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Elections in Palestine and Israel: SUMUD vs. Apartheid
This is, as they say, the crunch. This is the political moment all Israeli governments--all of them, Labour, Likud and 'National Unity'--have been working towards the past four decades of Occupation: the final push for an expanded Israel, the permanent foreclosure of any viable Palestinian state and a unilateral declaration that the conflict with the Palestinians is over. Indeed, it is the final taking of the entire Land of Israel between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River that Zionism has dreamed of for the past century.
On the surface, Israel's election was humdrum, with none of the 31 parties running raising issues that grabbed the public. No party emerged 'victorious' or in a position of domination. The largest party in the Parliament, Kadima, Sharon's party now run by Olmert, received only 29 seats out of 120. Overall, the election saw the strengthening of the Right, even the extreme right (I don't accept the notion that Kadima of Sharon and Olmert is a 'Center' party; it's extreme right-wing, only slicker) i.e. those parties that refuse to even consider the notion of a viable Palestinian state, won 73 seats. The number of left/liberal seats stands only at 30.
Humdrum sums up how the Israeli public viewed the election. The only substantial issue raised was that of the plight of poor and working class Israelis, and that issue failed to ignite any popular enthusiasm. Yet it is precisely this 'hum-drum-ness' that is the big news. Ehud Olmert put his intentions right in the public's face: the most immediate and pressing task of his new government will be to determine the permanent borders of Israel, meaning that the massive settlement blocs, the 'greater' Jerusalem area and the Jordan Valley will be annexed to Israel, confining the Palestinians to some five isolated, impoverished and non-viable cantons (Sharon's term) that they will be expected to accept as their 'state'.
More
http://counterpunch.org/halper04222006.html
Humdrum sums up how the Israeli public viewed the election. The only substantial issue raised was that of the plight of poor and working class Israelis, and that issue failed to ignite any popular enthusiasm. Yet it is precisely this 'hum-drum-ness' that is the big news. Ehud Olmert put his intentions right in the public's face: the most immediate and pressing task of his new government will be to determine the permanent borders of Israel, meaning that the massive settlement blocs, the 'greater' Jerusalem area and the Jordan Valley will be annexed to Israel, confining the Palestinians to some five isolated, impoverished and non-viable cantons (Sharon's term) that they will be expected to accept as their 'state'.
More
http://counterpunch.org/halper04222006.html
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(1.) No it doesn't. It seems like transparant window dressing for a racist strategy of two steps forward, one step back.
(2.) And even if it did sound leftist, so what?The Nazis have a left wing, too. So what? It doesn't make them not be racists. A racist is a racist is a racist, A left wing racist is every bit as racist as a right wing racist. Left wing, right wing, same bird. Forget the wings. Look out for the claws and the droppings.
(2.) And even if it did sound leftist, so what?The Nazis have a left wing, too. So what? It doesn't make them not be racists. A racist is a racist is a racist, A left wing racist is every bit as racist as a right wing racist. Left wing, right wing, same bird. Forget the wings. Look out for the claws and the droppings.
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