The One-State Solution
Sean Mullan
Issue date: 9/26/03 Section: Opinions
The current Israeli administration hopes to establish a Palestinian state made up of a number of separated, fenced-in areas similar to the Bantustans of Apartheid South Africa. While this has been continually denied, the construction of fences around cities in the West Bank such as Qalqilia proves otherwise. Qalqilia is surrounded by one of the main defense walls separating parts of Palestinian territory from Jewish settlements and Israel proper. Other cities are not directly surrounded by this wall, but instead have been by the IDF and civilians are allowed access to the city via only a small number of checkpoints. These barriers are being constructed without any consideration as to the land being taken from the Palestinians. In many cases, farmers are being separated from their land and villages disconnected from one another. When the network is completed, a viable Palestinian state will be impossible and a number of illegal settlements will become directly connected to Israel proper. This leads even Thomas Friedman, a strong supporter of Israel as a Jewish state, to declare "the fences and checkpoints all over the place, which are choking commerce and creating cages that will become factories of despair..." will ultimately lead Palestinians to "throw in the towel" in their quest for an independent state "and ask for the right to vote in Israel."2
Israel has over the last year, though, expelled some of the few Arabs serving in the Knesset. This is in line with an investigation by a high level court into the killings of thirteen Palestinians by Israeli police during demonstrations in late 2001. It was ruled that the killings were caused by the "systematic discrimination by Israel against its Arab population" prevalent today.3 This bias against Palestinians, however, should have been obvious without an in-depth investigation. Any state that is based upon race, and provides a specific one with privilege, is going to systematically discriminate against its minorities. Through its racist laws and policies, the Israeli government has increasingly alienated the Israeli and Palestinian Arab populations. This animosity has been reciprocated by Israeli Jews as well, due to the atrocious suicide bombings against civilian targets perpetrated by Palestinian terrorists. Israelis, however, should not be surprised that the Palestinians are lashing out in anger, just as they do when attacking Palestinians in retaliation. The conflict between the two is at the point where every attack has become retaliation; their respective responses are losing meaning as time progresses.
Israel has over the last year, though, expelled some of the few Arabs serving in the Knesset. This is in line with an investigation by a high level court into the killings of thirteen Palestinians by Israeli police during demonstrations in late 2001. It was ruled that the killings were caused by the "systematic discrimination by Israel against its Arab population" prevalent today.3 This bias against Palestinians, however, should have been obvious without an in-depth investigation. Any state that is based upon race, and provides a specific one with privilege, is going to systematically discriminate against its minorities. Through its racist laws and policies, the Israeli government has increasingly alienated the Israeli and Palestinian Arab populations. This animosity has been reciprocated by Israeli Jews as well, due to the atrocious suicide bombings against civilian targets perpetrated by Palestinian terrorists. Israelis, however, should not be surprised that the Palestinians are lashing out in anger, just as they do when attacking Palestinians in retaliation. The conflict between the two is at the point where every attack has become retaliation; their respective responses are losing meaning as time progresses.
Be the first to comment on this story