| You cannot be a left, by definition, if you oppose the demands of the marginalized and alienated. Before 2000 the demands of the Palestinians were to end the "occupation", the return of the refugees, and a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. What they meant by "occupation" was left vague and so was to where would the refugees return. Thus it was easy for the left to stick to the slogan of the occupation. Then two things changed. Israel showed it actually was ready to end the "occupation" as they saw it, namely a return to the 1967 borders, give or take a bit. This was a shock to the Palestinians since for them the occupation actually meant 1948. What could they say now? So they went with refugee issue: a return to their homes in pre-1948 Israel. This of course means the end of the Jewish state, but not, they say, to Israel: for their new "solution" is a bi-national state. How perfect. And the (neo-)left adopted it with both hands. Well, it has to. |
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