Teaching Israel What is Myth What is Reality

1
Teaching Israel What is Myth? What is Reality?

• Adam Bronstone
• Director, Community Relations
• Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans
• adam_at_jewishnola.com

2
What is Zionism ?

• Zion is biblical term for Israel and Jerusalem.
• Zionism is the Jewish national liberation
  movement.
• Israel is the historical birthplace of the Jewish
  people.
• Zionism is the ideology which says that Jewish
  people have a right to a homeland in Israel.
• Zionism is NOT Racism

3
Martin Luther King Jr.

• Let the truth ring forth from the high
  mountain tops, let it echo through the valleys of
  Gods green earth when people criticize
  Zionism, they mean the Jews

4
UN Resolution 181

• On November 29th, 1947 the UN voted for the
  establishment of a Jewish State and a Palestinian
  State in the region.
• Israel accepted this arrangement, the Arab world
  did not.
• On May 14th, 1948 Israel was established, and the
  Arab world attacked.

5
The Declaration of Independence

• Zionism produced Israels
  Declaration of Independence
• It is Rooted in liberal principles freedom,
  democracy and social
  justice Zionism is opposed to racism.
• Israel will promote the development of the
  country for the benefit of all its inhabitants
  will be based on the precepts of liberty, justice
  and peace taught by the Hebrew Prophets will
  uphold the full social and political equality of
  all its citizens, without distinction of race,
  creed or sex will guarantee full freedom of
  conscience, worship, education and culture will
  safeguard the sanctity and inviolability of the
  shrines and Holy Places of all religions and
  will dedicate itself to the principles of the
  Charter of the United Nations. David ben
  Gurion

6
Israels Law of Return

• Grants automatic citizenship to Jews who seek to
  settle in Israel.
• Anyone can live in Israel they apply like in
  most other democratic countries.
• Israel was established as a Jewish State for
  Jews who seek refuge and is UNIQUE.

7
Israel and Democracy

• All Israeli citizens are equal citizens.
• All Israeli citizens freely practice their
  religion without discrimination.
• Israeli Arabs have full voting rights.
• Arabic, like Hebrew, is an official language in
  Israel.
• Israeli media is one of the most free in the
  democratic world.
• Arab members of Knesset speak out unafraid and
  are confident of Israels freedom of speech and
  commitment to human rights.

8
Can a Jewish State be a democracy ?

• The Israeli Knesset is directly representative of
  the Israeli population.
• 20 of the Israeli population is classified as
  religious.
• Certain laws in Israel are guided by Jewish
  principles in order to maintain the unique
  character of the Jewish State.
• All laws in Israel are passed by the
  democratically elected Knesset.

9
UN Resolutions 242 and 338

• Resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) call for an
  everlasting just and durable peace in the region.
• Call for a withdrawal from territory captured in
  conflict dependent on security situation.
• The resolutions were passed by the UN Security
  Council.

10
Why did the Oslo Peace Accords fail ?

• The Oslo peace process failed because the
  Palestinian representatives would not accept
  anything other than their full demands.
• In signing the Oslo Accords, Arafat agreed to
  condemn terror and violence, something that he
  was unprepared to do in fact.

11
What happened at Camp David ?(September, 2000)

• After US sponsored Peace talks, Israeli PM Barak
  offered 97 of the West Bank parts of East
  Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian
  People.
• Arafat rejected this offer. And resorted again
  to terror. This was the starting point of the
  recent Intifada.
• He cited two reasons as unresolved
• 1) Jerusalem
• 2) Right of Return

12
Who are the Palestinian Refugees ?

• In 1948, 700,000 Palestinians left Israel proper.
• 1/3 went to the West Bank (Jordan), 1/3 went to
  Gaza, 1/3 to Jordan, Lebanon, Syria.
• The only remaining post-1945 group of refugees
  that have not been integrated into a country.

13
What is the Right of Return ?

• There is no foundation in international law for a
  Palestinian Right of Return.
• UN resolutions talk of a need to resolve the
  refugee issue.
• There would be no way to determine who was a
  legitimate refugee.
• Palestinians speak of as many as 3 million
  refugees This would be an end to the Jewish
  State.

14
What are Jewish settlements ?

• Settlements are Jewish communities in the West
  Bank and Gaza strip established after 1967.
• The settlements do not violate international law.
• Jews have always lived in the West Bank and Gaza
  strip until 1948 when they were forced to flee.

15
What is Jerusalem ?

• Jerusalem is a holy city in Judaism, Christianity
  and Islam.
• Under Israeli rule all religions have access to
  their holy sites.
• Jerusalem is the holiest city in Judaism.
• The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism.
• Prior to 1967 Jews were unable to freely practise
  their religion in Jerusalem and had no access to
  its holy sites.

16
What are the Golan Heights ?

• Prior to 1967 the Golan was used by Syria to fire
  on northern Israeli villages. The Golan was
  captured from Syria in 1967.
• The Golan is a major strategic point for Israel
  as it creates a buffer against Syria.
• The Golan is a major source of water for Israel
• Syria demands the full return of the Golan for
  peace.

