Eran Shayshon, an analyst from the influential Reut Institute, writes in today’s Maariv:
There are various radical elements that are also promoting the idea of dismantling the PA for ideological reasons. In their view, dismantling the PA would encumber Israel with the full demographic, economic and political burden of the occupation, and could lead to Israel’s collapse from within, as white South Africa collapsed. The renewal of the talks between Israel and Abu Mazen curbed these trends, for now. But if the diplomatic process collapses, these trends could gain strength, penetrate the heart of the internal Palestinian political discourse, and perhaps even mature to the point of a Palestinian strategic turnabout, in the form of a demand from Israel for full equality of civil rights.
Remember, it was demographics coupled with the early rumblings of a one-man, one-vote campaign in the West Bank that drove Sharon’s conversion from settlement architect to proponent of disengagement.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Nana Poku // Oct 17, 2007 at 12:45 pm
For anyone wanting the end of Israel this is indeed the way forward.
Talk of pushing the Jews into the sea sounds crazy and alienates even most people on the left who are generally supportive of the Palestinians. Obviously it also won’t work.
Pushing for “equal rights” on the other hand to a looks reasonable to someone who doesn’t necessarily have a good understanding of the conflict. It’s one of those situations where the answer is more difficult than the question.
The link to apartheid South Africa resonates with a lot of the chattering classes across Europe. Again, it’s an easy to understand point, and it seems indefensible. It also plays into Western liberal guilt, you just need to substitute Israeli for colonialist and Palestinian for native and you pretty much have it.
Finally, time is on the Palestinians side. To me, Arabs have always had a long view of history, and if you have to wait 20 or 30 years before the demographics finally move your way and you are the majority then so be it.
2 Pappe // Oct 17, 2007 at 1:01 pm
>Finally, time is on the Palestinians side.
It used to be this way. The wall and other fact of the ground are starting to change that.
Only when Palestinians and their supporters will understand that they too have something to loose (in the long run - day by day they are already loosing) will they change gears.
3 Xaxam // Oct 17, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Today there about 1.3 million legal resident aliens in US, probably even bigger number of Europeans do not live in the country of their nationality.
What is so wrong if about 2 million of Palestinian Arabs live as resident aliens in Judea and Samaria under Israeli sovereignty? As long as they are law-abiding, they will vote for the local municipalities, have their own traffic cops (unarmed) and their taxes will fund their education, health and sanitation. Look at their brethren who enjoy the Israeli citizenship: what’s the practical difference?
4 Mike Nargizian // Oct 17, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Time has always been on their side….
The conflict is extremely complicated and testy from every viewpoint and compared to any other similar conflict Northern Ireland or Cyprus….
The only simple solution is this….
2 million more Jewish citizens in Israel…. then you’d see a turnabout and end to maximilist demands for the time being - ie… 20-30 years.
Unfortunately that is not going to happen though the demographic study that was originally showed to Sharon and touted was deeply flawed and way off it turns out… ie.. .the situation is not as good for the Arabs or as bad for the Israelis as the original forecast or forecaster predicted.
5 Pappe // Oct 17, 2007 at 9:55 pm
“What is so wrong if about 2 million of Palestinian Arabs live as resident aliens in Judea and Samaria under Israeli sovereignty?”
that their kids , born there would also be “alians”.
In US a kid of “an alian” is a citizen.
6 Brian H // Mar 7, 2008 at 3:25 am
The US is one of a few. In Japan, fuggedaboudit. And so on.
So, the Palestinians will breed their way to victory? At least they can produce something.
Leave a Comment