Point Counterpoint: Aim to promote human rights of the Palestinians. By Ali Abunimah http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/inquirer/20120129_Aim_to_promote_human_rights_of_the_Palestinians_.html
& Point Counterpoint: Anti-Israeli agenda expected at Penn conference By R. James Woolsey and Jonathan Schanzer
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/inquirer/20120129_Anti-Israeli_agenda_expected_at_Penn_conference.html
Dear Editor,
R. James Woolsey and Jonathan Schanzer carefully crafted calculated objections to firmly condemn the upcoming Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Conference, using the idea of the conference as a launching pad for their own ardently pro-Israel/anti-Palestine story lines. Their approach totally entrenches the conflict, empowering and exasperating extremists and dismissive attitudes on all sides.
Abumimah is absolutely right that the very real plight of the Palestinians is an intolerable situation and "is at the root of problems that affect the whole world." BUT... there is more to the story than what one can read in one op-ed. Fact is I'd have more faith in Ali Abunimah's advocacy for Palestine and his Boycott Israel efforts if he weren't so obsessed with promoting a one state agenda in addition to his work to promote the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign.
One-state advocacy is a continuation of the Israel/Palestine conflict, as one-state advocacy foolishly dismantles the leverage of international law and existing UN Resolutions and The Arab Peace Initiative which can and should be used to stop Israel from usurping even more Palestinian land and rights.
Universal basic human rights (including but not limited to full respect for every refugee's very real right to return to original homes and lands) are a crucially important element in creating a just and lasting peace with a negotiated two state solution to once and for ALL end the Israel/Palestine conflict... A fully secular end to the conflict, and a fully secular beginning to peace, progress and true security for ALL.
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
"Understanding individuals as citizens, and not subjects or wards of states, reframes the state as the guarantor of the individual and collective rights of the citizenry rather than the solution to all social challenges. The idea that governance requires legitimacy that can only be achieved through the consent of the governed has become widespread in the Arab world." Ziad Asali, founder of The American Task Force on Palestine: Arabs deserve a party of the citizen
"The grass isn’t much greener on the other side of the wall, though. Israel is supposedly the sole democracy in the Middle East (even if this seems to be changing), and yet gender segregated streets and buses is becoming more and more common. It has been estimated that 500 bus journeys in Israel are segregated daily, which means that women are expected to sit in the back." Julie Holm for MIFTAH: Gender Divides on Both Sides of the Green Line
"This year at Davos, I want to talk about social and economic equity. I want to see the needs and aspirations of women, young people, our poorest and most marginalised brothers and sisters on the global agenda. It is the responsibility of each one of us to make their voices heard and to build a world that is worthy of them - a world worthy of all of us." Elders blog: Time to close the gap
"... there are analysts, both in the Arab world and outside it, with a solid grounding in the region who try to act as a compass on the path to a better understanding of events.... For a lively and challenging take on events in the region, there is a regular blog by Hussein Ibish, Senior Research Fellow at the Washington-based American Task Force on Palestine and a tireless Tweeter." NYTimes blogs Harvey Morris Attempting to Answer the Arab Question
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