What's Marty Peretz's game? Elena Bonner, widow of Andrei Sakharov, gave a speech in Norway. The New Republic picked it up, and Peretz called it "wonderful." Bonner has a harsh streak. Here she is on the two-state solution:
[C]reated next
to Israel will be a Palestinian state cleansed of Jews, because in
addition to the demand that Palestinian refugees return to Israel,
there is also the demand that Judea and Samaria are cleansed of Jews
and turned over to Palestinians–while in Gaza today there is not a
single Jew already.The result is both
strange and terrifying, because Israel will essentially be destroyed.
It is terrifying to see the short memory of the august peacemaking
Quartet, their leaders and their citizens if they let this happen.
Because the plan "two states for two peoples" is the creation of one
state, ethnically cleansed of Jews, and a second one with the potential
to do the same. A Judenfrei Holy Land–the dream of Adolph Hitler come
true at last. So think again, those who are still able, who has a
fascist inside him today?
Bonner is imagining the exercise of the right of return, which has been promised to Palestinian refugees for 61 years and never fulfilled. And is unlikely to be fulfilled now, either. Weird to think what Peretz wants for "Judea and Samaria." Weird to think how much power Peretz and his neoconsanguineous friends wield in D.C.
There is no such thing as a right of return, Weiss. It does not exist anywhere in binding international law. It is a demand and nobody has promised the Arabs anything outside of the anti-Semitic Arab fascists you champion. If you disagree I challenge you to quote the relevant source of law. If you are able to prove it I will stop commenting on your many distortions of the facts.
It's true. Two-state solution is ethnic cleansing with a happy face button. That's alright, Ms. Bonner. We'll have an equitable one-state solution before you know it…
This argument separates the intelligent Zionists from the stupid ones. a. Israel may have to recall the settlers to maintain its demography b. Any two state solution will annex the jutting settlement blocs c. No one who says that realizes the Palestinian Authority are collaborationists She ought to get Arnon Soffer's perspective. He's glad to have a Judenfrei West Bank and East Jerusalem as long as Israel stays a heavily armed ghetto.
That lady is the wife of Sakharov? Wow…oh wait, she's Jewish. Was looking for the catch.
Oh this further proves that Jewish Zionists do not see themselves as human beings first or as humanists. They only see themselves as Jews and everyone else is either a friend to the Jews or an enemy to the Jews. It's disgusting. This lady contextualizes everything within the framework of how it affects 'the Jews' rather than whether it adheres to the law or is just. Just think of the Indonesia Occupation of East Timor. They too brought over colonists. Did they have a rhetorical or ideological bludgeon to beat people with to intimidate/guilt-trip? No. Once again proving one standard for Jews and another for the rest of us.
This poor woman uses Judenfrei but Judenrein is the more common word used by those who wish to try to smear the Palestinian struggle against apartheid colonialism with the motives of the Nazis. It takes real hatred of arabs to try to see their opposition to jewish colonial chauvinism as similar to Nazism but there are alas many such haters around.
A Jew-free West Bank would be an ethnic cleansing. But a Palestine with a significant number of Jewish minority would not be, and still be a viable sovereign Palestine.
It seems to me that paradox is in use here, in order to confuse and contort our understanding and our actions. First there is the assumption of a mantle: WE are THE JEWS. A splinter group asserts that it represents all of the Jewish people, speaks with the authority of the Judaic religion, and is functioning under a divine mandate to seize and hold land in fulfillment of Jewish prophecy. A political model is involved: a nation only for the Jews is necessary in order to provide protection for all of the Jewish people, a refuge from the ineradicable prejudice of the rest of the world's people. Given the reality of centuries old discrimination, institutionalized in the colonial structure of the Western world of Empire, followed by the horrors of World War II, nationalism has come to make sense to lots of people, not just those who are Jewish. So a 'Jewish State' comes into existence and is lauded – after all, this is the way of the western, "white", world, eradicate the indigenous population, conquer more land in war, and declare the victims poor losers, subject to whatever tyranny is exercised by the victorious. Fast forward into a world where 'prejudice', and the colonial model, is understood as a threat to the survival of humankind. The dismantlement of institutionalized discrimination begins. A president is elected who believes in the Christian Zionist ideology, and apparently acts to bring the world closer to Armegeddon, in pursuit of "manifest destiny", while assuring himself and his buddies control over what are considered resources necessary to drive the economic engine of the country. We end up in a war which ruins the national economy and sends the globe into an economic tail spin. Israel, the Zionist nation-state, has become the West's spear-head into the Occident, the Eastern world. Criticize Israel, and one is antisemitic – prejudiced against "the Jews". Moreover, "capitalism", and the predatory activity of those who hold power and exercise it ruthlessly, without consideration of the individuals harmed, can be defended by the same rhetoric. Hiding behind "the Jews," as defined by this world view, are all those who use economic power in such a manner and benefit from the monetary rewards – including many others co-opted without any recognition of what is involved in their wealth. Both "the Jews" and "capitalism"' are demonized by those who suffer the consequences of ruthless power, and defended by the innocent response that neither the Jewish people nor capitalism itself are inherently harmful. Here we are: "Zionists" come into this arena, act like absolute shitheads and provoke the anger and the angst of other participants. (See prejudice in action, folks – my response is intolerant and I hate the way I feel when that happens.) Meanwhile, in Israel-Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan, people continue to die because of the actions of the US, and the anger here is as nothing to the anger of the world's people. The Palestinians are "not protected" by their "government" and, in this model, their government is supposed to provide that protection – forget that, in effect, they are imprisoned and have no resources with which to create a functioning polity other than in a reactive and reactionary mode. Another political power is required to do so, if not in Palestine, then in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran. An enemy is being created, under the rubric of "terrorism," various splinter groups are being evoked, almost demanded to coalesce into unified response. It appears that there is a desire for West and East to be at war, WWIII, brought to you by whom? By what forces? In pursuit of what aim? We've seen how powerful can be just a few with intention, acting in a greater arena in which others are ignorant of such intentions, and without recognition of the need for defense against them. Paradox, as Edward Teller said (in reference to mathematics), is interesting. A world of human beings, all essentially the same, are splintered into gender, race, national, ethnic or political groups, easily divided and easily conquered. Unity provides the greatest weapon of all. It can be a weapon sufficient to bring peace.
I just wish that warring parties all over the world would realize that there are good guys on the other side and finally settle on making peace… Dreaming…
N's description of a "viable sovereign" Palestine?
Mottahedeh is a brilliant writer.
It would be an ethnic cleansing if we begin history when right at the moment, if it's possible, the decision to is made. It's completely disingenuous to imply this is an ethnic cleansing within the context we all know and understand such a term is applied. This is just another rhetorical game that tribal Jews play with our politicians. Just like the cow who contextualizes violence against Jews as being perpetrated by 'the Nazis'. Our system is broken and corrupt. Why do we put up with these people? They are the heart of the problem in the ME.
Who knew that Sakharov was married to such a bitch? The worst part of his internal exile was having to share an apartment with her 24/7.
Good points, Margaret. Since my God has evolved from the Iron-Age, Ethnic Cleanser described in the Book of Joshua, He asked me to tell his His followers to evolve too!
An Israeli-free West Bank would be a two-state solution. Whether these people are Jews is irrelevant. It's been said a million times, if the settlers want to stay, they would have to stay as Palestinians and Israel would have to agree to the right of return, no questions asked.