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Questions on the Israeli Protests - Why Solidarity with Apartheid?

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Thu, 18/08/2011 - 19:23 — wcstrong

These actions really don't seem to mirror others form the so called "arab spring", but rather arise from elements of bourgeiose society that are fed up with the Israeli governments inability to leverage its aparthied politics to their advantage. Israel is an apartheid state that established a system of exploitation and appropriation to provide Israelis with a decent lifestyle. These protests never mentioned or called for an end to the prolonged political and military occupation of Palestine. The National Union of Israeli Students is a zionist (apparently) entity that equates the repression of kurds (which is obviously terrible) with the conditions in Gaza, the worlds largest open air prison.

 

[The Union attracted international attention in 2010 when its president, Boaz Torporovsky, announced a plan to send a Kurdish Freedom Flotilla "to deliver much-needed humanitarian assistance to the Kurds ofTurkey."[3] Torporovsky describes the plan as a reaction to the Free Gaza flotillas. He told a reporter that, "There's a lot of hypocrisy in the world. Turkey, which leads the campaign against Israel and makes all sorts of threats, is the same Turkey that carried out a holocaust and murdered an entire nation of Armenians, and oppresses a minority larger than the Palestinians – the Kurds – who deserve a state, who havedemanded a state for longer than the State of Israel has existed."]

It is clear that there are oppressed minorities in several countries, many of which face terrible conditions. However, using this to justify the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the settlements in the West Bank, or the seige on Gaza is inhuman and is a slap in the face to any sense of solidarity.

 

Where is the solidarity to students in Gaza? in the West Bank? to the youth in the refugee camps that have no access to education and face death on a daily basis? Or the millions of displaced peoples who struggle to find a living in a land that isn't their home? Where is the recognition that the lifestyle of Israelis relied on systemic oppression, expliotation of free/cheap Palestinian labor, and the establishment of arab israelis as second class citizens in Israel? Please, if you are going to ask people to express solidarity with the NUIS, no what they are about in the first place. Better yet, know where these protests came from in the first place: http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/ajl160811.html

 

[ The "tent protests" did not begin in the sectors most affected by economic dysfunction -- not in the ramshackle population centers of the Negev, like Sderot, nor in destitute and immigrant-rich south Tel Aviv, but in the city's affluent north, by those who had gone to Hebrew University and Ben-Gurion University, the seminaries of the country's elite, those who had done the requisite military service, the children of the bourgeoisie or the declining bourgeoisie, who had expected a smooth ride into an affluent future and are now colliding with the debris of the shattered Israeli social compact.]

 

If the NUIS wants solidarity, the NUIS should express solidarity with the students and youth in occupied Palestine and call for the end of the apartheid state, a system which is clearly more vile and disgusting than any amount of cuts they could face. Palestinians have had their lands stolen, their wealth approporated, and thier society dismantled by the zionist aparthied state. Many of them have no formal education. Youth are at a considerable risk. Unemployment in occupied Palestine is over 50%. Youth in Gaza are lucky to survive until their 15th birthday between the living conditions (no sewege treatment or fresh water) and the regulat raids (which have largely targetted women and children).

 

We can't just support anything and everything that pops up on the radar because it is similar to the work we do. We should know more about its political context and makeup. These protests are about revamping the Israeli state to prevent cuts, a process which would require expanding exploitation of Palestinians and indigenous peoples who have been the main sources of state revenue (free/cheap labor) for years. I do not support that and I don't think anyone else should either.

 

NUIS needs to take a stand against the apartheid nature of the zionist state before we could be in solidarity with them. Otherwise we'd sacrifice our solidarity with Palestinians in order to be in solidarity with Iraelis while the Palestinians are the population that is most oppressed. Death through systemic, cultural, and military means, a reality faced on a daily basis by Palestinian youth, far exceeds the oppression brought by neoliberal reforms in a capitalist state, especially when the political and economic basis for that state relies on these tactics to survive. Lets talk aobut the real questions faced by youth in Palestine (both in Israel and the occupied territories) and how the war and occupation perpetuated by the zionist state is much more of a threat than meager budget cuts. Lets talk about how real solidarity between youth and students in the region can be a serious step to ending aparthied AND rebuilding a society that serves the people not business.

