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Construction worker at the site of a new housing development in a West Bank settlement.
 (AP)
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Last update - 11:23 29/12/2009
Comment / Settlement freeze is like racial segregation in U.S.
By Karni Eldad
Tags: Israel news 
 

Once upon a time there was a black woman; her name was Rosa Parks. There were racially discriminating laws in the United States, but she continued to sit on the bus even when she was told to vacate her seat for a white person. She was arrested, which set off a process whose end saw the abolishment of racial segregation on American buses. How is it possible that one little black woman, a dressmaker by profession, could change history simply because she remained sitting? Her protest was stronger than any demonstration, op-ed piece or Knesset vote. She opted for the natural choice; that is why she was triumphant.

People get married and have children. The children need space. The children grow up and get married. The children need a house. That is known as life. No one has ever managed to stop it. But every time another evil person arises who plans to destroy us, he does not succeed. And he does not succeed in destroying life itself.

We have enemies who are big and strong. But the defense minister and prime minister are apparently too small to contend with them, so they contend with us instead. That is how we were defined as the enemy. My family and friends were outlawed. Why? Because we are building in the Land of Israel. After all the permits and approvals, in recognized and orderly settlements in which a third generation has already been raised, we woke up one morning to the humming of drones in the sky, taking pictures of us and the situation on the ground. It is forbidden to build. Not even a storeroom. Not a kennel. In certain places, it is even forbidden to add an air conditioner.
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The security forces have plans to cut off the area and act with paralyzing force; to achieve the element of surprise. They have a bank of targets that must be evacuated, and they screen mobile telephones to prevent us from calling up reinforcements against the demolition. This is humiliating, insulting and outrageous.

The freeze is an edict that the public cannot tolerate. It is not democratic, nor is it humane. It hits hard at the pockets of law-abiding citizens and embitters their lives. But at its foundation, either intentionally or by accident, is pure and basic apartheid - it is forbidden for Jews to live in certain places. It is forbidden to build. It is forbidden to develop. And it doesn't matter what the reasons are.

What makes me most furious is that there was no normal decision-making process for approving the move in the cabinet and Knesset. It was a wicked act done stealthily. On Wednesday night, the inner cabinet met, and the minutes are classified, of course. On Thursday there were already drones in the sky taking pictures of us. Suddenly there are no individual rights or civil rights because the law is above everything. This is a move that contravenes the substance of democracy, because democracy is the government of the people. And here rights are being trampled on.

And if we are talking about democracy, how is it possible that the system of government in Israel always lets down the right? It happens to us time and time again. We elected a clearly right-wing leader and we got uprooting, evictions, freezes and delegitimation. What are we supposed to do to make our voices heard? The Knesset elections, after all, don't change a thing. Should we demonstrate? We've already had demonstrations of hundreds of thousands of people that have had no effect whatsoever. What is left for us to do? How can we stop what is clearly going to happen? How can we influence the reality?

