Israeli writer searches for peace

[Violet_Crumble]

Israel’s standing in the world is changing, says Jeff Halper.

"For most of Israel’s existence it was seen as the victim in the conflict with the Palestinians and the wider Arab world, a small little democracy merely defending itself," the Israeli anthropologist and activist says in a recent email interview.

But this isn’t so much the case anymore.

"For the first time in Israel’s 60 years of existence the international community is not blaming Israel but is finally holding it accountable for its policies and actions," he says.

And Halper is too. He pulls no punches in exploring his country’s relationship with the Palestinians, questioning in his book, An Israeli in Palestine: Resisting Dispossession, Redeeming Israel (Pluto Press, 317 pages) whether a so-called Jewish state is even possible.

"Over the years I have experienced some of the oppression aimed at the Palestinians in the occupied territories, have ‘been there,’ but have also thought a lot about the conflict and written quite a bit," Halper says. "The book was a kind of a summing up after all those years, integrating my personal journey with my analysis of the conflict and how to resolve it."

Halper has no problem holding his country to higher standards. "Even in its victory in the Six Day War in 1967, when Israel moved into the club of the major military powers, even after it developed nuclear weapons, Israel was seen as the weak party that need international support," he says.

"Today that picture has changed, partly because of our efforts to show what Israel is doing in the occupied territories, partly because Israel is seen as the infinitely stronger party, partly because it is clear the Arabs and Palestinians want peace but Israel prefers to hold on to its settlements and occupation."

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Books/1109025.html