Thursday, March 4, 2010

In Response to the outrageous Ephraim Karsh in the New York Times

It's Not about Islam & Judaism, It's About Anti-Colonialism, Territory, Liberation, and Lives
By NIR ROSEN
Karsh describes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as an urgent foreign policy matter for the United States.

It doesn't appear to be urgent. One more American administration has prostrated itself before Israeli arrogance and expansionism. Karsh mentions some sort of "100-year war between Arabs and Jews." There is no 100 year war between Arabs and Jews. There is a 100 year colonial struggle between Zionist Jews and the Palestinian people (and briefly the Lebanese as well).

He hopes that the "Islamic nation can make peace with the idea of Jewish statehood in the House of Islam." Its not about Jewish statehood in the house of Islam.

Its about Zionist Jewish settlers dispossessing the Palestinians and occupying Palestinian land. And killing Palestinians. Its not a religious conflict. Its a territorial one, an anti-colonial one, a national liberation struggle, even if the discourse used these days to describe it is often religious.

"Muslim states threaten Israel's existence not so much out of concern for the Palestinians, but rather as part of a holy war to prevent the loss of a part of the House of Islam," he says. He is lying. Who is he talking about? Iran?
Even if that was a real threat and not merely grandstanding, who else is there? the Saudis, the Turks, the Egyptians, the Jordanians and others all collaborate with Israel. Syria?

Hardly a threat and eager for peace as long as it can regain the occupied Golan heights. And the Israeli police force could conquer Syria in a few hours. Hizballah? Not a state and not trying to destroy Israel but merely protect Lebanese territory.

7 comments:

  1. Karsh used to be quoted copiously by the fascistic Sweden1975. You know now why..

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  2. If I could pinpoint someone who has a similar view to mine,  both foreign and domestic,  it would be Nir Rosen (at least from what he has written).

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  3. <span>To me Nir Rosen is one of those people who give hope...(And not surprisingly he's a good friend of As'ad).
    </span>

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  4. TGIA, whether rational or not; the paranoia of Israelis is real. It needs to be addressed.

    One way to do this is to reassure Israelis that Palestinians seek to live with them as brothers and sisters, as friends, with mutual respect, compassion, and understanding. Israelis need to understand that Palestinians want Israel to be successful; because a successful Israel benefits Palestine.

    This means Israelis are welcome to live in Palestine as long as they treat Palestinians with respect; and as long as Israelis contribute to the combined success of Palestinians and Israelis.

    It also means that Palestinians need to right to return to their homeland.

    On of my ideas is to reserve 40% of all Israeli university admissions for Palestinians. Another is to account for all the Palestinian property siezed; and return to their rightful owners the market value of their property plus a premium for their inconvenience.

    Israel would likely have to float many tens of billions of dollars in debt bonds to reimburse the Palestinians.

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  5. <span><span>Nir Rosen has sums it all up , even dumb anan should be able to understand. </span></span>

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  6. <span>"Karsh reduces everything to religion."</span>
    -------
    Does that ring a bell ZID ?

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  7. Nir Rosen's take on Iraq:


    It's been frustrating to read the latest hysteria about sectarianism returning to Iraq, the threat of a new civil war looming, or even the notion that Iraq is "unraveling."

    http://ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/02/23/nir_rosen_stop_the_iraq_madness

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