Support an everlasting peace

[King_David]

By Aaron Marcus DailyTargum.com | 0 comments

What does it mean to be in support of a Palestinian state? This is a question that should arise frequently over the course of the next few days and coming weeks as the Palestinian Authority seeks a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) at the United Nations. As college students who lean toward predominately progressive causes, it is vital to understand the importance of what this declaration indicates. Now, let us for a moment put aside the legal questions of the Palestinian UDI and the United Nations’ role in a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state. Let’s first get down to the basics of what it would mean to support this type of Palestinian state.

As many of your parents and professors will tell you, growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s granted them the opportunity to witness history. The United States saw racial boundaries broken down and the end of Jim Crowe. This high point in American history re-established the motto immortalized in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal.

Why, after preceding generations demanded these rights, should their kin stand for the opposite? Today, that same motto, which most believe to be universally true is being threatened under the guise of Palestinian Liberation. This isn’t solely my belief, but the direct policy of a potential Palestinian state as well. Maen Areikat, the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) ambassador to the United Nations, indicated two social policy platforms of a future Palestinian state at a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. Areikat stated that Jews would “absolutely” be banned for a Palestinian state and has also been silent about gay rights.

Think about that for a moment: A state that is seeking international recognition will from its inception ban certain individuals based on their religion and potentially their sexual orientation. Compare that to Israel, a nation whose Muslim community represents 20 percent of its population, a nation that sees Muslims represented in the nation’s government and with permanent positions on the Israeli Supreme Court. Compare it to the openly gay service members who serve in the Israel Defense Forces and the annual gay pride parade in Tel Aviv that this past year drew more than 100,000 spectators.

While Areikat claims that a Palestine state would remain secular, his confession that Jews and gays will not be welcome in this potential country makes it crystal clear that Hamas will have a strong hand in the formation of a unilaterally declared Palestinian state. Aside from the obvious questions one should have with a terrorist organization running a country, the PLO’s conformity to such a group of people calls into question their legitimacy as well. Hamas calls for not only the destruction of all Israeli Jews in their charter, but Jews around the world as well. In addition, they lump “western capitalists,” i.e., the United States, into the realm of those they seek to destroy.

http://www.dailytargum.com/opinion/columnists/support-an-everlasting-peace/article_56581f84-e32e-11e0-81bc-0019bb30f31a.html

[Taverner]

1. Yep. Adhere to the borders. I agree.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[Donald Ian Rankin]

3. Then let the Palestinians vote.

It's perfectly legitimate to suggest that the Palestinians should remain under Israeli rule permanently, but obviously if that is to be the case then they must be allowed to vote for the Israeli government. That's called the "one state solution", and it's grossly unpopular, probably with good reason, on both sides.

The alternative that you are advocating - that Israel continues to rule the Palestinians without letting them vote - is called "apartheid".

[shira]

4. You don't have to support such a dark, totalitarian, anti-humane regime like Palestine.

There's not one pro-Israel poster here would support Israel if it were to go hideously backwards and start implementing disgusting PA/PLO/Hamas policies.

So why do you support such a Palestinian state?

[pelsar]

5. there is the 3rd option....the tougher one

demand from the Palestinian leadership now, while under the occupation, to set up their secular state in words, deeds and foundation documents.
Let the PA invite the western college students looking for an adventure to come and help setup seminars on democracy.....

the list is long what can be done with the 3rd way, to prepare for real democratic state with minority rights, one that actually will have multiple parties, where several of them will have their parallels with israeli parties and want to get along with them, protest with them etc.

obviously this will have many against such an idea: those who like their position in the PA presently and will lose their jobs and standing should such things happen, the religious hierarchy will also not like it, nor of course the nationalist (both western and local) will not like it.

Its not very exciting, it will be very very very dangerous as many of those westerners who do actually come to teach secular democracy will probably end up dead from the "hamas types" and it won't have the moral simplistic black and white version of I/P conflict with its "underdog vs colonialist jew/zionist.


the only reason not to as far as i can see, is lack of political will for some and others lacking in a real belief in minority rights (secular democracy) as being more important the conservative nationalism.

as much as one may hate the occupation, the IDF is working with the PA to keep hamas at bay, once the IDF leaves, its nothing less than a throw of the dice to know who in the end "wins" corrupt dictatorship or religious theocracy.....minority rights based democracy does not seem to even be on the table (assuming that is important-i'm no longer sure that is relevant)

[shira]

6. No reason to do that when one can pretend Palestinians will be "free" once the IDF leaves. n/t

[vminfla]

10. "freedom fighters"

actually have to be fighting for, you know, "freedom". As we have seen with the low approval rating of Hamas, arabs want freedom. However, they cling their hopes onto those that do not want freedom.

[shira]

11. A good narrative trumps facts and reasoning. n/t

[King_David]

7. Nope they must have their own state

But it must only be recognized if it respects fundamental human rights .

I do not expect my country to recognize any state that discriminates against

women or Gays .

Why would it be acceptable that I would be jailed in such a state for this "crime".(period)

[Donald Ian Rankin]

8. Recognition is not the most important thing.

I don't know where you live, but pretty much without loss of generality it recognises countries that discriminate against women and gays far worse than the Palestinians do.

But that's not the point.

If Israel doesn't officially recognise a Palestinian state, that's not necessarily the end of the world. What is important is that it must not prevent the establishment of one.

[King_David]

9. Those states shouldn't be recognized or tolerated either. nt