17
Who is Ariel Sharon ?

• Ariel Sharon is the democratically elected PM of
  Israel.
• Affectionately known as Arik (lion).
• Ariel Sharon is committed to negotiating a peace
  settlement once there is a complete cease fire.
• Sharon is committed to an Israeli withdrawal from
  Gaza and part of the West Bank.

18
Why is Israel in the territories ?

• The territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
  have been under Israeli military control since
  they were captured in 1967 Six-day-war in
  self-defense.
• Israel could have annexed the territories but
  chose not to as she does not want to govern these
  areas, permanently.
• The Oslo Accords and subsequent peace plans have
  spoken of a gradual Israeli withdrawal.
• Most Israelis support the establishment of a
  Palestinian State in the territories.

19
Is Israel using excessive force ?

• Israel is doing what it can to root out
  terrorists and weapons from the West Bank.
• The battle is being fought in areas where
  terrorists choose hide among civilian
  populations.
• Israel is showing restraint in responding to
  terrorism and under the UN Charter, is allowed
  the right to defend its citizens from attack.
• At times, house demolitions and other tactics
  have been far too excessive.

20
Who is a terrorist and who is a freedom fighter ?

• One mans terrorist is another mans freedom
  fighter.
• The attack on innocent civilians is justified
  for terrorists.
• Terrorists are not under state organized
  leadership.
• In this case the Palestinian terrorists are
  sponsored by the Palestinian Authority.

21
Current Issues

• The Road Map
• New Palestinian Leadership
• Sharon Disengagement Plan
• Palestinian/Israeli Polling Data
• Militants, Home and Abroad
• The Role of Egypt

22
Road Map

• 59 of the Palestinians and 60 of the Israelis
  support the Quartets Roadmap plan
• Phase 1 (originally intended to take place by May
  2003) End to violence against Israelis and
  Palestinians Palestinian political reform
  Israeli withdrawal and freeze on settlement
  expansion Palestinian elections

23
Road Map

• Phase 2 (June-Dec 2003) Creation of an
  independent Palestinian state international
  conference and international monitoring of
  compliance with roadmap
• Phase 3 (2004-2005) Second international
  conference permanent status agreement and end of
  conflict agreement on final borders, Jerusalem,
  refugees and settlements Arab states to agree to
  peace deals with Israel.

24
New PA Leadership

• 70 of the Israelis and 59 of the Palestinians
  believe that it is possible to reach a compromise
  settlement with the other sides current
  leadership.

25
Disengagement

• Israel withdraws from Gaza and four settlements
  in the northern West Bank
• The settlements remain intact for use of the
  Palestinians if accepted by an appropriated
  agency.
• Israel retains, for now, temporary control of the
  Philadelphi road that separates Egypt from Gaza,
  in order to patrol the border.

26
Disengagement

• The Palestinian airport and the port in Dahanieh
  remain closed.
• The Erez joint industrial area which employs
  about 4,000 Palestinians, will continue to
  operate. The Erez border crossing will be moved
  and rebuilt on the Israeli side.
• The borders are not final. Final borders will be
  negotiated with the Palestinians when they have
  fulfilled the conditions of the roadmap  for
  peace (controlling terror). The roadmap remains
  the basis for peace and Israel will not accept
  it.

27
Israeli/PA Polling Data

• Regarding final borders and territorial exchange,
  nearly two-thirds of the Palestinian respondents
  (63) said they endorse an Israeli withdrawal
  from the West Bank and Gaza Strip with the
  exception of some settlement areas in less than
  3 of the West Bank. Fifty five percent of
  Israeli respondents said they support a
  Palestinian state within these borders. These
  results contrast with a 2003 joint survey that
  showed 57 percent of Palestinian respondents and
  47 percent of Israeli respondents supporting a
  similar proposal.

28
Hosni Mubarak

• Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt said in
  a meeting with students in Alexandria on Saturday
  that the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon "is
  the only one who is able to solve the crisis
  taking place in the Middle East region, because
  he alone has enough courage to do that."
  Egypt-Israel, Politics, 7/28/2003

29
Militants, Home and Abroad

• Israel and South Africa
• Zionism is Racism
• Separation Barrier and Berlin Wall
• Divestment Campaigns
• One-State Solutions
• one people, one history, one victim
• What lies will you be handing out today?

30
The Future Is Now

• Death of Arafat creates historic opening
• Can moderate Palestinian leaders gain control?
• Will the US commit fully to be engaged?
• Does Europe and the UN have a role to play?
• What is the window of opportunity?

31
The Future

• General support for reconciliation among Israelis
  has also increased and stands now at 84 percent
  compared to 80 in June 2004. 81 of the
  Palestinians support reconciliation today
  compared to 67 last June. More important however
  is the consistent across the board increase in
  support for a list of specific reconciliation
  steps, varying in the level of commitment they
  pose to both publics.

32
For More Information

• Adam Bronstone
• Director, Community Relations
• Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans
• adam_at_jewishnola.com
• 504/780-5610