Israeli Prime Minister: Ethnic Cleansing for Peace Is Absurd, Settlements Are Not Obstacle to Agreement with Palestinians (VIDEO). By Barney Breen-Portnoy. The Algemeiner, September 9, 2016.
Commentary from: Chemi Shalev, Gideon Levy, Rania Khalek, Philip Weiss, U.S. State Department, Herb Keinon, Raphael Ahren, Elder of Ziyon, Jonathan Tobin, Paul R. Pillar,
Transcript:
I’m sure many of you have heard the claim that Jewish communities in Judea Samaria, the West Bank, are an obstacle to peace.
I’ve
always been perplexed by this notion.
Because
no one would seriously claim that the nearly two million Arabs living inside
Israel – that they’re an obstacle to peace. That's because they aren’t. On the
contrary.
Israel’s
diversity shows its openness and readiness for peace. Yet the Palestinian
leadership actually demands a Palestinian state with one pre-condition: No
Jews.
There’s
a phrase for that: It’s called ethnic cleansing.
And
this demand is outrageous. It’s even more outrageous that the world doesn’t
find this outrageous.
Some
otherwise enlightened countries even promote this outrage.
Ask
yourself this: Would you accept ethnic cleansing in your state? A territory
without Jews, without Hispanics, without blacks? Since when is bigotry a
foundation for peace?
At this
moment, Jewish schoolchildren in Judea Samaria are playing in sandboxes with
their friends.
Does
their presence make peace impossible?
I don’t
think so.
I think
what makes peace impossible is intolerance of others. Societies that respect
all people are the ones that pursue peace. Societies that demand ethnic
cleansing don’t pursue peace.
I
envision a Middle East where young Arabs and young Jews learn together, work
together, live together side by side in peace.
Our
region needs more tolerance, not less.
So the
next time you hear someone say Jews can’t live somewhere, let alone in their
ancestral homeland, take a moment to think of the implications.
Ethnic
cleansing for peace is absurd.
It’s
about time somebody said it.
I just
did.
