(Ha'aretz) Yehuda Ben-Meir - The demand to recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people has nothing to do with religion - it is a matter that is entirely in the national rather than the religious realm. The Jews are a people, a nation that has existed for the past 3,000 years. They have a language of their own, cultural assets of their own - first and foremost the Hebrew Bible - and a land of their own. It's not clear why it is acceptable if the Germans and the French and the British - even if they have national minorities in their countries - are proud of their nation-state, but one is not allowed to mention that the State of Israel is a nation-state. That is presumably racism or chauvinism. All the philosophizing and hair-splitting cannot conceal or do away with the historical truth that the State of Israel was established by the Jewish people and is in the possession of the Jewish people. The demand that the Palestinians must recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people is justified because it is the real test, the litmus test for ending the conflict. I understand that our right to the entire Land of Israel has to be adapted to the reality of a Palestinian nation living in this country. If the Palestinians want peace, they must adapt their narrative of Greater Palestine to the historical truth of the existence of a Jewish people with a profound connection to this country, and a solidly-grounded right to establish its state on at least part of it. The writer is a former member of the Knesset (1971-1984).
2014-04-03 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive