AUT: the destruction of Israel

["Nate Holdren" <nateholdren@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Scott (Hamilton),

You write in one of your posts on the Israel/Palestine thread, about a point
Harald raised:

"What this means, surely, is the destruction of the
state of Israel, and this is a worthy goal. But how
can Israel be destroyed?"

I've not participated in this thread as I know less about the situation than
the participants in this conversation, I've learned a lot from you all,
reading your posts.

I'm curious, though why you use the language of 'destroy Israel'? I think
what you're after is a revolution in the region after which the state of
Israel and Palestinian Authority as they currently are would no longer
exist. Is this right or have I misunderstood you?
I probably disagree with your picture of what such a revolution looks like,
but aside from that, I wonder at the use of this language of destroy Israel.
(It certainly wouldn't be a worthwhile slogan 'destroy the Palestinian
Authority'.)

The reason I'm concerned is that lately in the US a number of fascist groups
have targeted the Palestinian solidarity movement as an arena for fascist
activity, holding demonstrations against the Israeli embassy and so forth.
Thankfully the movement, or at least the parts I'm loosely familiar with,
have explicitly rejected this and have been at pains to demonstrate they're
not anti-semitic. Anarchist anti-fascists have been very active in this
movement, at least here in Chicago, and have been major players  in seeking
to expose and oppose the actions of fascists around this issue.

To be clear, I'm convinced of the rightness of Harald's suggested strategy
and the wrongness of yours, but regardless of that, in either case, one
could describe the result of success (whether of Harald's "extend rights"
position or yours) as 'the destruction of Israel' or as 'the creation of a
democratic, secular, non-racist Israel'. (You might add socialist to that
list, I doubt Harald would.)
What I'm confused about is why you choose the 'destroy' vocabulary. Maybe
there's not the same problem with resurgent fascism in your country as there
is here? I know for me here I would have little to no organizing success
with anyone who I'd want success with under the slogan 'destroy Israel', it
only plays into the hands of fascists and other anti-semites.

'Democratize Israel' or 'end Apartheid in the Holy Land' or even 'free
Palestine' seem much better (though 'free Palestine' at demonstrations
unfortunately often turns into the uncomfortable 'long live Palestine',
especially when the local vangaurdists have seized the means of sonic
amplification. My personal favorite chant has been 'long live the Intidada'
which some of us have tried to turn into 'globalize the Intifada'.)

best,
Nate



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