US supports Sharon, the assassin!

The latest reports show that Ariel Sharon did mention to President Bush his ugly plan to assassinate Abdul Aziz Rantissi, successor of Sk Yassin of Hamas. President Bush probably could not have given him green signal openly, but reportedly later action by USAID to order out its personnel from Gaza just before the assassination show that the US administration was aware of the assassination plan. As it seems, Bush administration practically supported the assassination by saying that Israel has the right to defend itself.

The general impression is that Sharon has been doing such abominable things and getting direct or indirect support from some in the American Administration though most of the American people are against such extra-judicial killings. Unfortunately even John Kerry supported Israel on this and sang the Administration's song that 'Israel has the right to defend itself'. Even if it is an election strategy to get Jewish votes, still it is very wrong. Who says Israel does not have the right to defend itself? This does not mean that Israel can kill anyone who appears to Israel an enemy. If that is so, then why should the civilized world condemn suicide bombings that kill Israelis as they are the occupiers (ref UN resolutions) of Palestinians' land and they are also seen by the Palestinians as the enemies? Every country should have similar rights to defend itself and consequently adopt any measure within its means including suicide bombings as they do not have Apache helicopters and other American weapons to deal with the occupying enemy. Palestinians cannot bring in any arms as this becomes a crime, but for Israel even assassination is not a crime let alone piling up all deadly weapons including nuclear ones.

There is, however, an argument that suicide bombings kill innocent civilians. Yes, but the Palestinians argue that all Israelis (minus children and who oppose occupation) who support occupation are occupiers and hence enemies to Palestinian people as Israeli security forces kill innocent Palestinians and then justify by branding them as terrorists though they were not terrorists. So there is no end to such arguments and counter arguments.

Just last week Sharon openly said that he was no longer bound by his pledge to the US administration "not to harm Arafat". Assassination of Arafat is a life long vow of Sharon. This is why we said earlier that he would do it any way and the world would just condemn it, but would Israel bother about world reaction as long as America stands behind it? Anyway, it is a good thing that Bush administration has warned Sharon against his latest plan to assassinate Arafat. The White House said ' pledge is a pledge' ; so he should stick to it. It's a strange and unjust world. How can the head of a government which is a member of the UN openly announce assassination of a leader of another nation? And the maximum the civilized world does is request him not do it.

Can this civilized world then have the right to denounce suicide bombings and then brand them as terrorists? No, this is utterly wrong. 9/11 and today's terrorism and extreme security problems around the world are results of Israel's occupation of the Arab land and America's extended support to Israel and its own latest "imperial policies and actions."

Another very sad story was out last week in Israel. Mordechai Venunu, originally a Jew, who was later converted to Christianity served 18 years of jail in solitary confinement because he, being a former Israeli nuclear technician divulged secret nuclear programme of Israel. He was released on April 21 with condition that he would report to Israeli police station every 48 hours and will not say anything about the nuclear programme. He will also not travel outside Tel Aviv.

As soon as he came out of the jail he started talking to the reporters. He said, on October 1986 he gave the information about Israel's secret nuclear programme to London's Sunday Times. The story of his arrest goes like this that he was kidnapped by Israeli secret service Mossad from London to Rome and then drugged and brought to Israel. Later he was convicted and put in Jail in solitary confinement. He said he received " cruel and barbaric treatment" in jail from Mossad. He also mentioned that Israel has a special area of jail under Mossad, where the prisoners receive inhuman treatment from Mossad agents. Venunu also specifically complained that he suffered because he is a Christian. If he remained a Jew he would not have suffered at all. This should open the eyes of the world on the behaviour of the Jewish state and its state terrorism. Many members of the international community apparently have the impression that terrorism comes only from Islamic or Muslim community. But the fact of the matter is that the root of terrorism is the Jewish state of Israel and the unfortunate support it gets from the US administrations from time to time. Unfortunately, America itself has been suffering for the misdeeds of Israeli government. Venunu clearly said that there is no need for a Jewish state at all.

Being out of jail he is now facing greater threat to his life as he has already been threatened to be assassinated because the Israeli government has branded him as " a threat to Israel's security". Nobody is surprised by this as the present Israeli government under Sharon has been assassinating people with impunity.

Venunu also said he has no more secrets to tell as he already gave the full information saying Israel has 200 atomic/hydrogen bombs. This story has been known to everyone.

Even John F Kennedy in those days warned Israel about its nuclear programme. Kennedy indeed said he could not stop others having n-weapons if he could not stop a tiny country like Israel. Thereafter, Kennedy was assassinated and reportedly no US President ever took the risk of questioning Israel's nuclear programme. Should one also assume that this is why Al-Baradei, DG of the Vienna based organisation and his associates never took the courage to question the N-weapons programme of Israel? Apparently he and his organisation are busy with Iran and N Korea and perhaps have no time to question Israel about its nuclear arsenal.

Muslehuddin Ahmad is a former Secretary and Ambassador and presently Vice Chancellor of Presidency University. He is also the Chairman of CIVIC WATCH-Bangladesh.