John Jenkins’ essay is frankly short-sighted and makes many assumptions I disagree with, particularly that Israel’s assault on Gaza is a war of “National survival”. Israel has the Iron Dome, its neighbours are either too weak to mount any serious threat (Syria & Lebanon) or are subservient to the American government (Jordan & Egypt). So to characterise this war as a war of survival is disingenuous. Threats posed by Hamas and Hezbollah can be thwarted with political solutions such as negotiating a Palestinian state that has full control over its destiny. This is the part that Jenkins and many others intentionally ignore when talking about Israel-Palestine. The fundamental cause of this issue is the occupation of Palestine by Israel and the settlements. If Israel agrees to withdraw from Palestine and go back to 1967 borders, this issue will resolved. However, Israel and the USA both have no desire to give Palestinians their freedom as they don’t view them as equal to the Israelis. This was perfectly depicted when the US ambassador to the UN was asked about the issue of Palestinian statehood. She said the “elements of statehood are not present”. What does that even mean? Israel effectively controls everything in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. Greenfield is endorsing this system that has been called an apartheid regime by many human rights groups. If the Palestinians are not given a state then this situation will end with the Palestinians being ethnically cleansed out of their homeland and the world will wonder how it was allowed to happen. The answer will be that Israel and America wanted it to happen.
John Jenkins’ essay is frankly short-sighted and makes many assumptions I disagree with, particularly that Israel’s assault on Gaza is a war of “National survival”. Israel has the Iron Dome, its neighbours are either too weak to mount any serious threat (Syria & Lebanon) or are subservient to the American government (Jordan & Egypt). So to characterise this war as a war of survival is disingenuous. Threats posed by Hamas and Hezbollah can be thwarted with political solutions such as negotiating a Palestinian state that has full control over its destiny. This is the part that Jenkins and many others intentionally ignore when talking about Israel-Palestine. The fundamental cause of this issue is the occupation of Palestine by Israel and the settlements. If Israel agrees to withdraw from Palestine and go back to 1967 borders, this issue will resolved. However, Israel and the USA both have no desire to give Palestinians their freedom as they don’t view them as equal to the Israelis. This was perfectly depicted when the US ambassador to the UN was asked about the issue of Palestinian statehood. She said the “elements of statehood are not present”. What does that even mean? Israel effectively controls everything in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. Greenfield is endorsing this system that has been called an apartheid regime by many human rights groups. If the Palestinians are not given a state then this situation will end with the Palestinians being ethnically cleansed out of their homeland and the world will wonder how it was allowed to happen. The answer will be that Israel and America wanted it to happen.