From Jerusalem to Auschwitz
July 9th, 2008Let me introduce myself a little bit before I start to tell you what I’ve heard and seen today.
My name is Eva, I’m Israeli and Jewish.
I was born in Austria, but left that country as soon as I could, at age 20. I then lived, married, studied and worked for 16 years in French speaking Switzerland before my husband and I decided to come on aliyah with our two children, who still were babies then.
When I was young in Austria, I often demonstrated together with like-minded Austrians against old and new Nazis (still very popular there), against racism of any kind and similar issues. This was just something natural for me and for those Austrians who had learnt a lesson from the past.
In Switzerland at first I felt much less racism, much more openness for others, more warmth and more tolerance than in my country of birth. For someone who doesn’t know Austria as I do, this may seem strange – but that’s how I felt – and at first sight (even at the second sight) the Swiss are less racist and more tolerant that Austrians – speaking, of course, in very big generalities.
Yet, as it happens often, with the passing years I learnt to understand better what’s behind the Swiss tolerance and “niceness”. That the picture isn’t as rosy as I just said before – and this was also the reason that pushed us to leave and come to live in Israel. Still, like in Austria, there are many nice and honest, good hearted people around – I’m definitely speaking in generalities here.
Arriving in Israel was at first the fulfillment of a dream – to live in a Jewish environment, not to have any troubles to beg for days off for Jewish holidays, possibility to find kosher food everywhere – living, for once, among a majority of Jews, not as a minority as everywhere else.
I definitely knew that “not everything was ok”, not as “democratic” as it should be, that we were at war with the Palestinians, and so on.
Although we didn’t come to “settle the land” across the borders of the Green Line, we weren’t “rich” as Swiss people are “supposed to be”, and as we absolutely wanted to live in Jerusalem, we had to choose what was possible for us – to live in Pisgat Zeev [neighborhood in the North East of Jerusalem, de facto across the Green Line, but integrated officially into the municipality of Jerusalem, as well as all the Arab neighborhoods around it].
Yesterday in Pisgat Zeev, as I had done all my life, I participated in a rally against racism – as recently a very serious racist event had happened here.
A group of about 80 young Jewish men from this neighborhood had assaulted two young Arabs from an adjacent Arab neighborhood of Jerusalem as well. Something that made this vicious assault even worse was the fact that these 80 Jewish adolescents had precisely chosen Holocaust Remembrance Day to commit their crime.
This has been publicized widely and many people know and commented about it.
Yesterday a young woman, resident of Pisgat Zeev like me, had initiated a rally at exactly the same spot where the two young men had been assaulted – in front of the mall of Pisgat Zeev.
I don’t know about the details how the rally came to be. I just got a message about it the evening before, and it seems that many other people were informed in the same way, very recently. This might be the reason why only very few people came to show their opposition to racism and violence. Several peace-groups and movements had associated and called for the rally.
I’m not part of any of them – I’m not the type of person to “fit” into a frame – but I support and follow actively many of these peace-movements and organizations.
Going to a demonstration against such a disgusting act like it was to assault two innocent young men for the sole reason that they are Arab was nothing but a natural act for me.
Not so long ago, while my parents were still young, groups like the SA used to beat up Jews in exactly the same way – many SA men assaulting a few Jews for the sole reason that they were Jews.
In my opinion, that’s what Holocaust Remembrance Day is all about – to remember what has been done to us and not to let things like that happen again.
Yes – that’s what I thought. As I could hear and see, this was NOT the opinion of my neighbors, my fellow residents of Pisgat Zeev.
We, the few demonstrators were parked in a sort of cage by the police to separate us from the rest of the population. I could easily see that this was a very wise decision – the barrier prevented us from being assaulted by the good people of Pisgat Zeev. Violence stayed on a verbal level.
While we were there to protest against something as basic as racism – all of the bystanders and passer-bys shouted insults and curses at us. We were told loudly how the Arabs frequently assaulted girls from Pisgat Zeev.
