Michel Collon, a Belgian journalist and author, in his book "Israel, let's talk about it," has slammed European media over decades of "lying" to people in order to support Israel.
Collon, in his book, has recounted "10 big lies" spread by Western media in order to "justify the existence and actions of Israel", which are concisely presented below:
1. The first lie is that Israel was established in reaction to the massacre of Jews during the World War II.
This notion is completely wrong. Israel is in fact a domineering project which was approved in the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, in 1897, when nationalist Jews decided to occupy Palestine.
2. The second justification for establishing and legitimizing Israel is that the Jews are returning to their forefathers' land, from where they had been driven away in 70 A.D. This is a tale. I have spoken to the famous Israeli historian Shlomo Sand and other historians and they all believe that there has been no "exodus," so "return" is meaningless. The people leaving in Palestine have not left their land in the ancient era.
In fact the descendents of Jews residing in Palestine are the people who are currently living in Palestine. Those who claim they want to return to their lands originate for Western and Eastern Europe and Northern Africa.
Sand says there is no Jewish nation. The Jews do not have common history, language or culture. The only common thing between them is their religion, and religion does not make a nation.
3. The third lie is that when Jewish immigrants occupied Palestine, it was an empty and uninhibited country.
However, there are documents and evidences that prove that in the 19th century the agricultural products of Palestine were exported to different countries, including France.
4. Fourth, some people say Palestinians left their country on their own free will.
This is another lie, which lots of people believed, including myself. Until Israeli historians like Benny Morris and Ilan Pappe said that Palestinians were driven away and banished from their lands by using force and terror.
5. It is said that today Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and it should be protected; it is the "government of law."
But in my opinion not only it is not the government of law; it is the only regime that no law defines its territory and boundaries. All the countries of the world have a constitution which defines their boundaries, but no such thing applies to Israel. Israel is an expansionist project which knows no boundary, and its law is completely racist; according to this law Israel is the country for Jews, and its non-Jew citizens are not considered human. Such law is a contradiction to democracy.
6. It is said that the US tries to protect democracy in the Middle East by protecting Israel. And we know that the US annual financial aid to Israel amounts to 3 billion dollars. This money is used for bombarding Israel's neighbor countries.
But America is not after establishing democracy in the Middle East; it wants the undisturbed flow of oil.
7. They pretend that the US seeks an agreement between Israel and Palestine.
This is also completely wrong and a lie. EU former Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana told the Israel that "you are the 21st country of the European Union." The European weapons industries cooperate with the Israeli military industries and support them financially. But when Palestinians elected their government, Europe did not recognize it and gave the green light to Israel to attack the Gaza Strip.
8. When one talks about these facts and the history of Israel and Palestine, when one reveals the US interests in this situation, they call you anti-Semite to keep you silent.
But we should say that when we criticize Israel, it is not racism or anti-Semitism. We criticize a government that does not believe in the equality of Jews, Christians and Muslims, and so destroys the peace between followers of different religions.
9. The mass media say that Palestinians cause violence and terrorism. We say Israel army's occupation is violence, the policy that has stolen land and home from Palestinians is violence.
10. An issue which is often raised is that there is no way for resolving this situation, and there is no solution for the hatred and the grudge caused by Israel and its accomplices.
But there is a solution. The only thing that can stop this process is the public pressure on the accomplices of Israel in the US and Europe and other parts of the world; public pressure on the mass media which refrain from telling the truth about Israel; and using the Internet or any other media out let to publish real news about Palestine.
Collon, in his book, has recounted "10 big lies" spread by Western media in order to "justify the existence and actions of Israel", which are concisely presented below:
1. The first lie is that Israel was established in reaction to the massacre of Jews during the World War II.
This notion is completely wrong. Israel is in fact a domineering project which was approved in the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, in 1897, when nationalist Jews decided to occupy Palestine.
2. The second justification for establishing and legitimizing Israel is that the Jews are returning to their forefathers' land, from where they had been driven away in 70 A.D. This is a tale. I have spoken to the famous Israeli historian Shlomo Sand and other historians and they all believe that there has been no "exodus," so "return" is meaningless. The people leaving in Palestine have not left their land in the ancient era.
In fact the descendents of Jews residing in Palestine are the people who are currently living in Palestine. Those who claim they want to return to their lands originate for Western and Eastern Europe and Northern Africa.
Sand says there is no Jewish nation. The Jews do not have common history, language or culture. The only common thing between them is their religion, and religion does not make a nation.
