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Fred wrote: > Do we defend the independence of Gaza? It is a fact and it will not do to > simply dissolve this development into terms like "prison camp" because of > the imperialist-supported Israeli boycott, war, and its brutal consequences. > Should the Gazans demand reintegration into Israel on the basis of one-man, > one-vote? More importantly, should we call on them to do so? I find it odd that someone with such long experience in the Marxist movement would even ask such a question. That "we" should call on the Gazans to demand anything!!! Of course we shouldn't. Who are "we" to tell the Gazans we know better than them how to conduct their struggle? Oh, silly me. The US SWP had a successful revolution and so has the authority to call on people to do that sort of thing . . . To claim that the "independence of Gaza ... is a fact" is simply absurd. How many independent countries are denied the right to control their own borders, immigration, travel, sea space, defence policy, the right to an army. Gaza is not independent of the PA and neither Gaza nor the PA are independent of Israel. Try asking a resident of Gaza if their independence "is a fact". Gazans, like all Palestinians in the occupied territory (and Israel of course) carry ID cards. But theey're not issued by the PA or that "government" in Gaza. They're issued by Israel. How is that independence? I was listening to a Gazan just last week who wanted to leave Gaza to travel overseas as part of his job. He didn't know until the day he was due to fly out whether or not he would have permission to leave. And no, it wasn't the government in Gaza that made the decision. It was Israel. How can anyone claim that the "independence of Gaza ... is a fact"? Of course if Gaza did declare itself independent that might change things, although I suspect a bid for Gazan independence would be wholly reactionary. But I haven't heard Hamas talking about declaring an independent Gaza. Hamas is a Palestinian organisation, existing in both Gaza and the West Bank. They are, for all their faults from a western Leftist perspective, part of the Palestinian national movement. Cheers, John ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
