tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8563166645221745880.post8830248652216420437..comments2023-08-21T05:54:52.081-04:00Comments on Raise it Up: Reflections on the J Street Conference, Part I.Rabbi Rachel Gurevitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15774676663563296493noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8563166645221745880.post-47962605565196339422009-10-30T09:38:18.306-04:002009-10-30T09:38:18.306-04:00Thank you for sharing your thoughts and reflection...Thank you for sharing your thoughts and reflections on the conference. (And thank you also for the kind link to Velveteen Rabbi!) I share your sense that JStreet's interest in dialogue, and in creating a space where conversations can happen, is incredibly exciting and is something to celebrate.Rachel Barenblathttp://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8563166645221745880.post-78707851511628248582009-10-30T08:28:20.976-04:002009-10-30T08:28:20.976-04:00I agree with everything you write in terms of sent...I agree with everything you write in terms of sentiment and as you know Im impatient for a 2 state solution. However it is a huge leap of logic to state that just because there may, at some point, be less jews than arabs in the combined land of Israel and the territories we should therefore have or even suggest a 1 state solution. It ignores one rather huge fact.<br /><br />In 1948 there were less Jews than Arabs in the combined land.<br /><br />Additionally, Arabs can suggest one all they want for PR and political reasons but no 'Palestinian' government is going to want to have fight 5-6 million jews who would refuse to be in such a state. It would be like the republic of ireland having to deal with the protestant minority in the north being forced to accept rule from Dublin against their will. It would lead to never ending civil war far worse than the conflict/peace is now.<br /><br />Indeed, even though I feel the current situation is not sustainable if you think it can't get worse than you are wrong. it could get much worse. And I don't mean nuclear weapons type worse, I mean constant never ending attacks day on day, throughout the lands. Indeed similar to what happened between 1938-1949.<br /><br />The current Israeli government is playing a high stake strategy over the settlements, and I would rather they did not. However the palestinians are playing a high risk strategy too by making it a massive sticking point. They feel there is legitimacy and value in holding out for the 1 state solution. The more people raise it on an intellectual level in public the more it gives them confidence to slow down the peace talks and hold out for the 1 state. We are selling them short by doing this as it will not happen. The world couldn't keep Yugoslavia together, they can't keep kosovo in serbia, and russia unilaterally took part of georgia. Once an ethnic group is set on separation there is no stopping them if they are of a critical mass large enough to wage war. The Jews do not want to live in an Arab state and the sooner this is accepted as an eternal 'given' the sooner the palestinians will negotiate again.<br /><br />meanwhile its still not clear if there ever will be a 2 state solution or in fact a three state, as every report makes it clear that Hamas is trying to 'play' fatah over reconciliation.<br /><br />The good news is that the latest independent polls show that if there was an election tomorrow Hamas would loose very badly in the Gaza strip. So much for people saying Israel's current policy against the strip is not working. yes people blame israel for their problems first and foremost (which they should) but Hamas is then next in the running. The today programme covered this the other day and the word on the street is going against them. Thats why Abbas has now called elections, he is calling their bluff.<br /><br />Anyway Im all for J Street as AIPAC have been too right wing for sometime. But lets not do things because otherwise it might lead to a 1 state solution. Lets just do them because they are the right things to do. Discussing a 1 state, even in theory is not though and will lead to more blood. I equate discussion of a 1 state solution as fundamentalist and war mongering, i.e. anti-peace.Stevennoreply@blogger.com