Comments on: What it means to advocate the ‘Sri Lanka model’ for Israel/Palestine

By: Julian

Julian — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:08:51 +0000

The whole Arab world are artificial countries made up after the break up of the Ottoman Empire.

By: Julian

Julian — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:04:35 +0000

“The Palestinians must be made to understand in the deepest recesses of their consciousness that they are a defeated people.”

Another fake progressive quote. Your own link shows it.
link to danielpipes.org
Bad try. You should read your own links.

By: VR

VR — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:31:54 +0000

I think it is incredibly short sighted if people do not understand the real animus of the conflict, don';t kid yourselves - THE PEOPLE

By: What it means to advocate the ‘Sri Lanka model’ for Israel/Palestine | Antony Loewenstein

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:09:59 +0000

[...] My following article is published on US website Mondoweiss: It is easy to frame the conflict in Israel and Palestine as inherently unique. In many ways it is – decades-old occupation, US-supported racial discrimination and failure of Western journalism to hold the powerful to account – but other struggles have eerie similarities. [...]

By: slowereastside

slowereastside — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:15:42 +0000

“Perhaps we – who say that – are wrong – and the Palestinians are actually quite lucky. Just look who works hardest on their behalf: phil, Anna baltzer, lowenstein, blumenthal, code pink, etc. The Tamils had no such people advocating for them, advertising and analyzing the roots of their conflict with the dominant tribe, challenging sri lankan politicians, trying to get the story out.”

link to guardian.co.uk

By: syvanen

syvanen — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:06:42 +0000

The Tamils had no international advocates because they were one half of a very bloody civil war. Neither side could be defended in good conscience. Not only that but for the last 30 years they defeated the Sri Lankan army over and over again. Basically they were holding their own but never strong enough to invade and hold territory outside of Tamil. This year was different. Finally, the Sri Lankans managed to corner the Tamil Tiger fighters on a narrow peninsula and slaughtered them without mercy. Today they are getting a little sympathy.

I can feel sorry for them but do believe they would have accomplished much more if they had not resorted to such incredible levels of violence.

By: SRS

SRS — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:07:18 +0000

‘Israel like India is an artificial state and is doomed to breakup’ – Equating India and Israel in this fashion just brings out your ignorance about India and irrational rancour.

Admittedly, India’s innumerable diversity does create fissiparous pressures and activites, India has myriad flaws and has a long way to go before reaching a well-functioning democracy and relatively egalitarian prosperity; but sorry brother, India’s breakup is not inevitable.

By: David

David — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:48:42 +0000

Danaa, thanks, these are some really perceptive comments. I was writing furiously about this on my blog at the time but it was hard to find any real action to participate in (and I’m too swamped with P/I stuff to plan on my own, damn). PEARL was about the only group I found doing any national level work on it: link to pearlaction.org

I really think there is room for a serious, sustained movement critiquing U.S. military aid and the way it is used globally. Sri Lanka, Israel, the Philipines, Colombia, Nigeria, Egypt–it’s maddening that we are funding and directly supporting militant violations of human rights in all of these places. Loewenstein’s post and your comment on it has really gotten my mind churning on this…

By: Danaa

Danaa — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:28:12 +0000

I was glad to see this article from Lowenstein. What amazed meat the time was how dreadfully quiet the world was in the face of obvious atrocities committed by Sri lanka. My conspiratorially oriented mind kept whispering that it could be a laboratory test, of what can be gotten away with, to what extent, for how long and under what conditions. The fact is, the plight of the Tamils was largely ignored by the world, with nary a whisper from the US (OK, there was a VER quiet whisper), even as news kept coming out of just how ruthless the subjugation of the Tamil independence movement was. people are still suffering, and it is still awfully quiet out there. Strangely enough, the international protesters are relatively quiet as well – for the most part. maybe it just wasn’t a sexy enough conflict. maybe the tamils themselves were too inexperienced in the ways of PR – kind of like the south american indians once were. maybe it’s too far away. or maybe there’s a deficit of sympathy all around. But maybe it’s something deeper?

BTW, Honduras coup could have been another laboratory test. Look at what happened, the manufactured-for-PR lame protests from the US, Israel’s potential involvement, China/Russia’s lack of support for the ousted Zelaya, Then suddenly we have orderly elections, and business-blessed president is elected. Peace and quiet returns. News disappear from the front pages. Israel’s involvement is raised and hushed. Washington is evidently quite happy with the outcome. Did the powers-that-be “get away with it”?

Cut to israel/palestine. can the sri lanka model be applied there?

The good news is probably not. Israel did not really get away with gaza – they are still paying a price – and a large one at that – could be the one that tips the balance even in favor of the Palestinians (the empathy balance). Every palestinian expulsion in east jerusalem gets attention. every burning of olive trees gets a few lines in the news – even breaking into MSM, now and then. There is a large community of observers, activists, commentators and involved people who are totally vested in getting the news out, spreading the word about what’s going on. Just look at the march on gaza effort. no such thing was even remotely contemplated on behalf of the Tamil people. And hamas ain’t pussicats any more than the Tamil Tigers were, and still the activists act. We sometimes say the palestinians are unlucky to have Jews as their adversary. Perhaps we – who say that – are wrong – and the Palestinians are actually quite lucky. Just look who works hardest on their behalf: phil, Anna baltzer, lowenstein, blumenthal, code pink, etc. The Tamils had no such people advocating for them, advertising and analyzing the roots of their conflict with the dominant tribe, challenging sri lankan politicians, trying to get the story out.

Just some thoughts to put out there.

By: Rehmat

Rehmat — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:31:31 +0000

I remember not long ago, Israel Shamir proposed Malaysia model for the western occupied Palestine. Then some idiot came along and proposed an India model, which could have some similarities that both Hindu and Muslim elites are not the Natives (Dalits), but originally came as invaders like the Jew settlers in Palestine.

Sri Lanka model is the most foolish proposal I have read – because there is no European community involved in the conflict. In fact the real communities sandwiched between Hindu Tigers and Buddhist Sri Lankans – are the Muslims.

Israel like India is an artificial state and is doomed to breakup.

India’s breakup is inevitable
link to rehmat1.wordpress.com