tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5873160920540394292.post2952280954440136552..comments2023-10-31T00:30:11.189+11:00Comments on The Bureau of Counterpropaganda: Oslo violence processErnie Halfdramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06463362099448607727noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5873160920540394292.post-16894792724092429682007-10-17T06:43:00.000+10:002007-10-17T06:43:00.000+10:00Thanks for your comment, Abim. I’ve had a quick ...Thanks for your comment, Abim. <BR/><BR/>I’ve had a quick squiz at the text of the Oslo Accord and didn’t notice any mention of a commitment not to change the status of any land. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/dop.html So perhaps it’s even worse than its overseas critics say it is in the here and now?!<BR/><BR/>At this point, the only thing I can see happening in Palestine if matters proceed along their current trajectory is the completion of the wall and the establishment of an ‘independent’ Palestinian Bantustan in the enclaves isolated by the settlement infrastructure in the West Bank, as intended. Possibly a second Bantustan in Gaza. In the longer term, I have little doubt that Israel intends to reoccupy and cleanse at least the West Bank, if the Palestinians don’t do the right thing and emigrate en masse of their own accord.<BR/><BR/>Ghada Karmi was here last night. She was very good, but outlined just three scenarios that she regarded as possible. The same three Carter speaks of – the status quo, the two state solution along the lines of Geneva, or a one state solution. She countenanced the possibility that two states or a binational state could be steps in the direction of one state, although I’ve never understood how partition leads to unity, nor am I aware of any precedents apart from Vietnam, which was quite a different kettle of fish.<BR/><BR/>She recognises that the status quo is inherently unstable and can’t persist. She adduces many of the same barriers to a truly viable Palestinian state that I do. But she appears to think that the one state solution will prevail because it’s a good idea and obviously the only viable just outcome.<BR/><BR/>In reality, I am not so confident that Israelis will concur that it’s a good idea. Furthermore, I think she’s missed out the most likely outcomes. One of these is the one I outlined. But there remains the possibility of some kind of upheaval in the Arab world that will make the existence of a Zionist ethnocracy moot. A few months ago, I would have dismissed this as wishful thinking, but recent developments in Egypt may provide real grounds for hope.Ernie Halfdramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06463362099448607727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5873160920540394292.post-52128630986060348712007-10-15T22:43:00.000+10:002007-10-15T22:43:00.000+10:00In hindsight, the Oslo agreement can be seen to be...In hindsight, the Oslo agreement can be seen to be even worse than its Palestinian critics said it was at the time. Subsequent events have demonstrated that Israel never intended to adhere to its obligations under it. Most importantly, Israel massively expanded and multiplied the illegal settlements, despite agreeing at Oslo to make no change in the status of any land in the Occupied Territories.<BR/><BR/>The security arrangements set out above, however, indicate also that Israel was always intending to make itself less vulnerable to Palestinian resistance - and make non-violent resistance almost impossible. And the point of this, of course, was to enable it to continue stealing land with impunity.<BR/><BR/>There is, however, a limit. Israel already has about 41% of all Jews, according to the Jewish Agency:<BR/><BR/> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jew<BR/><BR/>Most remaining Jews live in countries with no significant persecution. It is therefore hard to see any large source of potential immigration into Israel in future. The demographic pressure of the Palestinians is thus likely, over time, to cause the military effort of Israel to become a greater economic & social burden. It is difficult to foresee precisely how this will play out, and over what timeframe, but it is unlikely to be beneficial to the Zionist project.<BR/><BR/>P.S. The Wikipedia authors appear not to have noticed that the relationship between socialism and Zionism has become considerably less cozy in recent decades.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com