Former AG of Israel: With great sadness I conclude that my country is now an apartheid regime
JVL Introduction
What stands out in this article by Michael Benyair, a former Israeli Attorney General, is not any worked out strategy for achieving his desired goal (a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel), but his absolute clarity about the nature of the Israeli regime that he was so heavily involved in building.
The status quo on the ground, he says, is a moral abomination.
“It is with great sadness that I must also conclude that my country has sunk to such political and moral depths that it is now an apartheid regime. It is time for the international community to recognise this reality as well.”
This article was originally published by The Journal (Ireland) on Thu 10 Feb 2022. Read the original here.
Former AG of Israel: With great sadness I conclude that my country is now an apartheid regime
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Encouraging as this piece is why am I perturbed by the reference to the Jewish peoples who have been persecuted for thousands of years.
One could be cynical and interpret Mr Benyair`s admission of culpability in Israel apartheid as a ” face saving ” exercise but this would be mean spirited in the extreme. It takes courage to admit responsibility for actions that can be rightly condemned and Mr Banyair does not flinch.
When, if ever, will Mr Starmer who must now find himself in a similar situation to Mr Baynair ever join him in having the same courage?
So another very significant Israeli is following the example of former Knesset speaker and acting President Avraham Burg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuO5-ObYRa8 What will it take though to convince the majority of current Zionists of their ‘moral abomination’ and enact the fine words in paragraph 13 of the Declaration of Israel’s Statehood: ” that the State of Israel would be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex;”
Another and very important chink in the armour of the Israeli State. Michael Benyair’s article should be publicised widely.
This reminds me very much of the Northern
Ireland situation and the Belfast agreement –
so would not a solution be to adopt some of
its ideas with regard to its government and the
adequate representation of both Palestinian and
Jewish Israeli? I realise that the agreement has
many problems but at least it attempts to
acknowledge the possibility of conflict.
If a two State solution were attempted – would not
the actual division be in danger of resulting in conflict-
just as in the case of India and Pakistan in 1947 and following?
“Between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, it is Israel that is permanently depriving millions of Palestinians of their civil and political rights. This is Israeli apartheid.”
Israel only exists because it deprived 85 percent of the indigenous Palestinian population of their civil and political rights in 1948. What is happening now is just the logical consequence of a state that owes its existence to Ethnic Cleansing. The two state solution was always a cruel subterfuge that rewarded ethnic cleansing.
The only hope is one secular state where all the inhabitants Jew and Palestinian can live in safety and dignity with equal rights under the law.
I am puzzled that JVL comments have, so far, not mentioned our own Mr Starmer. A total adherent of Israel since he was elected surely Sir Keir must be fully aware of the unenviable situation into which he has immersed himself.
His accusations of “antisemitism” to which he resorted so freely now ring out with a hollow chime! Or does he still consider that being an apartheid apologist is the lesser of two evils?
Needless to say not one utterance has emerged either from him or his bemused followers. One wonders what can they be saying to each other?
It would be cruel of me to mention “Jimmy Savile” but I dont mind kicking a man when he is down!
At least he is being honest…
@ John Noble: Haven’t they?
Benyair is evidently a man of courage and decency?