Despite the fury and the insult, let's not turn to violence. There is a simple, natural solution that is full of life - continuing to build. That will perhaps embarrass the prime minister in front of U.S. President Barack Obama, but that's precisely the point. A person with a manual cement mixer in Samaria can change history. Sometimes the man in the field can be a lot stronger than the great leaders. Just like Rosa Parks.
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  1.   And what about Palestinian children? 03:51  |  Ryan 29/12/09
  2.   Arabic settlements in West-Jerusalem 03:56  |  Mohammad 29/12/09
  3.   No-the settlements are like segregation 04:15  |  R Farrar 29/12/09
  4.   The settlements are outside of Israels borders 04:33  |  Natallie Durson 29/12/09
  5.   The year`s almost over.... 04:52  |  Colin Wright 29/12/09
  6.   eyze hutzpah! 05:19  |  Mike 29/12/09
  7.   Racial Segregation 05:22  |  Alistair 29/12/09
  8.   How Dare You, Eldad? 05:42  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/12/09
  9.   I understand completely 05:46  |  david 29/12/09
  10.   Writer has it backwards 05:47  |  Chyness 29/12/09
  11.   Some of "The Land of Israel" is in Palestine 05:51  |  MIKE 29/12/09
  12.   what planet is the writer from..not mine 06:16  |  housam 29/12/09
  13.   So Karni Eldad must support the right of Palestinians ... 06:16  |  Amos Armitage 29/12/09
  14.   Blind Arrogance 07:14  |  Dan 29/12/09
  15.   EXCELLENT ARTICLE 07:37  |  Samy 29/12/09
  16.   David, marriage by race was restricted in US, never in Israel 07:43  |  Rob 29/12/09
  17.   Weird 08:35  |  perplexed 29/12/09
  18.   A better anology 08:43  |  Joel 29/12/09
  19.   appalled 08:53  |  fred 29/12/09
  20.   Funny 09:00  |  smgxxx 29/12/09
  21.   Why is it ok for Palestinians to practice segregation? 09:05  |  Joe Sittizen 29/12/09
  22.   Eldad is correct 09:07  |  Boris 29/12/09
  23.   Very balanced article... 09:07  |  had enough 29/12/09
  24.   national liberation 09:12  |  smgxxx 29/12/09
  25.   Stop lying to your self, then stop building in other folks territ 09:19  |  CJ 29/12/09
  26.   "Land of Israel" is not the "State of Israel". Build within..... 09:19  |  Avi 29/12/09
  27.   Boris Israel`s borders have not changed since 14th May 1948 09:28  |  CJ 29/12/09
  28.   "Land of Israel" is not the "State of Israel". Build within..... 09:53  |  Avi 29/12/09
  29.   The worst of this is highjacking Rosa Parks bid for equality... 09:54  |  Esther 29/12/09
  30.   Is this perhaps Karni Jabotinsky (nee)?! 10:02  |  Esther 29/12/09
  31.   Thank you Avi. 10:03  |  Shadi 29/12/09
  32.   Agree 10:04  |  Bandar Michaels 29/12/09
  33.   Attn CJ-Muslim invasion was ILLEGAL 10:18  |  Ita 29/12/09
  34.   Boris#20. wishing you a nice time in all your new flats... 10:30  |  Esther 29/12/09
  35.   Settelments were created for jews only!!! 10:30  |  Rosa Parks 29/12/09
  36.   Ita Welcome to post 1945 it`s now 2009 11:04  |  CJ 29/12/09
  37.   Blindness 11:13  |  Daniel 29/12/09
  38.   stupidity in plain vie to all 11:15  |  Arnon 29/12/09
  39.   Can Palestinians build settlemens near Tel Aviv 11:28  |  GalileeHero 29/12/09
  40.   Since the author brings up segregation... 11:32  |  GaileeHero 29/12/09
  41.   Natural growth for Arabic towns in Israel 11:40  |  GalileeHero 29/12/09
  42.   Sanctimonious article 11:41  |  harvey 29/12/09
  43.   Perplexed`s statement 11:42  |  SDHD 29/12/09
  44.   Palestinian natural growth. 12:06  |  Palestinian Brit 29/12/09
  45.   Boris - within its borders?????????? 12:11  |  Palestinian Brit 29/12/09
  46.   Israels choice 12:50  |  Iain 29/12/09
  47.   Get History Right 13:31  |  Saad 29/12/09
  48.   Settlements are legal and it is also legal to freeze them 13:42  |  arik 29/12/09
  49.   freeze 14:18  |  rm 29/12/09
  50.   Answer to Ryan "What about the Palestinian Children" 14:42  |  Proud Israeli 29/12/09
  51.   to CJ in Australia 14:55  |  Jackie 29/12/09
  52.   Karni Eldad has lost total touch with reality 15:06  |  Lasting peace 29/12/09
  53.   get a brain and stop being brainwashed 15:16  |  geoff 29/12/09
  54.   settlement freeze equals segregation 15:35  |  Eric Pillischer 29/12/09
  55.   david #9 points out the ludicrous incongruity of "segregarion" 15:44  |  Esther 29/12/09
  56.   To the Left, To the Left 15:44  |  Ehud 29/12/09
  57.   warped reality 15:46  |  roz 29/12/09
