The road to Bantustan

[Classical_Liberal]

The road to Bantustan

By Akiva Eldar



Half a century ago, when Israel was much smaller
and poorer, attacks on Jews abroad would put
immigrant absorption centers around the country on
high alert. In the 21st century, with the Jewish
state spread far and wide and equipped with the
finest weaponry, the term "immigration" is rarely
heard, even in the face of terror attacks on
synagogues in Turkey and the burning of a Jewish
school in France.



During his last visit to
Moscow, Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon solved the demographic
problem with a forecast of 1
million immigrants. In the
meantime, thanks to some
30,000-40,000 immigrants who
have since left Israel,
Moscow has earned the
distinction of boasting the

fastest-growing Jewish community in the world.

The right understands that waves of
anti-Semitism will not bring masses of Jews to
a country riddled with terror, unemployment and
social rifts, and on the verge of losing its
Jewish majority.

Extremists the likes of Benny Elon believe the
solution lies in "encouraging" Palestinians to
relinquish all of the territories or, at the
very least, the dream of a Palestinian state.
More moderate rightists, such as Ehud Olmert,
propose that the Jews relinquish a small
portion of the lands of Judea and Samaria,
based on a formula of "maximum land, minimum
Arabs." As far as they are concerned, the
Palestinians can term the enclaves that remain
under their control "a state." They will be
first in line to recognize it.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/361400.html

[Paschall]

1. Very good piece!

Thanks for the link. :thumbsup:

Some very good points:

<snip> Olmert claims he would prefer to reach an agreement with the Palestinians, but that, to his regret, they have abandoned the idea of two states for two peoples, under the assumption that demographics and democracy will transform the Greater Israel into the Greater Palestine. Did he not see the Arab League's resolution of April last year that recognized Israel within the 1967 borders, as well as its right to determine which and how many refugees would be allowed to return to it? Has he heard nothing of the 60,000 plus Palestinians who have signed the Nusseibeh-Ayalon agreement, or that Abu Ala has adopted the Geneva understandings? ...

Olmert is correct in saying there is no Palestinian partner for an agreement with Israel - if he means an agreement for the establishment of "a temporary state" that would leave Israel in control of some 42 percent of the West Bank. This is the extent of the Palestinian territory that, in accordance with the Likud's plan, will remain outside of the separation fence on completion of the project...

Yes, there really is no one to talk to on the other side about a Palestinian state whose entire purpose is to save the Zionist state. </snip>

[Muddleoftheroad]

2. Fastest growing Jewish community

Is a ridiculous term.

I can have the fastest growing Jewish community right here in Virginia simply by having a few friends over for dinner. Right now, at least in my neck of the woods, we have one person that I know of who is Jewish. Add a few more and we've got a 300% or more increase.

The same goes for places like Moscow where Jews were unwelcome not that long ago and most fled.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Resistance]

3. Don't ya love it

It's considered a move towards moderation to talk about "maximum land, minimum Arabs."