The State Of Israel At A Crossroads!
By Dr salim Nazzal
22 December, 2014
Countercurrents.org
Of all what we hear from news about Israel indicates one thing, that Israel is at a crossroads.
That Israel keeps suppressing, stealing the Palestinian home and launching wars, and resisting this by its traditional propaganda, is not working as before. And that it continues to claim it belongs to the western culture, while it enforces apartheid laws, is not convincing any longer.
After 65 years of its foundation by a combined effort of the Zionist zealots, and the British imperialism, Israel seems to be facing a situation it always tries to avoid. To be internationally isolated.
Unlike all countries in the world which develop naturally, the state of Israel was an imperial engineer, and protected by the imperial powers from day one and until now.
Yet unlike its founders who sought to escape the Ghettoes as they claimed at least, Israel has become a Ghetto in the heart of the Arab region, something which Israel worked much for. It had the possibility to integrate into the region by abiding to international laws in the Palestine question, or continues the same oppressive policy. It chose the latter.
However, the critique towards Israel has increased much in the last years. We have seen lately more enlightened Israelis are warning of a dark future if Israel continues its apartheid policy.
The Israeli writer Amos warns that if Netanyahu does not accept the idea of an independent Palestine beside Israel, this means a one state in all Palestine, and will be inevitably an Arab state, unless Israel does not become an open apartheid state. The writer says that the general feeling is that Israel has become a ghetto.
This is the reality which some Israelis has begun to realize more than ever, that we have not had in history one single example about a state that manages to stand up a hostile environment that surrounds it.
However, that Israel is a ghetto is not a new thing to say. Israel was born in a hostile environment since its establishment. But Israel managed quite well by depending on two major factors to impose itself in the region. The first is the winning of wars against Arabs. The second is the profound support and protection it got from the west where it could do anything yet escape punishment.
The last wars in Gaza have proved to Israel the limitation of the military solution. After All these wars the Palestinian resistance continues, and Israel failed to achieve the major goal, which is to persuade Palestinians to give up their rights.
The Israeli veteran Uri Aviniri wrote about the power of ideas which Israel obviously ignores or not understands. He compared Israel to the crusader occupation which ended after 200 years, because the idea in the region that this existence is illegal.
He came to the same conclusion alongside other rational Jews have reached to, that a Palestinian state has become a Must to protect Israel. Such statement was rare to hear before, in past periods when Israel was marketing itself as the most powerful state in the region.
There is no doubt that Israel is in retreat as never before. Even earlier Prime Minister Ulmert could not conceal the fact that Israel is getting tired.
The later development in Europe towards recognizing Palestine, which was crowned by the recognition of the European Parliament of the state of Palestine, are strong indication that the world is fed up with Netanyahu. Some might say that the parliament recognition is symbolic, but the fact it is stronger that the state recognition. It reflects the will of the nations in Europe, and its support for the Palestinian struggle for freedom.
Which road Israel will be taking is the important question. Gone are the days when Israel can occupy and oppress and market itself as a democratic country. This is a fact only the blind racist and the arrogant which deny.
Dr. Salim Nazzal, a Palestinian-Norwegian historian on the Middle East, He has written extensively on social and political issues in the region.
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