Israel’s Zone of Immunity – A Palestinian Perspective
HIRAYAMA Kentaro / Journalist
February 29, 2012
"Zone of Immunity" is the latest buzzword frequently referred to by Israel's government leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, in connection with Iran's suspected nuclear arms program. It apparently means an area or stage that is immune from destruction by force, and is used in the context of: we must do whatever it takes to stop Iran before it disperses its facilities for high-level concentration of uranium and assembly of nuclear weapons in deep underground locations around the country, giving it "immunity" from attack.
Meanwhile, the Iranian government claims its sole purpose of concentrating uranium is for peaceful use, and has resumed talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency. At the same time, it has kept up its provocative tone, as evident in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comment that "Israel should be eradicated off the face of the earth," and warnings that Iran will seal the Strait of Hormuz if attacked and retaliate against American interests.
As the only nation that has suffered an atomic bombing, Japan is deeply concerned about nuclear proliferation, but alarmed at the prospect of a new military conflict in the Persian Gulf, which is a highly probable outcome of any attack on Iran. As a Japanese national, I also share the earnest hope for a peaceful resolution to the issue. That said, I would like to offer a different perspective on the "Zone of Immunity"” the keyword of this commentary; its relevance to the Palestinian issue.
Now in its fourth year, the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been accelerating the pace of Jewish settlements on the West Bank of the River Jordan, especially in East Jerusalem, deliberately ignoring criticism from the international community, including the U.S. administration of President Barack Obama. The Old City of Jerusalem, home to a myriad of sacred sites not only Jewish but also Christian and Islamic, has been effectively cut off from the West Bank by new Jewish settlements that surround it. And 60% of the land on the West Bank is currently controlled by the Israeli army and the settlers, making it difficult for the Palestinians to establish an independent state with viable territory.
Yet, President Obama has intentionally avoided involvement in the issue of occupied territory to improve his chances of re-election in November by catering to the influential Israel lobby. Most observers must therefore feel that for the time being Israel’s continued occupation has indeed entered a Zone of Immunity.
However, it is obvious that sustained occupation will continue to fan animosity among the Islamic people, including Iranians, towards Israel and America. Even oil producing Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia that are wary of Iran's attempt to regional hegemony see eye to eye with Iran on this point. In that sense, Israel is still far from attaining "immunity" regarding its occupation of the Holy Land.
"Iran has not invaded another country for over three hundred years. The real existential threat to Israel lies in the cruel manner in which Israel has continuously treated the Palestinians" – these words from a Jewish history professor Yakob Rapkin of Montreal University keep coming back to my mind.
Consideration for others and modesty – these are virtues with which the Jewish people were once endowed. It is about time Israel’s leaders restored such virtues.
The writer is former Executive Commentator of NHK and former professor at Hakuoh University.
Meanwhile, the Iranian government claims its sole purpose of concentrating uranium is for peaceful use, and has resumed talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency. At the same time, it has kept up its provocative tone, as evident in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comment that "Israel should be eradicated off the face of the earth," and warnings that Iran will seal the Strait of Hormuz if attacked and retaliate against American interests.
As the only nation that has suffered an atomic bombing, Japan is deeply concerned about nuclear proliferation, but alarmed at the prospect of a new military conflict in the Persian Gulf, which is a highly probable outcome of any attack on Iran. As a Japanese national, I also share the earnest hope for a peaceful resolution to the issue. That said, I would like to offer a different perspective on the "Zone of Immunity"” the keyword of this commentary; its relevance to the Palestinian issue.
Now in its fourth year, the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been accelerating the pace of Jewish settlements on the West Bank of the River Jordan, especially in East Jerusalem, deliberately ignoring criticism from the international community, including the U.S. administration of President Barack Obama. The Old City of Jerusalem, home to a myriad of sacred sites not only Jewish but also Christian and Islamic, has been effectively cut off from the West Bank by new Jewish settlements that surround it. And 60% of the land on the West Bank is currently controlled by the Israeli army and the settlers, making it difficult for the Palestinians to establish an independent state with viable territory.
Yet, President Obama has intentionally avoided involvement in the issue of occupied territory to improve his chances of re-election in November by catering to the influential Israel lobby. Most observers must therefore feel that for the time being Israel’s continued occupation has indeed entered a Zone of Immunity.
However, it is obvious that sustained occupation will continue to fan animosity among the Islamic people, including Iranians, towards Israel and America. Even oil producing Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia that are wary of Iran's attempt to regional hegemony see eye to eye with Iran on this point. In that sense, Israel is still far from attaining "immunity" regarding its occupation of the Holy Land.
"Iran has not invaded another country for over three hundred years. The real existential threat to Israel lies in the cruel manner in which Israel has continuously treated the Palestinians" – these words from a Jewish history professor Yakob Rapkin of Montreal University keep coming back to my mind.
Consideration for others and modesty – these are virtues with which the Jewish people were once endowed. It is about time Israel’s leaders restored such virtues.
The writer is former Executive Commentator of NHK and former professor at Hakuoh University.
