My readers might be interested in this interview of me at Fair Observer. I was interviewed by a wonderful young activist and writer, Heba Al-Adawy, some months back. You might find it interesting.
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My readers might be interested in this interview of me at Fair Observer. I was interviewed by a wonderful young activist and writer, Heba Al-Adawy, some months back. You might find it interesting.
Comments are closed.
Among competing “paragmatic” goals I suggest the goal of showing Israelis that the “land of Israel” is pre-1967 Israel, that NO land outside the green line should be regarded by ANY Israeli as part “of Israel” today or at all (short of one or more peace treaties making it such: Syria might relinquish part of Golan but hasn’t done so yet; Palestine ditto as to West Bank, east Jerusalem (and Gaza)).
The importance of international pressure on Israel to remove ALL the settlers, dismantle the wall and ALL the settlements buildings in ALL occupied territories is thus two-fold:
FIRST, it is required if there is to be any international law, any respect for the UN, etc. The USA’s and Israel’s flouting of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which forbids settlements, and of the ICJ’s 2004 advisory opinion on the WALL, which demands it be dismantled and makes this a responsibility of ALL countries, force the nations to kow-tow to USA’s force majeure but are extremely damaging to I/L.
SECOND, allowing the settlers to continue in place (and to expand) and allowing the settlements and wall NOT to be dismantled jointly lead to an active facts-on-the-ground demonstration to (and by) the settlers that they are present “as of right” — which they are not. They must not only be removed by a powerful right arm, but must be so strongly and so quickly removed (as Palestinians were removed in 1948) that they will regard their removal as permanent and a settled matter of law (that is, of law which WILL BE ENFORCED). this will kill their hopes for a greater Israel and the way to peace will be opened. By contrast, allowing the settelrs to imagine that settlementse (any of them) will be permanent is to prevent peace because it prevents the onset of that “downer”, that “resignation”, which alone can persuade Israelis to make peace instead of remaining intransigent.