Costumes & Reenactment

A Palestinian Civil War is Required for Integration

Hasan A. Yahya, Professor of sociology

May be this article is bold and imaginary of sacrifice, but is needed to straighten the Palestinian –Palestinian Conflict. Palestinians in Palestine (Gaza Strip and West Bank) are in serious need for a civil war. If they did not make it, they have to be pushed to start it. No one of the factions will defeat the other and controls the keys of the game, on peace and war without such a war. Taking into consideration, the civil wars in Spain between 1936   and 1939, and the American civil war, between 1861 and 1865 as examples to straighten things and led to stability and independence.

The Spanish civil war began on 1936 and continued for three years, and ends on 1939, the conflict began when conservative forces in Spain overthrew the second Spanish republic. The war pitted the nationalists, led by the landed aristocracy, Roman Catholic Church, military leaders, and the fascist Falanges party, against the loyalists, consisting of liberals, anarchists, socialists, and Communists. In July 1936, General Franco led an army revolt in Morocco and invaded Spain to support right-wing rebels. The Nationalist Army overran conservative areas in North Spain, while the loyalists remained strong in Cataluña, and the Basque Province. Volunteers abroad formed International Brigades to fight for the Loyalists, who received supplies from the Soviet Union. Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany aided the Nationalists with modern arms and some 60,000 men. The Loyalist side was raven by factional strife that was exacerbated by the Communists’ suppression of anarchists and Trotskyites. Nationalist forces , unified under Franco, gradually wore down republican strength, conquering Barcelona and Madrid in early 1939. For Italy and Germany the war was a testing for modern armaments and techniques to be used in World War II. For the Youth of the 1930s, saving the Spanish republic was the idealistic cause of the era. But the civil war’s huge death toll, human suffering, and material devastation were unparalleled in Spanish history. The war also ushered in a long era of right-wing dictatorship, that ended only with Franco’s death in 1975. **

The American civil war conflict (1861-1865) was between The Union -Northern states and the Southern confederate seceded states. The War was also known in the South as the War between the states, and by the official Union designation of War of the Rebellion.  Many causes over a number of years contributed to what William H. Seward, the Governor of New York, U.S Senator and the U.S Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, and an outspoken opponent of the spread of slavery in the years leading up to the American Civil War. He called  “the irrepressible conflict”: sectional revelry, moral indignation aroused by  the Abolitionists, the question of the extension of slavery into new territories, and a fundamental disagreement about the relative supremacy of federal control or States’ Rights.

The Missouri Compromise (1820) and the Compromise  of(1850 were unsuccessful efforts toward a peaceful solution. The election of Lincoln as president and the secession (Dec.20, 1860) of South Carolina, soon followed by six other Southern states, precipitated.  

When Federal troops were moved to Fort Sumter, South Carolina, Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard obeyed orders to fire on the fort (April 12, 1861). Four more states seceded, making an 11-state confederacy. Early battles were Confederate victories. Beauregard defeated Irvin McDowell (July 21) in the same year. At the first battle of Bull Run. In 1862, G.B. McClellan’s Peninsular Campaign was foiled by Confederate commander Robert E. Lee. In September, however, Lee’s Antietam Campaign was checked by McClellan, and Lincoln drafted the Emancipation Proclamation. The year ended with a Union defeat (Dec. 13) at Fredericksburg, and spring brought a resounding Confederate victory (May 2-4, 1863) at Chancellorsville, where Lee, however, lost his ablest general ”Stonewall” Jackson. In the Wilderness Campaign (May and June, 1964), General Grant who was successful in at Fort Donelson and Shiloh, he forced Lee toward Richmond, and besieged Petersburg, and Union General W.T. Sherman won the Atlanta Campaign,( May-Sept. 1964).

Later on General Lee was forced top surrender to Grant at Appomattox  (April 9, 1865).**

Unfortunately, the result was the assassination of President Lincoln on April 14, 1865) , in addition resulted to thousands of American deaths more than any other war. But the Union was saved, and slavery was abolished. And the seceded states were readmitted to the Union after Reconstruction.   

In conclusion, We come to the Palestinian case. The Spanish and U.S Civil Wars are good examples to straighten out the wrong directions of some. And secured victory and stability after the civil war in both countries. Palestinians in Palestine (Gaza Strip and West Bank) are in serious need to have a similar civil war, where one of the fighting factions have the power and defeat the other opposing team. But who will stand with Palestinian Authority (PA) and Fatah? Of course, the answer is leading to the USA, and in the area who oppose Iran role in supporting resistance forces (or terrorists as they were stamped by world community-led by the U.S.A ) and may be Israel, and many Arab modernists those countries who support President Abbas and Fatah. The other faction, namely Hamas, will be supported- if not curbed by Israeli forces- by Iran, Hizbullah,  and may be Russia as opposing the United states side. Would such a civil war required and may be expected between Palestinians to make things straight without opposing forces, where the current situation is not leading anywhere, without a civil war. A crazy idea, but I strongly recommend it, as an “irrepressible” solution, I know, and every Palestinian knows, that a revolution has to begin. I know, and all the world knows, that revolutions never go backward. While the government under the conduct of the Democratic slogans, has been all that time surrendering one land or house,  after another to Israel,  the Palestinian people should have perseveringly gathering together the forces with which to recover back again all the fields and all the houses which have been lost, and to confound and overthrow, by one decisive blow, the betrayers of the constitution and freedom forever. Palestinians, I believe,  will never learn without such a blow to establish integration of an independent Palestinian State. (1052 words) www.askdryahya.com

**Source: The Concise Columbia Ensyclopedia, 2nd Edition,New York, 1989)

About the Author

Dr. Yahya is an American philosopher, and writer. He authored several books on conflict management, politics, sociology, psychology, short stories and poetry. His 30 books may be found on amazon. His recent book: Palestinian Arabs and Jews: Sociological Approach, published 2009. Prof. Yahya resides in Michigan USA. www.dryahytv.com