Occupation, Colonialism and
Apartheid in Israel – A Photo
Essay
By Mats Svensson
Year after year, we are still reading the same unfortunate
news reports showing the evil form of Apartheid that exists in
Israel today. I lived in Shuafat in East Jerusalem. I saw that
evil with my own eyes. I tried to understand what was going
on.
I walked along the Wall, from the south to the north. 520 km
long, it snakes through Palestinian villages, destroyed olive
groves and pasture lands. It moves across the rolling
landscape, cutting off roads and paths and precluding the
continuation of the social and economic life for many
Palestinian communities.
When it is completed, 200 km more will also be added. In
total, when the construction and destruction is complete,
Israel can boast of 720 km of ‘separation’ – of killed dreams,
hopes and destroyed lives.
What many don’t know is that the Wall is being built on
Palestinian land, on occupied territory, to steal land and to
protect illegal colonies. The thousands of visitors who every
year visit the holy land, who walk in the footsteps of Jesus
could see the afflicted, listen to the voices and hear the
stories. These visits have the potential of giving a unique
possibility to understand the everyday, commonplace
oppression. Unfortunately the visits are often aimed at
something else, something that happened long time ago, at a
time when the area was occupied by the Romans unlike today
when the occupation power is Israel.
And then in May 2009 I was invited to the launching of a
report in Ramallah. It was called: “Occupation, Colonialism,
Apartheid? A re-assessment of Israel’s practices in the
occupied Palestinian territories under international law –
Cape Town, South Africa, May 2009.”
I felt both happiness and sorrow when I had the report in my
hand. Happiness that somebody dared to begin telling the truth
but also sorrow over my own silence; that I had hid behind my
own cowardice, and was comforted by the lies which blinded me
from seeing the injustice that Palestinians had to endure.
If somebody wants to try to understand Apartheid and
Colonialism, one should understand the South African
experience. If you can afford it, go to South Africa, rent a
car, go out to Mamelody, sit at a Shibin or in a small jazz
club. Listen to the music and ask the questions. If there is
anything a South Africans understand well, it is Apartheid,
and they are prepared to tell you all about it.
During my years in Palestine I worked for short periods close
to individuals who were close to President Mbeki and to the
Mandela couple. We worked in the Gaza Strip. Spoke to leaders
from various factions. Laughed and cried with leaders and
ordinary people. To my shock, my South African colleagues
often pointed out that Apartheid in South Africa was far less
deadly compared to the West Bank and Gaza.
And I had a well-researched and scientifically sound report in
my hand that confirmed what I have seen with my own eyes.
After 15 months of research, Human Sciences Research Council,
Cape Town, declared that what is happening in Palestine is not
only occupation but also Colonialism and Apartheid.
Colonialism and Apartheid are forms of injustice that we must
all object to, and fight against. They are both crimes against
fundamental human rights. Each state has a legal
responsibility to the international community not to take any
active part in Apartheid or Colonialism. In accordance with
this, each state has a responsibility to cooperate to end all
forms of Colonialism and Apartheid, not recognize a form of
action which has its origin in Colonialism or Apartheid, and
not support a country committing these crimes.
Many in Sweden felt true happiness, joy and pride when Nelson
Mandela walked out of prison after 27 years. We though
Apartheid had been forever eradicated.
We were wrong. Human Sciences Research Council, like many
other organizations attested that Apartheid remains. Professor
John Dugard, who was the UN special rapporteur for Palestine
in the UN Human Rights Council fully agreed. In his final
report in January 2007, he posed the following question to the
international community: “What are the legal consequences of a
regime of prolonged occupation with features of Colonialism
and Apartheid for the occupied people, the Occupying Power and
third States?” The latter category included Sweden.
Apartheid in South Africa was predicated on three policies: to
divide the population into groups based on race and give the
White race preference in terms of rights, services and
privileges. The second was dividing up the country into
geographically-segregated areas and transferring the
population into these areas based on race. In addition, a
person from one area could not access another area. The third
was a combination of security laws and rules created to
oppress and suppress any resistance and which also
strengthened a system of domination based on race.
The Palestinian people, as demonstrated in the report, live
under a similar system. The three prerequisites are visible in
the occupied territory. The system of privilege is extensive
and well built, the geographically-segregated areas clear and
well-established and the security laws are one-sided and in
place to impede all forms of resistance, something each
Palestinian is well aware of.
The South African report has been handed over to and read by
every diplomat in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Tel Aviv. It is
probably registered with most foreign ministries, including
Sweden’s.
Apartheid is back. Apartheid is a tangible, unmistakable
realty in Palestine as it was in South Africa. Many were
fooled to think that Apartheid was buried forever, that
Colonialism was only meant for the history books. Now that we
know we must take a stand and dare speak out.
Israel bears the main responsibility to eradicate the crime it
has itself created. This can be done by removing the
structures and institutions that have led to Apartheid and
Colonialism. There are also rules that demand compensation
from Israel for the damage it caused and the harm it inflicted
upon the lives of millions of innocent Palestinians.
To ensure that Palestinians achieve their right to selfdetermination, third parties, like Sweden has an important
voice and an important role. All countries must push to ensure
that universal human rights values and international laws are
honored and implemented.
The South Africa experience and struggle should guide us in
this upcoming fight, until Palestinians, as their South
African brethren rid themselves from the evils of Apartheid
and Colonialism.
– Mats Svensson, a former Swedish diplomat working on the
staff of SIDA, the Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency, is presently following the ongoing
occupation of Palestine. He is the author of Crimes, Victims
and Witnesses – Apartheid in Palestine. (Real African
Publishers). He contributed this article and photo to
PalestineChronicle.com. Visit his Facebook page and contact
him: [email protected].