Linda Heard: Israel and the Truth behind Its ‘Democracy’

[Classical_Liberal]

Linda Heard: Israel and the Truth behind Its ‘Democracy’
Thursday, June 10 2004 @ 05:33 AM EDT

"It isn’t that I disagree with Sharon’s plans to pull out from Palestinian land, rather the way he is going about it and his motives for doing so.."

By Linda S. Heard

The country, much vaunted by America’s leaders as being the only democracy in the Middle East, which shares their values, has recently proved how unique its political system really is. When Ariel Sharon couldn’t convince, persuade or browbeat his fellow Cabinet members to come up with a “yea” vote on his Gaza withdrawal plans, he simply sacked two of the most intransigent, and thus, redressed the voting balance. When news that his dismissal was in the offing reached Benny Elon of the right-wing National Union Party, he was so eager to hold on to his post that he hid out in a settlement like an unwilling divorcee who refuses to accept the court’s decree.

It isn’t that I disagree with Sharon’s plans to pull out from Palestinian land — the sooner and more complete the better — rather the way he is going about it and his motives for doing so. Unlike other democracies, true democratic principles of “one person, one vote” are something that the Israeli leader fears above all else.

It’s all down to demographics and the discrepancy in birth rates between Arabs in Israel and the occupied territories (six children) and Israelis (two). Even the most conservative estimates show that within 20 years, Muslim and Christian Arabs will outnumber Jews. Sharon wants to dismember Gaza from the equation in the hope that Israel can continue maintaining its Jewish character.

At the same time, he does not want it to seem Israel has been forcibly pushed out as it, more or less, was from southern Lebanon. And hence his parting gifts to the people of Gaza: Mass demolitions, missile strikes and ruthless attacks on peaceful protestors..............

http://www.palestinechronicle.com/story.php?sid=20040610053324779

[physioex]

1. Ohhh so I am not the only one who reads..

The Palestine Chroncile... :) I was a supporter of theirs long before I was here on DU..Another great website I frequent is the progressive.org. I like listening to Matt Rothschild and his commentary. There are soo many progressive website and my funds soo limited, I wish I could support more of them.....

[DLC]

2. Israel and the Truth behind Its ‘Democracy’

The truth is, it's the best in the region, one of the top in the world. If you want to go after bad governments in the Middle East, you're way off target.

[Forkboy]

4. well

The truth is, it's the best in the region

Not hard to do

one of the top in the world.

Probably more like middle of the pack,like the US

If you want to go after bad governments in the Middle East, you're way off target.

True dat.

[Classical_Liberal]

5. Israel is an segregationist democracy so long as it

keeps the West Bank. If they would give it up they would help their own security and ours. It is certainly nowhere near the top of the heap in terms of democracy. I am not aware of one other that maintains a policy of segregation as Israel does.

[number6]

3. kick

:)