Talks and negotiations

Under the realm of the U.S Foreign Policy, media in the U.S generally portrays the country as a 'peacemaker' and 'army of goodwill'. U.S always seems to be trying to promote talks amongst parties. Trying to promote talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority and trying to talk to the Taliban, but they refuse. Unfortunately, when the U.S says 'talks' it does not mean talks at all.

'Talks' mean 'negotiations'.

Let us look at talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Now, the Palestinians have been talking to Israel for the past 43 years and the occupation has not ended. They are in a period of negotiations with Israel. Jerusalem is under negotiations, when it is very clear under international law that East Jerusalem is occupied by Israel and West Jerusalem is under the sovereignty of Israel. Similarly, the creation of a Palestinian state is under negotiations brokered by the White House when it is very clear under international law and U.N resolutions that the territories occupied by Israel after 1967 cannot be kept by Israel and needs to be returned to their rightful owners. Despite all this Israel and Palestinians are 'talking' which actually means 'negotiating'. Talking needs to take place only after the occupation ends otherwise it won't lead to anything.

Similarly, media portrays the U.S as ready to talk to the Taliban and the Taliban refuse. Firstly, you cannot talk to the Taliban while bombing them everyday. Second, the Taliban however brutal they might be do represent a significant portion of Afghanistan and currently Pakistan. The Taliban, are ready for talks, but not ready for negotiations. They want negotiations under a pre-condition that U.S must first end the occupation and leave Afghanistan, which might just be fair!

Caravan from India to Gaza

India established diplomatic and military relations with Israel ever since 1993 when the Oslo Accords were signed between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The main premise of the Oslo Accords was the creation of a Palestinian state, which was assumed would be carried out by Israel after a few years. Instead, Israel began building more settlements in the occupied territories and expanding existing ones. This along with an added advantage was that Isreal need not bother too much about uprisings and militancy in Palestinian areas in the West Bank and the Gaza strip as they would be taken care of by the so called Palestinian Security Forces. Its literally asking the occupied people to provide security to the occupier, one of the oldest forms of colonialism. However due to Israeli underestimation, Palestinians rose up violently in 2000-2004 killing 2000 Israelis and 5000 Palestinians. After this, life became worse for the Palestinians.

Despite all this, India did not show any sympathy towards the Palestinians. Ties, especially military ties grew stronger after both nations claimed to be fighting the so-called 'War on terror'. Looking at the recent attack by Israel of an aid flotilla heading towards Gaza in international waters, one cannot tolerate the 43 year old occupation any more and people all around the world are waking up to the Palestinian cause.

India is sending a caravan to Palestine and people all over Asia are due to join mostly from Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt.

Those who would want to participate in the convoy are requested to send in their names, organization, socio-political background & passport details.

In Solidarity with the Intifada.

Brigadier Sudhir Sawant, Feroze Mithiborwala, Kishore Jagtap, Aslam Ghazi, Com. Vasudevan, Arif Kapadia, Varsha V V, Winnie Thomas, Chetna Birje, Reshma Jagtap, Yawar Ali Qazi, Mukta Srivastava, Asif Khan, Syed Iftikhar Ahed, Sayeed Khan, Munawwar Khan, Amol Madame, Vilas Gaikwad, agdish Nagarkar, Mulniwasi Mala, Shyam Sonar, Sudhir Dhawale, Bajrang Sonawane, Sheikh Muhammad Hussain, Ghazala Azad, Munawwar Azad, Ihtishaam Ansari, Sanjay Shinde, & others

India Palestine People's Solidarity Forum

0091-9820897517 / feroze.moses777@gmail.com

http://www.asiatogaza.org