JALIL S DABDOUB

WE IN THE Caribbean talk about colonialism and the wrongs meted out to us, yet we prevaricate on the decision to cut its vestiges, particularly in Jamaica. Our prevarication is not surprising given Jamaica’s and Caricom’s tame approach to colonial issues such as Palestine.

All Caricom states now recognise the Palestinian state. Despite now understanding the necessity for objectivity and balance in resolving the historical wrong meted out and continuing to be met out to Palestinians, Caricom’s approach to Palestine reflects a position akin to supporting colonialism.

Sir Ronald Sanders’s claim, in “Imperative for equal recognition in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," that the Palestinian issue is “one of the most enduring and complex issues" is not accurate and certainly no excuse for Caricom to stridently support Palestine.

The Palestinian issue is a simple issue. It is classical settler colonialism. In 1917 the British, through the Balfour Declaration “on behalf of one people (the British) granted to a second people (white European Zionists Jews) the land of a third people (the Palestinians)." Undoubtedly, Britain had no legal or moral authority to do so. Its actions were racist and based on white supremacy, a hallmark of settler colonialism.

To term the Palestinian issue other than colonialism is to accept the West’s incorrect and self-serving narrative. It is a shameful admission that we in the Caribbean remain mentally colonised by colonial masters and imperial powers.

In "Establishing even-handedness: Antigua and Barbuda and Palestine," Sir Ronald stated that when European nations partitioned Palestine “no Caribbean countries, except Haiti, were UN members…This European-dominated decision-making process left many regions without a voice, a historical oversight that small states today are working to correct..."

To correct this historical wrong Caricom must be clear to the imperialist powers that Israel is nothing more than a settler colony project. Born of terrorism, sustained by terrorism. Created by the morally repugnant acts of ethnic cleansing, forced displacement and murder of the Palestinian people (The 1948 Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappé).

There once was a Palestine. Today there is none. Europeans came and took their homes and land. No people will accept that. Until the world acknowledges and corrects this historical moral wrong there will always be resistance, rightfully so. Caricom must lead this charge.

Caricom’s support for Palestinian rights cannot be limited to recognition of the Palestinian state. They must acknowledge the historical wrong perpetrated on the Palestinian people and reject the settler colonial principles behind the formation of the Israeli entity. Unequivocal condemnation of Israeli actions of human rights abuse, apartheid, war crimes, genocide and illegal settlement expansion (creating “Palestinian Bantustans”) is paramount but insufficient.

Since inception Israel has been a rogue state and is on the way to being a paria