In the aftermath of WWII and the Holocaust, the world was left with the critical question of how to prevent future genocides: how to ensure “never again” became a reality. One response was the formation of the United Nations. and the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
The UDHR articulates universal, inalienable rights such as the right of all people to equality under the law, freedom of religion and participation in government. The Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions provide guidelines for the treatment of non-combatants and enemy combatants in times of war.
Together these documents provide an international legal framework and a vision for a world in which: 1. people need not resort to violence, since their human rights are respected, and they have access to democratic methods of seeking change; 2. the international community is in a position to intervene to prevent egregious human rights violations, such as genocide; and 3. should violence arise, all parties seek to minimize the amount of harm and destruction it creates. While these documents are not perfect and have not been well-implemented, I strongly believe in the vision they represent.
I give this background because international law and human rights provide the basic framework I use to understand the violence and suffering in Israel and Palestine and the ways in which to work towards justice and peace. I understand much political violence as a response to the denial of human rights. The U.S. was founded with a violent revolution that was, in large part, a response to “taxation without representation.”
Lacking political representation, and given the lack of British response to petitions from the colonists, revolutionary colonists resorted to violence. I understand Palestinian political violence largely to be a response to the systematic denial of Palestinian human rights and the lack of a non-violent means of rectifying the situation.
Thus, I believe the only way to end the violence is to support non-violent processes to adjudicate the various disputes involved, and I believe international law and human rights must guide these processes. Blaming Palestinian incitement ignores the reasons Palestinians are motivated to use violence and ignores Jewish-Israeli incitement.
When I recently wrote an op-ed criticizing the Day of Coexistence sponsored by several pro-Israel groups at Emory, my main critiques were the exclusion of any groups with ties to Palestinians and the refusal to discuss any details about the reality of the Israel-Palestine conflict or to affirm Palestinian human rights.
College sophomore Jay Schaefer wrote an op-ed in response to my article. While Schaefer’s op-ed does address various details about the situation in Israel and Palestine, it does little to challenge the fundamental claims of my previous op-ed (such as that Israel is a Jewish supremacist state), misrepresents my article and lacks a basis in human rights and international law or any other consistent logical framework.
Schaefer argues that the exclusion of Palestinian voices from the Day of Coexistence was logical given that, Schaefer says, Palestinians and those who side with them reject coexistence. However, my article explicitly states that “I am fully supportive of a path forward involving coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians…but strongly opposed to any path that involves Jewish lives being treated as more valuable than Palestinian lives.” By claiming that I reject coexistence, Schaefer changes the definition of coexistence. In my article, I discussed coexistence of Israelis and Palestinians: people and people. Schaefer instead, without any mention of the switch, discusses coexistence between the State of Israel as a Jewish state and Palestinians. Coexistence between different people is a concept that naturally arises from a human rights framework since all people have a right to exist.
However, coexistence between a state and a people is a bizarre concept. The fundamental principle of democracy, articulated in UDHR, is that ”the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government.” The U.S. Declaration of Independence uses similar language. States do not have a natural “right to exist,” and they definitely do not have a right to exist with a specific ethnic identity. Rather, people have a right to participate in democracy and determine the types of states they live in.
But Schaefer is not alone in attempting to put the Jewish nature of the State of Israel beyond the reach of democracy and negotiations. In Israel, anyone who rejects the idea that Israel is and should be a Jewish state is formally ineligible for a position in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Similarly, Palestinians are often expected to “recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state” before beginning peace negotiations.
Schaefer argues that the creation of Israel as a Jewish state was a justified response to widespread, often deadly anti-semitism. Many others argue that the continued existence of Israel as a Jewish state is necessary to protect the Jewish people from present day and future genocide. However, this view places the memory of past Jewish suffering and the possibility of future suffering over the present-day reality of Palestinian suffering.
Israel’s Jewish identity comes into direct conflict with the internationally recognized Right of Return for Palestinian refugees. Regardless of the circumstances in which more than 750,000 Palestinians left their homes in 1948, they have an internationally recognized right to return back to their homes or, if they choose, be paid reparations. The fact that the original U.N. resolution affirming this right stipulates that it applies to refugees willing to “live at peace with their neighbors” does not justify denying all Palestinian refugees their right to return because some have committed acts of violence against Israelis. That’s mass profiling. The stipulation that these refugees “should be permitted to [return] at the earliest practicable date” cannot be used as an excuse for the fact that Israel denied Palestinians their Right of Return for 67 years. Obviously “the earliest practicable date” should be within the lifetime of the original refugees.
