Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., June 27, 2009 Tamuz 5, 5769 | | Israel Time: 14:28 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File
Share |
Palestinians were made to pay an unfair price
By Chaim Gans
Tags: Mideast Peace, Israel News

One of the favorite tacks taken by Israeli spokesmen, in attempting to justify the price that the Palestinians paid for the realization of Zionism, is to place full responsibility for that price on the Palestinians themselves. Their refusal to accept the Partition Plan of 1947 is the main anchor for this argument. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could not, of course, resist reiterating it in his Bar-Ilan address.

But repeating this claim cannot promote peace, as it expresses a complete unwillingness by Israelis to recognize the heavy price paid by the Palestinians for the realization of Zionism. In his Cairo speech United States President Barack Obama cogently expressed the need to recognize that price.

I am speaking about the price paid by the Palestinians not only for the patently unjust elements of Zionism (the expulsion of 1948, the inequality between Jews and Arabs in Israel and the ongoing torment of Palestinians in the form of the settlements); I am speaking about the price paid for its just elements: the establishment of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel.
Advertisement
The Zionist movement based its justification of the aspiration to establish such a state on the right of every nation to self-determination, on the Jews' historical connection to the land of Israel and, as the tipping point, the persecution of the Jews in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is clear from the components of this justification that it was not the Palestinians who should have paid the full price for the realization of this aspiration.

Since the justification speaks of the right of the Jews, like all other nations, to self-determination, then all nations and not only the Palestinians should have shared the cost for realizing that right. And since we are speaking of a right that is justified in being realized in the Land of Israel because of the persecution of the Jews in Europe, then the relevant European nations should have incurred the lion's share of its price. The United Nations Partition Plan did not give expression to this. Therefore, while the Partition Plan was just in principle, the Palestinians, who were the only ones being asked to pay the price of the creation of the Jewish state, had justification for opposing it.

In other words, the Palestinians were morally justified in objecting to the partition resolution despite its justice, not because of its injustice. And we were justified in accepting the partition resolution despite the justice of the Palestinians' opposition, not because of its injustice.

The constant reiteration of the fact of the Palestinians' refusal to accept the Partition Plan, in an effort to make them responsible for the completely unfair costs we extract from them for the conflict, is to close our eyes to the great injustices that we are carrying out. Instead of understanding Zionism in a manner that includes recognition for the justice of the Palestinians' opposition, even to its just elements, we deny the right of this opposition so as to create many unjust elements for Zionism.

In my opinion, only an understanding of the justice of Zionism that includes a recognition of the right of the Palestinian objection, and only Palestinian recognition of the justice of their opposition to Zionism that also includes a recognition of its justified elements, can lead to a stable resolution of the conflict.

An insistence by either party on only its own right, out of a total unwillingless to also see the justice of the other side, will perpetuate the conflict or cause its resolution to be an imposed and unstable one.

There is an impression that Obama expressed an understanding of this in his Cairo speech. Netanyahu did just the opposite.

Chaim Gans' book "A Just Zionism: On the Morality of the Jewish State," was published last year by Oxford University Press.


