Chris Hedges: Why Israel Lies

[happyslug]

142. I notice you ignored my comment about what to do about the Palestinians Refugees.

My comments, including the comparison with the Nazis of the 1930s, had to do with the single biggest obstacle to peace in the Middle East, what to do with the Palestinian Refugees? What to do about the Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza? My comparison with the Nazis reflects that the present Government of Israel view these people in the same light as the Nazis viewed the Jews of Germany, people they want OUT OF THEIR COUNTRY.

Until the problems of the Palestinians are resolved, including either
1. giving the Palestinians complete control over the West Bank (i.e. closing down all of the Israeli Settlements in the West Bank), Gaza AND resettlement of Palestinians someplace (either in the West Bank, Gaza or even the US) OR'

2. The right to return to Israel proper is permitted and the Refugees get to return to Israel,

You will have constant conflicts. Just permitting such refugees back will require Israel to resolve they claims to their ancestral lands, much of which were sold to Jewish owners after 1947 by the Israeli Government. Under International Law, you can NOT sell the land of Refugees, just because you do NOT want them back.

So what is your solution to the problems of the Palestinians? That is where the present Government of Israel and the Nazis of the 1930s are being compared. Neither government wanted or wants a minority in their country, but such a minority is in that country. Israel wants the West Bank and that is where most of its efforts have been directed to, but the Palestinians of the West Bank refuse to move out. Thus do you support Israel's policy of Settlements in the West Bank (and thus the expulsion of the Palestinians from the West Bank), or do you support giving the West Bank to the exclusive control of the Palestinians living in the West Bank (and thus the expulsion of the Israeli Settlers in the Settlements)? You have to support one or the other, to support neither or both is to leave this problem fester, and a resolution is needed.