Regardless of historic ties to the land, Palestinian refugees lost their homes and many of their possessions. Refugees and their descendents often keep documents of ownership or the keys to the houses they left, passing them down from generation to generation, to symbolize their connection to the land they left. While allowing all these refugees to return would be a true logistical challenge, Israel is not even slowly addressing the issue. Rather, it continues to grant preferential treatment to Jews, allowing them automatic citizenship in Israel if they desire.
Schaefer asked why I think Israel’s existence as a Jewish state is fundamentally racist, comparing Jews to people of other nationalities who have states. The answer is simple: because other nationalities are expected to be open to people of any ethnicity and arise naturally from the people living in a certain area’s sense of common political identity. Promoting a national identity that excludes immigrants and people of racial/ethnic minorities is xenophobic and racist. Founding a country on land where another group of people is living requires the removal or subjugation of the indigenous population.
In America’s early beginnings, the European settlers used genocide and violent mass relocation to clear the way for their state. These are not moral ways to form a country. While Israel tries to maintain a distinct Israeli national identity open to members of any ethnic group, it simultaneously declares itself to be a Jewish state, sets its Jewishness off-limits for its democratic institutions and uses racist immigration practices to ensure it maintains a Jewish majority. This fundamentally undermines Israeli democracy. States cannot use racist practices to control their demographics and then derive their democratic legitimacy from the votes of the artificial majority they’ve created. Israel must choose between being a democracy that respects human rights and being a Jewish state, and the international community must hold Israel accountable as long as they continue to choose the latter.
Anaïs Hussung is a College junior from Jefferson City, Tennessee.
The author did not find the print headline to be representative of the editorial’s content and so has requested that it be changed to the current headline.
“One response was the formation of the United Nations. and the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights(UDHR).”
++
What Jonathan fails to mention is that most Muslim countries refuse to sign this Declaration because they do not believe in equality and equal rights for all people.
In fact Muslim countries wrote the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in defiance of the Universal Declaration. Under the Cairo Declaration Sharia law must be followed and under Sharia law (Allah’s words) infidels are granted fewer rights and individual freedoms are profoundly reduced.
“I give this background because international law and human rights provide the basic framework I use to understand the violence and suffering in Israel and Palestine and the ways in which to work towards justice and peace.”
++
And this is exactly why you do NOT understand this conflict. The conflict is not about international law and human rights for if it were Palestinians would be killing their Muslim overseers throughout the Middle East where they (the Palestinians) are granted no rights as opposed to Israel where they are granted all rights and freedoms.
++
The root cause of this problem is Islamic supremacism and Islam’s hatred of infidels controlling land once controlled by Muslims. It is also caused by Muslims particular hatred for Jews which dates back to Mohammed’s rage with Jews unwillingness to convert to Islam even under threats of death. Of course Mohammed solved this problem when he had his men behead 700+ Jews in the village of Qurayza.
++
This same root cause of hatred for infidels can be seen across the Muslim world where on a daily basis Muslims are killing Christians, Hindus, Jews, Buddhists, Animists, atheists, gays, women and mostly one another in the name of Allah.
“Lacking political representation, and given the lack of British response to petitions from the colonists, revolutionary colonists resorted to violence. I understand Palestinian political violence largely to be a response to the systematic denial of Palestinian human rights and the lack of a non-violent means of rectifying the situation.”
++
You are simply wrong and are either purposely lying or have not done any research on this topic.
Israel is the only country in the Middle East that gives Palestinians equal rights. Israel is the only country where Palestinians can vote and can run for political office. There are many Palestinian parliament members. This is NOT the case in any other Middle Eastern country.
In addition Palestinians can freely attend universities and pursue any career they want. There are many successful Palestinians doctors, lawyers, businessmen, professors, you name it.
I wish you would do some basic research before publishing your highly inaccurate screeds.
“While Schaefer’s op-ed does address various details about the situation in Israel and Palestine, it does little to challenge the fundamental claims of my previous op-ed (such as that Israel is a Jewish supremacist state), misrepresents my article and lacks a basis in human rights and international law or any other consistent logical framework.”
