Ghannam Responds

GHANNAM RESPONDS

Myles Striar, in his response (AGENDA, 6/88) to my 5/88 AGENDA article on the Israeli-South African-Central American solidarity movement alliance, did not address the issues which I had presented. Mr. Striar, instead, sought to justify the occupation, dismiss its destructive implications for the indigenous Palestinian population, and misrepresent the nature of Israel 's foreign and domestic policies.

In my article, I briefly outlined the extensive economic and military alliance Israel enjoys with repressive regimes in South Africa & Central America. (I could have easily included regimes in the rest of Africa, Asia, and theMiddleEast.)Israel's fraternity with repressive regimes is directly related to its comprehensive and historic alliance with imperialism, and not to its paranoid feeling of insecurity.

Striar's contention that Palestinians are not subjected to complete political, social, economic and cultural oppression can be answered by the voice of the Palestinian Uprising, now in its seventh month. Every policy enacted by the Israeli occupiers is intended to both subjugate and expel the Palestinian population. Any gains won by the Palestinians are fragile, temporary, and subordinate to Israel 's objectives in the region.

The purpose of my article was to provide information about Israeli's role in aiding repressive regimes, while provoking action to protest the massive U.S. aid to Israel. The proposed alliance between the Palestinian, Central American, and Anti-Apartheid Solidarity Movements may seem "unsound politically" to the uninformed. Progressive attitudes must be comprehensive and consistent, and not isolated to Central America and South Africa. Criticism of repressive governments certainly does not end when Israel is judged.