... does solid Israeli Jewish opposition to a one-state solution mean that a peaceful one-state outcome is so unlikely that Palestinians should not pursue it, and should instead focus only on "pragmatic" solutions that would be less fiercely resisted by Israeli Jews?
The experience in South Africa suggests otherwise. In 1994, white-minority rule -- apartheid -- came to a peaceful, negotiated end, and was replaced (after a transitional period of power-sharing) with a unitary democratic state with a one person, one vote system. Before this happened, how likely did this outcome look? Was there any significant constituency of whites prepared to contemplate it, and what if the African National Congress (ANC) had only advanced political solutions that whites told pollsters they would accept?
Until close to the end of apartheid, the vast majority of whites, including many of the system's liberal critics, completely rejected a one person, one vote system, predicting that any attempt to impose it would lead to a bloodbath. As late as 1989, F.W. de Klerk, South Africa's last apartheid president, described a one person, one vote system as the "death knell" for South Africa.
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A great article and an eye opener.
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<span><span>"Zionism -- as many Israelis openly worry -- is suffering a similar, terminal loss of legitimacy as Israel is ever more isolated as a result of its actions. Israel's self-image as a liberal "Jewish and democratic state" is proving impossible to maintain against the reality of a militarized, ultra-nationalist Jewish sectarian settler-colony that must carry out frequent and escalating massacres of "enemy" civilians (Lebanon and Gaza 2006, Gaza 2009) in a losing effort to check the resistance of the region's indigenous people. Zionism cannot bomb, kidnap, assassinate, expel, demolish, settle and lie its way to legitimacy and acceptance."</span></span>
ReplyDeleteAli is in the right place at the right time with the correct assessment. There is no other current alternative with the facts on the ground, and no future of any two state solution on the horizon. Now we hope that people listen.
ReplyDeleteWhy not have herds of wild unicorns roam the new OneState Holyland,and make our dreams seem even more exciting.?
ReplyDeleteBecause:it may be a very long time before we find a breeding pair of unicorns, and destroying Israel seems easier said than done; this project might require a century,or two.
Currently. the Palis enter their 61st year as prisoners of war,and Israel is STILL GROWING.
It might not be " what Arabs want " (I love Angry Arab's euphemism for Israel's destruction), but there's been a deal around for along time whereby the Palis get a Whoopie Cushion at the UN,an end to Israel's growth, and somewhat more fresh air pumped into the PaliPrison.Not "what Arabs want ", but much more doable than unicorns.
Yes, Imagine -
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk
WATCH THEM FALL
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBovE-BhXwk&feature=related
<span><span>and destroying Israel seems easier said than done</span>
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How is a one state solution where one man one vote is applied is "destropying Israel"? Agreed, ethocentric and supremacist Israelis aren't warm to the idea but they need to drop the racism and accept to live with the indigenous one day or another. No way around it..</span>