Outgoing Secretary of State John Kerry delivered a speech on December, 28th, in which he lamented the defunct two-state solution for the “Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” (The reason I am using quotation marks here is because what is being described as a conflict is, in fact, a classical case of settler- colonialism coupled with apartheid; therefore, one does not have two equal parties here, unless one considered the South African apartheid a “conflict” between” native Africans and White supremacist colonialists!”)
Kerry’s main point is that the two-state solution is in danger due to Israel’s policy of settlement building. The US, as he says, wants to keep the possibility of establishing a viable Palestinian state open. He, however, ignores the fact that Israel has already shot the two- state solution in the head by expanding the existing settlements, by annexing Jerusalem, and by constructing the monstrous apartheid wall, and by turning the Gaza Strip into the largest concentration camp on earth with two million inmates living worse than animals as president Jimmy Carter described it on his visit to Gaza, all of which have left the Palestinians with almost no land on which they can have a” state.” Moreover, Kerry basically ignores the fact that the two-state solution is a racist solution par excellence. In fact, the fictional Palestinian state he is referring to is worse than the infamous Bantustans of apartheid South Africa.
But, more importantly I think is his “solution” to the refugees issue, where he is suggesting “an agreed upon” solution ignoring the fact that the right of return of all Palestinian refugees is guaranteed under international law and in accordance with UN resolution 194. There is no solution to the Palestinian question without guaranteeing the refugees’ right of return.
And he ends up reiterating America’s commitment to Israel’s’ security, ignoring the fact that it is the Palestinians who need to be protected from Israel’s policy of settler colonialism, ethnic cleansing, and occupation. No wonder, then, that the title of one Israel’s mainstream, soft Zionist paper, Haaretz, Op-Eds was: “Kerry’s speech was superbly Zionist, pro-Israel, and three years too late!” But that is not what the far-right wing government of Netanyahu thinks.
Finally, it is the height of hypocrisy to use the one-state solution, i.e., a secular democratic state for all of its citizens, as a scare crow. The US itself is a secular democratic state, and so is South Africa. Why is it so scary to have this alternative, instead of a racist solution?! One would think by the way American politicians carry on defending the racist two-state solution, that they wouldn’t mind having 50 independent states in the US itself!
The entire world is against Israel, but how are we, Palestinians, going to build on that? The answer comes loud and clear from the Palestinian-lead BDS Campaign: a total boycott against Israel and divestment from it and from foreign companies benefitting from its multi-tiered system of oppression, namely occupation, colonization and apartheid, and the imposition of sanctions against it until it complies with international law.
In a nutshell, what we, Palestinians, need right now is a diplomacy of resistance.
In fact, part of the reason Boobi is apoplectic is that his own behavior shows the hypocrisy of the anti-BDS push that had been spreading across the US. It has been thoroughly discredited – and not a minute too soon. Meaning, BDS will grow and prosper. I think a one-state democracy (like South Africa) will soon be the only option. So Palestinians need to start thinking about how to act like responsible and productive citizens and ween themselves off foreign aid. (Just like Israel will have to learn to make do with less military aid and find gainful employment for its bloated ‘security’ sector.)
“So Palestinians need to start thinking about how to act like responsible and productive citizens and ween themselves off foreign aid. ”
Palestinians are more than capable of being both “responsible and productive”. They do it every day, even under the most cruel and violent Occupation on earth.
Since the West has caused this and enabled it since the beginning, then they should be held accountable ~ right along with Israel. Did the West and the US ever try to stop Israel’s murderous destructions of Gaza and Palestine?
Did they every even try to rebuild Gaza???
“Foreign aid” to Occupied Palestine is a mere drop in the bucket next door in Tel Aviv.
Thanks for this excellent article, Haidar.
“The entire world is against Israel, but how are we, Palestinians, going to build on that? The answer comes loud and clear from the Palestinian-lead BDS Campaign: a total boycott against Israel and divestment from it and from foreign companies benefitting from its multi-tiered system of oppression, namely occupation, colonization and apartheid, and the imposition of sanctions against it until it complies with international law.
In a nutshell, what we, Palestinians, need right now is a diplomacy of resistance.”
Yes.
RE: “Following Kerry’s ‘historic’ speech we need a diplomacy of resistance”
MUCH OF THIS VIDEO IS ABOUT RESISTANCE :
■ Global Empire – Eyal Weizman: Excavating Israel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQbwDemd3jY
Published on Aug 10, 2016
Tariq Ali talks to Eyal Weizmann, Professor of Spacial and Visual Cultures Goldsmiths, University of London, about the pressure being applied by Israel on the White House and EU to illegalize the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) campaign.
Conway is on Fox News now: ” We want Israel to know, help is on its way!” Next up, Huckabee: Obama, Kerry, UN vote abstinence “stinks up the place. Israel has full rights for everyone. Palestinians kill Israelis and pay the killers. Kerry’s was an irrational action. Kerry’s irrational. Palestinians don’t want peace–they want the abolishment of Israel. Only the Jews ever had Jerusalem as a capital.
Jerusalem never mentioned in the koran. Israelis have always protected all religious sites there.
Obama, Kerry have personal (vendetta) against Israel. It’s shameful, a slap in the face to our one true friend in the Middle East.”
It’s damn embarrassing to realize just how ignorant and/or dumb these Cable TV/infotainment shows must think their audience is. Too, I can only imagine how dumb and ignorant Huckabee must think his flock is….
The interviewer lady fed him the questions, all loaded exactly they way Huckabee wanted them to be. And she did not follow-up, testing anything he said. Talk about Stepford Wives; the new version is CableTV News/infotainment ladies.