Debunking The Myths Surrounding Israel

Given the disinformation, bias and one-sided regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict, I put together my own Q/A.

Is Israel an apartheid state?

First, let's define 'Apartheid', according to 'TheFreeDictionary', its an official policy of racial segregation formerly practiced in the Republic of South Africa, involving political, legal, and economic discrimination against non-whites'.

Does this apply to Israel? The short answer is No.

Arab-Israeli citizens, who account for 20% of Israel's total population (inside Israel Proper), have exactly the same rights as Israeli Jews.

They can vote, serve in the Israeli parliament (The Knesset), own property and can work in any profession they choose. For example 13 of the 120 members of the Israeli Parliament are Arab citizens and one Israel supreme court judge is a Palestinian Arab.

How does this care with South Africa from 1948 to 1994 during the apartheid? Blacks could not vote, hold political office and forced to reside in certain locations. None of these restrictions apply to Arab citizens inside Israel.

And what about Arabs residing in the occupied territories, i.e. West Bank? They are not Israel citizens, they are governed by the 'Palestinian Authority', Fatah. Israel exercises control over the West Bank to protect its citizens from criminals and terrorists.

And what about the security barrier erected around Gaza strip and west bank? A security measure designed to control the movement of people to Israel, prevent terrorism and safeguard its citizens.

The 2012 Index of Arab-Jewish Relations, a thorough survey consisting of 700 Arabs and Jews across the country found that the majority of Arabs (55%) said they would rather live in Israel than any other country. Regrettably, this figure fell from 71% in 2007.

Fact: Israel is the only pluralistic Liberal democracy in the Middle East.

Why single out Israel?

In my view, singling out Israel completely ignores the atrocities, real apartheid and human rights abuses of other Arab nations, and inadvertently abets Palestinian terrorism.

Quoting Dennis Prager, American author and talk show host, 'Hamas runs a theocratic police state based on torture and terror, with no freedom of speech, no freedom for any religious expression outside of radical Islam, seeks to annihilate the Jewish state, and its state-controlled media depict Israelis and Jews as worthy of death, the world sees Israel, not Hamas, as the villain'.

Global analytics firm Maplecroft in its 2014 Human Rights Risk Atlas highlighted the countries with 'extreme risks' of human rights offenses. Among the worst offenders are Syria, Sudan, Pakistan, Egypt and Libya. Yet shockingly, between 2006 - 2010, 20 out of 25 resolutions from the 'UN human rights commission' condemned Israel - How can this be justified?

My view: This 'pathological obsession' and one-sided bias against Israel undermines the credibility of both the UN and the Arab & Israeli peace cause.

I am not for one moment denying that Israel is doing no wrong (Jewish settlements and occupation of the West Bank), but as a 'neutral bystander', I'd like to see a much greater focus on higher ranking countries and more honest reporting towards Israel.

And finally, as prevously mentioned the disproportionate attention directed at Israel completely ignores the real perpetuators of apartheid in the Middle East. The Jerusalem Post explains the different forms of apartheid inside Arab countries, which the media rarely addresses.

Is Zionism racism?

What is Zionism? Founded by Theodor Herzl in 1896, its aim is the return of Jews to the holy land, Israel.

Oxford English Dictionary offers a neutral definition: "A movement for [originally] the reestablishment of a Jewish nationhood in Palestine, and [since 1948] the development of the State of Israel."

The motivate behind Zionism was strengthened by the Holocaust (mass murder of six million Jews), the destruction of Jewish communities in Europe and the plight of masses of Jewish refugees with nowhere to go.

Why do Arabs hate Zionism? because of wide-spread anti-semitism and dislike of Israel's very existence.

What is anti-semitism: According to 'Brian Klug' in the Guardian, it is a belief that Jews are 'an alien presence, a parasite that preys on humanity and seeks to dominate the world. Across the globe, their hidden hand controls the banks, the markets and the media'.

I think the confusion and problem surrounding the word 'Zionism' is that it means different things to different people. To some it's a noble movement, to others it is racism.

Why can't Israel have a Jewish state?

In my view, recognition of a Jewish state seems unrealistic, unfair and impractical.

According to the Palestinian Authority, a Jewish state would firstly prejudice the civil and political rights of Arab Israelis who constitute 20% of Israel's population. And secondly, it would comprise Palestinians refugees right to return. They argue that by recognizing Zionist claim to a 'Jewish homeland', it would undermine Palestinian refugees and Israeli Arabs claim to belong to it.

