April 12, 2007
Dear People--
This is my first post to your list, and I must say I am glad to make your acquaintance via email-- what thoughtful people you are, and what a lot of talent on this list!
I'd suggest that arguing amongst ourselves is a huge waste of energy-- Let me know if you think this is appropriate for this list, but I'd suggest working together to develop strategy and materials to get the one democratic state solution out into the public and convince people to consider it would be very useful-- I would imagine that there aren't many people in the whole world who are advocating for this, but it is emminently reasonable-- so we are in the vanguard, and can take as our task to see what we can do to drop and encourage this meme into world culture, particularly in the US, the main funder of Israel in it's present right wing apartheid form.
Trying to convince more Jewish people that Israel as presently governed is not in their best interest seems a good route to take-- many people in this country will be very careful not to offend the sensitivities of their Jewish friends and neighbors, which is a nice impulse if the situation were different, but if their Jewish friends are calling for a one state solution that releases the non Jewish people to consider the issues involved more dispassionately, and hopefully can allow them to listen to their consciences and think of the Palestinians and the terrible things being done to them-- not to mention the walk down the garden path that the defense industry/zionist lobbiests have taken this country-- the tax dollars stolen from us to support the defense industry being only the smallest part of the damage being done to our country-- more serious being the damage to our moral standing in the rest of the world, and the resentment by billions of people world wide that can easily see the injustice of the US support of the apartheid gov. Not to mention the whole project of remaking the Middle East by force of US arms, certainly encouraged if not invented by AIPAC and sympathizers.
One thing we could do is develop some handouts-- are there any out there now? and considering the best way to frame the argument for a one state solution.
A tri fold handout is often used: 8.5 x 11 in, two sides, folded so that there are 3 panels in the front and 3 on the back. One must be very economical to make good use of the limited space, both in text and graphics. Yet, we could probably make something that would be very useful.
What would the most convincing arguments consist of? Tony's description of the history of the area (below) seems very helpful-- brief but informative. and I like his statement: "There millions of Palestinians without citizenship in the land where they and their ancestors were born. It is indeed a crime against humanity, and insofar as Jews are responsible for it and support it, it is a stain on their good name, and is causing anti-Jewish feeling all over the world. "
to which I'd add, anti US feeling, well deserved, as well.
I'm thinking about the demagoguery involved, that has been used on people that were psychologically very vulnerable after the holocaust, and the rest of us who sympathasized with them, which has led most of this country into not questioning the Zionist project. Or even wanting to discuss it. Who has taken advantage of this vulnerability, and how have they benefited from it? How have the rest of us, Jewish and not, been harmed by it?
I'm also thinking that for Israel there are two clear paths:
1) continue to oppress, murder, and ethnic cleanse the Palestinians until they either die or go away -- taking this out into the future, imagine the whole area with no Palestinians left-- and the Israelis universally hated by every thinking person in the world, or2) form a democratic state where everyone's rights are respected, using S. Africa perhaps as a model.
This is too inflammatory, but something along the lines of "dancing the hora on the graves of dead children is not so much fun" comes to mind, vs the pleasures of a modern state, with the opportunities for trade and tourism with their neighbors, no more need for massive defense spending, etc etc, the golden era we are working for... How can this be described briefly and convincingly?
Postcards have been widely used-- Here's a neat Brit site I stumbled upon http://www.stoparmingisrael.org/ that has a campaign calling for no more arms to be given/sold to Israel-- This seems Great to me-- The recent cluster bombing of Lebanon is quite uncontroversally disgusting, done with US cluster bombs.
I imagine we could develop postcards with a picture and a pithy statement that calls for one democratic state with equal rights for all, and no US funding for Israel as an apartheid state, and no US weapons to be given to them, that people could send to their congresspersons.
The tricky part, but the most effective and humanly the right way to go, is to follow the example of Mazin Qumsiyeh and not be the least bit hateful or vindictive, but call to people's consciences and know that they can respond if we can reason with them effectively. Another person who is very good, in my opinion, is Sherif Fam who has a progrom on Boston radio station 90.3 fm, 9am, on sunday mornings. He passionately asks what we are doing about the situation, and describes the latest atrocities or interviews people from Israel or Palestine but is not anti Jewish or hateful in any way--
I hope you don't think that I'm attempting to move your conversation in a way you don't want-- considering all the issues in such a serious way is very important-- I'm just wondering if it is possible to condense some of your/our thoughts into convincing, pithy, statements-- If no one else on this list is enthused about developing materials, perhaps I can attemp to develop some and share them with you for your comments.
Well, hope that isn't too much for a "hello" email!
Best wishes to all, Amy
==================
Philip,
We are in sync, anyway. As far as I am concerned, Zionism is a 19th century colonialist, racist ideology which was a terrible idea at the time and has gotten progressively worse and more anachronistic. It would never have been anywhere but on the crackpot fringe had the Zionists not been able to make a deal with the British imperialists. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire of which Palestine was a province, the British took over Palestine as a "mandate" and proceeded to "give" it to the Zionists (the Balfour Declaration) without bothering to ask the Palestinians. Zionism has worked hand in glove with British and then U.S. imperialism ever since. There were immigration problems from the beginning, but of course the whole process was kicked into overdrive by the Holocaust. As I view the 1947 partition, it is really nothing but a temporary armistice line, and not suitable as a basis for a permanent political solution. In this way it is like Germany or Korea, where an armistice line was drawn at the end of the war. ODS means reunification.
I think it is often counter-productive to debate about history. However we got here, the situation now is what it is. There millions of Palestinians without citizenship in the land where they and their ancestors were born. It is indeed a crime against humanity, and insofar as Jews are responsible for it and support it, it is a stain on their good name, and is causing anti-Jewish feeling all over the world. (I will avoid the inaccurate term anti-Semitism from now on, and simply say "anti-Jewish"). I am trying to convince my Jewish friends of this, and at least they are listening. I think Zionism will not end until Jews voluntarily renounce it at the promptings of conscience. I see nonviolent struggle for democracy and human rights as the only way to bring this about.
It is indeed difficult sometimes to remain dispassionate and engaged in constructive communication. Let us all do our best.
Tony
Posted to O-D-S list by: Amy
Hendrickson