The development of the crisis in the Middle East is both dangerous and instructive. For over 20 years Israel has expanded by force of arms. After every stage in this expansion Israel has appealed to “reason” and has suggested “negotiations”. This is the traditional role of the imperial power, because it wishes to consolidate with the least difficulty what it has already taken by violence. Every new conquest becomes the new basis of the proposed negotiation from strength, which ignores the injustice of the previous aggression.
Source: Message from Bertrand Russell to the International Conference of Parliamentarians in Cairo, Feb. 1970 (Bertrand Russell's last message, written Jan. 31, 1970)
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The United Nations was established in 1945, led by the Allied Powers that had won World War II. In 1947, the UN adopted the "Palestine Partition Resolution," which called for the creation of two states, one Arab and one Jewish, in Palestine. However, the resolution allocated 43% of the land to the Arab inhabitants, who had long been the majority, and 57% to the Jewish immigrants, whose presence and influence had been growing, and it was criticized even then as being "pro-Israel."
The "Russell's Words of the Day" message was written by Bertrand Russell on January 31, 1970, and read aloud at the International Conference of Parliamentarians held in Cairo on February 3, 1970 -- the day after Russell's death at the age of 97 years and 8 months. In this final message, Russell strongly condemned Israel's actions and denounced the injustice done to the Palestinians.
More than half a century later, the message still sounds as though it were predicting Israel's current attitude. Israel's actions continue to be condemned internationally, yet the United States and Britain remain staunchly pro-Israel, behaving as though the sacrifice of Gaza's civilians were acceptable so long as Hamas is annihilated.
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