I never read Stalin on the National Question (lousy admission for a Marxist discussion list) --- and I have done very little "pondering" on it --- when I taught about South Africa I developed a very simple-minded idea that the result of capitalist development under apartheid had "forged" a "black" South African nation --- that due to the common history (common languages --- English and Afrikaans even among the various black ethnic groups --- common religion --- Christianity) a "nation" was created.
But MAYBE that was wishful thinking.... maybe all "nations" comprised of different ethnic groups are fraught with contradictions --- --- example -- even Czechoslovakia split once it abolished communism --- we know how Yugoslavia splintered --- The Irish of "Northern" Ireland would probably prefer to be part of the Republic rather than remain in the U.K. --- and not just because of Brexit --- even the Scots seem to be moving in that direction --- On the other hand --- Canada and Belgium seem to be able (with tensions of course) to keep two distinct ethnic groups (with different languages, etc.) within the same polity (barely!) What's my point? Is there a chance of a snowball in Hell of the Arabs and Jews in Israel-Palestine joining together in ONE POLITY now that Israeli policy has (probably) made a "two state" solution impossible? If one could wave a magic wand and all Palestinians in the occupied territories and all Israeli Arabs would suddenly have full equal and civil and political rights with Israeli Jews and Druze and others, what would the demographics look like --- how would a parliament for the entire geographical area of Israel-Palestine look in terms of representation? Could a policy of guaranteed veto power for some minority within the parliament work to protect the rights of the shrinking percentage of Jews --- so that enough of them (my landsmanns!) would opt for a single-democratic state --- Otherwise, there will be these explosions of bloodshed whenever one side or the other thinks it's politically expedient. (I was surprisingly impressed by Thomas Friedman's article in which he blamed Hamas and Netanyahu for orchestrating this recent paroxysm of violence for their own selfish political ends leaving Palestinian and Israeli citizens to suffer the consequences ... that seemed about right --- and very depressing) On Sun, May 23, 2021 at 8:51 AM Dennis Brasky <[email protected]> wrote: > The "apartheid" accusation against Israel from leading human rights groups > had a very serious intention: to change the western understanding of what > is taking place in Israel. There is only one state between the river and > the sea, the occupation is 54 years old and Israeli leaders have no > intention of reversing it, so Israel must grant equal rights to all under > its governance. But western media and liberal Zionists are determined to > make the charge disappear, as they cling to the fantasy that there can > still be a Palestinian state in the land east of the green line, and a > "Jewish democracy" to the west. > > > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#8706): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/8706 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/83027313/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/8674936/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [[email protected]] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
