Comments on: Gaza Revives the One-State Formula http://blog.z-word.com/2009/01/gaza-revives-the-one-state-formula/ Commentary about Zionism, anti-Zionism, antisemitism and the conflict in the Middle East Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:11:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5-RC1.1 By: David Schraub http://blog.z-word.com/2009/01/gaza-revives-the-one-state-formula/#comment-3213 David Schraub Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:13:09 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=883#comment-3213 I don't disagree with that (well, except arguably the claim that blacks in Africa had not faced attempted systematic extermination). I completely concur that the establishment of Israel was not "sinful" and that it was and is necessary for the global liberation of the Jewish people. But eventually Israel is going to have to figure out how to handle its Arab minority in a way far superior to how they're being treated now. We can brag all we want about how they have more rights than nearly any other location in the Middle East, but "better than Saudi Arabia and Egypt" is not a high hurdle to leap. The recent move to ban the only two Arab parties in the Knesset, though it likely will be overturned, is very troublesome. And on top of that, there is still significant discrimination against the Arab minority, fostered in part by extremist parties within the Israeli Knesset (such as Yisrael Beiteinu), including not-insignificant calls for their involuntary expulsion from the state. Asserting (correctly) that a Jewish state is necessary does not at all answer how we redress the legitimate grievances of the Israeli Arab minority: whether they should be granted local autonomy, whether they should be given status as a national minority, and how we counter the bigoted treatment they are accorded by many on the Israeli far-right. Those questions need to be grappled with in conjunction with the claim that Israel must remain a Jewish state, else we have no grounds for complaint when the Arab citizenry refuses to sign on to the endeavor. I don’t disagree with that (well, except arguably the claim that blacks in Africa had not faced attempted systematic extermination). I completely concur that the establishment of Israel was not “sinful” and that it was and is necessary for the global liberation of the Jewish people.

But eventually Israel is going to have to figure out how to handle its Arab minority in a way far superior to how they’re being treated now. We can brag all we want about how they have more rights than nearly any other location in the Middle East, but “better than Saudi Arabia and Egypt” is not a high hurdle to leap. The recent move to ban the only two Arab parties in the Knesset, though it likely will be overturned, is very troublesome. And on top of that, there is still significant discrimination against the Arab minority, fostered in part by extremist parties within the Israeli Knesset (such as Yisrael Beiteinu), including not-insignificant calls for their involuntary expulsion from the state.

Asserting (correctly) that a Jewish state is necessary does not at all answer how we redress the legitimate grievances of the Israeli Arab minority: whether they should be granted local autonomy, whether they should be given status as a national minority, and how we counter the bigoted treatment they are accorded by many on the Israeli far-right. Those questions need to be grappled with in conjunction with the claim that Israel must remain a Jewish state, else we have no grounds for complaint when the Arab citizenry refuses to sign on to the endeavor.

]]> By: Michelle Sieff http://blog.z-word.com/2009/01/gaza-revives-the-one-state-formula/#comment-3212 Michelle Sieff Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:44:53 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=883#comment-3212 Hi David-- Thanks for your intelligent question. We at Z word have argued that the preference for a one-state solution over the two state solution itself reflects an interpretation of the creation of Israel as an "original sin" that must be undone. We also argue that the pursuit of a one-state solution will result in the extermination of the Jews from the Middle East, given the political realities, namely the existence of popular and powerful political groups in the Arab/Muslim world that are deeply anti-semitic, such as Hamas. The whites and blacks in South Africa could pursue a one-state, democratic solution because of their history--namely neither side had ever been victims of an attempted systematic extermination. But because of the Jews' unique history, a Jewish democratic state was the only solution after World War 2, and it remains morally necessary. And of course the optimum moral outcome would be the creation of a Palestinian state living peacefully next to Israel. Hi David–
Thanks for your intelligent question. We at Z word have argued that the preference for a one-state solution over the two state solution itself reflects an interpretation of the creation of Israel as an “original sin” that must be undone. We also argue that the pursuit of a one-state solution will result in the extermination of the Jews from the Middle East, given the political realities, namely the existence of popular and powerful political groups in the Arab/Muslim world that are deeply anti-semitic, such as Hamas. The whites and blacks in South Africa could pursue a one-state, democratic solution because of their history–namely neither side had ever been victims of an attempted systematic extermination. But because of the Jews’ unique history, a Jewish democratic state was the only solution after World War 2, and it remains morally necessary. And of course the optimum moral outcome would be the creation of a Palestinian state living peacefully next to Israel.

]]> By: David Schraub http://blog.z-word.com/2009/01/gaza-revives-the-one-state-formula/#comment-3210 David Schraub Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:14:28 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=883#comment-3210 How does the forgoing analysis effect how we engage with Israeli Arab parties whose call for a one-state solution (or a bi-national Israeli state) is specifically predicated on it being "a state for all its citizens"? How does the forgoing analysis effect how we engage with Israeli Arab parties whose call for a one-state solution (or a bi-national Israeli state) is specifically predicated on it being “a state for all its citizens”?

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