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| via Joshua Doubek |
Millions of Israelis were born in Israel, and their parents were born in Israel. Israel is their birthplace. It’s where they are, regardless of whether you like or not.
But regardless of being born in Israel, Palestinians aren’t Israeli citizens. Israel doesn’t have a 14th Amendment. You can be a 4th generation resident of Bethlehem, and not be a citizen of Israel.
This Romanesque definition of citizenship only makes sense because Israel is first and foremost a place where Jews won’t be ghetto-ized, ostracized, or legally killed (which is an unfortunately rare distinction in the history of Jews). And the way Israel ensures this is by not trusting other groups to protect Jews. They won’t have to rely on the vacillations of public opinion to keep them safe. Jews are the majority.
Understandable, given the long and bloody history of Jews. Just, Jews don’t have a lot of babies and this creates a population problem.
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| Yes, Israel is smaller than Lake Michigan via Jewish Virtual Library |
The crux of the entire Israel/Palestine conflict is mathematical not biblical. The land-grant to Moses, like communism, is just a red herring. 41% of Israeli Jews aren't even religious, so honestly, just put your Book of Exodus down.
The Palestinian population has twice the birth rate of Israelis. Now, the number of Palestianians seeking the "Right of Return" is already more than 4 million. And if they were immediately absorbed into Israel, Jews would only make 50% of Israel's population-- and that's not even half of the total Palestinian population. I’m not kidding, Israel’s current solution to the population problem has been to build a wall ever so high and ever so thick, and ignore the number of people living on the other side. (The Wall has some pretty terrible baggage in general, but I won't go into that.)
So being stuck behind a wall creates a couple of major problems. But the most immediately relevant one is that having stagnant economic opportunities, with a growing population and no land to expand onto was actually one of the majors reasons there were 50+ revolutions in 1848.
So being stuck behind a wall creates a couple of major problems. But the most immediately relevant one is that having stagnant economic opportunities, with a growing population and no land to expand onto was actually one of the majors reasons there were 50+ revolutions in 1848.
So….
The fact that Hamas exists is not surprising. And waiting for Hamas or the PLO or all other armed resistance groups to not exist in Palestine as a condition for discussing a solution, means that that discussion will never happen. I think every reason for any armed revolution that has ever happened currently exists in Palestine: no voice in government, no hope that time will improve circumstances, little economic opportunity, harsh group reprisals, religious discrimination.
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| One these is a picture of the United States Penitentiary in Arizona, the other is Israel's West Bank wall. |
Is Hamas justified in firing rockets into Israel? Was Robespierre justified in sinking entire barges full of people?
I’m not saying Israel is responsible for the actions of their own terrorists. Palestinians, like Israelis and everyone else, have a moral compass they are beholden to. Israel however, has the power to control the movement and destiny of Palestinians (There are over 520 Israeli controlled roadblocks in "the territories" --remember that's a half-a-Connecticut area), and this is not a reciprocal arrangement.
Israel doesn't have to take anyone's crap. We got it. The tactic needs to change from “asserting our dominance” to insuring the future. As it stands, Israel is going to be surrounded by an ever more populous and more hopeless-angry group of Palestinians with every passing year. It’s not tenable. Segregation breeds animosity.
If you find beauty in Jewish culture and want to insure that it has a sanctuary in Israel, you should want Israel to negotiate with Hamas. It's not that Hamas is right, they're not. It's just you should want Jews to be surrounded by an ever-growing group of non-Jewish allies, and the biggest obstacle to that is Israel refusing to talk to that non-Jewish group, whatever its reasons, no matter how justified.
This is not the first time Israel has been asked to forgive for their own benefit. In 1953, Israel was asked to accept $13.6 billion in exchange for the lost property and lives of the Holocaust's victims (adjusted to today's value). Many violently disagreed within Israel, calling it blood money. Ultimately, Israel accepted Germany's apology, ensuring the economic future for the state. Reparations funded the Port of Haifa, established Israel's merchant fleet, and bought much of Israel's initial mining and agricultural machinery.
This is what David Ben-Gurion said of the reparations debate:
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| Ben-Gurion announcing independence of Israel |
There are two approaches. One is the ghetto Jew's approach and the other is of an independent people. I don't want to run after a German and spit in his face. I don't want to run after anybody.... A country spends its energy on ensuring its health, existence, and security. It does not spend time on spitting on somebody. There is a useless verse in the Bible: 'Wipe out the memory of Amalek'. If the Amalekites lived today and had universities, Jews would be studying in them. A state has national honor. It's a matter of national honor that we brought 50,000 Yeminites out of a dark and awful exile. The honor of shouting, shooting and demonstrating – I despise.... I'm happy to give up this national honor.
Amen, Ben-Gurion.
Controversially yours,
Stephanie
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