3. The third lie is that when Jewish immigrants occupied Palestine, it was an empty and uninhibited country.
However, there are documents and evidences that prove that in the 19th century the agricultural products of Palestine were exported to different countries, including France.
4. Fourth, some people say Palestinians left their country on their own free will.
This is another lie, which lots of people believed, including myself. Until Israeli historians like Benny Morris and Ilan Pappe said that Palestinians were driven away and banished from their lands by using force and terror.
5. It is said that today Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and it should be protected; it is the "government of law."
But in my opinion not only it is not the government of law; it is the only regime that no law defines its territory and boundaries. All the countries of the world have a constitution which defines their boundaries, but no such thing applies to Israel. Israel is an expansionist project which knows no boundary, and its law is completely racist; according to this law Israel is the country for Jews, and its non-Jew citizens are not considered human. Such law is a contradiction to democracy.
6. It is said that the US tries to protect democracy in the Middle East by protecting Israel. And we know that the US annual financial aid to Israel amounts to 3 billion dollars. This money is used for bombarding Israel's neighbor countries.
But America is not after establishing democracy in the Middle East; it wants the undisturbed flow of oil.
7. They pretend that the US seeks an agreement between Israel and Palestine.
This is also completely wrong and a lie. EU former Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana told the Israel that "you are the 21st country of the European Union." The European weapons industries cooperate with the Israeli military industries and support them financially. But when Palestinians elected their government, Europe did not recognize it and gave the green light to Israel to attack the Gaza Strip.
8. When one talks about these facts and the history of Israel and Palestine, when one reveals the US interests in this situation, they call you anti-Semite to keep you silent.
But we should say that when we criticize Israel, it is not racism or anti-Semitism. We criticize a government that does not believe in the equality of Jews, Christians and Muslims, and so destroys the peace between followers of different religions.
9. The mass media say that Palestinians cause violence and terrorism. We say Israel army's occupation is violence, the policy that has stolen land and home from Palestinians is violence.
10. An issue which is often raised is that there is no way for resolving this situation, and there is no solution for the hatred and the grudge caused by Israel and its accomplices.
But there is a solution. The only thing that can stop this process is the public pressure on the accomplices of Israel in the US and Europe and other parts of the world; public pressure on the mass media which refrain from telling the truth about Israel; and using the Internet or any other media out let to publish real news about Palestine.
--------------------- Indonesian Language -----------------------------------------
Michel Collon, seorang wartawan Belgia yang juga seorang penulis, dalam bukunya "Israel, let's talk about it," telah mengecam media Eropa selama beberapa dekade atas kebohongan mereka terhadap masyarakat untuk mendukung Israel.
Collon, dalam bukunya, telah menceritakan "10 kebohongan besar" yang disebarkan oleh media Barat untuk membenarkan keberadaan dan tindakan Israel, berikut ringkasan dari kebohongan tersebut:
1. Kebohongan pertama adalah bahwa Israel didirikan sebagai reaksi terhadap pembantaian orang Yahudi selama Perang Dunia II. Anggapan ini salah sama sekali. Israel sebenarnya mendominasi proyek yang telah disetujui dalam Kongres Pertama Zionis di Basel, Swiss, pada tahun 1897, ketika orang-orang Yahudi nasionalis memutuskan untuk menduduki Palestina.
2. Pembenaran kedua yang dibuat media barat untuk membuat dan melegitimasi Israel bahwa orang Yahudi akan kembali ke tanah nenek moyang mereka, di mana mereka telah terusir pada tahun 70 sebelum masehi ini adalah dongeng. Saya telah berbicara kepada sejarawan Israel Shlomo Sand dan sejarawan lainnya dan mereka semua percaya bahwa tidak ada eksodus yang terjadi dari bangsa Yahudi, jadi konsep "kembali" itu tidak ada artinya. Orang-orang yahudi meninggalkan Palestina tidak meninggalkan tanah mereka di era kuno.
Bahkan keturunan Yahudi yang berada di Palestina adalah orang-orang yang saat ini tinggal di Palestina. Mereka yang mengklaim bahwa mereka ingin kembali ke tanah mereka berasal dari Barat dan Timur Eropa dan Afrika Utara.
Sand mengatakan tidak ada yang namanya bangsa Yahudi. Orang-orang Yahudi tidak memiliki sejarah umum, bahasa atau budaya. Satu-satunya hal yang umum di antara mereka adalah agama mereka, dan agama tidak membuat suatu bangsa.
