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’48 is beginning to replace ’67 in discourse — even at UVa

Helena Cobban reports at Just World News:

On Saturday, I was delighted to attend the first two sessions of a half-day conference held at the University of Virginia on the topic ‘1948 in Palestine.’ The main speakers at those sessions were Susan Akram on Boston University Law School and Rochelle Davis of Georgetown University.

…What was equally notable to the high quality of both of these discussions was, for me, simply the fact of the open-ness of this corner of American academe to discussing this whole issue of 1948 in such an open-minded way.

These days, dealing with the still-unresolved issues of 1948 is moving back to being an inescapably central part of the whole quest to find a workable and equality-based formula for the longterm coexistence of the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, whether in two states or one. For several years in an earlier era– perhaps up to 1999 or 2000; or possibly, even later than that?– it seemed to many people around the world that dealing only with the issues of 1967 (primarily, ending the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza that Israel initiated in that year) would be sufficient and/or workable, while the issues from 1948 (primarily, the question of that large portion of Palestinians who were ethnically cleansed from the area-that-became-Israel that year) could somehow be sidestepped, swept under the rug, or finessed in one way or another.

For many Israelis, however, even trying to discuss the question of the Palestinian refugees as being bearers of rights is still seen as anathema, or as an attempt to “delegitimize Israel”, or whatever… and the same is true of the many pro-Israeli watchdogs and discourse-suppression organizations in the U.S. media and the U.S. academy.

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“discourse-suppression organizations in the U.S. media and the U.S. academy.” GREAT PHRASE.

“[T]he question of the Palestinian refugees as being bearers of rights is still seen as anathema” (for many Israelis): YOU CANNOT MAKE ME TALK ABOUT IT! (discourse suppression at the max).

This is good. I for one have always thought the discussions between the PA and Israel should be along the 1948 lines. After all, Israel as defined by the UN is based on those lines, or am i wrong. Everything after that was taken by force, which ..I know.. stupid me still believe…AGINST INTERNATIONAL LAW!!!!!

Phil Weiss wrote:

“’48 is beginning to replace ’67 in discourse…”

I sure hope that at least the Blog entries of Phil are archived somewhere so that future historians of whatever the hell happens out of all this can have the benefit of same.

It’s not just that Phil is one of the first in this country out there saying some of this stuff, it’s the *quality* of his observations too that are gonna be valuable, such as the above.

I agree that there are material pending issues from 1948 that must be resolved for their be any coexistence in any form.

Title issues for individuals and families property, to be reconciled in color-blind court of law.

Sovereignty issues are a separate question.

When Zionists talk about Palestinian rights, the word “rights” is invariably in scare quotes or otherwise covered in the spittle of scorn.