Palestine will be free!

When the Academy Awards announced nominations for “best foreign film” this year, the academy included “Paradise Now” from Palestine. The film, which portrays a Palestinian view of suicide bombings, has received wide acclaim and several awards, including a Golden Globe. (See review.)

The nomination has generated strong opposition by Zionist forces in Israel and their Washington backers who demand that the film be designated as “from the Palestinian Authority”—not from Palestine. They claim that “Palestine” has not been formally created.

Washington and Tel Aviv can play the name game all they want. The fact of the matter is that Palestine lives and breathes in the hearts and minds of the Palestinian people. The repression of Palestine will only lead to more determination by its people—determination that will in turn lead not to the “creation” of Palestine, but to the end of the occupation of the historic land of Palestine.

In response to the democratic victory of Hamas in Palestine, 68 members of the U.S. Congress have co-sponsored a bill insidiously called the “Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006.” Rather than denouncing the ongoing terrorism of the state of Israel against the Palestin ian people—or demanding a halt in U.S. funds that sustain this terrorism—the bill is an attack on the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.

Among other things, the bill would designate Palestinian territory as a
“terrorist sanctuary” and prohibit official Palestinian diplomacy or representation in the United States, denying visas and restricting movement of Palestinian diplomats at the United Nations. The bill would go so far as to defund UN bodies that advocate for Palestinian human rights and instruct the United States to vote against World Bank funding for Palestine.

The U.S. State Department also confirmed on Feb. 17 that it had ordered the return of $50 million that was granted last year to assist with infrastructure projects in Gaza.

As Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal told the Associated Press, “You can be sure that our feeling is peace and hope, good for all people in the world, but not any side that occupies our land or makes aggression on our people. No peace without our legitimate rights. No stability with occupation. No peace with occupation. This is our right.”