Wednesday, May 12, 2021

THE SIDELINES ARE VERY COMFY

Many of my FB friends have something to say about the Israel-Palestine situation. I am largely staying the heck out of those conversations. Years ago I would have joined, with opinions.

One of them posted a link to a more nuanced approach than is common: Arash Azizi's twitter posts. These are an interesting read, and considerably better than the usual polarized screaming from all sides.

CITE:
No, the occupation of WB & Gaza is not due to the "nature of Zionism" and if you insist in nonsense like that, you help perpetuate a conflict since Israeli Jews are not about to give up on their state (no one ever does); but they have often come close to giving up the occupation.

Your 'anti-colonial' fantasies in which no one has a state and we are all playing with butterflies make for great after-dinner conversations in New York and 'solidarity' marches but they have ZERO to do with the living realities of Israel and Palestine.

The living realities are these: yes, Israel is rooted in what can be understood as a settler-colonial project. But it's not comparable with other cases because the 'settlers' have not obliterated the natives with genocide (US) or been outnumbered by them (South Africa).

It's also the case that the 'settlers' do not belong to a metropolis but to a persecuted group, one of the most persecuted in history of humanity, which means their settler-colonial movement, Zionism, was also a national liberation movement.

You may not like these facts. But these are facts. You might not see Zionism as liberation at all. BUT THEY DO. History is made by how people view themselves and their world, not by what cool profs at Columbia put on their 'postcolonial' workshops.

END CITE

It might be worthwhile to remember that over a decade ago, I would have been in front of the consulate with an Israeli flag as an organizer when there were the usual screamfests. But the blatant racism on the American pro-Israel side since then, especially in 2014, and the despicable anti-Americanism of Netanyahu's various governments, have considerably lessened my enthusiasm. Add to that the idiots who sabotaged the pro-Israel side here in the Bay Area by their "support", and the provocations by the extreme right-wing in Israel, and as far as I'm concerned both sides in their angry protestor manifestations can get screwed.

In this case, ultra-rightwingers provoked a war.

One which they know Israel will win.


It seems that everyone screaming "nuke Mecca" or "kill the Pallies" voted for Trump, by the way. Just saying.
And I should mention, because it's personally relevant, that Donald Trump and his gang of thieves were an existential threat. On many levels, not least of which was their assault on healthcare in this country. Had they succeeded, I would be dead now.


Hell will freeze over before I ever stand on the same side as a Trump voter.



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