++
As we come into the United Nations, we passed the flags of all 193 member States. If you take the time to count, you will discover that there are 15 flags with a crescent
and 25 flags with a cross. And then there is one flag with a Jewish Star
of David. Amidst all the nations of the world there is one state – just
one small nation state for the Jewish people.
And for Jonathan that is one too many.
++
The nerve of Jonathan.
Yes, Israel identifies itself as a Jewish state as a safe haven for Jews, and you see that as supremacism whereas any compassionate, decent person would understand it as necessary. You would have the Jews continue to be at the mercy of others ,- others who have persecuted Jews for 3,000 years. Your idea of morality is selective, narrow and historically vapid.
“While Schaefer’s op-ed does address various details about the situation in Israel and Palestine, it does little to challenge the fundamental claims of my previous op-ed (such as that Israel is a Jewish supremacist state), misrepresents my article and lacks a basis in human rights and international law or any other consistent logical framework.”
++
How dare you accuse Israel of being a supremacist state while ignoring the likes of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh – all Muslim states where non-Muslims are treated far, far worse than anything you accuse Israel of doling out.
Your selective criticism is nothing more than thinly veiled Jew hatred and you should be ashamed of yourself for lying about Israel while giving a free ride to all the Muslim countries who are actually guilty of what you insinuate Israel is guilty of.
“Similarly, Palestinians are often expected to “recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state” before beginning peace negotiations.”
++
Well then, now we know Jonathan’s real agenda. At least he’s honest about his wanting to destroy Israel. Hitler was honest about his agenda too.
“However, this view places the memory of past Jewish suffering and the possibility of future suffering over the present-day reality of Palestinian suffering.”
++
The Palestinian suffering is of their own doing and is of Islam’s doing. Just as Syrian refugees are refused safe haven in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and other Muslim nations so has been the fate of the Palestinians.
In fact the Palestinians are the only refugees you can name whose fate remains uncertain (thanks to Islam) four generations after the fact.
There were as many Jews kicked out of Muslim nations after Israel was created as there were Palestinians who fled Israel. Yet no one ever talks about the Jewish refugees and this is because they were welcomed by their brother Jews in Israel. They were also accepted in France, the US, England and other countries where they contributed mightily to those countries prosperity.
But because of Islam’s refusal to grant citizenship to Palestinians this issue festers. And on top of this is the Palestinians refusal to accept Israel’s legitimacy as a nation state. This is NOT Israel’s problem this is Islam’s and the Palestinian’s problem. Israel would happily accept the Palestinians as brothers and sisters – in fact they do and Israel’s laws do as well – but until the Palestinian fascists stop shooting rockets at Israel, stop teaching their kids to hate Jews, stop running Jews over with cars and stabbing them with knives – then Israel will do what she needs to do to keep these psychopaths in control.
Sorry Jonathan but your roommate pissed on you every night and threw crap at you during the day you would react harshly too.
Jonathan Hussung,has no clue unfortunately. Indeed he purposely lies to defend a people, so called “Palestinians”/Arabs, who already acquired 21 Countries after WWI, WHICH NEVER EXISTED, WHILE ISRAEL/PALESTINE was awarded to the Jewish people as the league of nation recognized the Jewish people’s historical connection to this territory then called Palestine. Read here,1922 Palestine Mandate Document, valid to date and a sacred trust,under international law: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/palmanda.asp
Most of the so called “Palestinians”/Arabs came en mass to historical Palestine when the Jews began to rebuild their ancestral home land. And to top it off, Palestine was never a sovereign power let alone an Arab Land. For Mr.Hussung to claim that Israel, the Jewish Democratic State, has no right to exist as so is to deny the Jewish People self determination under international law. For Hussung to claim the Israel is an Apartheid State is to falsely present the facts, see here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcEL-NlxBk0
There are two UN refugee agencies in the world: First is the
United Nations Relief and Works Administrations (UNRWA) for 5 million
Palestinian refugees (which includes the descendants of the original 500,000
Palestinian refugees from the Israeli War of Independence) which employs 30,000
workers. The UNRWA has resettled no Palestinians.
The second refugee agency is the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which assists every other refugee in the
world–including 100 million displaced people during the last 50 years–and
employs 7,000 people. The UNHCR has resettled tens of millions of refugees.
Looking at these numbers, one would think that the cause of
the Palestinians is somehow morally superior to that of all other war refugees.