  58.   Building Jews-only houses and roads is like US segregation 15:51  |  John 29/12/09
  59.   To Arik 15:53  |  John 29/12/09
  60.   About Perplexed`s statement 15:53  |  Yvon Veilleux 29/12/09
  61.   Occupied Territory 15:58  |  The dude 29/12/09
  62.   settlers like KKK and segregationists, not Parks & Co 15:58  |  Don Boston 29/12/09
  63.   to #2 Palestinians are the children of jews 15:59  |  Tony Silver 29/12/09
  64.   To Boris 15:59  |  nathan 29/12/09
  65.   Some don`t understand 16:00  |  Gene 29/12/09
  66.   excuses excuses` 16:07  |  arieh zimmerman 29/12/09
  67.   Settlers are Barriers to Peace 16:07  |  Vladek 29/12/09
  68.   #44 Ita - then Israel is illegal - belongs to Canaanites 16:10  |  Don Boston 29/12/09
  69.   Israeli way of democracy! 16:21  |  Tony Silver 29/12/09
  70.   israel of South Africa? 16:22  |  Tony Silver 29/12/09
  71.   settlement freeze is like racial segregation in U.S. 16:23  |  Steve G 29/12/09
  72.   thank you 16:27  |  Shmuel 29/12/09
  73.   Perplexed - do not be. Geneva comventions are not applicable 16:28  |  17 29/12/09
  74.   loony rightists 16:46  |  Sylvie 29/12/09
  75.   self serving and specious PART 2 16:52  |  arieh zimmerman 29/12/09
  76.   Some don`t understand 16:55  |  Gene 29/12/09
  77.   If WestBank is "disputed territory" that can be settled ... 17:05  |  Avi 29/12/09
  78.   #3 - Settlements are an abomination??? 17:10  |  Bob 29/12/09
  79.   Rosa Parks 17:22  |  directrob 29/12/09
  80.   R.Farrar 17:23  |  Stephanie 29/12/09
  81.   Some don`t understand 17:26  |  Gene 29/12/09
  82.   Israel insane 17:39  |  Larry 29/12/09
  83.   What a Gross Distrotion of An Historic Legacy! 17:42  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/12/09
  84.   How Dare You Compare Rosa Parks to Illegal Settlements 17:46  |  Stephen 29/12/09
  85.   17 GC`s are not applicable according to who? 17:46  |  CJ 29/12/09
  86.   An incredible comment 18:00  |  Willibald Feinig 29/12/09
  87.   Ridiculous analogy but since we are on the topic of segregation 18:05  |  Joe 29/12/09
  88.   #43 SDHD 18:11  |  still perplexed 29/12/09
  89.   WILL THE PALESTINIAN ROSA PARKS PLEASE REPORT FOR DUTY 18:12  |  John Brown 29/12/09
  90.   Worse than Saudi 18:16  |  Steven 29/12/09
  91.   Stephanie 49 18:17  |  Alistair 29/12/09
  92.   SDHD #43... a convenient 19 yr history made up to `justify`... 18:23  |  Esther 29/12/09
  93.   total rubbish 18:28  |  s. spring 29/12/09
  94.   Let Arab refugees return to Israel then, hypocrite 18:29  |  Sam 29/12/09
  95.   Right of return 18:30  |  A Casual Observer 29/12/09
  96.   Mr. Mark of Lewiston: Posting #8 18:30  |  John Brown 29/12/09
  97.   Settlement freeze is like racial segregation 18:44  |  J.; V. Mallow 29/12/09
  98.   Settlement Freeze is like Racial Segregation 18:55  |  Jerold S. Auerbach 29/12/09
  99.   No wonder you`re still perplexed 18:59  |  SDHD 29/12/09
  100.   Beyond Chutzpah--Then Let All Palestinians Return 19:01  |  Dolphin 29/12/09
  101.   A Casual Observer From Canada on Jewish Palestinians 19:02  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/12/09
  102.   It is segregation and ethnic cleansing 19:05  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 29/12/09
  103.   It is segregation and ethnic cleansing 19:05  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 29/12/09
  104.   Stop Arab land Grab 19:07  |  Baruch Gold 29/12/09
  105.   #57 CJ to the minor--"17". 19:17  |  Labhras 29/12/09
  106.   What are there 2 million Arabs in the WB? 19:19  |  Big Bobby 29/12/09
  107.   SDHD Sounds As If He Is Talking About Israel 19:22  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/12/09
  108.   ".. not democratic.." to prevent Palestinian to live in Tel Aviv. 19:24  |  Dvora 29/12/09
  109.   Esther`s cold heart 19:33  |  SDHD 29/12/09
  110.   Miami dolphin 19:35  |  SDHD 29/12/09
  111.   WEIRD LOGIC 19:41  |  American Patriot 29/12/09
  112.   Israel is only doing what America did 19:48  |  Mick 29/12/09
  113.   This article is deranged 19:53  |  Mike Cagle 29/12/09
  114.   # 33 Ita - Ah yes, King Abimelech :) 19:58  |  David 29/12/09
  115.   CJ - GC`s Are Not Applicable to 1948 Hence UNRWA 19:59  |  Eli 29/12/09
  116.   American Patriot`s "underdogs" 20:04  |  SDHD 29/12/09
  117.   What about International Law? 20:05  |  mary 29/12/09
