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The
occupation is killing us all We refuse to be enemies
Gone to soldiers Towards a democratic
Palestine Silence and security You can’t
shake hands with a suicide bomber History and faith Dangerous
illusions I choose not to
settle Mean streets The US will
pay Blunt talk Room for manoeuvre
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From this month's editor
It is impossible to edit a magazine about Israel and Palestine without provoking ire. I know I can expect it. Almost certainly there will be those who feel that any criticism of Israel is either anti-Semitic or gives aid and comfort to anti-Semites. George Orwell once took the Left to task for its overly liberal use of the epithet 'fascist'. He felt that it was being devalued and should be saved for the real thing. I think the use of 'anti-Semitism' by defenders of the current Israeli Government stands in similar peril. Its casual use, or 'self-hating Jew' (against Jewish critics) to buttress Israeli raison d'état does, I feel, debase the coinage. There is certainly some anti-Semitism amongst Palestinians, as there is anti-Arab racism amongst Israelis. There is no monopoly in hate. And, what with the Haiders, Le Pens and Islamic Jihads of this world, there is certainly enough real anti-Semitism to fight against. So let's agree or disagree about the facts. But let's work to find the best way forward towards peace and security. The debate certainly has enough heat - what it needs is some light. As this magazine goes to press, Israeli public opinion has forced the construction of a protective wall to separate off the West Bank. Most Palestinians, all the Israeli settlers and the right-wing are opposed to this. The Palestinians fear being walled in and the settlers fear being walled out. While in no way a healthy long-term solution, the wall at least indicates that Israel and Palestine are now two separate places.
Richard Swift |
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Front
cover photo: JC Tordai / Panos Magazine designed by: Ian Nixon On-line mag maintained by: Simon Loffler © Copyright 2002 New Internationalist Publications Ltd. All rights reserved. |
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