The leader of a Palestinian nationalist party and cousin of an imprisoned Palestinian terror leader told the J Street conference this morning that blame for imminent failure of a two-state solution will rest squarely on the shoulders of Israel, and advocated an alliance for “one democratic free state.”
Dr. Mustafa Barghouti spoke on a panel titled “One-State, Two-State, Green State, Blue State” at the “pro-Israel, pro-peace” conference in Washington.
He warned the audience that the point of no return for the failure of a two-state solution is near. “We have either crossed that line or about to cross it,” Barghouti said.
“There is no way you can keep a democratic state and keep oppression of another people… we as Palestinians will never accept to remain slaves of occupation,” he said to audience applause.
“If the two-state option is dead this time it will not be the Palestinian responsibility,” the leader of the Palestinian National Initiative and onetime presidential candidate said. “This time it is an Israeli responsibility and no one can avoid that.”
Barghouti’s cousin in the large Ramallah family, Marwan Barghouti, led the First and Second Intifadas and is currently serving five life sentences for murder in Israel; he was acquitted of 21 counts for lack of sufficient evidence. His name is frequently brought up in prisoner exchanges but he was not released with the flood of inmates traded for IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
“Some people might not like the word apartheid… I understand why you wouldn’t like it; there is nothing to be proud of,” Mustafa Barghouti said. “We actually live in that system.”
He complained that Israel’s GDP was higher than that of the Palestinian territories, with Israelis making “40 times more,” “and yet we are obliged to pay the same prices that Israelis do.”
“I cannot describe to you the level of violations of human rights,” Barghouti said, accusing Israeli soldiers of using dogs on Palestinians in a manner reminiscent of segregation in the U.S.
He said the goal is to “change the balance of power so a solution can be found.”
“The policy of the Israeli government is as much against the interests of the Jewish people as it is against the Palestinians,” he said to applause, adding to more clapping that Palestinians are also “struggling for the freedom of the Israeli people from the last colonial system.”
“That’s the kind of alliance we need for the future,” he told the J Street crowd.
“Your work, your mobilization, your activity gives us a lot of hope, so thank you for what you are doing.”
I’m for two states:
(1) Roll back Israel’s borders to historical locations: use the times of David and Solomon. In other words, all of Judea and all of Samaria, etc.
(2) Let the so-called Palestinians form a state somewhere else
(3) all Arabs/muslims leave this new Israel and go live in #2.
Bridget Johnson: This is almost funny if it were so sad. Barghouti says: “There is no way you can keep a democratic state and keep oppression of another people… we as Palestinians will never accept to remain slaves of occupation … ” The last time I looked, Hamas and Fatah were in charge of Gaza and most of Judea and Samaria, and they were the ones oppressing their own people. Also, a look at the Palestinian (Arab) flag shows only one state; so I guess while the Zionist-entity exists, the so-called Palestinian people will feel oppressed.
Then Mr. Barghouti says: “Some people might not like the word apartheid… I understand why you wouldn’t like it; there is nothing to be proud of … ” Yes, Mr. Barghouti, it is nothing to be proud of, and what has happend you to Jews and Christians in Gaza and areas controlled by Fatah? They have become Judenrein and will soon be Christianrein.
Finally Mr. Barghouti says: “I cannot describe to you the level of violations of human rights … ” Mr. Barghouti, are you talking about honor killing and genital mutilation?
Oh, I agree—there should be a one-state solution. That is to say, only one “Palestinian” state; the state of Jordan. I not only support the “Palestinians’ right of return” to that one and only legitimate “Palestinian” state, I insist upon it.
To encourage the Arabs of the West Bank to avail themselves of their “right of return,” I suggest that Israel offer them $50,000 a head to relocate. That relocation bounty would decrease by $10,000 per month each month it was not exercised, until six months passed; after which the Arabs would be relocated anyway, and the Arab areas of the West Bank cropdusted with pigfat. Call it the “Treif, Don’t Strafe” solution.
The “Palestinians” do not get two states. Their only legitimate state—which takes up the lion’s share of the “Palestine Mandate” has been in existence longer than the state of Israel. High time they went back to it.
There has never been a country called Palestine.. Israel was purchased from the Arabs with MONEY.. The fact that it was subsequently allowed nationhood has nothing to do with how the land was obtained.. Funny how all the other Arab nations dont allow the Palestinians to immigrate.. That’s coz they sold their own land and now want someone else’s.. Anybody else’s..
Look at Google Earth.. A telling tale.. The state of Israel is GREEN.. Surrounded by Arab lands.. BROWN.. It was all brown before the Jews started working the land.. Now the Arabs think they have the best land.. When they sold it to the Jews it was the worst land.. HARD WORK makes the difference..