Is there really a difference between Israel and apartheid South Africa? - Hint: The South Africans are nicer
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Akiva Eldar / Is there really a difference between Israel and apartheid
South Africa? By Akiva Eldar Tags: South Africa, Israel News
The day after the murder of the settler Meir Hai about 10 days ago, Major
General (res.) Amos Gilad was asked to comment on the claim by settlers that
the attack was able to take place because roadblocks had been lifted on West
Bank roads. The security-political coordinator at the Defense Ministry told
his radio interviewer that the policy of thinning out internal roadblocks
has greatly contributed to the West Bank's impressive economic growth.
According to Gilad, who until recently was coordinator of activities in the
territories, the improvement of the Palestinians' economic lot has
contributed substantially to Israelis' security.
An army man, who is not suspected of belonging to a human rights
organization, thus upsets the simplistic and most accepted formula:
restrictions on Arabs means more security for Jews. The Supreme Court ruling
last week to lift the ban on Palestinians using Route 443 shows that members
of the judiciary also no longer stand at attention when they hear the magic
word security. Nonetheless, the judiciary members, like politicians and the
media, still find it hard to let go of their paralyzing dependency on this
term. This is intentional: If discrimination is not mandated by security
considerations stemming from the threat of Palestinian terrorism, how can we
diagnose this regime as segregationist? If it is not diagnosed as such,
there is no need to treat it.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, which appealed against the ban
on Route 443, dared suggest the word apartheid and was reprimanded for it.
In her ruling, Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch wrote that "the great
difference between the security means adopted by the State of Israel for
defense against terrorist attacks and the unacceptable practices of the
policy of apartheid requires that any comparison or use of this grave term
be avoided." A similar argument was voiced during the days of Israel's
military administration over its Arab citizens, which was lifted in 1966,
and which is today considered a dark period in the country's history.
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Beinisch herself is a co-author of about a dozen rulings that exposed the
malicious use of the segregation regime in an effort to take over
Palestinian land. In some cases, most notably one concerning the separation
fence near Bil'in, she wrote that the invasive route set by the army was
inferior from a security point of view to the route proposed by experts at
the Council for Peace and Security. In another case the state admitted that
the person in charge of planning the fence did not inform government lawyers
that the route had been adjusted to the blueprint for expanding the
settlement of Tzofin. Were it not for human rights organizations and
conscientious lawyers, who would prevent shortsighted politicians from
annexing more and more territory "for security against terrorism"? asked
Beinisch.
One of the myths among whites in South Africa was that "blacks want to throw
us into the sea." Many of apartheid's practices were formally based on
security, mostly those involving restrictions on movement. Thus, for
example, at a fairly early stage, black citizens needed permits to move
around the country. During the final years of apartheid, when the blacks'
struggle intensified as did terrorism, its practices became more severe.
To avoid the rude word apartheid, Beinisch pulled out the well-known
argument that apartheid is "a policy of segregation and discrimination based
on race and ethnicity, which is based on a series of discriminatory
practices designed to achieve the superiority of a certain race and oppress
those of other races." Indeed, systematic segregation (apartheid) and
discrimination in South Africa were meant to preserve the supremacy of one
race over others.
In Israel, on the other hand, institutional discrimination is meant to
preserve the supremacy of a group of Jewish settlers over Palestinian Arabs.
As far as discriminatory practices are concerned, it's hard to find
differences between white rule in South Africa and Israeli rule in the
territories; for example, separate areas and separate laws for Jews and
Palestinians.
Last Wednesday, Israeli policemen blocked the main road linking Nablus and
Tul Karm. Dozens of taxis with Palestinian workers on their way home from
another day on the job in the settlements were told to park on the side of
the road. Cars with yellow license plates passed by. There was no roadblock
for security inspections; it was just the memorial ceremony for Rabbi Meir
Hai. Just as long as they do not say that there is apartheid.
cornholio
i. the Gaza Shite
ii. Saudi Barbaria
Islamotard, how many Jews presently live in:
i. the Gaza Shite
ii. Saudi Barbaria
Islamotards in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
sunray22b
news:f295e746-0626-49df...@j24g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
> Islamotard, how many synagogues and/or churches exist in:
>
making excuses for murderers, liars, thieves, slave traders, political
manipulators and war mongers?
Rev. 11D Meow!
cornholio
> "cornholio" <andxor...@gmail.com> wrote in message
Are you referring to your muslime brethren? Because your description
really fits muslimes to a 't'.