 Khalil Jahshan |
The following is Press TV's exclusive interview with Khalil Jahshan, a lecturer in International Studies and Languages at Pepperdine University who has served as President of the National Association of Arab Americans (NAAA).
Press TV: The violence in Gaza is seemingly over. How has the war affected both sides?
Jahshan: Well, despite Israel's declaration of victory, I do not think it has achieved its declared objectives in Gaza. Yes, it has probably weakened military power of Hamas to some extent bur it did not definitely destroy Hamas and did not definitely change the equation in the region as their prime minister and foreign minister declared as their main objective.
Press TV: Some experts say the unilateral ceasefire is some kind of timeout for Israel to reassess its tactics and then resume the war.
Jahshan: Frankly what happened in Gaza was directed at two targets. The main and most visible target was Hamas but the second and less visible target was actually Barack Obama.
The vacuum was created by the transition here in Washington to do two things. First, to take advantage of the green light and unlimited support they receive from outgoing President George W. Bush and his secretary of state Condoleezza Rice who supported the Israelis blindly in Gaza.
Jahshan: Frankly what happened in Gaza was directed at two targets. The main and most visible target was Hamas but the second and less visible target was actually Barack Obama.
The vacuum was created by the transition here in Washington to do two things. First, to take advantage of the green light and unlimited support they receive from outgoing President George W. Bush and his secretary of state Condoleezza Rice who supported the Israelis blindly in Gaza.
And they also wanted to put Barack Obama on the spot. Because they are not confident that he is going to basically give them the same unlimited blind support they enjoyed in the past.
Two, there were some advice that Barack Obama was getting from various sources within and outside his campaign. Basically telling him that Hamas is a legitimate and important party within the Palestinian body politic should not be ignored. US should open dialogue to try to sway Hamas toward the US and bring it to the negotiation table.
Press TV: Do you think the war may resume after Barack Obama's taking office?
Jahshan: It might resume. Definitely I do not see that ceasefire as a lasting one for a variety of reasons.
Jahshan: It might resume. Definitely I do not see that ceasefire as a lasting one for a variety of reasons.
First, it is a unilateral declaration of ceasefire which proves the non-symmetrical nature of that conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians in general and between Israel and Hamas in particular.
Second, Hamas was not really consulted. It was left out to be contacted by the third and forth parties. When you have important ceasefires and agreements like this one, negotiated indirectly from long distance, history teaches us that they do not last.
Second, Hamas was not really consulted. It was left out to be contacted by the third and forth parties. When you have important ceasefires and agreements like this one, negotiated indirectly from long distance, history teaches us that they do not last.
Press TV: Why Hamas has been excluded from all meeting so far?
Jahshan: Hamas has been excluded for the same reason it was excluded from the political process. Israel is not interested in a tough bargainer on the Palestinian side.
They used the excuse that Hamas wants to destroy Israel and the classification of Hamas by the US and later by the EU as a terrorist organization to say they are not fit to be at the negotiation table or even to be contacted with.
Jahshan: Hamas has been excluded for the same reason it was excluded from the political process. Israel is not interested in a tough bargainer on the Palestinian side.
They used the excuse that Hamas wants to destroy Israel and the classification of Hamas by the US and later by the EU as a terrorist organization to say they are not fit to be at the negotiation table or even to be contacted with.
They quickly forgot that it was the same rationale they used against the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Yasser Arafat in the old days. They quickly overcame that when it came to national interest to do so.
Press TV: Is that some kind of respectful Israeli democracy or US democracy? Why is not there any respect for the Palestinian democracy that brought Hamas to power?
Jahshan: Well, that is the double standards. I think we struggle dealing whether with Israel or with the US. Israel is definitely entitled to elect its own leadership and claims to be democratic and free in the Middle East. But it does not have any rights whatsoever to dictate to other people in the Middle East as whom their leader should be. This is up to the nations to choose their own leaders.