After all, why have so many more workers been assisting a dramatically smaller
group of people? But if the Palestinians are unique it is only because of their
moral inferiority, as they are the only group of refugees that regularly commit
acts of terrorism against innocent civilians.
Another obvious question: why hasn’t the UNRWA resettled any
of the Palestinian refugees? The answer, of course, is that the surrounding
Arab states would rather have these refugees remain a thorn in Israel’s side,
than help them start a new life. The UNRWA is happy to oblige.
Israel should also withdraw immediately from the United Nations
(whose full name seems more accurately to be UNAI, the United Nations Against
Israel) and help found a robust league of democracies, a new body where human
rights violators don’t preside over human rights councils and where blocs of
Islamists and communists don’t dictate to progressive republics. The UN might
have arguably been the greatest endeavor man ever embarked upon; instead, it is
a tiresome farce run by malevolent circus clowns. This is one club to which the
Jew, and the Jewish State, should not belong and not wish to belong.
In fact you could easily use this Acronym, UN, the United Nazis, The United Nuts! The UN long ago has ceased to be an effective organization, read here:
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2004/05/the_un_is_a_failed_organizatio.html
The future status of Jerusalem is the key to peace. Unless an agreement can be established on a just foundation, it is hard to imagine an end to the conflict. Jerusalem must be shared in accordance with International Law.
Jerusalem was and always the capital city of the Jewish People, who safely keeps Jerusalem for their respective rights to worship. Unlike the Jordanian/Arab/Palestinians, who refused to let Jews and Christian etc.freely worship on Temple Mount, a holy site built by King David 3000 years ago.
Well it IS shared unlike when it was under Jordanian rule.
Under Israeli rule all faiths are allowed to worship in Jerusalem. When Jordan controlled Eastern Jerusalem Jews were not allowed entry to their holiest sites.
Roy, where do you get your facts?
Wonderful article highlighting the root cause of injustices suffered by Palestinians
Bravo for exposing the truth and taking the time to explain the human and civil rights issues involved,
And also the typical hasbara propaganda and misinformation israei-firsters like Jay Schaefer reflexively make in unconditionally trolling for the racist apartheid state of israel
America first not israel
Free Palestine
BDS
Palestine = Israel, and it is a free as it gets for its citizens, Arabs and Jews alike. Indeed look deep in the mirror and stop the lies you are propounding. Long Live Israel!
Google, Arabs/Muslims for Israel. Here is one for you:
A Proud Israeli Arab Muslim Zionist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fbDjpbBHb4
Hahhhhhaha
Your lame attempt at uncle toming is quite amusing and needs to be put on blast for what it is: hasbara propaganda.
How long did it take and how much did your hasbara department have to pay to find a desperate Arab kid to manipulate for your own disgusting pleasure?
Palestinians have a right to defend their property and families from outside illegal armed racist invaders trying to claim God is a real estate agent
Why are you eating what the Jew Haters are spitting? Get this, there is no such distinct people called “Palestinians” even as we speak; they are Arabs of different tribal factions who fight each other for power. Here is a you tube for you, about the Palis’s Myth straight from the horse mouth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwBSWN4s9JU
Actually there is no such thing as an Israelian until 1948, just like there was no such thing as a German or Italian until unification happened….oh yeah and there is no such thing as American until 1776 neither by your hasbara kindergarten reasoning…..
Also by your reasoning….what in the world is a Israelite? Really, a representative of world Jewry? I’m puking on your lies right now because it is obvious you have no understanding of how heterogenous world Jewry is and your lame attempt at believing that Israel stands for the diversity in world Jewry is disgusting. Not in my name.
If people wanna be Jewish, Or Israeli, or Palestinian then I dont care they can be whatever they choose to, but if you want to go out of your way to find low life you tube videos to justify Israeli hasbara racist right wing land stealing tree burning goat banging child killing colonial settling with god as my real estate then that is your israeli fascist problem
Your Jew/Israel hatred is oozing out of every cell in your body, sadly. Take a shower, you stink. Advise, use a heavy duty scrub. But I fear even this will not help you. Seek Therapy!
Indeed Israel IsReal. Check this out about beautiful Israel:
Israel – Small but Outstanding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoizSL-TEJQ
I would rather hold my reflexive urge to barf in my mouth for eternity rather than willingly watch right wing militant extremist settler colonial hasbara Israel misinformation videos paid for by Sheldon adelson casino money and the reselling of Donald trump toupee remnants .