I’ve been living here for 12 years. My daughter is a beautiful, blonde, blue-eyed young lady of 15. She and her friends go to school right across the mall of Pisgat Zeev – meaning that she’s around there daily – sometimes even in the evening, although (“unfortunately”) she’s a very good girl and doesn’t hang around in the streets at night.
Nevertheless, she’s been out together with her friends many times. Not even once she complained to me about any aggression, anything or anyone bothering her.
I myself shop often in the mall. While I always see Arab women around, mothers with children and babies, sometimes couples – all coming from the surrounding neighborhoods of Beit Hanina, Shu’afat, Anata and Ras El Khamis, I never even once witnessed any incident between Arabs and Jews.
One should also note that these neighborhoods are entirely part of the municipality of Jerusalem! These neighborhoods existed long before Pisgat Zeev was even built. This means that every single inhabitant of Pisgat Zeev chose to come to live in the midst of all these Arab neighborhoods. This reminds me of all the talk about a “unified Jerusalem”.
Truth is that the good people of Pisgat Zeev don’t want “Arabs” to access “their neighborhood”. They don’t want them to buy in the mall, they don’t want Arab youth to hang around the mall, like the Jewish youth do – not only from Pisgat Zeev, but also from places like Neve Yaakov [Jewish neighborhood North of Pisgat Zeev, close already to Ramallah] – which is much further away than Beit Hanina for example.
So I was standing there in the “cage”, hearing all the bystanders describing what horrors the “Arabs” committed in and around the mall very frequently, while I never ever witnessed any single incident of that kind.
But I was told that I must be blind, that I don’t live here, that I’m lying, that my daughter must be lying to me. People were describing furiously how horrible the Arabs behaved with the Jewish girls. Nobody admitted that maybe sometimes Jewish boys might bother Jewish girls as well.
In short: although I’ve never heard or seen anything bad happening at the mall, yesterday I’ve heard that the Arabs behave like animals. True, I don’t see everything, and as I don’t hang around in the streets on Erev Shabbat [Friday night], neither does my daughter, I must have been missing something very essential of the Jewish life in Pisgat Zeev.
But not only that they Arabs behave like animals – they ARE animals!!
Trying to stay calm I asked many people who shouted at us like mad if they knew what the Germans had said about us? – I was told repeatedly that I should leave that aside, that there was no connection between the two matters.
Whenever I asked someone if Holocaust Remembrance Day means anything to him, the (repeated) reply was: “Ta’asvi et se” (leave that aside) “that has nothing to do with this”. One man even told me that the entire Holocaust didn’t concern him – he was Yemenite, that there were pogroms in Yemen as well, and his family wasn’t involved in the Holocaust.
Seeing a kippa [skullcap] on his head and as this man was considerably more open to reason than all the others around, I asked him if he remembered what we say about the “Bad Child” at Pessah – that in excluding himself from the People of Israel, he would have been left behind if he had been there… I told this man that he should consider that and think that if he had been in Germany at the time, he might have been sent to Auschwitz as well. He didn’t seem to consider this option very seriously… Anyway, he had to go, and wished me “good bye”.
When I asked people why they all chose to come to live among so many Arab neighborhoods, they didn’t answer.
Sometimes I tried it differently – I asked them about the “unified Jerusalem”, and if they wanted a unified Jerusalem as well. Although I asked this question to many people, nobody answered – only one told me to “leave politics out of this” and that he didn’t “deal with big politics”.
A good, God-fearing Jew with a black kippa [sign of being very religous] told me that not only the Arabs were animals, but that I was an animal too. I asked him to repeat that – he repeated it! – I didn’t leave him and asked: “I am an animal?” – “Yes – you are an animal, just like them”.
But worst of all was a “conversation” I had with a woman of my age, not visibly religious, pushing a pram with apparently her grandchild. She shouted with all her might that she didn’t want Arabs to come here and bother her, that this was “HER country”, pointing at herself. I couldn’t help but tell her that she was wrong, that this was “MY country, not hers”! – She was a bit disconcerted by my reply and we fought verbally a few minutes about “whose country” it was – hers or mine – and then she cut the conversation short in telling me that I should be sent to Germany.