Press TV: Is that some kind of respectful Israeli democracy or US democracy? Why is not there any respect for the Palestinian democracy that brought Hamas to power?
Jahshan: Well, that is the double standards. I think we struggle dealing whether with Israel or with the US. Israel is definitely entitled to elect its own leadership and claims to be democratic and free in the Middle East. But it does not have any rights whatsoever to dictate to other people in the Middle East as whom their leader should be. This is up to the nations to choose their own leaders.
If the Palestinians were to say, “we do not recognize Americans or we do not recognize Livni, we do not recognize Netanyahu, they are too radical,” Israel would basically laugh at them. I think the whole world should also laugh at the Israeli double standards, the same thing with the US.
The US pushed for election in Palestine at the time the Palestinians were saying it was the wrong time to have election. Yet, when the result did not please Washington, it quickly moved and boycotted Hamas, the winner of those democratic elections in 2006, which were monitored by international and American observers.
You cannot both have your cake and eat it. You respect democracy, either Palestinian or American or Iranian, or you basically create double standards that jeopardize your own credibility.
Press TV: How did the war on Gaza affect Israel's image around the world?
Jahshan: I think Israel's image has been damaged across the world and maybe the rush attempt for the ceasefire caused more damage even though Israel did not necessarily achieve its objectives, at least the declared ones.
First of all I think because the international community saw a lack of symmetry in this war and perceived it as potentially a political problem, which it is.
The international public opinion does not care for countries that resort to the abuse of power or military power to achieve political objectives.
After all, according to the international law this is the definition of terrorism if you apply violence against civilian targets for political purposes. That is the classic definition we teach in the class as the definition of terrorism.
Press TV: Of course, we have to wait and see until Obama takes office on January 20. That's when the Bush administration is going out. Interestingly, the war ended with Bush ending his term in office. How do you think Mr. Bush will be remembered?
Jahshan: I think Mr. Bush's two terms were seen by American people as a disaster. Frankly, American people express dissatisfaction with the economic, domestic, and the foreign policy.
Bush's supporters continue to say it is premature to judge his legacy at this time. But the majority of Americans speak out against him. The public has a good ear regarding what he achieved and what his failures were, including the war in Iraq, which upset Americans more than anything else. The Bush administration called it war against terrorism and used all kinds of lies to deceive Americans and justify its actions.
The US pushed for election in Palestine at the time the Palestinians were saying it was the wrong time to have election. Yet, when the result did not please Washington, it quickly moved and boycotted Hamas, the winner of those democratic elections in 2006, which were monitored by international and American observers.
You cannot both have your cake and eat it. You respect democracy, either Palestinian or American or Iranian, or you basically create double standards that jeopardize your own credibility.
Press TV: How did the war on Gaza affect Israel's image around the world?
Jahshan: I think Israel's image has been damaged across the world and maybe the rush attempt for the ceasefire caused more damage even though Israel did not necessarily achieve its objectives, at least the declared ones.
First of all I think because the international community saw a lack of symmetry in this war and perceived it as potentially a political problem, which it is.
The international public opinion does not care for countries that resort to the abuse of power or military power to achieve political objectives.
After all, according to the international law this is the definition of terrorism if you apply violence against civilian targets for political purposes. That is the classic definition we teach in the class as the definition of terrorism.
Press TV: Of course, we have to wait and see until Obama takes office on January 20. That's when the Bush administration is going out. Interestingly, the war ended with Bush ending his term in office. How do you think Mr. Bush will be remembered?
Jahshan: I think Mr. Bush's two terms were seen by American people as a disaster. Frankly, American people express dissatisfaction with the economic, domestic, and the foreign policy.
Bush's supporters continue to say it is premature to judge his legacy at this time. But the majority of Americans speak out against him. The public has a good ear regarding what he achieved and what his failures were, including the war in Iraq, which upset Americans more than anything else. The Bush administration called it war against terrorism and used all kinds of lies to deceive Americans and justify its actions.
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