    Our friend Lasse Wilhelmson of Stockholm is under attack from the
    J-fearing “leftists” led by execrable Ammar Makboul, a young Swede of
    Palestinian origin (he draws antisemitism libel faster than many a Jew).
    However Lasse keeps fighting against you-know-who. Here is an
    interesting interview he gave to Yarin magazine of Turkey ; while his
    other recent text Solidarity with Palestine in Sweden can be seen on
    http://www.palestin echronicle. com/story- 10300680134. htm

    Q: What are the goals of Israel in its war on Lebanon ? What do you
    think Israel is trying to do?

    Lasse Wilhelmson:

    The earlier occupation following the 1982 invasion of Lebanon resulted
    in the forming of Hezbollah. Later, in 2000, the occupant was ejected by
    Hezbollah. Hezbollah has patiently created a popularly moored political,
    religious and social movement, with an effective guerilla defense of
    Lebanese territory. They have proved themselves true patriots and
    anti-imperialists. Israel , unable to directly get at Hezbollah
    militarily or politically, have destroyed the infrastructure of Lebanon
    and is terrorizing the civilian population. With Lebanon as the
    intimidating example, Israel wishes to show other countries in the
    Middle East what they can expect unless they accept that "Might makes
    right".

    This mentality is a direct continuation of the absolute lack of
    compromise as presented by Zeév Jabotinsky in his classic essay "The
    Iron Wall" from 1937. It is one of the most brilliant political
    documents ever written, and necessary reading for anyone wishing to
    comprehend the racist logic behind the brutality of the state of Israel
    's current politics.

    The long-term goals that Israel now are trying to bring about was
    formulated in Jerusalem in 1982 as "The Zionist plan for the Middle East
    ". This was later followed by the Neocon document "A Clean Break" in
    1996, which was presented to then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
    Netanyahu. The purpose here is to expand the Jewish state at least to
    the Jordan River . The means are to create all kinds of chaos and to
    denationalize surrounding states in the region. But the utopia, to
    become a model state for western colonialism/ imperialism, was
    formulated already by the founder of Zionism, Theodor Herzl, who in 1896
    wrote "The Jewish State".

    This merging of Zionism and Anglo-American imperialism continues in the
    Neocons' foreign policy project PNAC (The Project for a New American
    Century), which was first presented to the leaders of the Bush
    administration in 2000. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11,
    2001, this culminated in the new imperial doctrine of the Bush
    administration: "The fight against terrorism using preemptive war" --
    contrary to International Law.

    My conclusion therefore is that neither Hizbollah, nor for that matter
    Hamas, are the primary targets for Israel or for the USA . Their focus
    on so called terror organizations is just an excuse, in order to be able
    to destroy Lebanon and complete the expulsion of as many Palestinians as
    possible from the area between the Mediterranean Sea and the river
    Jordan . Something that have so far been fairly successful.

    Q: is such a possibility that Israel may attack Iran and Syria ? What
    could happen then?

    LW:

    Israel, the Jewish lobby and the Neocons in the USA have for years had
    an attack on Iran on the top of their agenda. The Bush administration
    gave Israel a go-ahead already last summer, by saying that they didn't
    intend to stop them. We must not forget that Israel itself have already
    bombed Iraq once before, in 1981. Israel would of course prefer that the
    USA do the job for them, with the cooperation from NATO and the EU.
    Syria presently lacks a popularly supported military and political
    power, and is with its traditional defense an easy prey for Israel .
    Furthermore there is now also Lebanon as a warning example, and since
    earlier, Egypt . This suggests that Syria will remain passive and that
    Israel will possibly for the time being leave them alone.

    An attack on Iran will, however, carry a political cost, the
    distribution of which is now a matter of an internal showdown within
    western imperialism. Iran is currently the "thorn in the flesh" that
    must go away. Many argue that the third world war has already started.
    The definite confirmation of this could be an attack on Iran . This
    unless Hizbollah's military and political successes, Hamas’ political
    successes and the resistance in Iraq and Afghanistan further weakens the
    Neocons’ grip on the White House and lead to increasing disagreements
    within western imperialism. On the other hand, a tiger is at its most
    dangerous when wounded. That applies also to the imperial paper-tiger. I
    wouldn't be surprised if a new 9-11 in such a case is staged as a
    pretext for a nuclear attack on Iran . The effects of such an attack may
    create a revolutionary situation in the whole region -- thanks to
    Hizbollah's already historical example.

