Who is trapped?
I am not naive to suggest that by merely changing their public narrative positively the Palestinians will instantly and dramatically alter the political map in Israel in favour of the left and center. But if the Palestinians want to realize statehood, they must change their rancorous narrative sooner rather than later, and the Israeli elections offer a unique opportunity to begin this shift.
UNQUOTE
I agree with Ben-Meir to the extent that between now and Israel’s election in March it would be a good idea for the Palestinians to remind Israel’s Jews, constantly and explicitly, that the ground on their side for peace on terms which a sane government of Israel would have accepted with relief was prepared 35 years ago by Yasser Arafat.
But also to be said is that the idea (implicit in Ben-Meir’s article) that only the occupied and oppressed Palestinians can bring Israel’s Jews to their senses and get them to understand the extent to which they have been brainwashed by their leaders is ridiculous.
In my view the most awesome flaw in Ben-Meir’s logic can be summarised as follows.
It assumes by obvious implication that Israel’s Jews are the victims in the story of Palestine that became Israel when, actually, and as the whole world is beginning to understand, they are the oppressors.
From that it follows, it seems to me, that it’s Israel’s Jews not the Palestinians who have got to make the first major move if there is ever to be peace based on justice for the Palestinians and security for all. And what does that first major move have to be?
AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT A TERRIBLE WRONG WAS DONE TO THE PALESTINIANS BY ZIONISM IN THE NAME OF ALL JEWS AND THAT THIS WRONG MUST BE RIGHTED.
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Davey Wavey:
December 14th, 2014 at 4:47 am
Of course, Alan, you are right. This reversal of the victim/oppressor relationship is typical Zionist crap. The Zionists have constructed their public narrative to demonize Palestinians as terrorists not victims they are at the hands of Jews. Once they acknowledge the reality, all the narratives can shift to reflect the demographic reality.
Zionists and Israelis are uniformly prone to view real social relations into Jews versus everyone else relations. They are handicapped in relating to gentiles because of this Jew-centric tribal thinking. I see it all the time.
We had a BDS SodaStream demonstration at a big box store and a group of SWU appeared. They had their pamphlets and signs and we had ours. They had great difficulty handing out their material because, I surmise, they felt awkward and negative, unattached to the humanity passing by, as though those passing by were another species altogether. It seemed to be all the psychological energy they could conjure just to approach the people passing by. We had no such problem meeting, greeting and handing out materials because we sympathize with the people passing by, we understand them. Interesting experience.
David Evans:
December 14th, 2014 at 6:15 am
Ben-Meir’s suggestion that there are moderate and leftist blocks within Israel is pure fantasy. There are only varying degrees of rightists, evidenced by Israel’s illicit existence. Leftist and moderate Zionism are oxymorons.
Jack Dresser:
December 14th, 2014 at 8:24 am
The term “public narrative” is too weak to account for the passionate attachment of Israeli and diaspora Zionists to their creation myth, a stirring tale of heroism against all odds. Facts cannot compete emotionally with myth, and the path for them to truth and honesty is painful and progressive as cognitive and moral dissonance grow stronger and increase the cost of clinging to the myth. Ben-Meir is somewhere along that path between dreaming and awakening. The mythology is deep and formative, as documented by Israeli professor Nurit Peled-Elhanon in her study of Israeli schoolbooks. Her brother, Miko Peled, grew up in Jerusalem and says he never met or spoke with a Palestinian or heard the Palestinian experience until moving to San Diego and joining a dialogue group. This racism and segregation is far worse than anything I observed in 1960s Louisiana.
Rehmat:
December 14th, 2014 at 5:54 pm
A 2010 study conducted by Professor Daniel Bar-Tal (Tel Aviv University) found out that an average Israeli prefer to live in ‘self-denial’ as he/she is not interested to know the facts about the Israel-Palestine conflict. They’re brainwashed with Zionist narrative of the conflict and hatred toward Arabs and Muslims from an early age. The Zionist rabbis are known for using Talmudic texts to create hatred toward Arabs, Blacks and Christians. Last year, Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Manis Friedman responded to a question “How Jews should treat their Arab neighbors?”, in the Moment magazine for its “Ask the Rabbi” feature, said: “The only way to fight a moral war is the Jewish way. Destroy their holy sites. Kill men, women and children (and cattle). I don’t believe in western morality. Living by Torah values will make us a light unto the nations who suffer defeat because of a disatrous morality of human invention…….”
Professor Daniel Bar-Tal conducted this study with Dr. Eran Halperin of the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya (Israel). “The political system and the education system use all their tools, such as Jerusalem Day, to socialize people with the idea that a unified Jerusalem is Israel’s eternal, indivisible capital. People are not born with a concept of ‘Jerusalem is ours forever’ and many know no political solution is possible without a compromise on Jerusalem,” wrote Professor Daniel Bar-Tal.
Dr. Eran Halperin adds to the study: “For years, people have been inculcated with information by a selective steamroller and a reality is constructed for them, They are told repeatedly, ‘Jerusalem is united,’ but they’re not told that no other country recognizes the annexation of the eastern part of the city. The result is that any criticism of Israeli activity in East Jerusalem is perceived as pure anti-Semitism.”
http://rehmat1.com/2010/05/24/study-israelis-prefer-to-live-in-self-denial/
confoundmeonce:
December 17th, 2014 at 4:15 am
Alan, If this beleaguered World can hold on A While Longer..I don`t think Much needs to be Done to these Deaf, Dumb and Blind Alien-Jews Won`t be Doing to themselves. Let them TALK Some more..And Pretty soon, Their Very Rhetoric Will OUT them Totally.. There is Less Credibility Out of Any one of them Every DAY that Dawns. Especially Is this True when it Comes TO b.Netty ! No wonder The Isitreals Want to Hold An Election ! They Really Want to Get B.Netty OUT in the Worst Way ! He Is a Shameful Picture of All that is Wrong There. Isitreal Is Not Going to Last Much Longer..No matter WHat OR WHO comes After B.Netty. The Holacaust5 That Wasn`t..i has Had its
confoundmeonce:
December 17th, 2014 at 4:25 am
My Comment Disappeared on me before I Finished My Comment..Can’t Imagine WHY this Occurred !! Whether there was a holocaust that targeted jews more than any others,,is Questionable,,to say the least. But the Jews have Ridden that WAVE too long already. They ARE their OWN Worst Enemy..And Nothing Justifies Their Actions Against The Palestinians. They should start Making restitution Very soon now..Or it is going to GET Unbearable for Them in The World.
Benares:
December 18th, 2014 at 10:32 am
There is only ONE solution to the ME problem: That Israel is made to leave the area, for relocation somewhere else on the planet. They have caused too much trouble. They have killed too many people. They have destroyed too many schools, hospitals, dwelling etc. They just cannot be allowed to go on in the same manner any more. This is the next big job for the U.N. to undertake.
I recommend Gideon Levy’s recent article in Haaretz, “The U.S. must wean itself from its imbecilic automatic veto policy” http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.632403