Palestina: Occuaption not apartheid

Israel & Palestine Forum

Equating the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories to South African Apartheid is a disservice both to the Palestinian Cause and to the Progressive Movement.

By Moises F. Salinas, Ph.D.*

*Moises Salinas is author of “Planting Hatred, Sowing Pain: The Psychology of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”

As a young Jewish human rights activist growing up in Mexico in the 1980s, I can not remember a greater victory for the global human rights movement than the fight against Apartheid in South Africa. The world united in a wide-range boycott against a regime driven by a racist ideology of white supremacy, ultimately forcing a victory for the democratic movement of people like Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Today, as a university professor in the U.S., many of my progressive colleagues are trying to rally the movement once more. This time, they explain, the fight is against the injustice of the Israeli “Apartheid” towards the Palestinians, and should be fought by supporting economic, academic and political sanctions against Israel. This time, they are entirely misguided, though. The Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories is that, an occupation. And as any other military occupation, it does indeed oppress the occupied people, denying them many basic human rights, and conducive to abuses and discrimination. However, confusing it and treating it the way we fought against Apartheid is not only a mistake and an oversimplification, but ultimately a disservice for the cause of the Palestinian people. Instead, the approach should be one that promotes dialogue and reconciliation. To keep reading go to: http://www.engageonline.org.uk/blog/article.php?id=945

Sir,

I spent the past summer in Israel and granted, I spent little of my time in the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, would you, or anyone for that matter, care to explain to me the rights that are being denied to the Palestinians, as well as the rationale for why (either real or fictionalized)?

TIA.

dear god,how can anyone say that palestinians have any rights?try to live like one.what kind of life is it?

kosova baby

Kosova why is it that Israel and the US always get the blame for Palestinian sufferings?Have you ever asked yourself why are Palestinians in refugee camps for more than half a century? It’s obvious that Palestinians are suffering. What’s also obvious is how they are used a pawns by their own brothers merely to keep the conflict going.

Some one in these forums asked how Palestinians can recognize Israel when they are largely dependant on Israel for their meager existence and how this shows the power that Israel has over them.

Israel is largely the suppliers of key materials to Palestine like electric, gas & water to name a few. Imagine if you would if the Serbia was supplying KLA with these things. Seems ridiculous right? What’s equally ridiculous is how the Palestinians’ own brothers won’t allow them usage of their hospitals or education facilities or even allowed to work in their countries. Palestinians largely work in the same country they send bombers into and celebrate after the carnage.

Apartheid? I would like someone to give me a comparison of this conflict with apartheid please. I've even heard Israel being compared to Hitler. Aparently some people may not know what Apartheid really consisted of to make this comparison.

Again with the patronizing cynicisms.

first im not from kosovo but what i can say is that situation there is way too different from this one in palestine.and compare it,is stupid.people in kosovo have more rights than palestinians,and after all Kosovo is free country(in some way)and people can travel anywhere.Can Palestinians do that?

If your point is that Palestinians are suffering I agree. The question is why? While much of the blame is passed on to Israel and the US no one says anything of why Palestinians stay in squalor.

My point is that they are kept in dire straights largely because of the politics of their own brothers. In fact, Israel supplies them with more to support their survival than Arabs. At least a Palestinian can work in Israel unlike Jordan, Egypt or Lebanon who treat them as subhumans.

well,maybe thats truth,i dont know that because i dont live there and i dont understand the politics there like you.but answer for all is free Palestine.once when they have their own state they will find normal leadership and have normal life.finnaly!

I agree with you 100% kosova.

Well, not completely. I think that the day that happens, if it happens there will be much in fighting and violence before it finally settles down to anything never normal.

TYPO never = near

maybe not.who knows?!!!

Since we're just throwing ideas around. Anyone have any idea how you could get the moderates from both sides (yes, I'm excluding the extremists, both Palestinian and Israeli, from the discussion) on how to partition the very small parcel of land into TWO countries? And more importantly, have both sides agree?

Keep in mind, not even a moderate Jew would agree to the '67 borders as it would mean losing the Old City of Jerusalem. - I guess that's a personal opinion, but as I consider myself a moderate Jew, that is how I feel.

I personally think a two-state solution is impossible. Either West Bank and Gaza need to be absorbed into Israel, with Arab-Israelis (I don't call them Palestinians) guaranteed equal rights, or West Bank absorbed into Jordan and Gaza absorbed into Egypt.

no way.no one ever will agree with it.its stupid idea

http://www.inreview.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=691535

how the hell do you turn this mess into two functioning states?

not sure,but confederation with one capital(Jerusalem-Al Qouds),seems like good idea.i know that extremist from both sides will never agree with it,but if in bosnia can function,can everywhere.at least i think so.