Cartoon by Rob Rogers
A recent cartoon by Rob Rogers feels like it encapsulates the current tragic situation in Israeli-occupied Palestine.
It shows both sides standing next to ruined areas. And it shows seemingly shell-shocked families on both sides holding up signs suggesting that they are not supporters of the violence inflicted on their side, by their supposed leaders.
Admittedly, this is kind of what I feel about the situation in Israel/Palestine. In principle, I believe that a two-state solution would be ideal. The problem is that too many Palestinians - and many others in the region, including Iran - will never accept Israel's existence, under any circumstances. Also, it feels like far too many Palestinians seem to support the violence and terrorism by people on their side. If not overtly, then by remaining silent when it happens, while loudly protesting Israeli violence.
Meanwhile on the Israeli side of things, Netanyahu is a despicable leader who stands in the way of a peaceful solution. He is an obstacle to peace, and is opposed to a two-state solution, and seems to condemn anyone who recognizes any form of Palestinian sovereignty.
In short, it feels like both sides gravitate towards wrong and counterproductive ideas, intent on dehumanizing and brutalizing the other side. Supporters of Israel justify all sorts of war crimes - let's call it what it is - against Palestinians who obviously are not in any serious position to really fight back. At least not anywhere near equal terms. Yet, too many of them just seem to completely reject the right of Israel to exist, which obviously also is not helping matters, either.
Some people suggest - and not without some legitimacy - that there is a form of de facto apartheid at work in the occupied territories. Comparisons have been made with the apartheid era of South Africa. Jimmy Carter got into hot water when he pointed this out in a book. Yet despite the widespread condemnation, he made some very valid points. What he described sounds a lot like what is going on there still to this day, and it does feel like it warrants comparison to apartheid. It is unhelpful to say the least for supporters of Israel to suggest that anyone who criticizes these practices are somehow anti-Semitic. Carter was accused of anti-Semitism, and this felt so absurd that it would feel comical, if it were not so serious.
Apartheid is a very serious allegation, of course. Back in the eighties and early nineties, I followed the situation in South Africa, as it seemed to coming to an end, more or less. It was easy to see that the harsh policies of the white minority government were wrong. So you wanted to see right prevail there. And despite the obvious misgivings of many within the minority white community, enough of them saw that things could not go on as they had, that it was not sustainable, and so reform came. South Africa is not perfect. Yet, it also is no longer the "skunk of the world," as Nelson Mandela aptly put it.
However, the situation is quite different in Israel. As I understand it, is is acceptable within Israel to criticize many of these policies. As we saw in recent months prior to October 7th, there is hardly undivided political unity within Israel. Yet, nobody accuses these people of being anti-Semitic. And it cuts both ways, it seems. When American Senator Bernie Sanders criticized Israel, he was accused of being a self-loathing Jew. Yet when he did not come right out and describe what is happening there as genocide, he is accused by some of being a "Zionist genocide denier."
It appears that there is no middle ground whatsoever. It's an all or nothing proposition. Admittedly, I am on the outside of this argument. I have never been to Israel or Palestine, let alone lived there. Obviously, there are many, many people more familiar with the situation there than I am, and who are much more immediately impacted by what goes on there.
Still, it seems to me that this gravitation towards extremes - the old "you're either with us, or you're against us" - mentality, which the United States itself is obviously not exempt from. And this, to me, is wrong. It feels wrong for some Israelis to be strictly and unwaveringly opposed to a Palestinian state, including the man in charge right now. Netanyahu has been in charge (on and off, admittedly, but mostly on) for decades now. What is it about that man that Israelis keep electing him in? I don't get it. Yet, it also feels wrong for Palestinians to protest Israeli violence on them while remaining silent on acts of violence by Palestinians against Israelis, or the seeming tolerance - if not outright support - of those Palestinians who will never, ever accept the existence of Israel under any circumstances, no matter what. It feels as if that kind of gravitation towards extremes is the reason why this ridiculous situation continues to exist. And it makes it difficult to fully sympathize with either side, since they seem to get in their own way. Clearly, violence begets more violence in that corner of the world. It is a cycle that never ends, and it muddies the waters there far more than it ever did in South Africa, the example that most people use and feel is the closest to what is going on in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.
Irish protesters denounce Bernie Sanders as a Zionist genocide denier over Gaza by Chris Marsden, 19 February 2024:
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2024/02/20/qdjy-f20.html
HAMAS ISRAEL CARTOON
https://propaganda.mediaeducationlab.com/rate/hamas-israel-cartoon
Cartoon by Rob Rogers
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