The English-Speaking Union of Japan
「ゾーン・オブ・インミューニティ」
平山 健太郎 / ジャーナリスト
2012年 2月 29日
「ゾーン・オブ・インミューニティ」・・・・イランの核兵器開発疑惑をめぐって、バラク副首相兼国防相をはじめとするイスラエル政府の首脳部が昨今しばしば使っている言葉だ。「免疫ゾーン」つまり「攻撃で破壊できない区域あるいは段階」を意味するらしい。イランがウランの高度濃縮や核兵器の組み立てなどに必要な施設を国内各地の深い地下壕に分散し、攻撃に対する「免疫」を得てしまう前に、いかなる手段を用いてもそれを食い止めねばならない・・・・という文脈で使われている。
当のイラン政府は、ウランの濃縮はあくまで平和利用が目的であるとし、国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）との話し合いも再開しているが、「イスラエルを地図から抹殺する」（アフマディネジャド大統領)、「攻撃された場合のホルムズ海峡封鎖」、「アメリカの権益に対する報復」予告など、挑発的な言動は変わらない。日本は、世界唯一の被爆国として核兵器の拡散を懸念しながらも、イランへの攻撃がもたらす可能性の高い、ペルシャ湾沿岸地域での新しい戦乱を憂慮している。その国民の一人として私も、事態の平和的な解決を心から祈念しているのは勿論だが、本稿のキーワードである「免疫ゾーン」について、角度を変えて考えてみたい。パレスチナ問題との関連だ。
発足以来３年余になるイスラエルのネタニヤフ政権は、米オバマ政権を含む国際社会の批判を黙殺し、ヨルダン川西岸とくに東エルサレムでのユダヤ人入植地の増設を加速して来た。ユダヤ教ばかりでなくキリスト教やイスラムの聖域がひしめき合うエルサレム旧市街が、ユダヤ人入植者のニュータウン群に包囲されてヨルダン川西岸から遮断され、そのヨルダン川西岸も土地の６０％がイスラエル軍や入植者の支配下に置かれた現状では、自立可能な領土を持つパレスチナ国家の独立は難しい。しかし１１月の米大統領選挙で再選をねらうオバマ氏は強力なイスラエル・ロビーへの配慮から、この占領地問題との関わりあいを務めて避けている。イスラエルにとっては当面、占領の継続は「免疫ゾーン」に到達している、と感じている人々が多い筈だ。
しかし、この占領の継続が、イラン人を含むイスラム教徒たちのイスラエルやアメリカへの敵意をかきたて続けることは疑いない。イランの地域覇権を警戒するサウジアラビアなど湾岸産油国も、その点ではイランと同じだ。聖地占領への「免疫」はまだ生まれていない。「イランは過去３００年間他国を侵略していない。イスラエルの存続を本当に脅かしているのは、イスラエルが続けてきたパレスチナ人に対するむごい仕打ちである」というユダヤ人歴史学者ヤコブ・ラプキン教授（モントリオール大学）の言葉がしきりに思い出される。
他者への思いやりや謙虚さ・・・・ユダヤ教徒がかって持っていたはずのこれらの徳性をイスラエルの指導者たちは取り戻すべきだ。
（筆者は元ＮＨＫ解説主幹、元白鴎大学教授。）
当のイラン政府は、ウランの濃縮はあくまで平和利用が目的であるとし、国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）との話し合いも再開しているが、「イスラエルを地図から抹殺する」（アフマディネジャド大統領)、「攻撃された場合のホルムズ海峡封鎖」、「アメリカの権益に対する報復」予告など、挑発的な言動は変わらない。日本は、世界唯一の被爆国として核兵器の拡散を懸念しながらも、イランへの攻撃がもたらす可能性の高い、ペルシャ湾沿岸地域での新しい戦乱を憂慮している。その国民の一人として私も、事態の平和的な解決を心から祈念しているのは勿論だが、本稿のキーワードである「免疫ゾーン」について、角度を変えて考えてみたい。パレスチナ問題との関連だ。
発足以来３年余になるイスラエルのネタニヤフ政権は、米オバマ政権を含む国際社会の批判を黙殺し、ヨルダン川西岸とくに東エルサレムでのユダヤ人入植地の増設を加速して来た。ユダヤ教ばかりでなくキリスト教やイスラムの聖域がひしめき合うエルサレム旧市街が、ユダヤ人入植者のニュータウン群に包囲されてヨルダン川西岸から遮断され、そのヨルダン川西岸も土地の６０％がイスラエル軍や入植者の支配下に置かれた現状では、自立可能な領土を持つパレスチナ国家の独立は難しい。しかし１１月の米大統領選挙で再選をねらうオバマ氏は強力なイスラエル・ロビーへの配慮から、この占領地問題との関わりあいを務めて避けている。イスラエルにとっては当面、占領の継続は「免疫ゾーン」に到達している、と感じている人々が多い筈だ。
しかし、この占領の継続が、イラン人を含むイスラム教徒たちのイスラエルやアメリカへの敵意をかきたて続けることは疑いない。イランの地域覇権を警戒するサウジアラビアなど湾岸産油国も、その点ではイランと同じだ。聖地占領への「免疫」はまだ生まれていない。「イランは過去３００年間他国を侵略していない。イスラエルの存続を本当に脅かしているのは、イスラエルが続けてきたパレスチナ人に対するむごい仕打ちである」というユダヤ人歴史学者ヤコブ・ラプキン教授（モントリオール大学）の言葉がしきりに思い出される。
他者への思いやりや謙虚さ・・・・ユダヤ教徒がかって持っていたはずのこれらの徳性をイスラエルの指導者たちは取り戻すべきだ。
（筆者は元ＮＨＫ解説主幹、元白鴎大学教授。）
一般社団法人 日本英語交流連盟