Comments on: Hilary Benn shows the way: the party must support the peacemakers in Israel and Palestine

By: tonygreenstein

tonygreenstein — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 05:12:00 +0000

There has been a ‘peace process’ for as long as there has been an occupation. From the Allon plan to Rogers, Kissinger, the road map and Kerry. In all that time there hasn’t been a sliver of an advance. Israel has been determined, at all costs, not to accept a Palestinian state.

This has not just been the position of Netanyahu and Sharon but equally that of the Israeli Labour Party. At no time have they accepted a Palestinian state and there was nothing in the Oslo Accords that accepted that either.

So when JoeDM says that ‘When the Palistinians accpet the state of Israel and renounce violence then we will have progress.’ he is sadly misinformed. Yassir Arafat on behalf of the PLO did exactly that at Oslo. The problem is that the Palestinians are not recognised.

Today even were it desirable the 2 State Solution has gone. The extent of the settlements and their location in cutting off the possibility of a continguous Palestinian state makes it impossible.

Talk of 2 States and a Peace Process is nothing more than a cover for the war process and settlement building. Indeed it is worse, because it is the excuse for not granting Palestinians on the West Bank democratic rights. Instead 2 systems of law operate and will continue to operate indefinitely there because, if Palestinians were given the vote there wouldn’t be a Jewish state. What we have is therefore a simple choice – a democratic state or a Jewish state and the latter is Zionism’s chosen option.

That is why Israel is an apartheid state and that is also why a Boycott is the only appropriate response

By: damon

damon — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 20:27:00 +0000

I don’t think Israel is interested in making a peace deal. Maybe they just can’t because the geography and the last fifty years of killing and oppression have left the two sides too far apart to trust each other.
Where are the maps showing what Israel thinks could be the new two state solution?
Why aren’t Mark Regev and other Israeli spokesmen, in European and American TV studios all the time explaining exactly what a future two state solution could look like? All I hear is that there is no partner for peace for Israel to negotiate with. It’s a good excuse.
Or its actually a lousy excuse – and I used to say that on the Israel supporting website Harry’s Place untill they banned me the other day.
The Israel supporting movement is rotten and so is the Palestinian supporting one.

By: sammy jones

sammy jones — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 17:11:00 +0000

In reply to Tom Serpell. Speaking from both sides of his mouth then.

By: Tom Serpell

Tom Serpell — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:04:00 +0000

Hilary Benn’s pronouncements on Palestine were among both high and low points of Conference. One the one hand, his support for statehood is long overdue but very welcome. The following day, his equation of the plight of fearful families of Sderot with those of Gaza was the nadir of the week. Yes, the case of each side must be taken into account in negotiation but justice too must be a consideration. The priority must be to protect the oppressed from the oppressor, not count them the same.

By: JoeDM

JoeDM — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 07:19:00 +0000

When the Palistinians accpet the state of Israel and renounce violence then we will have progress.

By: sammy jones

sammy jones — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 06:36:00 +0000

Same old same old nothing will change. Israel don t care they are a law unto themselves.Obama has just given Israel 1.9 billion worth of weapons which i expect they will use on civilians again soon.We can at least not arm them or give them any more support.

By: JAMES MCGIBBON

JAMES MCGIBBON — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 20:34:00 +0000

Isreal is a State so the two State is irrelevant moreso as the Arabs and Palestinians want to destroy Israel.