A few weeks ago, Israel’s electorate have
made it clear that they are not particularly troubled by the one issue that
troubles the rest of the world (that is those that take an interest): their
continued occupation and settlement of Israelis on Arab land and their control
over Arab population. Security, cost of living and house prices were the
election issues.
For some time and more so since the last
elections, voices have be heard that Israel must be punished for this immoral
stance. There are calls for boycott and sanctions.
It is not difficult to name many other
countries whose human rights record is poorer than Israel’s. Indeed many of the
countries that chair or run UN Human rights and similar organisations are nasty
dictatorships themselves. Who are they to criticise Israel? Why should anyone
listen to them and why should Israel be picked for punishment?
It should be borne in mind that many of
these calls for boycott, divestment and sanctions are orchestrated by countries,
bodies and individuals that object to the very existence of Israel,
organisations that strive for the dismantling of the Jewish state. And then
there is anti-Semitism: There are doubtlessly many whose criticism of Israel is
a reflection of their anti-Semitism but Israel – again doubtlessly - gives good
reason for serious criticism.
So let’s forget punishment. It is about
saving. Proverbs
taught us that he who spares the rod hates his son (Proverbs 13, 24) Israel is not a child and the world is not its
parent, but naively, I hope that the world will save
Israel from the moral downward spiral it has been on for too many years. The
Occupation brutalises Israel, makes it more fundamentalist and more racist. It
also increases the hatred of Jews in the Diaspora.
The USA could do it easily: it funds Israel,
it arms Israel and it supports Israel diplomatically. A group of conservative
Jews havs successfully built a lobby that has made the support of Israel as
American as apple pie and no politician dares to criticise, let alone demand a
change of policy in regard to Israel. We have lately seen, that Israel’s Prime
Minister Netanyahu has virtually waged war on President Obama, as yet with
impunity. That leaves Europe.
I am saddened by the awareness that without
effective external pressure that translates into sanctions, Israel will not
give up its hold over the Occupied Territories. It would be nice to do the
right thing without being force to do so. This is a plea and undemocratic hope
of a change that will make Israel democratic again.