While I clearly understood what she meant, I couldn’t believe it and asked her for precisions: “Do you mean to Auschwitz?” – Her reply was: “Yes, they should send you to Auschwitz”! – I still didn’t really believe it, and I wanted to give her time to hear by herself what she was saying, and asked again: “Are you saying that YOU want to send ME to Auschwitz?” – She replied clearly: “Yes, you should be sent to Auschwitz!” … then she left, busy with her grandchild.
After this – being called an animal by another Jew and virtually sent to Auschwitz by a good Jewish grandma from my neighborhood, I retreated a little, I needed a rest.
I had known without much discussion what was the atmosphere of the neighborhood I had been living in for the last 12 years. I had heard people of Pisgat Zeev many times speaking of Arabs as animals — actually a very wide-spread way of speaking of Arabs – not only in my charming neighborhood.
As I don’t own a car I use public transport all the time – in Jerusalem and all over the country, I can’t say how many times I have actually heard that. Often I had talked back – without much result.
Racists are racists, wherever they come from, and already in my childhood I had learnt that no human argument could change the mind of a profoundly convinced racist. I have always, privately and for myself, considered racism as a “heart disease” – leading to a “stonification” of the heart.
You can tell me that I was a dreamer, but I wouldn’t have imagined that the Jewish People could fall so low. What we constantly remind others, to “never forget”, we don’t even consider that it could apply to us as well.
When the rally was over and people from outside the neighborhood had left – (together with the woman who had apparently called for that rally, I was the only inhabitant of Pisgat Zeev who had come to tell people that racism was unacceptable to us) I went over to one of the policemen who had supervised the whole event and told him that there was something that really disturbed me: Back in Germany, racism and racist slogans like these were outlawed, and if someone would say such things like “you are an animal” and “they should send you to Auschwitz” in public, police actually would arrest him – but here, in the Jewish State, people were free to say such things! – He was very nice and seeing that I was upset, he told me that in his eyes I wasn’t an animal. I appreciate his gesture, and naturally I don’t think of myself as an animal – but for me the damage was done.
Is THIS what the Jewish People have become?
First they came for the Jews Arabs
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew an Arab.
Then they came for the Communists leftists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist leftist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
Pastor Niemoeller, Germany 1946
[Transformed by Eva]
Loading ...
Loading...
This problem goes back more then 65 years in europe when “some Jewish stuped people” were doing the same kind of racism that steamed up the non jewish neigbors and the result was that when the nazi’s came into poland and other countries, the non jewish neighbors did not help their jewish neigbors to hide or run away.
We are jews and must be “Torah Jews” and undersatmd that until the day of Mesiah, we are still in “Golus” (Exile).
“This problem goes back more then 65 years in europe when “some Jewish stuped people” were doing the same kind of racism that steamed up the non jewish neigbors and the result was that when the nazi’s came into poland and other countries, the non jewish neighbors did not help their jewish neigbors to hide or run away.”
What sort of racism? The history of Jews in Europe is long and complicated and this is way too simplistic if not completely false. I will try to provide a short, concise explanation. I’m sorry if a left anything out.
Many Poles did not help Jews because they believed them to be a fifth column. After WW1, nationalist sentiment swept through Europe; at the same time, Poland was forced to sign a treaty guranteeing the rights of minorities in their land. A lot of Poles felt ripped off by this treaty, which many other larger nations did not have to sign. They save this as a infringement on their right to have a purely Polish self-governing nation state. This further fueled antisemitic beleifs that had existed before due to the difference of religion culture, and “race” between Jews and Poles. Furthermore, when the Nazis did invade, many Polish resistance fighters attacked Jews because they believed that the Nazis were only here for them (my doctor, who lived through that turbulent period, makes this claim – It seems plausible but I am not 100% sure). Jews got persecuted because they were percieved to be different (despite the assimilation of many) and difference was not deemed compatible with to those who desired nation-states that were uniform in ethnic (or religious?) composition.
Also, claiming that all non-jews did not help the Jews is a lie. There are many examples to the contrary.
As for racism in Israel and Palestine, neither side is perfect. These Jews feel they are reciprocating actions that are being committed on them either directly or indirectly by Arabs. The Arabs, of course, have the same feeling: The Jews are hurting us so we must return the favor. A lot of violence in this conflict seems to be due to vengence and spite. The only real solution I see will be for both sides to claim responsibility otherwise they will never have any common ground when they try to negotiate and there will be no peace.
It is great that people have demonstrated in protest in Israel. Have the Palestinians protested anti-Jewish sentiment or action? Its an honest question, I don’t mean to offend (offending people tends to drive a discussion nowhere fast). I just hope that contructive criticism happens on both sides.
Now back to work…
Thank you, Madmax, for replying for me.
In fact, there is a lot of protest going on in Israel against the governments inhuman politics – a lot of Palestinian-Israeli dialogue and peace-making as well. It’s mostly on a grass-root level – but a lot is going on in this. The governments on both sides are our biggest ennemies. The Israeli government – at least for my side – is completely incompetent right now and doesn’t favor peace at all…
You are right – there is racism on both sides. We have a new site called mepeace.org where we often talk about these things – there is a lot of stupidity and blind hatred on the Palestinian side as well. Yet from my personal experience and impression, Palestinians are more ready to make peace with Israel than the Israelis are towards Palestinians. Palestinians need justice and rights returned. Israelis still are embedded in ancient fears that they might be “thrown into the sea”. While I’m very often in contact with Palestinians and have no more fear to go to East Jerusalem or any Palestinian town or village, most Israelis never have done that and are convinced that if they would simply enter an arab neigborhood they’d not get out of it alive. It’s true, there were times when things like that happened several times – but these times have changed – but as Israelis have absolutely no contact with Palestinians and ONLY believe what the media and the government tells them, they have no idea what the Palestinians really think and feel. But like everywhere – there is racism and hatred on the Palestinian side as well. Yet, as I said, much less than I would have expected, coming from an Israeli media&government influenced background!
Thanks again for your detailed reply!
Very insightful thread going on. Just adding my 2 cents:
Actually, a lot of them do. One of many examples is Ray Hanania, a Palestinian Christan, and other Palestinian authors here and elsewhere, who have expressed their condemnation against attacks within Israel on several occassions. Tons of interfaith organizations include Palestinians who want peace – their voices are most certainly ignored by the mainstream, in the sense that they are rarely documented. We simply never hear them. But they’re there. I’ve met them. I’ve worked with them. Some even post here. They’re being as loud as the media would allow them to be, so no one should dismiss them or assume that such people don’t exist. They are trying. Everyone should give them a chance to be more visible.
To me it seems, this is all about political ideology and territorial disputes and is hardly about faith anymore. I think some of the most interesting opinions regarding this comes from Arab Jews who are kind of tired of being either “Arab” or “Jew.” I feel for them. It’s really sad that they’re not widely accepted by either ‘camps’ (just because it sounds ridiculous to call it ‘teams,’ but that’s really what it came down to.)
I would say that this could also apply to the palestinians as well. Many arab news sources and governments do their fair share of fear-mongering – by portraying Jews as apes and pigs who want to take over the world. It keeps people’s attention away from the corrupt actions of their leaders ( in the same way the war on terror distracted America long enough for bush to shift the tax burden onto the poor and rob the U.S. government and economy of billions of dollars for the benefit of his cronies). This phenomenon, “bushwacking,” is commonplace in most if not all of the world’s nations. It is also the #1 cause of cynical and misanthropic beleifs (or so I think).
On the other hand, its good to know that individuals on both sides are beggining to take action. I do not feel any government has a vested interest in having the conflict end, as they need something to take up newspaper space that doesn’t incriminate them.
But, moving on, which solution is more win-win for both parties: one state, two states, no state? Furthermore what conditions come with any of these solutions?
“Israelis have absolutely no contact with Palestinians and ONLY believe what the media and the government tells them, they have no idea what the Palestinians really think and feel.”
I was responding to this quote in my last post…I can’t get the block quote to work.
