Apr 26 2016

Newton’s theory in Palestine

Published by at 1:08 pm under Articles,Palestinian politics

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By Daoud Kuttab

The cycle of violence in Palestine is so predictable that almost anyone following the news can easily forecast what happens next.

This ability to anticipate what happens if the cycle of violence is not broken is perhaps the most concrete proof that the Israeli occupation is the source of all the violence.

The explosion that occurred this week in an Israeli bus comes after seven months of individual attacks of Israelis that did not include any explosive devices.

The attacks, mostly with knives, produced a disproportionate Israeli army response that often included extrajudicial killings.

Isaac Newton’s theory on gravitation perfectly explains this cycle of violence.

“A particle attracts every other particle in the universe using a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses but also inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.”

In laypeople’s terms, Newton’s theory is summarised in the, by now, familiar saying: for every action there is a reaction.

Two weeks ago, Israeli leaders and pundits were beginning to prematurely celebrate the end of individual attacks.

The Palestinian “habbeh” as the wave was called by Palestinians, had not stopped and the Israeli statements possibly encouraged more anti-Israeli violence rather than less.

Although a recent Israeli execution was captured on video, there continues to be an Israeli denial that the source of violence is the continuous, brutal Israeli military occupation.

Every aspect of Palestinian life is affected by the occupation and the colonial settlement policy, yet Israeli leaders deny responsibility, blaming the attacks on everything except their own illegal and internationally unacceptable activities.

While refusing to admit responsibility, the Israeli prime minister resurrected his previously debunked theory that the source of Palestinian violence is incitement.

This absurd theory was debunked by the Israelis themselves when they stopped showing up to the joint Palestinian-Israeli-American committee.

Furthermore, and specifically under the leadership of President Mahmoud Abbas, a concerted effort has been made to clean up Palestinian TV of any and all incitement to violence, in concert with Abbas’ strong opposition to largely useless and counterproductive violence.

Israeli military officials themselves contradicted their political leaders by hailing Abbas’ administration for its robust security cooperation and efforts.

Abbas and his security chief were strongly attacked by Palestinians when they publicly stated that they have been foiling hundreds of Israeli attacks and that Palestinian security personnel search Palestinian children’s schoolbags to ensure they carry no knives.

Other unfounded Israeli theories blame Raed Salah, an Islamic leader who is committed to protecting Al Aqsa, as being behind the attacks.

His recent conviction without much evidence of wrongdoing reflects this Israeli mentality of searching for clues for Palestinian resistance everywhere except in their own actions.

The predictability that has become the hallmark of the Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation is part of the cycle of violence; its only unknown is its timing.

If every action produces a reaction, then it is obvious that so long as Israeli troops are enforcing their occupation and protecting the internationally rejected settlement enterprise a reaction will occur sooner or later.

The only logical way to end this cycle is to end the occupation.

Leaders like French President François Hollande and US Secretary of State John Kerry have said that.

International leaders use the term two-state solution, but in fact what they are saying is that to end the violence between Palestinians and Israelis, an end to the occupation is required.

Ending the occupation and creating a Palestinian state is, therefore, a requirement put forward by all local, regional and international parties.

The Israeli occupation is affecting not only the Palestinians, but is also poisoning the air regionally and acting as an effective recruitment tool for violent extremists around the world.

To break the cycle of violence and to get out of its predictability, it is incumbent on all to recognise the source of the violence, namely the occupation.

Violence in the form of military occupation and illegal colonial settlement begets violent resistance.

To bring an end to the reaction, it is necessary to stop the initial action.

Any attempt to avoid this reality is a rejection of the basics of Newton’s theory.

– See more at: http://www.jordantimes.com/opinion/daoud-kuttab/newton%E2%80%99s-theory-palestine#sthash.leiZGsa2.dpuf

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