3. Kebohongan ketiga adalah bahwa ketika Palestina diduduki imigran Yahudi, wilayah itu adalah kosong dan tanpa batas negara.
Namun, ada dokumen dan bukti yang membuktikan bahwa pada abad ke-19 telah ada produk pertanian Palestina yang diekspor ke berbagai negara, termasuk Perancis.
4. Keempat, beberapa orang mengatakan Palestina meninggalkan negara mereka atas keinginan mereka sendiri.
Ini adalah satu lagi kebohongan, yang banyak orang percaya, termasuk saya sendiri. Bahkan sejarawan Israel sendiri seperti Benny Morris dan Ilan Pappe mengatakan bahwa orang-orang Palestina diusir dan dibuang dari tanah mereka dengan menggunakan kekerasan dan teror.
5. Dikatakan bahwa saat ini Israel adalah satu-satunya negara demokrasi di Timur Tengah dan itu harus dilindungi, karena merupakan pemerintahan yang berdasarkan hukum.
Tetapi menurut saya tidak hanya itu, mereka bukan pemerintah berdasarkan hukum, melainkan hanya rezim yang hukum tidak mendefinisikan wilayahnya dan batas-batas. Semua negara-negara di dunia yang memiliki konstitusi mendefinisikan batas-batas wilayah negara mereka, tetapi hal ini sepertinya tidak berlaku kepada Israel. Israel adalah proyek ekspansionis yang tidak mengetahui batas negara mereka, dan hukum mereka benar-benar rasis, menurut hukum ini Israel adalah negara bagi orang Yahudi, dan warga non-Yahudi tidak dianggap manusia. Hukum seperti ini merupakan kontradiksi terhadap demokrasi.
6. Dikatakan bahwa AS berusaha untuk melindungi demokrasi di Timur Tengah dengan melindungi Israel. Dan kita tahu bahwa bantuan keuangan tahunan AS ke Israel sebesar 3 miliar dolar. Uang ini digunakan untuk membombardir negara-negara tetangga Israel.
Namun Amerika sebenarnya tidak sedang membangun demokrasi di Timur Tengah, melainkan ingin arus minyak terganggu.
7. Mereka berpura-pura bahwa AS sedang berusaha mencari kesepakatan antara Israel dan Palestina.
Hal ini juga sepenuhnya salah dan dusta. Mantan pimpinan Kebijakan Luar Negeri Uni Eropa Javier Solana mengatakan kepada Israel bahwa "Anda adalah negara Uni Eropa ke 21." Industri senjata Eropa bekerja sama dengan industri militer Israel dan mendukung mereka secara finansial. Namun ketika pemerintah Palestina terpilih mereka, Eropa seperi menutup mata dan malah memberi lampu hijau kepada Israel untuk menyerang Jalur Gaza.
8. Ketika seseorang berbicara tentang fakta-fakta dan sejarah Israel dan Palestina, dan ketika seseorang mengungkapkan kepentingan AS dalam situasi ini, mereka menyebut Anda anti-Semit untuk membuat Anda diam.
Tapi kita harus mengatakan hal tersebut karena ketika kita mengkritik Israel, bukan berarti kita bertindak rasisme atau anti-Semitisme. Kami mengkritik pemerintah yang tidak percaya pada kesetaraan antara Yahudi, Kristen dan Muslim, dan menghancurkan perdamaian antara pengikut agama yang berbeda.
9. Media massa barat mengatakan rakyat Palestina lah penyebab kekerasan dan terorisme. Kami mengatakan tentara pendudukan Israel adalah kekerasan sesungguhnya, kebijakan mereka yang telah mencuri tanah dan rumah dari Palestina adalah kekerasan.
10. Suatu hal yang sering diajukan adalah bahwa tidak ada cara untuk mengatasi situasi ini, dan tidak ada solusi untuk kebencian dan dendam yang disebabkan oleh Israel dan kaki tangan nya.
Tapi masih ada solusi. Satu-satunya hal yang dapat menghentikan proses ini adalah tekanan publik terhadap Antek Israel di AS dan Eropa dan bagian lain dari dunia ini; tekanan publik di media massa yang menahan diri dari mengatakan kebenaran tentang Israel, dan menggunakan Internet atau dari media lain membiarkan untuk mempublikasikan berita nyata tentang Palestina.
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