If historical reflection is useful for anything, it is at least to avoid consciously repeating the mistakes of the past and to make that knowledge a principle, even in international matters.
A historiographical matter
For the Jewish historian Ilan Pappé in his book The ten myths of Israel (2019), the construction of that State is flawed by the manipulation and deception of history, the geographical and political arguments on which the Israeli state was based, first as an idea since the 19th century and then as a realization after 1948.
Other revisionist and Jewish authors go further in their criticism, such as Shlomo Sandwho mostly sees that everything related to the Jewish in the European sphere in terms of origins and ideology is a late creation: contemporary and in dialogue with colonialism and European nationalism as ideology and necessity (The Invention of the Jewish People2009; The invention of the Land of Israel2013).
I think that what these historians are explaining to us, to which I would add Finkelstein (The Holocaust Industry2000), is much more than an observation of the ever-recurring manipulation and abuse of History for certain purposes. A matter, needless to say, that is not the exclusive use of Zionism. And this has to do with the ability to revisit those places and facts that we take for granted and immovable, and also with the fact that stating the opposite entails several serious drawbacks for the “more official” stories.
Likewise that revisionism can be a healthy exerciseand certainly necessary in all countries to think about the local/national and begin to debate and rewrite the necessary and urgent aspects that could shed so much light on past and present problems.
Let us thus claim the contribution of historians at least in matters that have to do with history and memory, research and social debate, so that the generals, presidents and a few ruthless Communications businessmen do not end up dictating history based on a fictitious state need, and ends up inciting young soldiers to kill their neighbors for reasons that are neither real nor have any justification, as is the case with the Israel Defense Forces.
Looking at the conflict from the perspective of our history and our continent: a necessary exercise
From Chile, conscious and knowledgeable of our history, what is happening in Palestine should be presented to us from a personal perspective, and also as a society, as an exercise in empathy and international political solidarity.
Seeing it from a country like ours that has had several traumatic events in its history, which have not been resolved and healed, but which have begun to be treated in an adult and responsible manner towards their victims, at least by some conscious actors: historians, researchers from other areas of knowledge, civil society organizations, few politicians and few public policies on this matter of reparation.
The latter means that There is, at least in part of our society, an intention to know about the past, demand justice and make known an experience..
And, secondly, see it from the state level. Recently the same President Boric He described our country as a country of medium influence in international matters. With greater or lesser weight, You should get out of that fearful and somewhat indolent group.dragged by the powers of dubious purposes when it comes to defend basic elementary principles with coherence.
It is necessary to go beyond the framework of actions of the International Criminal Court (CPI). Being aware of all the difficulties at the international level, I consider that emulating the measures or the attitude of the government Petroin Colombia, first as a response from the South and independently: Breaking relations and thinning commercial exchange It can be a first step that reveals the principles and lessons that national history has taught us and from where we want to intervene..
And second, together with other governments on the Russian-Ukrainian war, rejecting the construction of blocks for an eventual conflictas proposed by the Colombian government itself.
By the way, we must highlight the ambiguous position in which Boric places us by adhering to that agreement by Ukrainewhich is far removed from the greater multilateralist, Latin American and Southern countries’ pretensions. Shouldn’t we dream of a more ambitious peace for oppressed peoples, abandoning what vassallicand not assume the “peace” that the great Western powers put on the table?
We can understand our belonging to the West as part of our history, but that does not mean we should embrace the theses on which the hemispheric defense is based and not ignore the fact that in this legacy we have been harmed as countries of the South.
Unleashing the inevitable: solidarity and boycott
On the other hand, we do not have to wait for Israel to kill every last Palestinian to understand that we cannot have a healthy relationship with such a state. Thus, it is not unreasonable to think of denying salt and water to a dictator like Netanyahu:Not with our resources! Not with our copper! If we have any of our own left, that is.
Regarding solidarity and all its potential, let us imagine a scenario like the one that occurred in the embassies in Santiago at the beginning of the dictatorship in 1973, when the paralysis was only broken by the decisive action of the Swedish ambassador Harold Edelstamwho was able to trigger a diplomatic solidarity movement by example in order to remove people whose lives were in danger from the country.
This was acknowledged by the French ambassador De Menthonin his memoirs, as an impulse. Or the actions of Scottish, Australian, Spanish workers and trade unionists around the world who, in the face of all pressure, They were helping to forge a boycott and international condemnation of human rights violations during the Pinochet dictatorship.In short, decisive and courageous actions, but supported by reason and especially humanity.
Today, Chilean society mostly supports the Palestinian cause as a demand for peace and sovereignty, while condemning the actions of the Netanyahu government. On the study of the Bio Bio University: Chileans facing the Palestinian-Israeli conflict There is no other option than to proceed with a more serious measure, such as breaking off relations with the Netanyahu government. A relationship with an invading and colonialist state, such as that one, has little to do with our expressed interests and principles, at least as a Chilean society.
Some argue that we will lose security and weaponry advantages provided by Israeli technology. But, What good would that do when Israel itself and its actions in Gaza are synonymous with instability now and in years to come?, starting with the Middle East. It will be difficult to think of an effective and lasting peace by making them more powerful and unpunished. We will have to tell Israel no more!
The irony of becoming what you once hated
The underlying issue is that This asymmetric conflict is nothing other than a genocide by Israel (today in Gaza: 21,000 children missing, almost 35,000 dead…), as serious as that of the Nazis in World War II and as serious as the effects of European colonization throughout the modern world after European expansion into Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. As serious, by the way, as the “Pacification of Araucanía – Conquest of the Desert”.
If historical reflection is useful for anything, it is, at least, to avoid consciously repeating the mistakes of the past. and make that knowledge a principle, even in international matters. All of this in dialogue with our continent, with our historical gaps and forgetfulness, as well as with our aspirations. May it at least help us know that from Chile we do not wish such pain for the Palestinian people, nor for any people in the world.
Author of the column: Mario Olguín K., PhD in Contemporary History from the University of Zaragoza
Photo credit: Agency One
