Abu Dhabi, 28 April 2012 (WAM) - It was with arrogance and defiance that Israel marked the 64th anniversary of its creation in Palestine last week, commented Sharjah - based 'Gulf Today.

"Every statement by its leaders reflected the approach that Jews have the upper hand in everything and are ready to take on any challenge from anyone on the planet. At the same time, they also highlighted the fortress mentality that involves a deceptive appeal that the Jews are living in the middle of others determined to destroy their country and deserve international support," the English language daily said in its today's editorial.

"Israel calls the anniversary of its creation "independence day." On this day Jewish Israelis celebrate while the other remembers the destruction of the Palestinian community and expulsion. Israel was created as the result of a promise made by the British colonial power to the Jews in 1916 that they would have a homeland in Palestine. It took some 32 years for Britain to deliver on the promise, but at the cost of the rights of the non-Jews to whom the land belonged who were also promised a state of their own.

Today, Israel occupies all the land of Palestine which it acquired through the use of military force and refuses to respect the rights of the Palestinian people as enshrined in United Nations resolutions. The Jewish state, which possesses nuclear weapons and is counted as one of the top 10 military powers of the world, says it is willing to accept a Palestinian state but attaches impossible conditions insisting that such an entity will pose a security threat." The paper noted that Israel treats its Arab community as second or third class citizens. This was reaffirmed last week by demonstrations staged by Arab Israelis.

"The Jews' independence day is our day of morning," thousands of Arab Israelis chanted during a march commemorating the "Naqba," or the 'catastrophe' of the establishment of Israel. Anywhere it turns, Israel always maintains a what-is-in-it-for-me approach. It spies on its "strategic" partner, the US, and passes off intelligence to other powers in return for favours for itself." We have seen how powerful the Israel lobby is in Washington. It could make and break political careers of Americans from whatever backdrop and party. And Israel portrays itself as an underdog whenever it finds it fit to do so and send out deceptive messages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knows the right words and when to say them.

"I don't want to govern the Palestinians," he said in an interview last week. "I don't want them as subjects of Israel or as citizens of Israel. I want them to have it own independent state. But a demilitarised state," he said.

He contented that his country is asked to make "many" compromises and that it was the Palestinian side that has to make concessions. There is no acknowledgement of the fact the Palestinians have already made compromises that they should not have, but Israel still wants more. Netanyahu made sense only when he said, "Peace would benefit us, as I think it would benefit the Palestinians, as it would benefit the entire region." "Well, all he needs is to step forward and make the only compromise: recognition of the fact that the Palestinians are also a people yearning for independence and statehood and they will make no compromise over their rights," the paper concluded.

WAM/MAB