Think Again: Palestine

"Economic Peace Is Possible."

No. Neither sustainable economic development nor peace is possible without political freedom.

The idea of "economic peace" suggests an economic conflict, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is certainly not that. Although economic issues do figure into Palestinian concerns, they are not nearly as important as addressing the rights of Palestinian refugees, terminating Israel's occupation of Palestinian land, and establishing a viable, independent, and sovereign Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital. To suggest that economics are what this is about would be to sideline history and to willfully ignore the reality of Israel's occupation. This conflict is political and it calls for a solution that is political.

Besides, even if economic growth were issue No. 1, the greatest impediment to economic development and opportunity for Palestinians is not the absence of industrial parks as advocated by the Israeli government under its model of "economic peace." Rather, it is the denial of basic freedoms and rights to Palestinians under occupation and the myriad restrictions Israel imposes on the free movement of Palestinian goods and people within, and in and out of, the occupied Palestinian territory. It is the inability of Palestinians to access the 60 percent of the occupied West Bank under Area C (Israeli control), including the 40 percent that Israel claims for its settlement enterprise. And it is the forced isolation of occupied East Jerusalem, long the economic heart of the Palestinian economy, from the rest of the West Bank. All these economic constraints are fundamental to the architecture of Israel's occupation.

In short, "economic peace" is a slogan designed to give the appearance of positive movement while distracting from the real issues and the ongoing dispossession of Palestinians. It does not mean, nor does it promise, an end to Israel's occupation. Rather, it offers economic crumbs in an effort to normalize and better manage the occupation.

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JAY GETTY

9:20 PM ET

September 24, 2009

No Jews in parts of Jerusalem; then you do want peace

No Jews in parts of JerUSAlem and surrounding areas? If someone says: “no black people in my neighborhood; the liberals with a mental disorder, including the State Dept, talk bigot. Hypocrites’ ad nausea!

If the Arabs can not stand for a Jew to live in Jerusalem; trust me he does not want peace; he wants piece by piece by piece!

There is not, and never was, an occupation. The West Bank was Jordan till 1967 and Gaza was Egypt till 1967. Egypt and Jordan both refused to take the lands back when treaties were signed.

No mention of a non-Jewish Palesteinian exists in any book or archive prior to 1969.

The Gazan’s elected terrorist, began shooting missiles, from civilian neighborHOODS in Gaza, at Israeli communities; Israel crushes the missiles; and the UN wants to talk war crimes against Israel. The West’s accepting or attempting to justify these type actions from terrorist thugs parading as religious people is what brought the first 9/11; The West has rules that make "winning" a war crime; so one can only conclude the West only desires "a nice long lasting war and sell lots of weapons".

Yes: generals Eisenhower, Patton, McArthur, Sherman, Montgomery, et al would all be war criminals by today’s rules/standards for conducting battle; which include reading the terrorist their rights before shooting at them and in Israel’s case: calling Gazans on the telephone to warn them to get out of the way before going for the terrorist hiding and shooting behind burqas and small kids.

It is a sick world!

AVRAM

9:25 AM ET

September 28, 2009

Warped logic of Ghetty

If the solution suggested by the commentor above is a state where both palestinians and Israelis have the freedom to live wherever they want, I think it is a solution for the problem. What are we going to call this state? Palesrale? Of course both the palestinians and Israelis will have the right to live in Tel Aviv and vote in elections. Of course they both will have the right to worship wherever they want. Sounds like utopia. Why aren't powers in charge just not implementing it?

ITGURU42

5:12 PM ET

Let's count the ways the ARABS caused this?

Let's see. Egypt has a wall around Gaza, and has had one longer than Israel has. Yet somehow, the article writer discounts this.

In 1948, who was it who stuck the "Palestinians" into refugee camps? It wasn't the Israelis. It was the ARABS. Who controlled the West Bank in 1948? Who had Gaza? Who had the other so-called "Palestinian" territories, and were crying then as today to "Liberate Palestine"? That's right, it was the ARABS.

The so-called "Palestinians" are a sham, and have always been. The worst abuse of human rights since the Holocaust has been committed against them, not by the Israelis, but BY THE ARABS in holding them in poverty-stricken camps, brainwashed into suicide bombers dreaming of a racist apocalypse where they "Drive the Jews into the Sea in a river of blood!"

You want to know where this begins and ends? Start with the Arabs, and stop blaming Israel for its existence. I am embarassed that FP even published this pile of lies and propaganda.

