October 2, 2007 

A journalist for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Amira Hass’ piece "Democracy is more than going to the polls" seems to be good advice for every and any citizen of a modern democracy–especially those currently waging unjust and illegal occupations.

(My condolences to all our American readers out there who thought they were off the hook–remember Iraq? Remember the 30 billion dollar military aid package we gave Israel last July to aid and abet the Israeli occupation?)

But I digress, Hass’ piece represents another strong stance from the Israeli left against the occupation empowering her follow citizens to recognize their own agency as prescribed by the "democratic" rule of law within the civil branch of the Israeli apartheid government.

Potentially, hundreds of thousands of Jewish Israelis could have taken part in activities against the multi-faceted Israeli oppression - the apartheid laws and orders, military attacks, hidden information, economic siege, land expropriation, expanding settlements, and more. Not a hair on their head would be touched. These are people who say they support peace, with a Palestinian state beside Israel. But apparently their interpretation of participation in democracy is going to the polls once every few years, and faint protest in their living room.

However, democracy also is displaying civic responsibility, by constantly supervising the political decisions and acts between elections, thus ensuring that democracy’s essence has not been eroded. Those who say they support a two-state solution are ignoring the other facet of the democracy-for-Jews - the military regime that it imposes on the Palestinians.

While disagreements abound with her assertion that "a full withdrawal with slight changes to the June 4, 1967 lines and [the establishment of] a Palestinian state" consitute a "solution" to the conflict and one can also see a bit of a paradox between the use of "full" and "slight changes" in the same breathe (don’t you think so Amira?) her words of wisdom as well as her call to action, nevertheless, represent sound and long overdue advice.

 -c

Full article available here.