    Q: Israel's mass killings in Lebanon caused rise of anti-Israeli
    feelings. If Israel wants to secure itself and its citizens, why does it
    just increase the numbers of Israel ’s enemies?

    LW:

    It would be odd if the criminal acts of Israel would not cause a
    diminished support for the racist apartheid state, and thereby also for
    its Jewish citizens. But this colonial remnant will sooner or later
    dissolve, as happened with the former regime in South Africa . The Jews
    in Israel need to learn from the Afrikaners of South Africa and stop
    regarding themselves as belonging to the Master Race. That is, however,
    up to them, and at the same time their only chance to live in peace with
    their neighbors. Tragically, they do not understand their own good,
    blinded as they are by their own Master Race mentality.

    Q: All these developments blur the line between Zionism and 'just being
    an Jewish.' Do you find this overlapping dangerous for the good of
    Israeli people in the long run? There are many segment in Israeli
    society who are upset with events. When will they be able to direct the
    country to a more moderate, pro-negotiation- concession way?

    LW: Zionism, through its Jewish congregations, is the dominant
    interpretation of Judaism today, They regard Zionism as a positive
    revitalization of Judaism. In Israel , politics and religion are merged
    together. The only Jewish organization that is actively working against
    the Zionist occupation of Judaism is Neturei Karta. On orthodox
    religious grounds they burn Israeli flags at their demonstrations.
    Politically, however, their impact is marginal. As long as the Jews in
    the diaspora and in Israel do not break with the Jewish state and the
    goal of Zionism, they are co-responsible for this muddying, which may
    lead to a disaster for them. The Israeli "left" and the "peace-movement"
    are also dominated by Zionism. They wish to live in peace in their
    Jewish state with the Palestinians in their own walled-in pseudo-state
    on the remaining ten percent of the original Palestine . And receive
    international recognition of the 90 percent that has already been
    stolen. This can never be a road to peace. In my opinion, today’s Israel
    without a constitution and without fixed borders, lacks legitimacy.

    Q: Some people say: What Nazi regime had done to Jews decades ago is now
    being done to Palestinian' s by Israeli government. Does this comparison
    make you sorry?

    LW:

    Ideologically there is a large correspondence between Nazism/Fascism and
    Zionism, something I showed in my article "Zionism – More Than
    Traditional Colonialism and Apartheid" in 2004. And certainly one can
    draw parallels between for example the Warsaw ghetto uprising and the
    Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip, something that is at the same
    time a historical irony and a human tragedy. But it's more than enough
    to criticize Israel 's policy on its own merits. It has managed to
    surpass the former apartheid regime of South Africa , when it comes to
    ethnic cleansing, and even the regime in Nazi Germany, when it comes to
    destroying the life conditions of the peoples in its own neighbourhood.
    The comparison is therefore to Israel 's disadvantage. This makes me
    very sad, on account of all those afflicted by Israel 's atrocities.

    Q: What should be done to secure an ever-lasting peace? What should
    Israel do? What should America do? What should Arab-Islam world do? And
    what can Turkey do, which seems to be eager to play a kind of mediator?

    LW:

    Israel must be transformed into a state where every citizen has the same
    rights irrespective of ethnical or religious affiliation, and the
    Palestinian refugees must be allowed to come home. This is the key to
    peace in the whole of the Middle East , and likely more than that.
    Friends of peace in Israel need to fight for this together with
    Palestinians, similar to what ANC earlier did in South Africa . The
    United States should adopt a policy that is good for their own people
    rather than for Israel , and stop terrorizing the world with its
    imperialistic wars. The Arab-Muslim world needs to follow Hezbollah’s
    admirable example, before it's too late.

    Turkey should break with NATO and conduct an alliance-free neutrality
    politics, like Sweden earlier did. Back then we worked as an important
    bridge between the Western world and the so called Third World . Sweden
    's international role in this respect has sadly, following the murder of
    Prime Minister Olof Palme, gradually been replaced by a lapdog policy
    towards the USA . A foreign policy similar to Palme's would definitely
    further a possible Turkish mediator role. This ought to be prioritized
    before a membership in the imperialistic EU, that will isolate Turkey
    from the Muslim world. This is a path behind which it is possible to
    create a wide popular unity.