While there are unicorns, ponies, lattes, a stolen beach, and a built up city on the land of ethnic cleansing, apartheid, Jim Crow, forced-abortions….
On the other side of the apartheid wall there is violence, humiliation and a continuation of 1930s Germany policies
BDS
You are quite sick, check with your doctor. Long Live Israel and the free world!
Israel
and the
free world
appear to be moving in polar opposite directions
Only in your skewed eyes that Israel is “moving in polar opposite”,sadly. Check this out:
What does Made in Israel mean to you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-C3UYq-UxA
And get some more education, see here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maMSb8ZIHVE
Also see here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kc6LE6FXcQ
In addition, see this, and hopefully you will get it, but I doubt it as Your Israel hatred eclipses rational, factual truth, and reality:
Professor Azmi Bishara: There Is No “Palestinian Nation”, Never Was !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3n5-yG-6dU
Thanks for the 1970’s video of your uncle.
Couldn’t you have found like a clip of something more recently?
And from an actual leader and not some low level teacher?
And do you know how many countless people, institutions, organizations, leaders, groups that have joined the human race in 2015 and recognize
Palestinian people for who they are and their history, culture, etc.
It looks like you are cherry picking the old Arab politics of Arab national unity in which the countries of Egypt and Syria united and tried to get all the Arab countries to unite.
Just because a low level teacher can explain Arab unity does NOT take away from, does not negate the existence of Palestinians.
Palestinians are as distinct as the French, Polish, German are from each other.
YOur outdated and right wing likud zionist habara propaganda is petty and has been called out as weak, unfounded, and an obvious fraud
Free Palestine
you can connivence yourself of all the lies you choose, but the facts remain, Palestinian People do not Exist, read here by an Arab journalist:
http://www.wnd.com/2002/07/14501/
and here,
ARAB LEADERS CONFESS, “PALESTINIAN” PEOPLE DO NOT EXIST
http://chersonandmolschky.com/2013/06/11/arab-leaders-confess-palestinian-people-exist/
and here: http://www.targetofopportunity.com/palestinian_truth.htm
And don’t get me wrong, I care for all humanity including peace loving Arabs.
Hahahaha
If all you have to say is that there is no such thing as Palestinians then have at it and be ready to waste explaining your racist-based misinformation.
Do you realize how many towns, streets, schools, business have PALESTINE in there name in the US?
Palestine has been called Palestine by the world and not just by other Palestinians for millennia. The Romans and Byzantines and Mongols etc called Palestine Palestine.
If you want to think about it Israel is more invented.
No such thing as Israel until recently.
Heck your people even called themselves Palestinians.
And Palestinians are proud of their biblical blood lines that have been genetically proven.
Palestinians are related to the ancient Hebrews, not Israelis who are (98%) descendent from Europe or other lands.
Palestinians are the real Semites not fake illegal armed immigrants
In fact it was the Jews who were called “Palestinians’ prior to 1948 and the Arabs despised this word, Palestinians Palestina, they stated ii was a Zionist invention; to learn more about that historical area called “Palestine” read here:
http://www.targetofopportunity.com/palestinian_truth.htm
Jordan is Palestine for the Arab people now calling themselves “Palestinians”. See today’s Jordan National Charter, Chapter 7: http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/chart_ch7-8.html
But of course, this is not enough for them, they want to destroy the only tiny Jewish state of Israel, a territory awarded to the Jewish people under international law because the League of nation recognize the historical connection of the Jewish people to this land, Israel.
Also: PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein said this on 31 March 1977 in the Dutch newspaper Trouw:
“The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct “Palestinian people” to oppose Zionism.
For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan.”
And I hitherto claim to own other people’s land?
Bogus claim
Sounds pretty zionist-like imo
If your pretend link is in fact true (which it’s not) then
Who cares if some king in Jordan claims to own Palestine?
You mean the same royal family that got kicked out of Saudi Arabia and then Syria before the Brits gave them a piece of dirt land in the middle of nowhere that had barely anything more than camels, Bedouins, and an oasis?
your whitewashing, distracting, straw man, pseudo-factoid links do more harm to your Israeli first propaganda than your little brain can realize
Palestinians have a right to define their own sovereign existence, with full self-determination, and full rights of refugees (the same rights that the Jewish refugees have taken advantage of), and have internationally recognized rights to defend their homeland from outside foreign illegal armed European immigrants who have continually stolen their land, burned their farms, and endlessly lie, cheat, and steal (remember Pollard? he’s a hero in Israel which is disgusting)?
