In a glaring spectacle of colonial hubris, American and Israeli leaders – without any Palestinian partners – have presented a plan allegedly aimed to settle the historical conflict in Israel-Palestine, completely ignoring Palestinian needs and interests. The plan aims to suppress Palestinian aspirations for independence and freedom, to confine the Palestinians to an Apartheid-like system of Bantustans, and to null the rights of the Palestinian refugees.
This spectacle is aimed to assist Trump and Netanyahu to gain public popularity as they both face serious corruption allegations and upcoming elections. At the same time, the unilateral character of their steps is aimed to put the blame on Palestinian leadership for their refusal to take part in this futile spectacle. It nurtures the Israeli sense of entitlement to annex parts of the occupied territories and trade the citizenship of its Arab-Palestinian residents, which unfortunately seems to be shared both by Netanyahu and his main contester in the coming elections Benny Gantz.
The denial of the basic human rights of Palestinians is against the most fundamental values of humanism and equality that Een Andere Joodse Stem/Another Jewish Voice is committed to. We share this commitment with the United Nations and with most countries across the globe, and call them to reject Trump’s plan outright. EAJS will continue to struggle against the oppression and de-humanization of Palestinians, and for justice in response to the historical wrongs committed by the state of Israel. This is the only way to establish the basis for equality and mutual respect between Palestinians and Israelis, and to secure peace and prosperity in the area.