From Bitterlemons: Nothing new in Netanyahu's approach

[ProgressiveMuslim]

by Ghassan Khatib

In the 41 years of Israeli occupation over the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, Israel has entertained a range of strategies and approaches for dealing with the Palestinians and the Palestinian territories. This has included strategies that were based on territorial compromise and functional compromise.

From time to time, however, the promotion of an economic approach as the basis for Israeli-Palestinian relations has been mooted. The recent unveiling of Binyamin Netanyahu's "alternative" approach for Israel to use vis-a-vis the Palestinians thus reminds us of several new-old proposals.

There is no doubt that there are many aspects to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, including an economic factor. However, neglecting the other aspects and concentrating on the economy would lead Palestinian-Israeli relations down the same path of deterioration and violence that Israel's other approaches have always resulted in.

While it is true that there is a quite clear correlation between Palestinian economic deterioration and extremism, radicalization and violence, the years of occupation and the experiences of both sides have shown that there are other more important factors to the conflict.

Netanyahu's recent statements indicate that his response to the failures of the current Israeli strategy under the Kadima leadership and that of Ariel Sharon before Kadima will be to reduce Palestinian economic hardships and improve Palestinian standards of living in a way that will neutralize hostile attitudes and practices toward Israel and the occupation.

In other words, fill Palestinian stomachs and avoid violence.

In fact, Israel tried this approach in the early 1970s. Then, the rate of unemployment among Palestinians became almost equal to the rate of unemployment in Israel and the per capita income in the Palestinian territories was higher than that in most neighboring Arab countries. This was in addition to a relative freedom of movement in both Israel and the Palestinian territories, so much so that that the young generation lost track of where the green line was.

That period also witnessed an unprecedented political and social growth that saw the establishment and flourishing of many mass-based organizations and unparalleled growth in the popularity and activities of local and grassroots political organizations as well as the local branches of the political factions represented in the PLO.

The common denominators of the political and social concerns at that time were the Palestinian aims of achieving self-determination, end of occupation and freedom. At the same time, Palestinians under occupation insisted on identifying with Palestinians around the world, a solidarity expressed through a declared loyalty to the Palestinian political leadership that at the time was outside the territories.

read on...

http://www.bitterlemons.org/issue/pal1.php

[LeftishBrit]

1. Interesting article.

I agree that finding ways of maintaining the occupation more peacefully or effectively isn't going to work. It has to end. There needs to be a two-state solution as soon as possible; and that is going to mean sacrifices and compromises on both sides.

And Netanyahu is part of the problem, not the solution.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

3. I thought the Magnes' Zionist "endorsement" of Bibi was an interesting read:

http://themagneszionist.blogspot.com/2008/11/endorsement-benjamin-netanyahu-for.html

[oberliner]

2. Great piece!

Let's hope Bibi is defeated soundly in the upcoming elections!

[ProgressiveMuslim]

4. It's a pretty common theme in these parts: namely, that it's the conditions/hardship that has to be

changed.

Really, it is now, and always has been the occupation. That's why the intifadah broke out in 1988 whe, there were nonexistent checkpoints, 100,000 Gazan workers in Israel, and free travel anywhere.

The issue isn't checkpionts and hunger. It's freedom.