How to build a democratic state in Palestine | If You're Listening

Key Concepts

• Recognition of Palestine as a state by Australia
• East Timor's struggle for independence and parallels with Palestine
• Australian government's involvement in East Timor's independence and subsequent exploitation
• The Balibo Five incident and Australia's initial support for Indonesia's occupation of East Timor
• The Santa Cruz Massacre and its impact on international awareness
• The role of international intervention and peacekeeping forces
• Challenges in building a functioning Palestinian state

Australia's Recognition of Palestine

• Australia plans to recognize Palestine as a state at the UN in September, leading to the upgrade of the Palestinian delegation in Canberra and the Australian representative office in Ramallah to embassies.
• The Australian government emphasizes that this recognition is just the beginning and that further work is needed to build a functioning Palestinian state.
• Australia intends to work with allies to build the capacity of the Palestinian Authority and ensure free and fair elections with favorable outcomes.

East Timor: A Case Study for Palestine

• The embassy of Timor-Leste in Canberra serves as an example of a successful transition to statehood, despite Timor-Leste not being a wealthy country.
• The story of Timor-Leste's fight for independence is similar to that of Palestine, offering insights into potential future developments.
• Timor-Leste achieved a functioning democracy with vibrant public debate and free and fair elections.

The Balibo Five and Australia's Complicity

• In October 1975, five Australian journalists (the "Balibo Five") were killed in Balibo, East Timor, while reporting on the Indonesian invasion.
• The Australian government, under Prime Minister Goff Whitlam, initially supported Indonesia's integration of East Timor, aligning with Western powers during the Cold War.
• The Whitlam government was in the midst of a constitutional crisis at the time, diverting attention from the events in East Timor.
• The official narrative from Indonesia, accepted by the Australian government, was that the journalists were killed in crossfire, a claim disputed by many.
• Deputy Prime Minister Doug Anthony in 1981 suggested that Australians should "get over" the Balibo Five incident to improve relations with Indonesia.

Economic Interests and the Timor Gap Treaty

• Improved relations between Australia and Indonesia led to the signing of the Timor Gap oil treaty, highlighting economic interests influencing political decisions.
• Exiled Fretilin members accused Australia of being complicit in Indonesia's crimes and illegal occupation of East Timor.

The Santa Cruz Massacre and Shifting Tides

• The Santa Cruz Massacre in 1991, where Indonesian soldiers fired on pro-independence demonstrators, marked a turning point in international awareness.
• The presence of international journalist Max Stahl, who filmed the massacre, brought the issue to global attention.
• The UN eventually found that over 100,000 people died due to conflicts during the Indonesian occupation, with many killed by hunger and disease.

Australia's Policy Shift and East Timor's Independence

• In 1998, Prime Minister John Howard suggested to the new Indonesian president, BJ Habibie, that East Timor be granted independence.
• Following a snap independence referendum, Indonesia withdrew from East Timor, but pro-Indonesian militias caused widespread violence and destruction.
• Australia led a multinational peacekeeping force to restore order and facilitate the transition to independence.

East Timor's Independence and Challenges

• In May 2002, East Timor gained independence, with José Ramos-Horta becoming the new nation's first foreign minister.
• Despite initial hopes of prosperity from oil and gas revenues, East Timor faced challenges in securing its economic interests, particularly in relation to the Timor Sea Agreement with Australia.
• Kofi Annan emphasized that independence was just the beginning of self-rule, and that statehood did not guarantee wealth.
• East Timor has established a strong democracy with freedom of speech, religion, and elections.

Parallels Between East Timor and Palestine

• The video draws parallels between East Timor and Palestine, including long-term Western support for an occupying force, dead journalists, mass starvation, high death tolls, and large numbers of refugees.
• East Timor's division into multiple sections is compared to the fragmented nature of the Palestinian territories.

Challenges for Palestine

• Building an independent, functioning Palestinian state faces significant challenges, including the need for a functioning government and security force.
• Unlike East Timor, where Indonesia eventually allowed a peacekeeping force, Israel has not indicated a willingness to allow such a force in the West Bank or Gaza.
• The Palestinian Authority controls only a small portion of the territory it claims, with Israel controlling most of the West Bank and Hamas controlling Gaza.
• Neither Israel nor Hamas has shown a willingness to cede control to the Palestinian Authority.
• The video suggests that while international recognition is helpful, the United States' involvement is crucial for achieving meaningful progress.

Conclusion

The video uses the historical example of East Timor's struggle for independence to provide context and potential insights into the future of Palestine. While Australia's recognition of Palestine is a positive step, the video emphasizes the significant challenges that remain in building a functioning and independent Palestinian state, drawing attention to the need for international support, particularly from the United States, and the resolution of territorial control issues. The story of East Timor serves as both a source of hope and a cautionary tale, highlighting the complexities and potential pitfalls of achieving true sovereignty and prosperity.