  118.   Yaakov I Guess You Never Read The Events of 47 with any... 20:13  |  Eli 29/12/09
  119.   A very sick woman 20:14  |  Michael N 29/12/09
  120.   Edit the Title of this article by dropping the word `freeze`... 20:14  |  JustMe 29/12/09
  121.   Mick in England speaks of America 20:15  |  SDHD 29/12/09
  122.   Yes, Mary, what about international law 20:38  |  SDHD 29/12/09
  123.   settlers 20:43  |  second try 29/12/09
  124.   To Tony Silver - Have You Ever Read The Website you Link? 20:59  |  Eli 29/12/09
  125.   Eli from Toronto and Zionist Distortions 21:34  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/12/09
  126.   The comparison is ridiculous - but the Pro-Pals need to listen 21:40  |  Reid 29/12/09
  127.   You hit a Raw Nerve 21:47  |  Avi Yerushalmi 29/12/09
  128.   National Liberation 21:53  |  david 29/12/09
  129.   Labhras & CJ on ICJ Occupied Territory 21:57  |  Reid 29/12/09
  130.   SDHD #99... so many calumnies, inaccuracies, & pure nonsense... 22:05  |  Esther 29/12/09
  131.   SDHD #111... so what`s your point...? 22:13  |  Esther 29/12/09
  132.   Warped figures from SDHD 22:13  |  r cummings 29/12/09
  133.   Chaim, Baruch #92-94... the safest way for a thief... 22:23  |  Esther 29/12/09
  134.   #102 Mick....British and French sure mucked it up 22:24  |  Lynn 29/12/09
  135.   Rosa Parks is rolling in her grave 22:33  |  peacelover 29/12/09
  136.   Settlements are segregation 22:41  |  Janice 29/12/09
  137.   al qaeda and Israel 22:42  |  Steve 29/12/09
  138.   roads for jews only 22:51  |  v 29/12/09
  139.   Esther 23:26  |  John 29/12/09
  140.   To Natalie - If Settlements Are Outside of Israel Borders... 23:32  |  Eli 29/12/09
  141.   Esther`s vapid posts 23:36  |  SDHD 29/12/09
  142.   Gene 23:40  |  John 29/12/09
  143.   Esther..with your inclinations,I would think.... 00:07  |  Malone 30/12/09
  144.   Not a word was said. 00:13  |  Salty 30/12/09
  145.   European Settlers... 00:15  |  Latin Lover. 30/12/09
  146.   ## Big Bobby 00:17  |  Bic 30/12/09
  147.   Samy 00:32  |  Rahel 30/12/09
  148.   Ita: read the Torah 00:39  |  Scholar 30/12/09
  149.   DISGUSTING! 00:58  |  Tyrone 30/12/09
  150.   Clueless Stephanie 01:53  |  R.Farrar 30/12/09
  151.   A pathetic argument form a pathetic movement 02:44  |  Michael Cohen 30/12/09
  152.   "There is a simple, natural solution...- continuing to build." 03:01  |  dickerson3870 30/12/09
  153.   Esther, 3 posts with zero supporting facts, just 03:18  |  Eve 30/12/09
  154.   Try again, Tyrone 03:20  |  SDHD 30/12/09
  155.   It is coming 03:24  |  Iain 30/12/09
  156.   Eli - You spout complete twaddle... 03:33  |  CJ 30/12/09
  157.   Arabs lost the war of 1948 which they have begun !Israel belong 03:40  |  to the Jews! 30/12/09
  158.   Dear, old Joe Sittizen.... 03:48  |  American 30/12/09
  159.   Really? 04:02  |  Crew 30/12/09
  160.   Let`s all hope.. 04:13  |  American 30/12/09
  161.   You only get to go back to... 04:26  |  American 30/12/09
  162.   Sorry, invalid comparison 04:31  |  Lali 30/12/09
  163.   So you want to end segregation? 05:41  |  noha/arabicgirl 30/12/09
  164.   Eve #121... galore is not necessarily more... 07:49  |  Esther 30/12/09
  165.   To John 49 09:09  |  arik 30/12/09
  166.   "The Land of Israel" should be outlawed as it is so racist 09:33  |  American 30/12/09
  167.   Karni Eldad - Settlements 09:51  |  Claire 30/12/09
  168.   Yaakov - Then By your own Admission your statements R incongruet 17:42  |  Eli 30/12/09
  169.   Rosa Parks` memory abused 19:37  |  PatricktheRogue 30/12/09
  170.   Esther`s vapid posts 20:09  |  SDHD 30/12/09
  171.   This is hilarious. The settlers are the racists! 20:51  |  Jacob 30/12/09
  172.   SDHD..I agree...the Esthers of Israel are most of the problem... 23:46  |  Malone 30/12/09
  173.   Pursuit of Happiness 01:00  |  Jake 31/12/09
  174.   Using the name R Parks to defend racist agenda 02:34  |  Rich Siegel 31/12/09
  175.   They are just lawless people claiming to be lawfull 04:01  |  Dutch 31/12/09
  176.   Re: "What about International Law?" 08:51  |  Miron 31/12/09
  177.   less flattering mirror 17:34  |  Elisabeth 02/01/10
  178.   less flattering mirror 2 17:35  |  Elisabeth 02/01/10
  179.   Settlement freeze is like racial segregation in U.S. 17:33  |  Estherhadas 24/01/10
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