The Israel-Palestine conflict is stuck in an anachronistic rut. Israel, the
dominant power, has developed into a 19th century-style ethnic state – according
full rights of citizenship to Jews, some rights to its Arab citizens, and none
to the Palestinians over whom it rules.
Um, no. Try again. What rights are denied to Arabs? There is a certain level of social, not legal, discrimination. However, Arabs have every right to press charges. And guess what, they do. Further, Arabs actually have more rights than Jews. Unlike Jews who have to serve in the army (unless they learn Torah full time) no Arab whatsoever is obligated to do so. Further, Arabs, or to be more accurate non-Jews, can marry outside of their religion, and have secular ceremonies. A Jew has to fly to Cyprus to do so.
Yes, the Palestinians have less 'rights' than Israelis, Jewish and Arab. They aren't citizens. Guess what, in every country on earth people who aren't citizen have less rights. Don't argue from rights distinction- argue for an independent Palestine, a unified Israel/Palestine, whatever you want.
At any rate, non-violent Palestinian activism doesn’t work – Israel crushes
it – and violent resistance has proved counter-productive or immoral.
Ha! Palestian non-violent protest? You mean like the weekly protests where they invade military zones at Be'elin. And throw rocks. And yes, rocks can kill. Talk to Goliath. (And I do say this fully concious of the possible misinterpretations.) In fact, a recent concert for peace in which Israelis and Palestinians were to participate was called off. By the Palestinians. And only by them.
As a state of all Jews rather than its citizens, Israel offers a peculiar
form of affirmative action: a Jew anywhere in the world can, on a whim, claim
automatic citizenship. Meanwhile, a Palestinian Arab expelled from his home
within Israel in 1948 and now languishing in refugee camps has no such option.
Tribalism trumps secular accommodation, as it should in the holy land.
Not to take a partisan line here: the Arab countries could have absorbed all those refugees, many times over, just Israel absorbed the Jewish ones. Oh, and most the Palestinians weren't 'expelled,' they left either on account of the war, or at Arab urging. Get your facts straight. Oh, and I'm sorry your enlightened values don't agree with the concept of Jewish autonomy. Oops, I don't give a crap. Martin buddy, the enlightenment helped some Jews, in some places. But, as Ruth Wisse argues for in her book Jews and Power, Jews have been constantly dependant on the whims of the state officials- to their detriment. I'm sure you support female empowerment, why not Jewish?
This minor land dispute between competing petty tribes demands creative
solutions. Clearly, a resolution based on Enlightenment values of universalism,
rationality, and equality is out of the question. Religion is the one element of
the conflict that hasn’t proved inflammatory, so it ought to figure in the
equation.
He gets one important thing here right: it is a minor land dispute. So stop caring about it. Oh no, you can't, because you need your oil fix- and your 'pushers' just happen to use their political clout against Israel. But a solution based on enlightenment values? Sure, when the Arab countries, Palestine included, stop their warmongering, the conflict would be over. If the Palestinians threw down their weapons there would be no war, if Israel their down hers, there would be no Israel.
But the suggestion that religion doesn't factor prominently into this conflict is nothing but laughable. Have you read what the Qu'ran says about Jews? Sure, you can interpret those quotes away, which will hopefully form the basis for a Islamic 'reformation'- just as it has to in Christianity. But many Muslims don't- they take very seriously how despicable Jews are. They continually pronouce their sole claims to holy sites in Israel.
And, on the flip side, we always hear how the religious settlers are an obstacle to peace. Nevermind a racist peace, but nonetheless- religion has a lot to do with this conflict. Nice research.
Now he makes a, somewhat, logical suggestion:
If Israel persists in granting rights to practitioners of just one religion,
Palestinians should reassess their political strategy. Forget the Palestinian
National Liberation Movement. Think Palestinian National Conversion Movement.
What easier way to win the freedom and equality they deserve than by simply
converting to Judaism? A course of study over six months, circumcision,
immersion in a ritual bath, and presto! Israeli citizenship, or Right of Return
by conversion.
Yes, on the face of it- it would work. And you know what, the Jews wouldn't actually care. But you're forgetting two crucial point Martie- the Palestinians would never convert to the despised religion, and it wouldn't change the status of other Arab countries. Oh, you forgot- they hate Israel too? Oh, you forgot about the concept of Dar Al-Islam? Oopsie daisie