 

NUIS should say something against the aparthied state, just like we her ein the US have taken a stance against US wars at home and abroad if they expect a request for solidarity to be taken seriously.

 

Interested in hearing others thoughts on this issue.

 

 

Wes Strong, USA, CT

 

‹ Solidarity with Movements in Israel Against Austerity and Cuts! Statement of Solidarity with Social Protests in Israel ›
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Fri, 19/08/2011 - 07:20 — wcstrong

Posting discussion from email - in reverse order

Ok, let me clear up some misconceptions here.
1. The criticism of the Israeli state is not about Israeli foreign policy.
Its Israeli domestic policy, particularly the continued occupation of Palestine. Since 1948 Israel has maintained this policy as a basis for its statehood and has served a role as bully in the Middle East at the behest of the US and other western powers.

2. I am aware that there are elements that have recently become involved in these actions that are raising the key questions of the genocide in 48, the continued occupation, etc. But these elements are small and largely ignored by the larger struggle. In fact, most mainstream organizations supporting these actions refuse to take a stance against the apartheid state.

3. The definition of the apartheid state was made correctly by Phillip, a clarification which I appreciate him making. Lets it be made clear - "apartheid is a system of legal racial segregation as it existed in South Africa." As a scholar of the South African struggle the parallels are quite evident. In fact, these parallels were being drawn by the ANC well before it became popular to call Israel an apartheid state. If we use Phillips accurate definition as a basis for this qualification, than this should serve as
adequate evidence of apartheid: http://www.divestmentproject.org/apartheid_laws.shtml

Especially when combined with the fact that Gaza exists as the world's largest open air prison (bantustans were under similar conditions) the west bank is being chopped apart by the settlements and the settlement wall (quite similar to the bantustan system) and pass laws, the exact laws which led the ANC to declare the South African State an apartheid state are very much in effect in Palestine, in many cases in a much harsher effect than in South Africa. Not to mention that in mainland Israel, non-Jewish Arab citizens do not maintain the same rights as Jewish citizens (as described in above listed link). This is not really up for debate and it is quite clear that these facts are unavoidable.

4. This is not a matter of inner-left argument. I genuinely respect the positions of everyone who participates, however, I also genuinely disagree with people who do not see relevance in these arguments or my criticism of the Israeli state. Solidarity is empty and hollow if we can't maintain it while engaging in a ruthless criticism of everything existing with an understanding that solidarity is reached by engaging in these discussions and participating in internal consciousness raising activities/education.
This is also about clarifying what we are as a platform, what people think, and pushing each other to challenge our conceptions of the world, a critical part of the ruthless criticism.

5. I appreciate the clarification one person made about my points RE: who we are declaring solidarity with. Declaring solidarity with the NUIS alienates us from the Palestinian youth, both in occupied Palestine and in the diaspora, who face a much tougher battle to achieve the same level of education. I would not be as opposed if there was a distinct clarification about the reliance of the Israeli state on the exploitation and expropriation of Palestine in order to fuel its social programs. The Israeli state has become such a power solely through its exploitation of Palestinians and Arabs in the region, a truth that is also unavoidable.

6. RE: can i not show solidarity to protest movements in the US or UK because of the war in irak? The difference is that in the main struggle here in the US, we have declared our opposition to the US wars because of their imperial aims and because of their contributions to the austerity agenda.
The difference in this case is that the NUIS, as well as most major orgs in the Israeli protests, have refused to make a similar statement RE: the Israeli state's aparthied nature. ALSO, to clarify, the occupation of Palestine is not a "foreign policy" issue in Israel, it is a basis for its statehood. Without the occupation, the Israeli state wouldn't exist.