This is what you defend racist, lying, land stealing, family-killing, ethnic cleansers?
disgusting
Free Palestine
Palestine=Israel, and it is free as free can be!
BigStickWalkSoftly wrote; “This is what you defend racist, lying, land stealing, family-killing, ethnic cleansers?”
Indeed look deep in the mirror, Sir, your statement perfectly applies to your sick mind, sadly. Get a heavy duty cleanser as your soul is heavily filthy.
Get a brief history lesson here; http://www.science.co.il/History-Palestine.php
There is no “Palestine”. There might have been, but they chose war instead-
time and again:
The would-have-been “Palestinians” would have had a state IN PEACE in 1937 with the Peel Plan, but they violently rejected it.
They would have had a state IN PEACE in 1939 with the MacDonald White Paper, but they violently rejected it (and Jews would have even been restricted from BUYING land from Arabs).
They would have had a state IN PEACE in 1948 with UN 181, but they violently
rejected it (and actually claimed that the UN had no such mandate!).
They could have had a state IN PEACE in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza from 1948-1967 without any Jews- because the Arabs had ethnically cleansed every last one; but they violently rejected it. In fact, that’s exactly when they established Fatah (1959) and the PLO (1964).
They could have had a state IN PEACE after 1967, but instead, the entire Arab world issued the Khartoum Resolutions:
A. No peace with Israel
B. No recognition of Israel
C. No negotiations with Israel
They would have had a state IN PEACE in 2000 with the Oslo Accords, but they violently rejected it- as always.
And as soon as Israel pulled every single Israeli out of Gaza, what did the
would-have-been “Palestinians” do? They immediately started shooting thousands of missiles into Israeli population centers, they elected Hamas (whose official platform calls for jihad with no negotiations until Israel is destroyed) to rule them, and they have dug tunnels crossing into the Negev to kill and kidnap Israelis.
And even afterwards, Ehud Olmert made his subsequent generous offer that went far beyond even that of Barak. The would-have-been “Palestinians” rejected it.
They had many chances.
They threw them all away because destroying Israel was higher on their priority
list. It still is.
Oh well. That’s their choice. They can live and die with it.
Arafart
Arabarf
Aralame
Aradork
Arathief
Free P A L E S T I N E
CrookedSticksGooseSteps
TwistedTwigsNeoNazi
BrokenBranchTwistedWords
JewHaterBombasticNazi
Long Live Israel…A beacon of light surrounded by an ocean of Islamic madness.
Jonathan Hussung get your facts straight please. You seem to parrot lies propagated by some Arab Jew haters and the Nazis; Begin here:
WHAT IS PALESTINE? WHO ARE THE PALESTINIANS?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9ReF4UUa4E
Another MUST SEE – “THE NAZIS AND THE PALESTINIAN MOVEMENT” at http://vimeo.com/69991225and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjARZ…
“States cannot use racist practices to control their demographics and then derive their democratic legitimacy from the votes of the artificial majority they’ve created.”
++
If you say so, Jonathan. LOL
But while you’re dictating to us your made-up laws, laws that have no bearing in the real world, why don’t you tell us about the “states” that do have open borders, and of the “states” that allow anyone and everyone into their borders?
Oh. You mean you cannot name one state that does this? But, Jonathan, I thought you insinuated this was normal state behavior. LOL.
+++
Jonathan, states can and do set their immigration laws as they deem appropriate. Other than in your fairy-dust mind (where states have open and free borders) every single state in the world sets their immigration laws as they see fit.
Now you have proven once again that you hate Jews and that you hold the Jewish state of Israel to a standard that you do not hold any other nation state to (which is, of course the very definition of Jew hate). But that’s OK, Jonathan. Jews understand hatred and so they certainly understand you, your true motivations and that you try to hide them under sheep’s clothing just as Jew haters have always done.
who is arafat? does he even go here? why does he spend all of his time trolling emory wheel comment pages? does he have a job? all these questions and more will remain unanswered in the next edition of “israel palestine editorial comment section”
Arafat is an honest human being who says it like it is as opposed to you, so called Concern Citizen and the author of this article, Jonathan Hussang and his ilk.
One thing is certain. The underlying causes of anti-Semitism must sooner or later be addressed.
