The conflict in the Middle East is sustained by the silencing of Palestinians
JVL Introduction
Palestinian writer and refugee Ghada Karmi tackles head on the reality of anti-Palestinian racism, historically and ongoing today.
It underpins the dominant narrative, in which Jews somehow have a natural right to live in Palestine and anyone else who might have been there for years, centuries or even millennia can only be an illegitimate interloper.
A colonial disdain for “the natives” had been naturalised in Israel, with its discrimination against its own Palestinian citizens and its oppression, displacement, house demolitions, arbitrary imprisonments and much more of those who suffer its supposedly “temporary” occupation.
This racism is pervasive: “What else, asks Karmi, “but anti-Palestinian racism explains western inaction in the face of the human rights abuses meted out daily to Palestinians under Israel’s rule?”
There can be no solution, she continues, “unless the racism that has blighted Palestinian lives, and protected Israel and its supporters from retribution, is exposed and tackled head on”.
This article was originally published by the Guardian on Thu 10 Jun 2021. Read the original here.
The conflict in the Middle East is sustained by the silencing of Palestinians
Throughout history, our story has been narrated by others who treat our rights as less deserving of recognition
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What does this say about the Labour Party ?
Ordinary members of the British Public could legitimately plead ignorance about Palestine, at least until recently, but the same can’t be said of Labour Prime Ministers and Ministers. They had access to the Foreign Office and most certainly knew or could have known what was going on.
Every single Labour Prime Minister after Attlee (including Harold Wilson) have been enthusiastic supporters of Zionism.
What does it say about a political party when it opposes all forms of racism at home but supports racism abroad ?
For me it points to a political party that has been hypocritical and deeply flawed for over 70 years.
I keep asking myself the same question over and over again. If Labour can’t be trusted to consistently oppose racism, is Labour worthy of my support ?
Racism is not just a side issue, it should be absolutely fundamental for anyone on the left of politics.
Extraordinary that the Guardian published this, given their position on Corbyn and antisemitism and Dep. Ed. Freedland’s Zionism. The Ed Katharine Viner has done time in Palestine and was one of the people involved in creqting the stage play based on the diaries of Rachel Corrie, the American woman killd by an Israeli bulldozer. One can only assume that the ocial media reports of what is happening in Palestine has made them realise they risk losing even more readers unless they start to reflect some element of the reality. I doubt it will go as far as getting them to recant their position on the :Labour Party,