Dayton's Joy (by Prof Sattar Kassem)

I read Dayton's congressional hearing of May 7, 2009, and I noticed the enthusiasm that filled his heart, and the joy and jubilance that appeared on his face. He talked in details about his great achievements in training Palestinians in Jordan and Jericho (Ariha) on how to deal with security matters concerning Palestinian “terrorists” and demonstrators, and how to coordinate with the Israeli army and security service.

He numerated several instances and gave many examples on how Palestinians are comfortably coordinating with the Israelis, something that is very much different from the past. He said that Palestinians used to lie in the past, or hesitate in cooperating with the Israelis, but now they are honest and have the courage to do the coordination openly and with no kind of guilt-feeling.

He reiterated in the hearing that what is happening in Palestine is something that was unbelievable, but now it is a reality. He showed so much joy because of this achievement to which he is accredited. He was trying to show his great success, and asked for more money to continue the process. He talked about the security academy in Jericho as a prominent educational institution that will be a pillar of peace making in the area. And he assured the congressional committee that he will train more Palestinians in Jordan.

This general who is apparently proud of his achievements was thought by the Israelis as a failure, and his replacement was demanded, but the White House convinced Israel to give him a second chance. The Israelis accused him of being indeterminate and indecisive with the Palestinian Authority and security service, and fell at so many times into their deceptive promises. That is why he has been tough and blunt with the Palestinians after the fall of Gaza into the hands of Hamas. He has instructed the Palestinians to cooperate and coordinate with the Israelis openly and without any kind of moral or ethical restrictions, and without any national or social considerations. And he has been educating the Palestinians on how they serve their own country and state building when they hit hard (arrest or maim or shoot to kill) against Hamas “terrorists” and “extremists who are conspiring with Tehran against the Arab Nation”.

This general who represents the US and its administration headed by Obama is working relentlessly at dismantling the Palestinian society and turning the Palestinians into mere individuals who each of them is concerned about his/her own living.

He usually tells his Palestinian clients that his approach and methods are the best way toward the making a Palestinian state, and this state will emerge as Israel becomes convinced that the Palestinians pose no danger to its security. This is not true, and the general is trying to turn Palestinians into Israeli security recruits who finally would rein over a Palestinian entity of collaborators.

Neither the general nor America nor Europe are interested in a truly independent state that has an army and free open borders with the Arab states, but they use the money, the basic needs of making a living to bring the Palestinians to their knees and their basic Arab chastity intruded by their whims. The general is implanting hatred among the Palestinians, and the more they commit themselves to internal feuds and bloodshed, the more success he is assumed to be achieving. And his final objective is to please the Zionists regardless of the sufferings and the agonies of the Palestinians.

The general is joyous for the cooperation he is receiving from many Palestinians, this very joy marks an awful stage in Palestinian history, and it is the embodiment of Palestinian dissolution. If the Palestinians were not divided, if they were not killing each other, if they were not collaborating with their enemy against themselves, if they were honest to their cause this joy would never materialize.

Finally I would like to assure the general that the Palestinians belong to a great nation which is belittled now because of the puppets who are leading, but history is in a state of flux. Things will change. And I am sure that the general is confident that those who betray their country cannot provide security for their enemy.