WHODRSWNS

7:26 AM ET

September 29, 2009

jay getty is naive

Gen. Eisenhower, patton,mcarther, sherman , montgomery, etc . never fenced in a whole population into a filthy ghetto and let them starve. I wonder who did that? Hiding behind women and children? you mean like Robin hood was accused of? you mean like Gen. George Washington was accused of when his men hid incivillian's farm houses instead of lining up like bowling pins so the redcoats could shoot them down in a (gentlemanly) fashion?
JAY GETTY needs to stop watching (jew owned ) network tv news! and get his facts straight. Jay, do you still believe that the Native Americans were savages and needed to be forced on reservations? do you still think George Custer was a hero? Only the jews could be so cruel in todays day and age and still label themselves the victims. How dare david throw that rock (hamas rocket) at goliath! they should just accept the fact that the jews are better than them and not fight back for what is right! The jews have forced the concentration of the west bank and gaza strip so tightly that no matter where you go, you are either hiding behind someone or someone is hiding behind you! Hey JEWS, why not tell the world that the terrorist ANNE FRANK family hid behind dutch civiilans!

7:53 AM ET

Jay Getty the propogandist

You justify the killing of civilian palastinians by blaming hamas?
Do you blame the JEWS for the killing of 500 civilians as payback for the assasination of
REINHARD HEYDRICH ? Using your messed up logic you should! I went to the holocaust museum, how come , if it is supposed to be in rememberance of ALL holocaust victims it never mentions NANKING ? Oh that's right , they were chinese , not jews so they don't deserve any rememberance.

8:09 AM ET

something else for JAY GETTY to think about

Common sense should tell us all,,,,,,,
If you get kicked out of one bar, you could pass it off that the bouncer was a jerk and just didn't like your face but,,,,,,,,if you get kicked out of every bar since the beginning of civilization then where do you get off blaming every bouncer in history? oh , I guess when you own the media , you can pretty much put a spin on anything you like.

personally, I would start wondering why EVERYONE since the dawn of civilization hates my race and try to fix it instead of whining that I'm always the victim while oppressing another race! But that isn't the chosen people's way is it.
Even Passover is a holiday celebrating the Death of everyone around you except you, because you painted a star of david on your door!
Way to make friends jews!

8:34 AM ET

Jay

Hey Jay, did you know that if in the 1930's there was a group called the partizans?
And they used pretty much the same (play book) as hamas does today?
How about the group called the free french, or the resistance?
I guess it matters whether or not the outcome of a conflict is in your favor or not as to what you call these groups of freedom fighters!

ZOZIMOS

1:42 PM ET

October 1, 2009

Only the jews could be so cruel in todays day and age and still

You've got one gigantic blind spot. Have you ever heard of Sudan. Have you not heard arabs claiming to be victims in Darfur?

9:22 PM ET

No Jews in parts of Jerusalem; then you do NOT want peace

Correction

2:23 PM ET

September 26, 2009

Freeky2 aka: Al Qaeda man is Bigoted

Freeky2 AKA: Al Qaeda man is Bigoted in all his posts and ramblings. He supports polygamy and murder for women who are not slaves to their husbands. Freeky2 AKA: Al Qaeda man writes to demand Islime!

BLUECANARY

4:17 AM ET

September 25, 2009

'surgical strikes' included the killing of 300 children. Fact.

'surgical strikes' so proudly claimed by Netanyahu in his UN defense of Israel's actions against a civilian population included the killing of 300 children. Fact.

It has been substantiated that Israel killed over 300 unarmed children/ young people plus over 100 of their mothers.

They were killed in order to terrorize the civilian population. They were targeted as an integral part of the 'surgical strikes' so proudly claimed by Netanyahu in his UN defense of Israel's actions against a civilian population.

It is clear that these killings were no collateral damage. It is clear that these children and mothers were not responsible for the actions of a few militants who had fired rockets into Israel. It is clear that this was an atrocity and it is clear those Israeli commanders who authorized such war crimes must be brought before the ICC.

Gaza is not Afghanistan and the US has never targeted women and children or any unarmed civilians. To do so is a WAR CRIME

6:48 AM ET

BLUEFAIRYtale is an Al Qaeda “propagangster” minister.

BLUEFAIRYtale, the redherring, AlQaeda man: since nothing bad to say about Israel just make it up. No such event occurred. All causalities in Gaza are because Hamass shoots while hiding behind skirts and Hamass shoots from school buses and and Hamass shoots from school yards. Hamass is happy to blow up a bus in Gaza and say Israel did it. BLUEFAIRYtale is telling a "blacklie".

11:31 AM ET

Read the Report!

If you can read, Mr Getty, please READ the OFFICIAL UN REPORT.

3:47 PM ET

The UN is as credible as a rattle snake

BLUEFAIRYtale and the UN can make up any lie they like; that still does not represent the reality.

2:22 PM ET

Freeky2 aka: Al Qaeda man is Bigoted in all his posts and ramblings. He suports paligomy and murder for women who are not slaves to their husbands. Freeky2 aka: Al Qaeda man writes to demand Islime!

ASGOLD25

9:22 AM ET

Let's inject some rationality

For far too long, the Israel-Palestine conflict seems to have been defined in a black and white manner: either the Israelis can do no wrong and the Palestinians are nothing more than squabbling terrorists, or Israel is an apartheid state bent on removing every innocent, victimized Palestinian from their land. The fact is, both of these stances indicate a general ignorance of this extremely complex issue.

