Comments on: Obama in Egypt http://theactivist.org/blog/obama-in-egypt // Culture. Consciousness. Critical Thought. // Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:43:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Bhaskar Sunkara http://theactivist.org/blog/obama-in-egypt/comment-page-1#comment-44339 Bhaskar Sunkara Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:43:09 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/obama-in-egypt#comment-44339 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/opinion/03alHamalawy.html by the revolutionary socialist blogger behind http://arabawy.org/ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/opinion/03alHamalawy.html

by the revolutionary socialist blogger behind http://arabawy.org/

]]> By: Bhaskar Sunkara http://theactivist.org/blog/obama-in-egypt/comment-page-1#comment-43649 Bhaskar Sunkara Tue, 09 Jun 2009 03:56:18 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/obama-in-egypt#comment-43649 Right, I think you're getting at the problem with "resistance for resistance's sake." While I certainly wouldn't attack the right of Palestinians to resist blockades and encroachments, realistic change will require more thoughtful political action. Israel for one needs to change the objective conditions that lead to instability and violence. Dismantle and stop settlements, lift the blockade of Gaza, engage in dialogue with Hamas. By voting for the far-right the Israeli public has shown an unwillingness to act as reasonable actors and do what's needed to form a lasting peace in the region. I don't see the resistance in Palestine as a part of greater Islamism really, I think that if anything American relations with Israel is a severe handicap in the fight against reaction in the Middle East. Israel needs to be pressured or else it'll be left on its own and if it continues its present course there won't be any tears or support from my small corner of the international left. Right, I think you’re getting at the problem with “resistance for resistance’s sake.” While I certainly wouldn’t attack the right of Palestinians to resist blockades and encroachments, realistic change will require more thoughtful political action.

Israel for one needs to change the objective conditions that lead to instability and violence. Dismantle and stop settlements, lift the blockade of Gaza, engage in dialogue with Hamas. By voting for the far-right the Israeli public has shown an unwillingness to act as reasonable actors and do what’s needed to form a lasting peace in the region.

I don’t see the resistance in Palestine as a part of greater Islamism really, I think that if anything American relations with Israel is a severe handicap in the fight against reaction in the Middle East. Israel needs to be pressured or else it’ll be left on its own and if it continues its present course there won’t be any tears or support from my small corner of the international left.

]]> By: Glau Montgomery http://theactivist.org/blog/obama-in-egypt/comment-page-1#comment-43373 Glau Montgomery Sun, 07 Jun 2009 02:51:06 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/obama-in-egypt#comment-43373 AA makes the right points, talking about since the fall of the Ottoman Empire to now, Arab states have more or less been colonies or puppets of European states, the backlash against American foreign policy, etc. When it comes to Israel however, I feel AA, along some other leftists, make the mistake of simply deconstructing the conflict. The Israeli policy since Ben-Gurion is Jabotinsky's philosophy (although they failed to recognize Jabotinsky's end game). They've more or less succeeded in creating a fortress state; even if American support was withdrawn, Israel would still be the dominant military power of the region, or at least the Levant. Israel isn't going anywhere, and won't be dislodged. The Knesset understands this, and by blocking a combined state policy defeats a non-violent attempt to dislodge them. Deconstruction is great, but it will simply run into the wall of military supremacy, a constructive view is needed. Being anti-Israel won't work, the Left must be pro-Palestinian. AA makes the right points, talking about since the fall of the Ottoman Empire to now, Arab states have more or less been colonies or puppets of European states, the backlash against American foreign policy, etc.

When it comes to Israel however, I feel AA, along some other leftists, make the mistake of simply deconstructing the conflict. The Israeli policy since Ben-Gurion is Jabotinsky’s philosophy (although they failed to recognize Jabotinsky’s end game). They’ve more or less succeeded in creating a fortress state; even if American support was withdrawn, Israel would still be the dominant military power of the region, or at least the Levant. Israel isn’t going anywhere, and won’t be dislodged. The Knesset understands this, and by blocking a combined state policy defeats a non-violent attempt to dislodge them. Deconstruction is great, but it will simply run into the wall of military supremacy, a constructive view is needed. Being anti-Israel won’t work, the Left must be pro-Palestinian.

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