TOI-Adam Keller (1.08.10)

Adam Keller editor of The Other Israel argues the case for Israel allowing a Palestinian State to come into existence sooner rather than later. It is a sad fact that the West Bank and Gaza constitute just 22% of the land area of the original area of Palestine and that the Arab population is - given the ravages of displacement and of planned immigration - less than half of the total population of the region; sadder still that Israeli dissidents like Keller and Avnery should be arguing in a context where the Israeli body politick wants the West Bank for itself, leaving only the embattled Gaza Strip as a remnant Palestine. The paper proceeds outlining the complete injustice of the Zionist project while contextualising it historically. Its conclusion would seem to amount to a dictated peace anywhere else but Israel and yet it is about as much as this 'belligerent Sparta', - to use Keller's own phrase - would dare to concede. Is this a case of peace at any price for the Palestinians? Palestinians need to consider taking steps to preserve functioning municipalities and micro-regions before all is rubble? By preserving as much as they can however disjointed while protecting the rights of Arabs living in Israel they may be able to forge a wider Middle East solution in time that would re-contextualise the regional and municipal settlement mix into a more agreeable framework. One could draw that suggestion out but it would be stretching prospects a bit for now. The key point from a Palestinian point of view must the goal of ending the Zionist war of attrition against Palestinian society. Wiser heads will prevail when the dust settles and the truth which emerges almost everywhere is that society, like God, always seems to be on the side of the poor and oppressed. Anyone who has Faith in God must also show belief in society and know that justice and truth will prevail in the end. It is the sure sign of the meek inheriting the Earth.