Wow, now you’re asking THE question!!
First of all I’d like to say that you see the situation really correctly – on both sides people are craving for peace – but our governments (especially MY government don’t do anything for it). I’ve talked to many Palestinians by now, and like on my side many activists prefer to speak and discuss with people on the “other side” because none of us is listened to by our own people. On the contrary, I’ve several times been “the first Israeli” someone talked to and very often I even had to tell him later that unfortunately not enough Israelis think like me.
The solution, obviously, is two states.
What conditions come with that?
Not much and “enormous” things: Israelis must get out of the West Bank, dismantle at least most of the settlement, stop the Occupation, restore justice, realize and recognize what abuses have been committed. So far I don’t think that the majority of Israelis are ready for that. The question of Jerusalem and the Right of Return has to be discussed seriously and solved in some way – and while I hear starting discussions and a word here and there from Olmert about “getting out of the West Bank” and about Jerusalem, the Right of Return is still a no-no. The simple idea of speaking about anything called “Right of Return” makes most Israelis jump and say: “You see, they only want to throw us back into the sea!” – When someone talks about it seriously (on both sides), Right of Return doesn’t mean that de facto all the refugees would return physically to their houses (many of which don’t exist any more, btw.) – but rather would mean something like “compensation” in whatever form. But until now, “RoR” just makes most Israelis PANIC.
On the Palestinian side it would need a much stronger government able to restore unity and powerful enough to impose “good behavior” on the fractions. Probably a serious social reform as well – Palestinian society needs a lot to catch up to really function. It’s difficult to do that right now, as they are literally prisoners of the Israeli Army…
What else? Frankly, I don’t really know. I’m far from being well versed in the details of mutual claims, of negotiations and already existing agreements. They’re all so complicated (or so it seems), and our governments make so much fuss about each detail, while the basics – STOP THE OCCUPATION, get out of the OPT otherwise we’ll get nowhere at all – aren’t even seriously adressed.
For some reason I always think of a one-state solution (also know as bi-national state, in case you though I was referring to only israel existing). I feel the two states will be in a perpetual cock fight as they compete for prestige or pride. I also think having two full-flegded states gives radicals on both sides an excuse for war (now it can be conventional…) Also, having an 100% Arab state next to a Jewish state with a 20% Arab population would further hurt Arabs in Israel, as many Jews would feel they have further reason to be a 5th column (some probably do hold dual loyalty). They would say “why do we they get a purely Arab state while we only get a partially Jewish one” or something like that.
If two states are to exist, the settlers who so badly want to be in the west bank should be part of the new Palestinian state and renounce Israeli citizenship. Arabs in Israel who decide to join the new state also give up Israeli citizenship. If those Arabs would rather not join New Palestine, then the remain Israeli and do not get citiznship in the new state. Then both peoples are interspersed among each other and will be forced to coexist and work together for a better future (I hope).
In terms on compensation, Israel has donated a lot to the PA already, and it certainly should not foot the bill when many Arab nations were responsible for the crisis as well. They never did ask the Palestinians for permission to start a war – they went ahead and attacked and told the Palestinians to leave while they removed the Jews. Why shouldn’t they be held accountable – especially considering the loss of Jewish property in many of those nations. Enough with the blame game…it might be best if no money changes hands because it is unlikely that an agreement will be reached. Money is also a very touchy subject. Maybe Palestinians should have right of return to the Palestinian state instead…
Or, there could just be a bi-national state and then no one compensates anyone because they would share all the land and resources. It could have separate Jewish, Arab, and mixed regions if necesary. Jews tend to frown upon the idea of being a minority since the holocaust – you just dont know when things could take a turn for the worse (the fear always exists and understanding that it does is critical). Hence, making semi-autonomous regions could ease that fear. There would be no Jewish state, but then again, “Islamic” states dont really work that well either.
Alright, I’m just tossing out some ideas for everyone to think about. But, I do truly believe that making whole states based on ethnic/racial/religious lines leads to trouble. A Jarab state might be more effective in the long run if the next generations are taught to respect instead of hate or fear. It will no doubt take more effort than the two state solution but the return will be higher.