As an alumni of this University, it saddens me to see such ignorant rubbish given a wide platform. It’s one thing to simply disagree about the merits of certain Israeli policies, but to broadcast such flagrant anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic vitriol is simply irresponsible and dangerous.
I’d like to engage the author point by point here. The author rationalizes Palestinian violence on the premise that the Palestinians simply have no alternative in obtaining basic rights or achieving sovereignty. The author ignores, of course, the failure of Palestinian leadership (using the term leadership loosely) to accept proposed peace settlements from the Israelis, most notably the failure of Yasser Arafat to accept peace proposals from Labor governments in the 1990s and most notably, at the Camp David 2000 summit where he walked out on a deal that would have given Palestine a state in Gaza and 97% of Judea and Samaria. But beyond those specifics, it is important to recall that it was the Arabs who rejected the 1947 United Nations partition and invaded Israel. It was they who walked away from a proposal that would have led to the creation of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan. And of course, how can the author blame Israel for quashing Palestinian nationalism between 1948 and 1967, when Jordan (which controlled Judea and Samaria) and Egypt (which controlled Gaza) could have unilaterally created a Palestinian state where Israel could have done nothing to stop them. Surely even someone like you cannot blame Israel for this failure or for the fact that the Arab states into who which the Palestinians migrated after 1948 have set up an intentional policy to keep them as disaffected refugees. Is Israel to blame for that as well?
The author then brings up the fundamental question: that Israel’s Jewishness negates the possibility of exercising the right of return of Arabs into Israel who proved some link to the land before 1948. The author, presumably, wants to have it both ways, i.e. that an Arab state should be created alongside Israel while also giving Arabs a right of return into Israel. I assume of course, that the author does not care a lick about the Jews who were expelled from Muslim states between 1948 and 1967 because of Israel’s creation, who remain uncompensated and unwelcome in the lands where their families had lived for centuries. But let’s get practical and look at another partition that also took place in the 1940s: the creation of India and Pakistan. When those nations were brought into violent existence, it led to a massive exchange of populations, with millions of Hindus who lived in newly formed Pakistan moving to India and Muslims living in India moving to Pakistan. I have never in my life heard anyone assert that Hindus who crossed the Punjab into into had a “Right of Return” to Pakistani Punjab or vice versa. If the underlying goal is to create an Arab state, then the creation of that state must necessarily extinguish the “right of return” of Arabs into Israel just as the creation of Pakistan extinguished the right of return of Muslims into India.
But all that aside, the existence of Israel as a Jewish state is considered “Racist” and supremacist by the author. I noticed that the author does not address Islamic states which abide by Sharia and necessarily view non-Muslims as inferior or second class citizens. Of course, one need only look at some very basic examples to see who the real racists are. From 1948 to 1967, Jews were forbidden to pray in the Old City and at the Western Wall by the Jordanians. The Jordanian army destroyed all the synagogues in the Old City. Compare that to today, where Muslims, Christians, Samaritans and Jews all have access to the holy sites of Jerusalem. Consider that Arabs make up 20% of Israel’s population, an Arab serves on its Supreme Court and that an Arab coalition party is the third largest in Israel’s Knesset, despite the fact that numerous members of that party call for Israel’s destruction. Consider that Jews cannot live in territories governed by the Palestinian Authority and that selling land to a Jew can be punished by death. Consider also that Mahmoud Abbas has stated numerous times that if a Palestinian state were created, no Jews would be allowed to live there. Consider that despite making peace in 1994, Jews are forbidden to live in or own property in Jordan.
It is inconvenient to look into the mirror and understand that while there are many Arabs who suffer because of the current situation. But the simple fact is that the Palestinian leadership, including Mahmoud Abbas (Who is in year 10 of his four year presidential term) have routinely sacrificed the interests of the peoples they supposedly represent to enrich themselves. The Palestinian people could have had a state long ago, and the rise in popularity of right wing Israeli political parties has much to do with the fact that the Palestinian leadership lacks the political will and ability to make peace with Israelis. The existence of a Jewish majority state should be no more offensive to them than the existence of a Norwegian majority state, a French majority state or a Russian majority state. Until they are ready to make a change and agree that they cannot recognize their sovereignty by destroying Israel, then there will be no peace.
The Ocean is the Ocean and the Palestinians the Palestinians. I don’t expect either to change much in my lifetime.