urgency of palestinian recognition

Urgency of Palestinian Recognition

Of course, Netanyahu is angry about talk of Palestinian recognition.  He runs a narrative that Palestine and Palestinians do not exist. This is exactly why recognition is so urgently needed and why the conservative side of Australian politics as expressed in views by Julian Lesser and James Patterson are so wrong.  Recognition of Palestine cannot come at the end of a ‘peace process’, because Netanyahu and the extreme right who keep him in power (and out of gaol) have said not one inch of land between the river to the sea will ever be ceded to Palestinian autonomy. There is no peace process, just a continual erosion of Palestinian rights and land and the gradual extermination of its people.

It is desperately urgent that, with a single voice, the international community declares Palestine and Palestinians to be an entity that cannot and will not be wiped out. Such recognition should have immediate consequences. A state has rights, rights that the international community is obligated to defend.  Unless Israel immediately ceases its assault not only on Gaza, but its attacks and intimidation of Palestinians on the West Bank, Australia with its partners in the international community must act.  
 

• Trade that assists Israel with its hostilities must immediately cease,
• Sanctions should apply not simply against Israel but against any country that supplies arms to Israel.
• The international community must assume responsibility for humanitarian relief in all its forms in Gaza.
• Starvation as a weapon of war must be immediately referred to the international criminal court.
• Denial of starvation in Gaza by Israel must be equated, in its seriousness, with denial of the holocaust.

Recognition in and of itself does not prescribe how a ‘two-state’ solution will unfold.  It may be that geographical areas are designated Israeli, and other geographical areas are designated Palestinian.  Netanyahu is obviously totally opposed to this outcome.   In this circumstance Netanyahu needs to understand that the only way forward then is a form of dual self-determination: equal rights, respect for language, religion, and culture across all the land from the river to the sea.  This would be a very exciting outcome, enabling Palestinians and Israelis to flourish together, their mutual strengths skills and diversity invested in the flourishing and enrichment of one another.

What Netanyahu and his cabal of extreme Zionists need to understand is that no resolution is totally unacceptable and will leave Israel in a weak and almost friendless situation within the international community. No outcome should also be unacceptable to the international community which created Israel in 1947/48 while intending there also be a Palestinian state.  This is unfinished business especially for Australia which was a co- signature to the initial partition.

The need for Australia to be partner to an international statement of recognition is great. Australians must recognise we have a partisan history of support for Israel to the detriment of Palestine and Palestinian rights and in that sense have contributed to the present situation. Under Australian conservative governments we have equivocated in naming Palestinian land ‘occupied’, as it is under international law, or to name the settlements unlawful as again they are under international law. Under Morrison we were quick to agree that Israel could assume the whole of Jerusalem as its capital when East Jerusalem is an integral part of a Palestinian state. The facts of the matter are that the terrible situation which now prevails would not have occurred if the international community had done its duty and placed sanctions on Israel when it first started its annexation of land beyond the 1967 borders.

There is much talk about Hamas and its need of disbandment prior to recognition. Achieving this outcome in relation to the remnants of what has been the military/civil control of Palestine would be the easy part.  The permanent eradication of the idea that lies behind Hamas will be far harder and entirely in the hands of Israel, not its military might, but its mindset.

The idea that created Hamas arises from perception that Israel will never peacefully negotiate a just solution, leaving many to feel violent resistance is the only option. This is not to condone violence, on the contrary, violence always begets more violence.  But it is a tragic truth that what Israel and the US call terrorism is violence from those who believe this to be the only form of resistance that Israel will take note of. Post October 7, every painful day has shown the futility of violent resistance, but it is the outcome of those who have come to believe it is better to die than live a life of want and humiliation.

Palestinians are sick of words.  Australia’s stated bi-partisan support for a two-state solution has frankly been insulting and humiliating for Palestinians because no action has ever accompanied these words – not from either side.  It is insulting to say it is up to the two sides to negotiate peace when the side that holds all the power does not recognise there is another side. The Coalition has been slightly more honest, they have made it clear they will always support whatever Netanyahu wants with no regard whatsoever for Palestinian rights or for justice.    Labour has mouthed the right words, but its pro-Israel faction has always prevented any action other than empty words.

Now is the time.  The international tide has turned. Anthony Albanese you can no longer equivocate; you are either on the side of common humanity and justice, or you are not.
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What is currently happening in Gaza is a most egregious stain on collective humanity.