“You can fool all the people for some time. You can fool some people for all the time. But you can’t fool all the people for all the time.” – Abraham Lincoln
History is the greatest witness man has ever known. Having traversed through the flight and fall of civilizations, the lessons it teaches are voluminous. Still, history is mercilessly butchered. The birth of the state of Israel marked the slaying of history, some two millenniums old. To this day, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains a test for every voice raising itself in the name of justice. With this issue, ‘Radiance Viewsweekly’ completes 50 years of its steadfast endorsement of the Palestinian cause.
‘Israeli design exposed’ read a caption dated 26 January, 1964. The story captured Israel’s crooked attempts of stealing control over waters of Jordan River and Yarmouk. From day one, the Zionist agenda was an expansionist one. During the 1967 war, Israel penetrated deep into Arab territories. This was bewildering, more due to the far greater number of Arab enemies surrounding it. “No,” Radiance asserted, “Israel is as much a non-entity today as it was before 14 May 1948 when it was officially thrust upon the Arabs. Those responsible for its creation are the real force behind it. Israel is only a mask.”
Radiance lauded the Indian government for having demanded the withdrawal of Israeli forces but, also denounced its subtle recognition of the rogue state. By 1967, as it elaborates, Arabs realised that it was Islam and not Nationalism which had won them battles in the past. The narrative is successful in capturing the historical origin of a Jewish psyche that hails the secretive Zionist protocol. “…disasters imperilling mankind in modern times, in the sphere of thought and action, have originated from this very protocol, which may, as such, be called the Charter of Evils against mankind,” comments Abdul Moghni. Readers were also reminded of the “unfailing hospitality” which Jews historically enjoyed in Muslim lands.
The 1969 fire at Al-Aqsa was a test of Muslim tolerance. Radiance decries Golda Meir’s sarcastic remarks on the incident. Disclosing Israel’s supply of war material to India, it censures falsifying attempts of strengthening ties on a false humanitarian pretext. Radiance is quick to unveil the coincidence with which new troubles show up for Arabs every time that Israel is cornered. Saqqaf questions the unconditional US support to Israel but is quick in reminding himself that “America is all the Jews have as an outward friend and ally in the teeth of universal opposition.”
Powerful words amass, “30th Anniversary of a Perfidy, an injustice!” is a powerful notion to start with. The story grieved 30 years of Israeli aggression culminating to an exploit of usurped territories. Also traced was the growing US aid to Israel, fanned by the extremely influential US Jewish lobby. “A wide spectrum of the Congressmen and the Congressional staff aides has links with the Jewish lobby and pleas their cause in the open,” explicated one of the writers. American vote in support of a resolution calling ceasefire comes after Israel’s gruesome attack on Lebanon. The episode exposed the theocratic nature of the Jewish state. Iran is lauded for its staunch opposition to Israeli excesses. Radiance also narrates the discrimination that black and oriental Jews face in their so-called Jewish homeland.
The Fundamental Accords of 1993 between Israel and the Vatican marked the defeat of Christianity at the hands of Zionist forces. “It has not budged a millimetre in its original stance. It is Christianity which is showing ‘accommodation’ to Zionism – not Judaism,” suggested one of the columns. In the early 1990s, augmentation of Indo-Israeli ties dilutes the Arabian goodwill for India. Anguished, a columnist termed it an import of “Terrorist technology”.
The Intifada of 1987 gained momentum under Sheikh Ahmad Yaseen, the founder of Hamas. The resistance is an eye-opener for Israel. Contrarily, Yasser Arafat, through his ‘magic words’ of 1988 defy Palestinian hope and PLO’s own charter. PLO succumbs to pressure for a peace agreement and grants recognition to Israel. “I say to the PLO history will not forgive them and also tell them that the struggle will not stop,” spoke a Hamas representative. The Oslo Accords of 1993 widened the turf between Hamas and Fatah.
The Pro-Israeli American media lobby followed a twin-pronged strategy of “Keeping the American public ignorant of the aggression that Arabs continue to face at the hands of Israel and offering blind support and sympathy to the Zionist entity”. The deep bias is recorded in Radiance. The Can’a massacre never made headlines with the likes of CNN, US Today and Newsweek as did the bombing of Israeli cities. Radiance condemns the US for promoting a sense of ‘peace’ minus justice due to the Palestinians.
The opening up of tunnels leading to Al-Aqsa mosque is sacrilege. Israel appeared adamant in obliterating the Muslim character of Jerusalem. International community’s silence over Israeli nuclear arsenal remained mischievous. All through, Radiance vividly captured the abject plight of Palestinian refugees. Defiant expansion of Israeli settlements is severely criticised. In 2000, during weeks of grave fighting in Gaza, 12-year old Rami-al-Durra is killed by a hail of Israeli bullets. The footage haunts world media. Questioning Israel’s insolence, Radiance asked, “What is the best hope of Israel? Its nuclear capability?”