Related articles:
  • A burning ship on Jerusalem Beach
  • Abbas, get off your high horse
  • Jerusalem is ours
    • PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
    Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Three years, no Shalit
    WATCH: People around world read in various languages Gilad's tale of coexistence.
    Demilitarized Palestine
    After meeting EU leaders, PM insists controversial plan for peace will gain support.
      1.   Holocaust justifies nothing 03:15  |  fritz t. 23/06/09
      2.   An ardent Zionist who agrees 03:29  |  dyinglikeflies 23/06/09
      3.   What was wrong with a partition? 03:31  |  judith 23/06/09
      4.   Chaim.. 03:36  |  Yosemite 23/06/09
      5.   Ganz meshugeh 03:39  |  Abbushuki 23/06/09
      6.   Europe V Arab guilt 03:40  |  Jonathan 23/06/09
      7.   And so ..now what ?? 03:51  |  Arnold 23/06/09
      8.   And so ..now what ?? 03:51  |  Arnold 23/06/09
      9.   Very, very good and clearsighted comments 03:51  |  Apa 23/06/09
      10.   This is real intellectual input 03:52  |  LikeSmartWriters 23/06/09
      11.   Excellent article, Palestinians had nothing to do with 03:53  |  justis 23/06/09
      12.   Any anti-Israeli clap-trap will be published in Haaretz 04:23  |  Steve of Mevaserret 23/06/09
      13.   Justice for Palestinian refugees 05:04  |  Josh 23/06/09
      14.   Chaim Gans and the "Justice of Zionism" 05:11  |  Natallie Durson 23/06/09
      15.   Refugees and History 05:13  |  David 23/06/09
      16.   There was arab terrorism before 1948 05:19  |  Steve 23/06/09
      17.   Yes, I think it`s very difficult for Zionists - many of whom 05:36  |  Diane 23/06/09
      18.   Gans wants to feed wolves while keeping chickens alive 05:50  |  Gene 23/06/09
      19.   Re : Chaim Gans / Palestinians were made to pay an unfair price 05:57  |  Rob 23/06/09
      20.   Steve: You are mistaken 05:58  |  Ryan 23/06/09
      21.   To #3 Steve 06:01  |  David 23/06/09
      22.   David 06:01  |  Ryan 23/06/09
      23.   To #1 Judith 06:08  |  David 23/06/09
      24.   #4 diane 06:08  |  Ami 23/06/09
      25.   europe was in ruins 06:09  |  iDub 23/06/09
      26.   There would have been no price if not for Arab actions 06:29  |  McQueen 23/06/09
      27.   an intelligent discussion for a change 06:35  |  Billy 23/06/09
      28.   one thousand years of arab imperial wars 06:41  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/06/09
      29.   Zionists built a nation out of a wasteland (David #19) 06:41  |  Steve of Mevaserret 23/06/09
      30.   19 Century Jerusalem 06:46  |  Steve of Mevaserret 23/06/09
      31.   Colonialism 06:47  |  Rob Weissmann 23/06/09
      32.   19th Century Jericho and Gilgal 06:49  |  Steve of Mevaserret 23/06/09
      33.   19 century US Naval Expedition to the River Jordan 06:58  |  Steve of Mevaserret 23/06/09
      34.   The arabs fabricated `nakba` is politics as war completion agains 07:08  |  Joseph .E 23/06/09
      35.   zionists also paid high prices to the arabs for swamps and desert 07:23  |  robert 23/06/09
      36.   Ryan #18 07:35  |  Solomon 23/06/09
      37.   partition 07:46  |  Ron Sandler 23/06/09
      38.   WEISSMAN.JEWS having lived there for millenia persecuted by Arabs 08:02  |  PETER SM 23/06/09
      39.   Well what is just about zionism? 08:08  |  Marilyn 23/06/09
      40.   another attempt to delegitimise the Jewish State 08:25  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/06/09
      41.   Unmentioned facts: 08:27  |  Michael D. 23/06/09
      42.   Is Chaim Gans Completely Delusional 08:51  |  Eli Wapniarski 23/06/09
      43.   OK ,CH.Gans ,no publish a book how just Germans were in refusing 08:56  |  Absulute Sweden 23/06/09
      44.   To # 19 David 09:06  |  Gershon Reed 23/06/09
      45.   In 1947 the Palestinians had nothing 09:11  |  Niv 23/06/09
      46.   a slight case of `amnesia` 09:17  |  michael cohen 23/06/09
      47.   ARABS Got the vast majority of the British mandate.Jews got less 09:18  |  PETER SM 23/06/09
      48.   Wrong 09:35  |  Alon 23/06/09
      49.   Rob Weissmann confused babble 09:36  |  FOX 23/06/09
      50.   When the Left will blame the Palestinians for anything ! 09:48  |  Akram Zekaria 23/06/09
      51.   Cipora Julianna Kohn - wrong 09:49  |  Apa 23/06/09
      52.   The grand myth that Israel was land empty of people hangs on..... 09:52  |  Hanna 23/06/09
      53.   Justice 10:07  |  Claire 23/06/09
      54.   The Pals were Never the Issue! 10:07  |  FOX 23/06/09