7. RE: the statehood demands in the UN - Largely this seems to be the PA playing some political power play. It is likely that it will be drowned out by the impending assault on Gaza, which many fear could be worse than Operation Cast Lead in 2008. Both of these make it important for us to make such a clarification on the apartheid question in any statements we direct at the Israeli movement. The Israeli state will be using another assault on Gaza not only to drown out the statehood demands, but ALSO to silence the movement against the cuts in recognized Israel. The first target a state takes in war is often its own people.

8. RE: the participation of Arab parties in the Knesset. I would remind Peter that there was a time when the South African Defense Forces recruited blacks to fight against the ANC both in South Africa and in the Outlying states. There was a considerably large campaign orchestrated by the SADF and the Pan-African congress to attack the legitimacy of the ANC and pull people away from its revolutionary path. Just because there is an Arab party in the Knesset doesn't mean there isn't apartheid. Here in the US we have a black president, but racism is the worst it has been since the 1950s. In almost every state with a "minority" population there is a system through which this minority group is tokenized in the official political system so that their interests can be misrepresented and shaped to serve the interests of the rich. This is not to mention the fact that Palestinians in Palestine far outnumber other populations, yet they have small representation in the Knesset, which is clearly undemocratic even by your standards. This is maintained this way specifically to continue and rationalize a system of legal, political, military, and cultural apartheid in both recognized Israel and the occupied territories.

9. Lastly, I want to make clear that many of these criticisms of my argument are largely reactionary and have not really held up. Here in the US, we do criticize the role that US foreign policy plays overseas and we DO make the connection between these policies and the cuts. In many cases, even our unions do. US imperialism is just as necessary for the existence of the US
state as apartheid, exploitation, and expropriation of Palestine is to the Israeli state. These are one in the same and we should take adamant positions against both. If we want genuine solidarity, it needs to be based on a coherent and complete understanding of what is going on. We should never ignore such a huge political moment such as this to educate and push
our friends and comrades on an issue, particularly when the costs of continuing wars and occupations directly impact the ability to maintain social services, including education.

A more productive discussion should be coming out around how we are to connect with an ever growing and active layer of youth
in occupied Palestine that strives for self determination, opposes the games of Israel and its puppets in the PA, opposes the Islamist nature of Hamas, and strives for true self determination and independence. Palestinian civil society has released a call for BDS, and this grouping is perhaps the most important politically. We should be encouraging students in Israel to refuse to join the military (a growing movement), stretch out hands of solidarity to Palestinian youth who are seeking freedom, and begin building something that can end the occupation and war and build something new that provides for the people in the land, and not for those who seek to profit from it.

This is clearly an intricate issue, but it is hard to ignore two points: 1. the apartheid nature of the Israeli state 2. the intimate connection between the occupation war and the budget cuts.

Wes Strong
~
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On Thu, Aug 18, 2011 at 10:18 PM, Mark wrote:

Do you know about Tent1948? You can link up with them on FB #Tent48 or check info at www.peoplesassemblies.org - i think it's more a question of gentle encouragement to the brave forces within the movement and some patience, in the knowledge that things are coming to a head anyway with Sept statehood declaration than any outright condemnation of the movement at this point. This question has been debated at length in assemblies in spain. If u want direct connection with activists out there about this pls say so I will do my best x

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Malte <****>
> Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2011 02:16:59
> To: <****>

Subject: Re: [international_students_movement] Solidarity with Israel seriously 

i don`t understand what this is all about. people in israel are protesting for better living conditions.
at the same time the israelian army is involved in armed conflicts. but what has one to do with the other?
can i not support social struggles in germany because the german army is at war in afghanistan? can i not show solidarity to protest movements in the US or UK because of the war in irak? the topic here is not the foreign policy of israel. if you want to talk about foreign policies, start talking about the foreign policies of the state you live in - meaning for me for example that germany just sold dozens of tanks to saudi-arabia which are meant to be used to suppress possible insurrections there.

why always this double standard when it comes to israel?  what always is it with the obsession on the "evil" israel state?

best regards from berlin,
malte

> 2011/8/19  <[email protected]>:
> > I'm really surprised Wes brought up that old myth of Israel being an
> > "apartheid state". As few of you might know apartheid is a system of legal
> > racial segregation as it existed in South Africa. Calling Israel an
> > apartheid state is absurd if someone takes a look at the (english) homepage
> > of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset:
> > http://www.knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/mkindex_current_eng.asp?view=3D1
> > Everyone can see that an Arabic party, the National Democratic Assembly
> (or "Balad"), is part of the Knesset and Israeli-Palestinians are a member of
> > the parliament. If you=B4ll take a closer look to their biography you'll
> see that they usually got their B.A. and sometimes their M.A. or even PhD in
> an Israelian university.
> > And if you want to investigate further you=B4ll might find some informations
> > on Arab-Israeli members of the Israeli army, supreme court and even more.
> >
> > I therefore don=B4t see any reasons to write a solidarity message which refers
> > to a non-existent apartheid system.
> >
> > Zitat von Wesley <****>:
> >
> >> The solidarity statement would be sent to the NUIS. And there are serious
> >> quesitons as to whether or not such an action can be taken. The movement
> >> against cuts in Israel refuses to adress the Palestinian question, and by
> >> not doing so while calling for an expansion of funding (funding typically
> >> secured through expropriation of Palestinian land and labor) is tantamount
> >> to calling for an expansion of the opressive aparthied system.
> >>
> >> If we are calling for solidarity with those who are fighting cuts, we need
> >> to make it an imperative and part of such a statement to call for those
> >> folks to unite in solidarity with Palestinians in calling for a end to
> >> aparthied. The livlehood enjoyed by many Israelis is subsidized by the
> >> aparthied state and intricately tied to it. The two cannot be divorced.
> >> Calling for a robust social system in Israel puts the movement in a position
> >> where it will be supporting the expansion of the aparthied state. Making
> >> such a statement without a condemnation of aparthied is political suicide.
> >>
> >> It is an immense contradiction to call for solidarity with the oppressor
> >> (particularly to explicitly list an organization like NUIS that takes part
> >> in that system as an apparently zionist organisation) and not make a strong
> >> condemnation of the state of Israel's occupation of Palestine and the
> >> apartheid state. Solidarity with Israelis should come secondary to
> >> solidarity with Palestinian youth who face much harsher conditions on a
> >> regular basis. The same system that subsidizes the living standards for
> >> Israelis is responsible for the oppression and expropriation targetted at
> >> Palestinians, a process which is far worse than cuts to education and social
> >> services. White phosphorus falls a lot harder than budget cuts.
> >>
> >> We can declare solidarity, but a statement such as this one is largely empty
> >> and hollow if it does not carry with it a condemnation of the Israeli state,
> >> political zionism and aparthied, and strongly urge Israeli activists to
> >> challenge the racism and oppression that sits at the core of their state
> >> apparatus. We should use these moments to push these issues instead of
> >> being apologetic or neutral on such an egregious human rights and democracy
> >> issue.
> >>
> >> Solidarity is empty and meaningless if it means we can't criticize and urge
> >> our sisters, comrades, brothers, friends etc. to challenge their
> >> misconceptions - its empty if it silences our criticism, and its empty if
> >> we let is silence the criticisms of others.
> >>
> >> Wes
> >> ~

> >>
> >> On Thu, Aug 18, 2011 at 4:21 PM, Aidan <****>
> wrote:
Can we not oppose the Israeli State's attacks on education at the same time as opposing their attacks on the Palestinians? I don't really understand the contradiction.