Politics of the Middle East



Politics of the Middle East

Introduction and Statement of the Problem

Many scholars place the beginning of postcolonial studies in history, literature, philosophy, anthropology, and the arts at the publication of Said's Orientalism, published in 1978. The Middle East and Asia are viewed with prejudice and racism. They are backward and unaware of their own history and culture (Brandeis, 1973). To fill this void, the West has created a culture, history, and future promise for them. On this framework rests not only the study of the Orient, but also the political imperialism of Europe in the East. Today, the major problem with the idea of Palestinian statehood and/or the two-state solution, argue Agha and Malley, arises from the fact that it is largely viewed as a Western concept and solution. They note that the concept was almost evangelically taken up by President Bush in the earlier part of this decade, and this caused serious problems, given the Bush administration's larger project in the Middle East. This project, of course, involved nothing short of a radical restructuring of the region, predicated on American military might in the wake of 11 September 2001. Other problems arose from the attempt by Bush and his allies, as well as the Palestinian Authority, to engage in the more quotidian functions of establishing a state apparatus in Palestinian territory.

Thesis Statement

The thesis of this paper compares Orientalism, Communal Mind & Imperialism & Colonialism theories to explain how the varying approaches affect the study of the Middle East.

Critical Analysis

Israel has been illegally occupying Palestine since 1967. Israel constantly ignores United Nations Security Resolutions demanding the liberation of the occupied zones and the return of the refugees to their rightful homes (UN Resolutions 242 and 194). How is it possible that Israel maintains this expensive, racist, and dehumanizing settlement of Palestinian land? Through US funding and through the criminalization of the Palestinian people and cause (Gregory, 2004). Historically we can see that no matter what form of occupation, colonization or genocide takes place, two things are necessary: money and ideology to justify humans treating others of our species so barbarically. Israel receives its money from the United States. The ideology, inherently racist and anti-Arab, is justified through religious doctrine, “scientific” analysis of the so-called “Arab mentality,” and a successful PR campaign that has painted the Palestinians not as refugees facing the racist guns of the fourth largest military on the planet, but as criminals, terrorists, and infiltrators into their own lands. Zionist Israelis regularly refer to the “Palestinian problem,” the plague, or even to the people of Palestine as “cockroaches.” As we have seen with historic colonialism, slavery, and apartheid, oppressors manage to vilify and demonize their victims in order to keep their regime in place. The smokescreen created by the American and Israeli governments is no different. One constant affirmation by the powers in control is that support for the Palestinians and criticism of Israel is akin to anti-Semitism. Those who chose to view this ...