How grim the situation in Israel is can be gauged by the two pieces that follow. Amira Hass, Ha’aretz‘s only Jewish reporter — in fact, anyone’s only Jewish reporter — living in the occupied territories, discusses in Le Monde Diplomatique the way the idea of “transfer,” the “voluntary” or forced expulsion of the Arab population, or some part of it, from the occupied territories and possibly Israel as well, has gained traction. In the last year, it has become discussable, joined the landscape of graffiti and politics, and so become imaginable. Gideon Levy, columnist for Ha’aretz, then considers the “deafening silence” that has greeted the idea of an American war against Iraq and reminds us that in Israel “it was not always thus.” (Both pieces are posted on the ZNET website)
My impression, unfortunately, is that, however brave and forthright, they are increasingly isolated voices in today’s Israel. The stress of never-ending occupation, terror, intifada, suicide bombings, assassinations, economic recession (or, in the Palestinian case, collapse), the growth of fundamentalism on all sides, and the clever uses Sharon has made of fear have all left their marks and an ugly set of scars they are.
I suggest as well that you might take a look at Robert G. Kaiser’s recent piece in the Washington Post, “Bush and Sharon Nearly Identical on Mideast Policy,” of which the key line is, “For the first time, a U.S. administration and a Likud government in Israel are pursuing nearly identical policies.” To read Kaiser click here This is the sort of thing you might find at a good oppositional website like Foreign Policy in Focus, but which has been close to taboo in the mainstream media. Tom
Threat of Mass Expulsion
Israel: a new Palestinian diaspora
By Amira Hass
Le Monde Diplomatique
February 19, 2003A European diplomat spotted a road sign in Israel’s Jordan Valley in December, showing that the road had been renamed Gandhi, which was the nickname of General Rehavam Zeevi, founder of the far-right Moledet (Homeland) party. Zeevi, who had publicly called for Palestinians to be “transferred” to Arab countries, was killed in 2001 by a gunman from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Was the sign an example of cynicism or just a joke in bad taste? It stood just before the road cuts east to the Allenby Bridge linking Israel and Jordan, indicating the way Zeevi’s “transferees” might have to take.
Just before his assassination, and soon after another Palestinian suicide attack, Zeevi said in a radio broadcast that the only solution to Israel’s problems was the “approved transfer” of its Arab population.
Amira Hass is the correspondent for the Israeli daily Ha’aretz. She is based in Ramallah.
A European diplomat spotted a road sign in Israel’s Jordan Valley in December, showing that the road had been renamed Gandhi, which was the nickname of General Rehavam Zeevi, founder of the far-right Moledet (Homeland) party. Zeevi, who had publicly called for Palestinians to be “transferred” to Arab countries, was killed in 2001 by a gunman from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Was the sign an example of cynicism or just a joke in bad taste? It stood just before the road cuts east to the Allenby Bridge linking Israel and Jordan, indicating the way Zeevi’s “transferees” might have to take.
Just before his assassination, and soon after another Palestinian suicide attack, Zeevi said in a radio broadcast that the only solution to Israel’s problems was the “approved transfer” of its Arab population.
Amira Hass is the correspondent for the Israeli daily Ha’aretz. She is based in Ramallah.
Translated by Luke Sandford
To read more Hass click here
Deafening Silence in Israel
By Gideon Levy
Ha’aretz
February 19, 2003The United States is poised to go to war within missile’s throw of our homes, but no public discussion is taking place in this country, either about the necessity for a military campaign or its rightness. From one end of the world to the other people are taking to the streets to demonstrate against the war. Only in Israel, which is more likely than most of the world’s countries to sustain military and political harm, does silence prevail.
Almost the only position that is getting a public hearing is that of the establishment and its spokesmen – in favor of war. Some of them are not even trying to hide the fact that they are eagerly looking forward to this. Commentators from various fields are busy explaining the array of golden opportunities that will become available to Israel after the war
To read more Levy click here