      55.   Gans is absolutely right. Partition was wrong. 10:13  |  Michael 23/06/09
      56.   makes sense 10:33  |  Nagy 23/06/09
      57.   Partition 10:34  |  Alan Barland 23/06/09
      58.   The Palestinians caused the Partition decision 10:34  |  MARK KLEIN, M.D. 23/06/09
      59.   To #30 PETER SM 10:38  |  David 23/06/09
      60.   oh how the jackals hiss and yelp, when the sting of truth is felt 10:41  |  eric 23/06/09
      61.   Suffering justice 10:41  |  johnnie 23/06/09
      62.   A matter of proportion 10:42  |  Critic of Chaim Gans 23/06/09
      63.   Makes clear what Israel owes to the Palestinians 10:44  |  Ivar 23/06/09
      64.   #36 Gershon 10:48  |  David 23/06/09
      65.   It is said, that only now... 10:49  |  Anne 23/06/09
      66.   #32 Cipora Julianna Kohn 10:54  |  Edith 23/06/09
      67.   Look at it this way.... 10:55  |  David 23/06/09
      68.   Anti-Zionism at Haaretz is getting so bad the Schocken`s mission 10:56  |  Freethinker 23/06/09
      69.   Forget the chosen people myth for a moment 11:02  |  Observer 23/06/09
      70.   Forget the chosen people myth for a moment 11:03  |  Observer 23/06/09
      71.   Why is the partition fair ? 11:06  |  observer 23/06/09
      72.   why is the partition fair ? 11:06  |  observer 23/06/09
      73.   David, Never heard of Mohammed killing all Jews of Mecca? 11:16  |  Eve 23/06/09
      74.   David, Never heard of Mohammed killing all Jews of Mecca? 11:16  |  Eve 23/06/09
      75.   Observer talking rubbish 11:46  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/06/09
      76.   It is a bull`s eye 11:47  |  Steve the Pals. 23/06/09
      77.   There was land for a Jewish state in Europe in 1945 11:54  |  Ze`ev Ben Shmaryahu 23/06/09
      78.   DAVID. The Damascus pogrom 1840 that spread around the M.E.!! 11:55  |  PETER SM 23/06/09
      79.   A Gypsy state in south France, anybody ? 12:06  |  observer 23/06/09
      80.   THE ARABS got 82.82% of the British Mandate Israel got17.18% 12:49  |  PETER SM 23/06/09
      81.   What Was Unfair About The "Price"? 13:08  |  Jeff Northridge 23/06/09
      82.   Mark Klein`s intellecual dishonesty @42 13:10  |  Ben Alofs 23/06/09
      83.   To be logical... 13:14  |  ilan 23/06/09
      84.   EUROPEAN PERSECUTION? WRONG! THE ARABS DISPOSSESSED THE JEWS!!! 13:20  |  Robert 23/06/09
      85.   CJK FYI 13:32  |  Jane@amazon.com 23/06/09
      86.   Cipora Kohn 14:02  |  Mike from Boston 23/06/09
      87.   Absolute Sweden 14:10  |  Mike from Boston 23/06/09
      88.   Observer (#54) May I explain? 14:24  |  Gil 23/06/09
      89.   total crap revisited again and again never mind the ottomans 14:31  |  v hardman 23/06/09
      90.   Cipora Julianna Kohn 14:51  |  David James Vickery 23/06/09
      91.   fair and unfair prices 14:52  |  Ren 23/06/09
      92.   Observer (#54) May I explain? 15:15  |  Gil 23/06/09
      93.   The Jews didn`t just come From Europe! 15:36  |  GR 23/06/09
      94.   my response to Gil no.61 15:44  |  observer 23/06/09
      95.   #15 Diane. Could you explain me why 16:21  |  arik 23/06/09
      96.   the Palestinian narrative 16:24  |  Natalie 23/06/09
      97.   Well, Chaim, you fairly turned over a hornets` nest 16:44  |  Murray 23/06/09
      98.   so what`s Jordan,CHOPPED LIVER?crock tears 16:55  |  Dina 23/06/09
      99.   Solution 16:56  |  Ron 23/06/09
      100.   Mike from Boston 17:06  |  Ibrahim 23/06/09
      101.   Dina from Virginia on Jordan. 17:08  |  Ibrahim 23/06/09
      102.   Natalie from Boston on narratives... 17:10  |  Ibrahim 23/06/09
      103.   Jeff Northridge 17:11  |  Mike from Boston 23/06/09
      104.   Israeli propaganda still prevails 17:14  |  Apa 23/06/09
      105.   a muddled reasoning that perhaps confuses more than it clarifies 17:16  |  ivo 23/06/09
      106.   A bundle of self-contradiction and anti-thought 17:30  |  Moshe 23/06/09
      107.   ALOFS intellectual dishonesty.It was not just 35% of the total 17:46  |  PETER SM 23/06/09
      108.   Chaim Gans = Gideon Levy, Amira Hass and Akiva Eldar 17:47  |  Ken Jurist 23/06/09
      109.   Chaim Gabs is an Arab 18:15  |  Yonatan 23/06/09
      110.   Israel`s Choice 18:26  |  Bev 23/06/09
      111.   Ibrahim - maybe read my post again 19:21  |  Natalie 23/06/09
      112.   Mike from Boston # 103 It`s An Unjust World 19:26  |  Jeff Northridge 23/06/09
      113.   To Ron To Add To The Uniquness is Palestinian Refugees... 19:35  |  Eli 23/06/09
      114.   Correction to My Previous Post - Palestinian Nation Did Exist... 19:50  |  Eli 23/06/09
