have died. The root causes of the violence in Middle -East must be found and resolved peacefully .
As state above the there is a PALESTINE that is PEACEFUL in RAMALLAH . So I want to look at what HAMAS in GAZA have violated by all the known Palestinian, Arab, and International (UN) laws. These laws were geared towards a solution of TWO states.
It must ve known that Hamas is not member of PLO, and doesn’t endorse PLO Charter for peace (as amended in 1988). Hamas doesn’t represent Palestinians. Hamas is faction
In 2007, Hamas massacred 450 Fatah Palestinians, ejected Palestinian Authority (PA) and took over Gaza Strip in a violent coup. Palestine Authority has since then boycotted Hamas .
Again the Arab League endorsed in 1982, 2002, 2023 by consensus (with its 22 members states including Palestine voting yes) the land-for-peace initiative with Israel. Hamas refused the Arab League plan, its charter says violence is the only way to liberate Palestine from River to Sea.
Moderate Arabs hace tried to bring peace .The Arab League in 1964, Organization of Islamic States in 1970, the UN General Assembly in 1974, Israel in 1993, all recognized the PLO as the “sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
It must be remebered that the Arab League, PLO, and UN Security Council in their resolutions 1397 and 1515 all endorsed the two state solution. Hamas accepts none of these resolutions and insists on annihilating Israel .
The truth is that Hamas is an outlawed organization like Boko Harum in Nigeria or Alshabaab in Somalia . It has equally massacred Palestinians in 2007, Israelis in 2023. Its existence causes isolation of Gaza by Palestinian Authority, Egypt and Israel.
The current suffering and killings on both sides is regretable and for the world to resolve the conflict there is need to seperate fiction from the Truth .
My opinion is that for the sake of Gazans and the Palestinian people to have peace , and for Israelis to live in peace, radicalism and fanatism of Hamas must be removed. Israel also in self defence must follow international laws in excuting their defence.
Lastly both sides must dismantle the radical elements amongst them who want to kill the spirit of dialogue for a peaceful Middle -East . The countries that support terrorism and equip terrorists in the World must be Isolated by the entire world .
Let Peace return via dialogue .
God bless
About the Author
Pan Africanist based in London , Political scientist &International Relations expert , studied conflict Resolution, a member of Royal African Society (RAS) Founder /Chairman Pan African Forum (UK)Ltd @MatsangaDr