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Last update - 09:36 20/04/2009
Obama, Netanyahu, and Zionists Against Occupation
By Bradley Burston
Tags: Netanyahu, Israel News, Obama 

Click here for more articles by Bradley Burston


ROME - It occurred to me while leaving St. Peter in Chains.
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I decided to do the very last thing the Jewish People needs: start a new Jewish organization.

The inspiration was the unassuming but sublime church of San Pietro in Vincoli [St. Peter in Chains]. Tucked into a back corner of the city, it is home to Michelangelo's monumentally wistful marble of Moses.

There is no more perfect representation of the contemporary Zionist enterprise than that of this first of all Zionist ideologues - the melancholy language of the sculpture's eyes and clenched sinews a simultaneous translation of betrayal, disillusion, ire and the clutch of hope against all better judgment.

This is the Basilica of the Displaced Person. No one is more displaced than this prince who cannot feel at home in his native Egypt, but who will forever be denied entry to that promised place he knows he belongs.

By the Renaissance, Moses' truncated fate extended to the sculpture itself, stuck here for 500 years in a well-tended purgatory, a permanent Diaspora, far less grand if perhaps far better suited than the one - the much better-known St. Peter's across town - originally offered to, and snatched away from, Michelangelo.

What better time, then, to think about promised lands?

In particular, what better time to think about what separates Israel from a future of genuine calm and confidence?

This is, after all, the bedrock challenge facing Benjamin Netanyahu as he scrambles to cobble together a foreign policy.

This is also a key challenge for Barack Obama as he lays the groundwork for an ambitious regional solution to a brace of Arab-Israeli and pan-Muslim conflicts.

When the two meet in the coming weeks, the press will watch closely for nuances in terminology, and concessions from one side or another over the nature of a future Palestinian state.

So what can a cold marble Moses tell the rest of us about a course of action and a path toward peace?

This is what I took away from St. Peter in Chains, and a prophet of Judaism, Islam and Christianity holding tablets close to the vest: Jews have to end the occupation for the sake of Zionism.

Herewith, then, a manifesto of one. The founding document of Zionists Against Occupation:

1. Thou Shalt Not Have Other Gods Before Me.

2. Thou Shalt Not Make For Thyself an Idol

3. Thou Shalt Not Bow Down to Them

4. Thou Shalt Not Use the Lord's Name in Vain

It is time to acknowledge that the settlements are the Golden Calf of the current generations of believing Jews.

The settlements have made much of Orthodoxy delirious with worship of property, even some elements of Orthodoxy who refrain from fully recognizing the legitimacy of the state of Israel. They have tried to make settlement synonymous with Zionism, even when settlement conflicts with Israel's strategic and diplomatic interests.

It is time to recognize that settlement of the West Bank is a commandment which came not from God, but from rabbis, which is to say, all too often, from politicians.

5. Thou Shalt Not Steal, Nor Covet That Which Is Your Neighbor's.

6. Thou Shalt Not Murder.

7. Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother, So That Your Days May Be Long in the Land that the Lord your God is Giving You.

Both the Jews and the Palestinians have valid claims to the Holy Land. If the Holy Land is to be shared, Israelis and Palestinians both will have to sacrifice legitimate grievances for the sake of a livable future, one which honors ancestors by making it possible for children to grow and thrive.

Finally, and most importantly, it is time for Jews to recognize how lethal the occupation is, to the idea of maintaining a Jewish state.

When right-wing Jews say that all of the Holy Land, the West Bank, Gaza, and Israel proper, belongs to the Jews alone, they are in effect de-legitimizing Israel. They are adding fuel to the arguments of Hamas, which views all of Israel, West Jerusalem, Haifa, and Sderot alike, to be occupied Arab land.

In the end, the question of whether Israel will be a Jewish state will not depend on what the Palestinians say, but on what the Jews do.

8. Thou Shalt Not Be Silent.

9. Thou Shalt Not Look Away.

10. Thou Shalt Use the Word Occupation

It is time to follow Ariel Sharon's example and call the occupation what it is. It is time for Zionists to stand up and declare strong support for Israel and strong opposition to the occupation. Not for the sake of the Palestinians. For Israel's sake.

"Controlling 3.5 million Palestinians cannot go on forever," Sharon told a weekly meeting of stunned Likud leaders, Netanyahu among them, in May, 2003. "You want to remain in Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah and Bethlehem?"

"The idea that it is possible to continue keeping 3.5 million Palestinians under occupation - yes, it is occupation, you might not like the word, but what is happening is occupation - is bad for Israel, and bad for the Palestinians, and bad for the Israeli economy," Sharon said.

If the last 40 years are any indication, the Palestinians will be able to survive the occupation. A healthy state of Israel will not.

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  1.   END OF THE IDEA OF THE GREATER ISRAEL 18:38  |  indrajaya 19/04/09
  2.   Obama, Netanyahu, and Zionists Against Occupation 18:51  |  cesare 19/04/09
  3.   Bradley 19:08  |  Yosemite 19/04/09
  4.   excellent, persuasive article... 19:11  |  Smadar 19/04/09
  5.   Good stuff 19:15  |  Palestinian 19/04/09
  6.   Is this to put us into the mood for tomorrow? 19:25  |  Ilan 19/04/09
  7.   Tired old ideas 19:33  |  bronxite10 19/04/09
  8.   WELL SAID, BURSTON... 19:40  |  Ed 19/04/09
  9.   This is yesterday`s tune: It`s not the `occupation` anymore 20:04  |  ex-left 19/04/09
  10.   A fine article and a good prescription 20:10  |  WHG 19/04/09
  11.   #1, indrajaya 21:09  |  Bruce 19/04/09
  12.   `tis better to be a health risk then to be dead 21:48  |  david 19/04/09
  13.   Good theoretical article but... 21:52  |  Welshman 19/04/09
  14.   Good, but what are you going to DO about it Brad? 22:11  |  Michael 19/04/09
  15.   On the foot-step of Herzl , Congrats Burston... 22:16  |  Wedi Asmara... 19/04/09
  16.   "claiming all of Israel delegitimizes Israel" 22:26  |  alex schindler 19/04/09
  17.   Bradley We Need To Rethink This Entire Thing! 22:30  |  Yosemite 19/04/09
  18.   Greater Israel is only a matter of time now 22:43  |  L.B 19/04/09
  19.   b radley on tour sees visions of moses as created by 22:44  |  v hardman 19/04/09
  20.   to indrajaya 00:47  |  tooclose2detroit 20/04/09
  21.   Bradley talks sense. Whole world groans under Israels Occupation 01:04  |  Ivar 20/04/09
  22.   Good article. 01:48  |  Hanna 20/04/09
  23.   Who will speak..... the unspeakable 03:21  |  allang 20/04/09
  24.   Great article Bradley 04:01  |  Reuben jacobs 20/04/09
  25.   HA! WHAT A JOKE! 06:08  |  Jazz 20/04/09
  26.   Great article 06:34  |  Suzy 20/04/09
  27.   LET THE SETTLEMENTS STAY AS PART OF A NEW PALESTINIAN STATE 06:45  |  Avi 20/04/09
  28.   The Greatest Threat 08:03  |  Iain 20/04/09
  29.   A different solution ? Well-being instead politics. 08:42  |  Mario Sala 20/04/09
  30.   not many ways to say it better than you have here, bradley 09:05  |  eric 20/04/09
  31.   Michael Lerner Wrote the Same thing in Jewish Renewal in 1995 09:18  |  Mark LeVine 20/04/09
  32.   Yosimite 17. Good 09:27  |  Bandar Michaels 20/04/09
  33.   Will a Palestinian state produce peace? 09:53  |  Jean Van Daem 20/04/09
  34.   Chances of Peace. 09:56  |  Jean Van Daem 20/04/09
  35.   # 29 and to YOU, bandar michaels; "very well said!" 11:11  |  eric 20/04/09
  36.   Land for peace 12:00  |  JoJo 20/04/09
  37.   Excellent 12:08  |  Avi 20/04/09
  38.   # 29 Bandar DNA is not the same as Jews. 13:37  |  petra 20/04/09
  39.   Dear Bradly, 14:05  |  Edith 20/04/09
  40.   Polarised? 14:07  |  Av 10,3830 20/04/09
  41.   Highly commendable, Bradley, but one comment... 14:29  |  Tzfonit 20/04/09
  42.   Ivar: The Whold World Groans under Israeli Occupation 14:51  |  Tzfonit 20/04/09
  43.   Greater Israel 16:51  |  r cummings 20/04/09
  44.   Tzfonit & others 16:52  |  jennifer 20/04/09
  45.   I feel Nauseated 17:29  |  UsedToPostHere 20/04/09
  46.   Petra do some research, 17:49  |  Bandar Michaels 20/04/09
  47.   The Terrible Jew-Hate & Racism Jews SUFFER in Israel 18:11  |  Linda Rivera 20/04/09
  48.   #30 eric still dancing in the petrified forest and hasnt aclue 18:40  |  vhardman 20/04/09
  49.   #18 LB 18:58  |  Lou Medel 20/04/09
  50.   Solution to the Demographic Problem 19:03  |  Lou Medel 20/04/09
  51.   Fantastic 19:07  |  Danny 20/04/09
  52.   #39 Dear Edith in Belgium 19:10  |  Lou MedelI wish ther 20/04/09
  53.   petra #38 who?s a Jew guide 19:21  |  Roo 20/04/09
  54.   WHG and Gaza 19:28  |  sfg 20/04/09
  55.   Israel, Iran, Occupation, Fear 19:40  |  LisaV 20/04/09
  56.   ex-left: and this is different from the Jews how exactly? 20:09  |  AT 20/04/09
  57.   And when ending the occupation doesn`t bring peace? 20:19  |  Lisa 20/04/09
  58.   #27 avi 20:34  |  BDS 20/04/09
  59.   Great article!!! thanks for being frank 20:39  |  Saba 20/04/09
  60.   Tzfonit & others 21:38  |  jennifer 20/04/09
  61.   Turning zionist into Dirt Worshipers 21:45  |  binny 20/04/09
  62.   hardman granted arabs have no claim yet are here 22:06  |  will lerner 20/04/09
  63.   Returning West Bank & Gaza 22:22  |  Meyer Bendavid 20/04/09
  64.   occupation is an acceptable corollary 22:33  |  simian stylist 20/04/09
  65.   answer for will lerner 00:00  |  YB 21/04/09
  66.   petra #38 matrilineal lineage? 00:26  |  Roo 21/04/09
  67.   petra #38 matrilineal lineage? 01:31  |  Roo 21/04/09
  68.   Mr. Burston 15:26  |  Noach 21/04/09
  69.   Burston speaketh the truth... 17:51  |  Proud Secular Jew 21/04/09
  70.   It takes two to play 19:54  |  Cecile 21/04/09
  71.   to Jean Van Daem #33 21:51  |  zeev 21/04/09
  72.   # 38 to petra re: "better check again" 02:30  |  eric 22/04/09
  73.   Returning Home 06:26  |  Steve 22/04/09
  74.   Sharon`s Statements Predate the Gaza Withdrawal Fiasco 06:34  |  Steve 22/04/09
  75.   to Bruce #11 - 2nd try 09:31  |  zeev 22/04/09
  76.   to Steve #57 11:57  |  zeev 22/04/09
  77.   to Steve #56 12:11  |  zeev 22/04/09
  78.   to Noach #59 12:46  |  zeev 22/04/09
  79.   Reality 13:19  |  Andreiev 22/04/09
  80.   It`s so true 13:33  |  Hanna Bard 22/04/09
  81.   to Hanna Bard #72 14:14  |  zeev 22/04/09
  82.   More daydreaming from an idiot leftist. 14:29  |  Terry 22/04/09
  83.   zeev question 15:51  |  American in NY 22/04/09
  84.   Occupation - to Zeev 23:11  |  Noach 22/04/09
  85.   why dont i see any comment from any arab? 15:07  |  mostafa 23/04/09
  86.   Endless handwringing 04:29  |  David M 24/04/09
  87.   to American in NY #83 12:20  |  zeev 24/04/09
  88.   Maybe some good already 20:03  |  Colin Wright 24/04/09
  89.   to Noach #84 - 2nd try 21:30  |  zeev 24/04/09
  90.   Zeev #87 00:51  |  Tim R 25/04/09
  91.   Settlements, Unsettlements 07:33  |  Yesh 25/04/09
  92.   blasphemy 18:57  |  george gobel 25/04/09
  93.   91~ Yesh: Well composed but ill conceived ! 21:44  |  Akram Zekaria 25/04/09
  94.   to Akram Zekaria #92 12:42  |  zeev 26/04/09
  95.   to Tim R #90 - 3rd try 14:14  |  zeev 26/04/09
  96.   Zeev #93 15:07  |  Tim R 26/04/09
  97.   Zeev #93 16:07  |  Tim R 26/04/09
  98.   Zeev #94 Read My Post #90 Carefully Again.. 16:27  |  Tim R 26/04/09
  99.   to Tim R #96 17:24  |  zeev 26/04/09
  100.   Zeev #98 01:06  |  Tim R 27/04/09
  101.   Zeev #98 10:15  |  Tim R 27/04/09
  102.   to Tim R #101 (1) - 2nd try 11:34  |  zeev 28/04/09
  103.   Zeev #102 Logic Is NOT Your Forte...Don`t Dabble In It.. 14:29  |  Tim R 28/04/09
  104.   when will they wake up? or will they? 14:41  |  ks 28/04/09
  105.   Zionists against occupation 06:42  |  Ira Kasper 29/04/09
  106.   to Tim R #101 (2) - 4th try 10:02  |  zeev 29/04/09
  107.   An anti-semite and self-hating Jews dream 10:45  |  a voice 29/04/09
  108.   Zeev #106 12:51  |  Tim R 29/04/09
  109.   to Tim R #108 22:03  |  zeev 29/04/09
  110.   Jerusalem as a capital 22:18  |  AL 29/04/09
  111.   Jerusalem 22:20  |  Pal 29/04/09
  112.   to Ira Kasper #105 - 3rd try 08:58  |  zeev 30/04/09
  113.   Occuppation 21:35  |  Judith Kamins 30/04/09
  114.   Zeev #109 11:10  |  Tim R 01/05/09
  115.   see youtube.com/muslim demographics 00:28  |  arab occupied europe 03/05/09
  116.   HAMAS` ARGUMENT! 10:32  |  Samy 03/05/09
  117.   THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THIS ARTICLE! 11:26  |  Samy 03/05/09
  118.   to Tim R #114 - 4th try 09:42  |  zeev 04/05/09
  119.   TWO STATES 16:52  |  Jamal Alhamed 04/05/09
  120.   Jamal Alhamed #119 TWO STATES 11:43  |  Tim R 05/05/09
  121.   Zeev #118 2nd Try 11:46  |  Tim R 05/05/09
  122.   to Tim R #121 - 4th try 09:23  |  zeev 07/05/09
  123.   Zeev #122 13:09  |  Tim R 07/05/09
  124.   Truth and Justice 18:52  |  Vladek 12/05/09
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