      115.   Natalie from Boston...I agree, it wasn`t Shakespeare 20:00  |  Ibrahim 23/06/09
      116.   Eli - tripping over biblical history... 20:04  |  Ibrahim 23/06/09
      117.   Reparations for Jewish refugees 20:05  |  s gilbert, USA 23/06/09
      118.   The historic jewish state 20:12  |  Michael N 23/06/09
      119.   A well balanced article. 20:25  |  Pablo Luis 23/06/09
      120.   #112 Jeff Northridge`s nonsense 20:26  |  Michael n 23/06/09
      121.   To Ibrahim - Let`s Take A Quick Trip in History Then 20:27  |  Eli 23/06/09
      122.   Jeff Northridge 20:36  |  Mike from Boston 23/06/09
      123.   Why did the Diaspora last so long? Because the Pals kept killing 20:47  |  Jason 23/06/09
      124.   Eli - the same goes for you... 20:48  |  Ibrahim 23/06/09
      125.   Eli # 114 Philistia 20:55  |  Jeff Northridge 23/06/09
      126.   A lesson in math for Responses 20 & 21 20:58  |  Steve 23/06/09
      127.   How about applying the rules of the world to the Arabs 21:00  |  Jordan 23/06/09
      128.   To Jeff - Thanks for Correction -You Should Write A Book 21:38  |  Eli 23/06/09
      129.   lose lose situation 21:39  |  oz 23/06/09
      130.   Ibrahim: Israelite is the English translation of Bnei Israel 22:26  |  An Israeli 23/06/09
      131.   ALLOFS the racist Jewish immigration causes demographic change ! 01:09  |  PETER SM 24/06/09
      132.   Ben Alofs intellectual dishonesty 01:19  |  binn 24/06/09
      133.   Observer (#94) Dear Observer 01:25  |  Gil 24/06/09
      134.   Ben Alofs 01:46  |  Nero 24/06/09
      135.   I believe the opposite will be true someday ... 01:50  |  Dutch 24/06/09
      136.   DON`T LET FACTS INTERFERE WITH OPINION (Mike N #118) 01:59  |  Steve of Mevaserret 24/06/09
      137.   Both sides have Creation Myths 02:04  |  Mark Lincoln 24/06/09
      138.   to @108 Go down and read.. 02:24  |  l. 24/06/09
      139.   to jeff n@112 something to reconcider. 02:29  |  l. 24/06/09
      140.   to yonatan #109..an experiment 02:31  |  l. 24/06/09
      141.   peter sm #107 ..an experiment worth trying. 02:34  |  l. 24/06/09
      142.   s gilbert,usa #116 here is the remedy... 02:40  |  l. 24/06/09
      143.   Steve @126. You are wrong. 03:09  |  Ben Alofs 24/06/09
      144.   To the deniers of a Palestinian identity 03:55  |  Apa 24/06/09
      145.   A partition that gives Juice anything at all... 04:09  |  Daniel 24/06/09
      146.   Maybe it`s Allah`s will 04:35  |  SLAVO 24/06/09
      147.   PETER SM 04:43  |  yael 24/06/09
      148.   Chaim Gans, it is not that simple 05:41  |  Mark Lincoln 24/06/09
      149.   Gans is an anarchist 06:17  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/06/09
      150.   To Yael (#143) 06:45  |  Steve of Mevaserret 24/06/09
      151.   I 07:31  |  PETER SM 24/06/09
      152.   #73 To Eve 08:05  |  David 24/06/09
      153.   # 80 to PETER SM 08:14  |  David 24/06/09
      154.   to # 78 PETER SM 08:28  |  David 24/06/09
      155.   Wanna stir up a den of vipers? 09:18  |  TrulySpoken 24/06/09
      156.   #126 a link for you, steve...re: "land" of israel in 1948 07:40  |  eric 25/06/09
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    hotel Jerusalem
    David Citadel Hotel, come stay at the finest of Jerusalem hotels.
    ISRAEL ARMY SURPLUS STORE
    IDF insignia,Uniforms, Paladium Boots Watches, Israel Army T-shirts & Collectibles
    Dead Sea Skin Care
    Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    More Headlines
    14:17 Report: Arab sources also say Shalit to be moved to Egypt soon
    12:06 Blair: Peace within reach if Israel compromises
    11:59 Ahmadinejad escalates war of words with Obama and West
    23:20 Are Fatah and Hamas on road to reconciliation?
    00:16 Israel envoy blasts UN report on Palestinians as 'biased'
    12:40 The day I sang a Yom Kippur melody for Michael Jackson
    10:51 Israel's Dudi Sela reaches fourth round at Wimbledon
    20:58 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
    14:09 Egypt opens Gaza Strip border crossing for 72 hours
    12:42 Set to become Lebanon PM, Hariri meets with Hezbollah chief
    12:22 IDF troops, left-wing activists clash in West Bank
    10:16 Thousands of Haredim protest against opening of Jerusalem parking lot
    06:28 Disgraced financier Madoff ordered to forfeit over $170b
    13:47 Bringing Gilad home - A look at the Shalit family's struggle
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
    | Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel
    | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved