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Rebranding the left
By Rami Livni
Tags: Israel, Zionism, Judaism 

A worrying change has been evolving among the Israeli left in recent years. The traditional peace-camp solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - two nations, two states - has fallen out of favor, and its supporters' ranks have dwindled. Instead, other voices have been advocating, with increasing confidence, a single bi-national state.

The two-state option is increasingly seen as anachronistic, conservative, overly Zionist and unjust. At the very least, it is seen as an option that has lost its formerly exciting, subversive spirit.

The one-state advocates still don't have a joint program or political front, but the balance within the left is changing. The peace organizations' conference in Madrid exploded last month after radical leftist activists refused to sit in the same hall with Peace Now representatives, claiming they were "an arm of the occupation." They drafted a document focusing on the one-state principle.
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The drift toward one state is obvious in the Arab leadership in Israel. The Arab legal organization Adalah has recently revoked its traditional stand and called for the creation of a single constitutional state between the Jordan and the sea. Even Hadash is drawing away de facto from the two-state idea. It is not advocating one state, but it has tucked away what until recently used to be its historical banner.

It would be a mistake to underestimate this process, with the claim that it involves Arabs and a handful of people on Sheinkin and at Tel Aviv University. Even if this idea's supporters are a minority, they are affecting the left-wing's discourse, re-demarcating the borders of what is "just" and "moral" and damaging the sense of justice and inner conviction of a wider left-wing circle.

Granted, even people in the political center, the prime minister and those further right, are already talking about a Palestinian state and dividing Israel, but it is not clear if they are committed to implementing the two-state plan or are merely being dragged toward it due to changing circumstances.

If the two states for two nations vision loses its active, dedicated public of supporters - its activist, ideological engine - its implementation is in danger.

Therefore the two-state solution must regain its inner justification, vitality and moral urgency - or in marketing jargon, it must be rebranded. For only this concept will bring about a radical change in the lives of Israelis and Palestinians.

Its justification derives from being realistic. Advocating one state does nothing more than support the status quo - perpetuating occupation and suffering. The two-state solution is not only more practical, but more just and moral as well.

It is unjust to deny the Jews self-definition in their own state, and immoral to deny the Palestinians self-definition in theirs. Sovereignty, borders, an ethnic-based national identity and an independent government for each nation is the right political order. This is the outline of the historic compromise between the two nations, and the natural and just evolution of the two national movements.

It may appear like a paradox, but only national identity can be a positive force that would save both nations from eternal war. Only an independent Palestinian state, even on a small territory, not a binational state, could channel its people's energies to build a thriving society, a source of identification for Palestinians inside and outside it.

Only such a state would tell the Palestinians' national narrative and process the Nakba memory constructively. It would provide a solution for the Palestinians' identity crisis, which was created following the 1948 war, and end the anomaly of the Palestinian existence without a homeland.