“Israel’s best hope is absence of Islamic nation’s initiative, inaction, inertia, paralysis of will and aversion to give up comfort and luxury for the co-religionists in Palestine” is an evident answer. Israel’s sense of ‘peace’ carried no justice for the Palestinians. Radiance portrays this betrayal by Arab regimes even as international laws are flagrantly violated. “It is not war, it is only fighting,” claimed a belligerent Sharon. “He is right. Armies against police, tanks against bullets are not war.” Voices of Israeli soldiers admitting atrocities committed in Gaza are not left unnoticed.
The ‘Israeli security fence’ is “anachronism”. Readers call it the ‘Apartheid Wall’ as it promised worst for West Bank, already enduring “unprecedented levels of impoverishment and social collapse”. The wall’s breach of pre-1967 borders is evident to the readers. All the while, “Jungle Law prevailed during Israeli offensives”. The Arab reaction to March 2004 assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yasin revealed insensitivity and paralysis, “a reversal of their priorities” as Radiance explains. Israel’s 2005 pull-out from Gaza continued to be “eyewash”. Speaking exclusively to Radiance, the Palestinian Ambassador to India reiterates that “the problem is unjust peace”. Israel’s freeze of tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority and its ‘collective punishment’ on the population are war crimes under Geneva conventions.
“A massive American presence in the vicinity gave a new boost to the Zionist state. Iraq and Afghanistan are already in their kitty.” This excerpt from a 2006 editorial ciphered Israel’s belligerence of engaging Hizbollah. The resistance is stiff. Hamas forces Israel to withdraw from Gaza. From the rubbles emerged great heroes. The staff-members of Al Manar T.V. receive a special tribute from Radiance, an acknowledgment of their courage. Worldwide condemnation of Hizbollah and silence over Israel’s atrocity were barbaric. So were Israeli war crimes. The Cana massacre exposed the true intentions of Israeli war machine. Radiance laments that “The Arab governments have virtually lost all the will to fight war. They cannot even muster courage to condemn, even meekly, the Israeli and United States action”. “No thug sleeps soundly.” Israel’s aggression comes as a heavy loss to its economy. Hizbollah emerges stronger after the war.
One of the 2008 editorials, mulling over Israel’s 60 years of existence, wittingly quoted German statesman Konrad Adenauer – “History is the sum total of things that could’ve been avoided”. The world would have been better off, had the Israeli cancer been avoided. The 2009 issue titled “Palestine, the conflict and the world response” is a sincere effort of condemning the unjust.
Achin Vinayak explains how a lack of combined political structure prevented the emergence of the Palestinian state. The issue also drew a historic touch as it revisited many of the plots set forth by Zionists. Readers were cautioned about “the most lethal weapon in the artillery of Zionism”, being “its ability to play upon the psyche of the world”. The scourge of Palestinian detainees in Israel was also brought to notice. That same year, Ramzy Baroud, a Palestinian-American author and former Al-Jazeera producer wrote for Radiance, questioning Vatican’s reconciliation with Israel.
“The unprovoked, inhuman and murderous attack by Israeli naval commandos on humanitarian aid flotilla taking life-saving relief materials to the 15 lakh besieged Palestinians of Gaza has outraged the conscience of humanity and the whole world has condemned it in no uncertain terms,” wrote the editor in the aftermath of yet another wrongdoing. The issue also narrated the crisis looming the inhabitants of Gaza following Israel’s blockade and restrictions over supply of water, electricity and food. With the Arab Spring, came a ‘silver lining’.
The January 2012 issue delves deep into the rise of pro-Islam parties as a result of uprising and calls upon the Muslim world to seize this opportunity and collectively push for a permanent settlement of the issue. The call for Al Quds Million March gained worldwide support and sympathies. Hiding behind a wall of falsehood and propaganda, Israel unleashed another offensive at Gaza. “The Israeli fascist leadership is desperately trying to convince the world that they are only protecting their citizens from terrorist attacks. But the world has seen through the lies and Nazi Israel stands exposed”.
Radiance’s coverage hasn’t been coloured. It remains factual. The narrative not only condemns acts of Israeli aggression but also professes moral superiority of the Palestinians. Thus has been set a standard for alternative discourse which others need to emulate. Much remains to be done for our brethren in Palestine but, as a reader, I feel assured that ‘truth’ will continue to find a voice in Radiance.