On the note of money and two states, here is an interesting link:
<>
The organization is stil forming but I think its an instresting idea.
I messed that up, though the link works. The address is lendforpeace.org
Yes. This is why MideastYouth.com exists in the first place.
Concerning your last sentence, you might be interested in this post as well where I spoke about this at length.
You are a good commenter and should stick around.
Madmax,
I’d love to sit down with you and I’m sure we’d talk for whole nights in a row. I, and many other people would LOVE that bi-national state. I could imagine nothing better. But this is NOT the opinion of a large majority of Israelis. All they want is “get rid of the Arabs” in one way or another, and to be among themselves. Even if they treat them (right now) as second class citizens, Israeli Arabs (or: Palestinians with Israeli citizenship) are more respected than non-Israeli Palestinians. And once the war finished, Israel will have to deal with a LOT of internal issues – to an extent that some say that in continuing the war with the Palestinians, the government is just trying to avoid an internal war that could well break out once there is no “external” ennemy any more to “glue” us together…
But besides that, I don’t think that the two states will be much in friction. Both people would be so relieved that the slaughter is over, they would leave each other alone. That’s my feeling – I don’t know if I’m right.
Concerning the population exchange you talk about, there sure will be some movement – but that’s part of the deal, I think. Once the movement done, things will settle down and clear identities will create themselves.
Concerning the settlers who “so much want to live in the Palestinian territories”, I must say that my personal position always shocks my fellow Israelis – who for a very big part DON’T SUPPORT the settlers and would love to get them out of the WB. But I don’t really get it why we (Israel) must “force” them to leave if they want to stay that much. The forced pullout from Gaza has traumatized the country and hardened the WB settlers resistance.
I’m not in favor of removing the army and leaving them behind, as France did in Algeria – but, why the heck can’t we tell them: “Listen, in 6,8 month (whatever) we’re taking the Army out of there. You can leave before and get compensation for your houses and businesses, but if you don’t leave, you’ll be on your own and will be part of the Palestinian state…” – I admit that I’m saying that with a sheepish and bad grin, because it’s obvious that none of them would want to stay – and if they would – may God have mercy on them!! – They’ve been way to horrible towards the Palestinians (maybe you’ve seen my previous post here “A Trip to Settler-Land”) to be able to stay there in peace. And they also are the ones who hate the Palestinians the most. So, if the government would act like this, they wouldn’t have to forcibly evacuate anyone, but the settlers would “run”. Whenever I say this people tell me that I’m “cruel” – but frankly, I can’t see cruelty in this. Letting them have what they want, bowing in front of them as we do now will be more cruel when it comes to the actual dismantlement of the settlements than making them understand very clearly that the government has made a decision. (If ONLY the Israeli government would MAKE a decision!! – but that’s another discussion).
Now, remembering some of the comments I had when I posted my previous report, I want to add that the settlers I saw that day are NOT all of the settlers. It’s true that the government above all is responsible for the whole mess, not the settlers themselves. They shouldn’t have been allowed to go there in the first place!! – AND: Many settlers in the WB aren’t religious and went to live there mostly for economical reasons, maybe also for the beauty of the landscape, but not ideologically motivated like those I met and described…
By the way – not many are aware of the fact that Herzl’s vision of a “Jewish State” was a vision of a state where Arabs and Jews would live peacefully together! … But right now, I think that unfortunately this vision is nothing more than a dream.
Eva,
The bi-national state idea does not seem to be popular anywhere! Even less so among political activists on both sides in America. This is no doubt due to the fact that this solution takes way more effort – effort that no one wants to put in. Also, as Esra’a described in the article she posted:many in the Arab world are obsessed with Israel/Palestine, a trend matched by many Jews and Arabs in the West. In fact, I find these people are often more radical than those who are directly involved (college is filled with brainless idealistic idiots who see things in black and white and don’t believe in sharing responsibility, such is the downside of the idealism of youth). Does this sound right? With such wonderful external support, a bi-national state could maybe form in a couple thousand years provided that thermonuclear war has not occurred.
In reality, a bi-national state will have to happen over a couple generations – people need to get to understand each other first. I feel strongly that a two-state solution is perpetual war masked under a peaceful solution. This plan is supported by players who I fell have vested interest in long term peace. You cannot have two peoples who have bad blood live next to each other and be isolated in two separate nations with armies and expect not to have anything happen; especially since New Palestine is going to be created hastily in the same way “New Iraq” was. That turned out well. Either way, we will need a new generation on both sides who is more conciliatory in order for any long-term solution to work. The question is, what do we do in the meantime?
Also, Herzl’s novel (not Das Judenstaat, some other book whose name escapes me) did have a bi-national state, though I heard some did not believe it to be possible the way he described it. I’ll find that book and read it.
Esra’a,
I read the article on obsession and enjoyed found it to be right on target for more than just Arabs and Muslims. I read the comments as well…that turned into a shitstorm fast ( I have no intention of reviving the topic discussed). But, that seems inevitable in any Israel/Palestine debate. From what I have experienced, many debates on the issue are verbal melees. It seems here though that progress is being made in that regard that outpaces many other media sources/blogs (judging by some of the other threads I have seen). Thank you for letting me post.
I agree with you to some extent on this. I do not understand why, if we can have an Arab Minority, a Palestinian state cannot have a Jewish minority. I suspect that a lot of the settlers would stay, however. Furthermore, it could be a problem for us. Every time there was a terrorist attack in one of the Jewish communities in Palestine (and there would be, sooner or later), it would raise debate here that we should take the area over. (There are crazy people on both sides of this fence).
Binational state…because we have seen how well that has worked in Eastern Europe?
I am actually one of those Israelis who is afraid to go into Arab communities. In my seven years here, I have visited Abu Gosh and Jaffa. And that is really it. I am starting to take part in a dialogue/education group which brings together wounded from both sides. On the one hand, it all feels like an exercise in futility. On the other hand, I have to do something. Even if we come to nothing, I have to know that I tried to fix matters, in my small way.
Good for you for standing up! קל הכבוד לך!
Eastern Europe never had any bi-national states. In fact, what made those nations hostile toward Jews was the fact that they tried very hard to be ethnically homogenous. Where does it say that Russia, Poland, Hungary or any of the baltic states incorporated legislation recognizing Jews as equal partners in running the state?
From what I understand, A bi-national state is shared rule (maybe I am wrong). Just because it is impossible at the moment does not mean it will be in the future. I find people work together better when they have a common goal (the building of a state) then when their goals diverge (the building of two separate states).
I would have to disagree. Czechoslovakia was a binational state of sorts consisting of Czechs and Slovaks. Continuing on this example – this was actually a positive and bloodless separation of peoples. They still have a lot of overlap today ie students from Slovakia studying in Prague or Czech folks on Slovak TV shows. This is without considering the later integration into the European Union.
As for Gila’s comment, I am guessing she is referring to the Balkans or the the overall USSR/Soviet sphere. Focusing in particular on the Yugoslavia example, they only had some kind mutual unity/ Yugoslav ID under Tito, which all went to hell once he died. I think every group there nearly had a war with every other ethnic group there… This was an example where ethnic tension and identity didn’t allow for the option of adopting a unified country, even though the parties involved – at least a generation or two – were raised under common social, civil, etc life style. There had been a Yugoslav ID, but instead it disintegrated even with “mixed” families ie Croat/Serbian, Albanian Serbian, whatever other combination you prefer.
Building a state does not guarantee that people will work “better” together as I’ve noted above. There are many possible incentives that could bring people together (or the opposite of course). Trade or general financial incentives is one such example. Having an Ally during times of war would be a second point. What is more significant though for achieving any kind of mutual cooperation is “positive” communication with the willingness and freedom to do so between various parties. This point, especially with parties that have had long term animosity, makes it very difficult. The more muted idealist in me would also like to add that perhaps the basic goal of having your children live a better and peaceful life would be a significant driving force, but from studying various cases and situations… I would have to let the cynic within me say that it’s not enough.