The writer is a journalist.
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  1.   Rebranding the Left 10:21  |  James Coburn 24/01/08
  2.   The left is redrawing its own boundaries 10:23  |  AA 24/01/08
  3.   study the 20th century and see the left wing mess it has produced 10:56  |  v hardman 24/01/08
  4.   CONFLICT IS CONVERGING TOWARDS ONE STATE SOLUTION 11:06  |  TrippleJump 24/01/08
  5.   ONE STATE OF MOSHIACH! SAY NO TO TERROR, PALESTATE)))) 11:15  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 24/01/08
  6.   What is a National identity? (1) 12:08  |  Bandar Michaels 24/01/08
  7.   A 1 state solution is the only option that can work 12:10  |  Stephen Murray 24/01/08
  8.   # ! 12:15  |  A.M. 24/01/08
  9.   Not quite right 12:23  |  Nedal 24/01/08
  10.   The Reality of Israel as the Jewish State is a True Too Powerful 12:26  |  Joseph E . 24/01/08
  11.   wiping Israel off the map 12:37  |  Tobias 24/01/08
  12.   "One State Solution" a euphemism for elimination of Jews 12:52  |  josef cohen 24/01/08
  13.   There is nothing immoral about... 13:02  |  Naftush 24/01/08
  14.   The Left on Crack or plain stupid, but definitely irrelevant! 13:02  |  Mark Hamil 24/01/08
  15.   One State Solution exists, its called Israel 13:09  |  Mark Hamil 24/01/08
  16.   Tobias speaking rubbish 13:18  |  Truths 24/01/08
  17.   Left Favors Two State Solution, But.... 13:46  |  MB 24/01/08
  18.   `Rebranding` is empty marketing speak, this is very telling... 14:01  |  f 24/01/08
  19.   Dores Israel Really Want A Two State Solution? 14:38  |  Yaakov Sullivan 24/01/08
  20.   Moshe Feiglin also believes in 1 state solution 14:44  |  Manhigut Yehudit 24/01/08
  21.   two-state solution 15:09  |  john 24/01/08
  22.   A New Identity Formation 15:11  |  Yaakov Sullivan 24/01/08
  23.   Two wording "one-state / two state" solution is flawed 15:29  |  Fortuna Benmayor 24/01/08
  24.   ONLY SOLUTION: GAZA UNDER EGYPT; PARTS OF W.BANK LINKED TO JORDAN 15:48  |  G. Marcus 24/01/08
  25.   To Nedal and other Palestinians 16:12  |  an opinion 24/01/08
  26.   Let the U.S Congress pay to get the settlers out... 16:13  |  Ibrahim 24/01/08
  27.   One state in which... 16:17  |  Edith 24/01/08
  28.   Jordan is Bi-national Pal State 16:54  |  B 24/01/08
  29.   What? 17:09  |  Fritz T. 24/01/08
  30.   How would a one state solution work? 17:11  |  Gerald Deutsch 24/01/08
  31.   ..anyone who wants to live in a Arab-majority state has a huge 17:36  |  felix 24/01/08
  32.   For Jews, "One State" means Dhimmi status under Hamas regime 17:45  |  G. Marcus 24/01/08
  33.   The Arab state of Israel 17:47  |  Richard Lefkowitz 24/01/08
  34.   Israel/Palestine or Israpalia 17:52  |  Yaakov Sullivan 24/01/08
  35.   The end of Israel 17:52  |  Ron 24/01/08
  36.   Be honest, Livni, it`s the demographics... 18:29  |  Nico de Lange 24/01/08
  37.   Democratic secular state 18:59  |  pal 24/01/08
  38.   Bi-national state vs. 2 state solution 19:03  |  Michael N 24/01/08
  39.   Please 19:03  |  Danite 24/01/08
  40.   Binational but who`s in the `bi` 19:44  |  Michael 24/01/08
  41.   Bi national state=put your faith in the enemy 20:07  |  Dan Chazan 24/01/08
  42.   Binational state 20:14  |  David 24/01/08
  43.   One or Two states 20:37  |  Decent or liberal 24/01/08
  44.   One State Solution exists now 20:38  |  Boycott 24/01/08
  45.   Huh? 2 states, Israel and Jordan Palestine, one Jewish, one Arab 20:47  |  David 24/01/08
  46.   No peace in our time, no palestinian state in our time 21:48  |  Voice of Reason 24/01/08
  47.   and how will this two-state solution will come to be? 22:01  |  shai 24/01/08
  48.   Mm. 22:01  |  Colin Wright 24/01/08
  49.   AA`s definition of left 22:06  |  Jeremy 24/01/08
  50.   zionists knew in 1897 at basle that there will 22:40  |  bozhidar balkas 24/01/08
  51.   Who believes in bi national state 23:02  |  Other Voices 24/01/08
  52.   To all one state proponents,cut the crap 23:11  |  TOMY 24/01/08
  53.   Nothing up my sleeve, except a Red Rabbit 23:48  |  Gideon Reader 24/01/08
  54.   # 12 josef cohen 00:07  |  The Teacher/Instruct 25/01/08
  55.   James Coburn @#1 "artificial states" ??? 00:28  |  akiva (zionist) 25/01/08
  56.   Bandar Michaels @#6 What is a National identity? 00:55  |  akiva (zionist) 25/01/08
  57.   James Coburn @#1 "reality is not on your side" 01:02  |  akiva (zionist) 25/01/08
  58.   Nedal @#9 01:10  |  akiva (zionist) 25/01/08
  59.   settlers take note 01:10  |  michael 25/01/08
  60.   Yaakov Sullivan, what would Jesus say? 01:24  |  akiva (zionist) 25/01/08
  61.   michael of canada 02:28  |  akiva (zionist) 25/01/08
  62.   How about two states on the same land? 02:33  |  Esther 25/01/08
  63.   one state solution 03:38  |  abdu bob 25/01/08
  64.   #9 Nedal, excellent post 03:42  |  Ben Alofs 25/01/08
  65.   Create Two State solution in Jordan 03:56  |  Mark Hamil 25/01/08
  66.   yaakov sullivan 04:42  |  michael 25/01/08
  67.   Early on, Ben Gurion would have accepted 04:47  |  Mark Lincoln 25/01/08
  68.   What "Israeli Left"? 04:53  |  Mark Lincoln 25/01/08
  69.   Fire power vs fire weakness 05:05  |  Mark Lincoln 25/01/08
  70.   River Forest 05:13  |  Mark Lincoln 25/01/08
  71.   The author is wrong in his conclusion 05:15  |  Blinky 25/01/08
  72.   1 state solution = FINAL SOLUTION