Khouri brings up some interesting points, especially those on "economic peace" and the settlements. I generally find myself agreeing with both. A Palestinian state cannot be viable with the restrictions that Israel has placed on free movement, and the growth of Israeli settlements will only discourage Palestinians from aggressively moving towards peace (and away from supporting groups like Hamas). It also discredits Abu Mazen's government.

I do, however, disagree with Khouri on a number of points. The first would be his ambiguous reference to UN Resolution 194. He fails to elaborate on the contentious issue of the Palestinian Right of Return, which is a cornerstone of the Saudi plan. This provision would cast into doubt Israel's identity as a Jewish state. While the idea of Israel as a Jewish state seems to sound racist to some, it is the main reason why Israel exists today: as a homeland for a people that has been repeatedly persecuted (and murdered) throughout the world. Khouri also ignores the fact that almost 1 million Jews were forcibly removed from Arab states (losing their homes, possessions, and livelihood) between 1948 and 1967. It is just as illogical to demand the Palestinian Right of Return as it is to demand the return of Jews (and their property) to their old homes in the Arab world.

The final thing I want to mention is that when dealing with this issue, we must try and better understand the Israeli psyche. The impact that hundreds of years of persecution, pogroms, and the Holocaust have had on the psyche of the Jewish people that now inhabit Israel, as well as the repeated attempts by Arab nations and groups (such as Hamas) to drive Israel "into the sea," cannot be underestimated. Israelis feel perpetually threatened (exacerbated by two Intifadas targeting civilians), and while most support peace and a two state solution, few view the Palestinians as viable partners in achieving this goal. Until both Israelis and Palestinians begin to see the other party as trustworthy, any attempts at peace will inevitably fail.

Apologies for the long post...

11:52 AM ET

Thank you ASGOLD for a thoughtful post

The primary problem in recent years is the emergence of a new zionist mentality that imposes upon adherents a macho mentality that insists upon a superiority over those indigenous Arabs who have been in Palestine continuously for over 1000 years.

There are two peoples who both have claim to the land of Palestine between the river and the sea. There was, according to record, a Jewish settlement that preceded the Arabs by two thousand years. But that did not and does not entitle either one to dehumanize the other.

Mr Netanyahu in his interesting speech to the UN yesterday insisted that the attack on Gaza was conducted with carefully planned 'surgical strikes', but omitted to mention that those strikes included the killing of 300 children and 100 women, according to the official UN reports.

Zionism is a political movement, just 100 years old, that has very little in common with Judaism - an ancient religion that forbids wanton killing.

Deliberate killing of civilians is a war crime and 500 corpses cannot be explained away as an accident.

WAFA

1:56 PM ET

Excellent article! I do not

Excellent article! I do not agree with Abu Mazen and Fayyad, the puppets, being the credible partners to negotiate with. Fabulous piece of work demolishing the most-oft used propaganda about the I-P conflict.

CASUAL OBSERVER

3:28 PM ET

Basic Question

Why must there be a Palestinian state of any kind? Why not merely allow Israel to absorb the current territories (territories it captured after war, much like the Arab conquest of the Byzantines' Egypt in 639-41)? Of course, the Israelis should then allow the Muslims to continue their religion and simply pay a poll tax, which is what the Arabs did to the Christian and Jewish Egyptians. Israeli settlements should also be allowed to continue. After all, Egypt today is an Arab land, thanks in large part to the continued settlement of Arab tribes in Egypt after the Arab conquest. If this was acceptable to Arabs with respect to Egypt, why would such a situation not be acceptable with Jews in Israel?

1:54 PM ET

Basic Question - addemdum

In addition to the poll tax, of course everyone would be required to give their children Hebrew names instead of the names of their own ancestors just as in parts of Africa conquered by Arabs the Africans are required to give their children Arab names instead of Berber names.

2:21 PM ET

Freeky2 aka: Al Qaeda man

DECONSTRUCTOR

5:58 AM ET

It is strange that many

It is strange that many Israelies and its supports love missing the main point of any artcile dealing with the Palastinian tragedy and and advacing ridicilous and irrelevant quasi-arguement not related to the core issues. This piece of article is not an exception in this sense.

Any reasonable person with right mind would see the neccesary relationship between the onoing Israeli occupation (military, political, economic etc of the West Bank and the inhumane blokade of Gaza and the essence of the conflict. I dont see why Israeilies do deny such apparant connection. Why deny this and the worse justify the immoral occupation and apartheid by Israel?

Foreign Policy Magazine

Inside National Security

Think Again: Palestine

President Obama got the leaders of Israel and Palestine to shake hands this week. But a meeting in Midtown does not a Palestinian deal make. Here’s why.

BY ZAHI KHOURI | SEPTEMBER 24, 2009

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