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The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil,    but because of the people who don't do anything about it

Occupation magazine - Commentary Home page  back Print  Send To friend On the Danger of Wrong Reasons to do the Right Thing By Reuven Kaminer 30 Mar 2010 Sent from: reuven.kaminer@gmail.com From the Desk of Reuven Kaminer     March 30, 2010 On the Danger of Wrong Reasons to do the Right Thing Peace is a long time coming. Moderates constantly looked for ways to unblock frozen convictions and to convince the public to give peace a chance. This is one of the reasons that have led some sincere, but desperate doves to resort to all sorts of dubious arguments designed to move public opinion in our direction. The most prevalent example of this kind of argument designed to convince people to do the right thing for the wrong reason is the employment of the demographic threat argument for making peace. You can hear otherwise rational peaceniks arguing that Israel must accept a two-state solution or else we must face the fact that there is an Arab majority in the area under Israeli control and we consequently will end up in one non-Jewish state. This is fear mongering which is designed to exploit racist anxieties among the Israeli public. The idea is that people will support a peace initiative out of racist motivation, hoping to avoid the spectre of life in an Arab society. However, the whole idea of winning over people based on their racist bias actually reinforces racism in society at large. It doesn`t work. It is an ugly idea from the beginning, and also counter-productive. The Iranian Gambit As tension slowly mounted against Iran on the nuclear issue, we started hearing the refrain that   progress on the Israeli-Palestinian peace agenda is a regional requirement. Some local dove circles were beside themselves with joy over this new nugget of geo-political wisdom, and came up with this creative marketing idea. Support Israeli-Palestinian peace! Why? Because peace, according to this line of thinking can help expedite preparations and war against Iran. This dangerous bit of manipulation should go by the name: Make peace in order to make war. Now it appears that we have another truly overwhelming reason to make peace with the Palestinians. The latest Pentagon leak has it that `Our boys` are fighting and dying in Afghanistan because of the bad will generated in the Islamic world because of the Israeli-Arab conflict. One is led to believe that if only Washington succeeds in launching the proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Moslems everywhere will break into song. But, if anyone in the Pentagon cares about the lives of `our boys,` an early withdrawal schedule will be a lot quicker and effective way to save lives. An example of the US getting the hell out of there ASAP might, on the other hand, be a good object lesson to Israel to speed up the inevitable  retreat from the Palestinian occupied territories to the June 1967 border, hopefully ASAP.   Have not enough Arabs and Jews suffered from the bloodbath fueled today by Israeli annexation, aggression and arrogance, based on the `special relationship` with Washington? Isn`t it time that the US government get out of the `special relationship` with Israel and get into a normal relationship with all sides to the conflict? Isn`t it conceivable that a just settlement in the ME is a virtue in itself and that the apologists for Netanyahu and Obama stop linking peace here to the prosecution of successful wars in Iran and Afghanistan. In Yiddish and Hebrew, there is a phrase, moikhel toivas (my translation: we will do fine without your favors). We want to save the lives of our children, to live in peace and equality with our neighbors whose welfare is intimately linked with ours. Do not do us any favor by linking peace for Israel-Palestine with plans for new aggression.   Oh, I almost forgot. In a similar vein of `doing something good for the wrong reason`, we have some nice people in the US demanding an end to US financial and military aid to Israel: because of the current hardships and heavy burdens on the US taxpayer. The good reason to stop funding weapons and stock market speculation here in Israel is much simpler. This aid has nothing to do with the welfare of the people of Israel and is inimical to the interests of peace. There must be other good arguments designed to help the US taxpayer.  Palestinian Friends on a Very Wrong Track A group of Palestinian intellectuals organized as PACBI (Palestinians for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel) have demonstrated, I fear, a bit of immature dogmatism. The group has created quite a stir by condemning the West-East Divan Orchestra (WEDO) for being, no more and no less, a sophisticated tool of the occupation. WEDO, it will be recalled, is the result of a brilliant, anti-occupation, humanist joint initiative by the late Edward Said and world renowned artist Daniel Birnboim. The musicians ran afoul of certain PACBI Guidelines (the group seems to be enamored with producing rules and regulations). Thus, a tool forged against the Israeli occupation ends up denouncing and stigmatizing many tens of loyal Palestinians, including the young musicians and their families.  The Mosad Presents: A Bloody Farce in Installments The royal screw up in Dubai is costing Israel tremendously in terms of disintegrating prestige, diplomatic complications and never ending embarrassment.  The operation, headed by super-spook Meir Dagan and authorized by our over zealous PM, showed a total and critical lack of elementary judgment. Remember, Bibi and Dagan are the two most influential members of the Israeli team which is calling the shots on preventive war against Iran. Bunglers with diplomas are in charge. Just think about it. West Jerusalem & East Jerusalem Your correspondent barely knows how to look at a video on U Tube and rarely recommends this kind of media. But this five minute video on East and West Jerusalem is like a crash course that actually makes a complicated scene much clearer, very much clearer. Worth the time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v-Tpg9xN5k&feature=player_embedded -- Reuven Kaminer POBox 9013 Jerusalem 91090 Israel 972 2 6414632 A.K. Links to the latest articles in this section Is there still a chance to break the cycle of revenge and bloodshed? Israelis Against Apartheid Statement Following ICJ Hearing Three weeks into the Gaza War - a somber and sober assessment, with some historical perspectives