http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=577789&contrassID=2&subContrassID=4&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y
Apartheid misses the point By Meron Benvenisti The use of the term apartheid and the comparison between Israel and South Africa under minority white rule are taking over public discourse. In the past week alone, the comparison has been made in at least five instances: the separation fence was described as an "apartheid fence"; the amendment to the Citizenship Law limiting Palestinian family unification was described as worse than the apartheid regime; the academic boycott of Israeli universities and faculty members was compared to the boycott of South Africa, which contributed (or not) to the collapse of apartheid; the disengagement plan and establishment of cantons under Palestinian control were referred to as "bantustans," like the homelands that South Africa established in the macro-apartheid era; and an academic discussion on the "demographic threat" was accompanied by loud rallies against "racism and apartheid." Moreover, for the past 20 years there has been an ongoing stream of learned academic discussions on the similarities and differences between Israel and South Africa (as well as northern Ireland). And of course, much has been made of the South African-Zionist analogy, which nourishes the anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic discourse. Advertisement The very use of this terminology has become a mark of leftist radicalism, and the angry denial of the validity of such a comparison now testifies to Zionist patriotism. It's unnecessary to add that an objective comparison or a discussion on the feasibility of comparing two such different phenomena is nearly impossible to find, and if anyone dares go into those issues, he is judged by his conclusions: If he finds points of similarity he will be pegged as an anti-Semite, and if he emphasizes the differences, he will be defined as a fascist. The radical immorality of the apartheid regime and the injustices of the Israeli occupation serve as easy targets for hostile description and condemnation, and the comparison between them - especially since the end of apartheid - seems to imbue radical criticism of Israel with authenticity, and reinforce the hope that the occupation will be wiped out, just as apartheid was. But those who indiscriminately use this radical term are not interested in analysis or in drawing conclusions, but in ideological mobilization - which inevitably radicalizes the argument, blurs nuances, and makes it easier for the person on the other side of the dispute to avoid dealing with the issue. The careless and tendentious use of the Israel-South Africa comparison blurs the major differences between the two societies and political cultures that make the comparison irrelevant. For instance, the mutual economic dependence of blacks and whites in South Africa bears no relation to the Palestinians' one-sided dependence on Israel. This interdependence made it impossible to create a true territorial division in South Africa. In addition, the significant black majority in South Africa is not similar to the demographic near-parity that exists west of the Jordan. In South Africa, blacks and whites share the same faith; even if some racist statements were made in the name of religion, there were still common values that allowed for the post-apartheid appeasement process. In Israel, though, the Jewish-Muslim clashes are becoming stronger. The apartheid regime was completely isolated, considered a pariah by the international community. But Israel receives massive, unshakable support from a unified Diaspora Jewry and American aid, and - as a result of guilt over the Holocaust and anti-Semitism - is not the object of effective sanctions. In South Africa, blacks and whites believed that they shared a homeland, and the black struggle was for civil and political equality. In contrast, the desire for national self-definition and separation dominates the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Newly published research by Heribert Adam and Kogila Moodlay comparing South Africa and Israel points out that the personal connection between blacks and whites in South Africa was much more intimate than the connection between Israelis and Palestinians. Although this relationship was effectively that between a horse and his rider, these connections nonetheless softened people's stances, prevented demonization and allowed for a successful transition to a multiracial nation. The research also notes that the South African government supported the creation of the bantustan institutions, funded them and subsidized their economy - in contrast to Israel, which destroyed Palestinian Authority institutions, smashed the economy in the territories and put the financial burden on the international community. The apartheid regime collapsed from within, in large part because the ruling Afrikaaner elite lost its faith in the "righteousness of the path" and couldn't stand up to its own pangs of conscience. In Israel - barring a minority considered to be on the edge of treason - there is no feeling of guilt, and the cracks in the "national consensus" are occasionally plastered over with the "existential threat." This may be the largest difference between the two societies, and those who use the term apartheid to arouse guilt feelings are missing the target, because this feeling will likely only be aroused if the ugly reality is presented, without a threatening and repugnant title. Why divert the disagreement to the unimportant question of whether or not this is apartheid? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> In low income neighborhoods, 84% do not own computers. At Network for Good, help bridge the Digital Divide! http://us.click.yahoo.com/S.QlOD/3MnJAA/Zx0JAA/uTGrlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/ Yahoo! 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