According to Ahmad Samih Khalidi, a former Palestinian negotiator, 'To call on the Palestinians to recognize the Israeli state as the homeland of the Jewish people is to take a decisive stand against the Palestinians’ history, narrative, and political rights'

Furthermore, does Jewish historical connection to the land imply a superior claim to it, as some Zionist claim, I disagree.

Whilst I'm against the idea of a 'Jewish state', Arabs do need to recognize the existence of an Israeli State. In 1947 Jews accepted the United Nations partition plan, Arabs rejected it and subsequently invaded Israel in a war of annihilation - they failed. As a requisite step to peace, Palestinians need to accept the state of Israel and renounce terrorism.

Futility of boycott Israel?

Gaining traction is the 'Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement', a global organization using economic and political pressures to end Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.

Together with various other boycott campaigns, their trying to De-legitimize the state of Israeli rather than end its occupation. For example, some supporters of BDS say the real aim is to 'bring down the state of Israel'.

Furthermore Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz says the group 'encourages terrorism and discourage the laying down of arms'. This is exacerbated by their refusal to make a distinction between the legitimate state of Israel 'Israel Proper' and the occupied territories.

Moreover, laying the blame squarely on Israel and not the Palestinian leadership strikes me as simply biased and unfair.

Ed Hussain, Senior fellow for Middle eastern studies and author of 'The Islamist', calls for an end the boycott of Israel describing it as counterproductive. He wants Israel's neighbours to permit its citizens to visit Israel and calls for greater cross border trade as a pre-requisite for peace.

He wants to empower moderate religious leaders who favour greater Muslim engagement with Israel, they would have far greater political clout. He believes this would prove to the world that the Arab world is not about confrontation. I completely agree.
I strongly recommend 'broader view.org' which exposes these boycott/anti-Israel organizations. They only service to promote hatred and extremism, which we have enough already.

Israel's Occupation

Why does Israel's occupy and maintain a military presence in the 'West Bank', 'East Jerusalem' and the 'Golan Heights'?

Both for religious reasons and the refusal of Palestinians to cede violence. It is worth remembering that Jordan occupied the West Bank from 1948 to 1967, during this time Palestinians never demanded an end to Jordanian Occupation. The West bank was only acquired during the 1967 six-day war, a war of self-defence.

Bad precedent

Israel argues that without this land it would have indefensible borders. Furthermore Palestinians set a terrible precedent for the Israeli's. Israel withdrew from the Gaza strip in 2005 (land captured during the 1967 war), forcibly removing 8000 Israel citizens from their homes.

The result: Palestinians elected Hamas, a terrorist organization committed to the elimination of Israel in its constitution, and consequently launched 1000's of rockets into Israeli towns with the intention of killing innocent civilians.

As for Hamas's broader objectives, the son of one of the founders and leaders of Hamas, Mosab Hassan Yousef reveals in a CNN interview that - "Hamas is not seeking coexistence and compromise. Hamas is seeking conquest and taking over. And by the way, the destruction of the state of Israel is not Hamas’ final destination. Hamas' final destination is building the Islamic caliphate, which means an Islamic state on the rubble of every other civilization"

A profile of 'Hamas Palestinians movement' can be found on the BBC's website

On a chilling note, Hamas's Motto is: 'We love death more than you love life'.

My View - I wish people would stop inflaming passions through slander and one-sided arguments, this just causes greater polarization, pushes Arab and Israelis further part and further undermines the fragile peace process.

Insightful Videos on the Israeli Palestinian Conflict:

                                            The Israeli Palestinian Conflict by TestTube:

                          
                         A Beginner's Guide to the Israeli Palestinian Conflict by Vested Owl:

                                            Calev Myers on The Israeli Palestinian Conflic:

Interesting reads

Abdulateef Al-Mulhim, a retired navy commodore from Saudi Arabia. His article on the Arab spring, he courageously explains that Arab people are the real enemy of the Arab World, not Israel.
http://www.arabnews.com/arab-spring-and-israeli-enemy

Denis Prager article 'Is Israel an apartheid state?'
http://www.dennisprager.com/israel-an-apartheid-state/

The Jerusalem Post explains the real forms of apartheid inside Arab countries.
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-Ed-Contributors/The-Middle-Easts-real-apartheid

Ed Husain, senior fellow of Middle Eastern studies. A very intelligent man, he also co-founded the counter-extremist think tank, the 'Quilliam Foundation. A link to his articles -
http://www.cfr.org/experts/civil-society-middle-east-islamist-politics/ed-husain/b15381

Zack Beauchamp from Vox.com. 'Everything you need to know about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict'.