FM: John Whitbeck
In these terrible times in the wake of October 7, there is
one perception as to which the Israeli government and
virtually all other governments now publicly profess to
agree, sincerely and passionately in the Israeli case and at
least rhetorically in the case of the Global West: The
"Question of Palestine" can no longer be ignored or
"managed" but must, finally, be definitively resolved.
The Israeli government has clearly chosen and is actively
pursuing a final solution consisting of genocide and ethnic
cleansing on a massive scale.
Governments of the Global West are claiming that their
preferred solution is a renewed and urgent effort toward
eventually ending Israel's 56-year-long occupation and
implementing the venerable "two-state solution".
If the Global West were, for the first time, genuinely
interested in actually achieving a "two-state solution", it
has the power and means to do so, but doing so would require
Western governments to take two steps promptly, while there
are still Palestinians left in the Gaza Strip:
(1) Join the other 139 states, encompassing the overwhelming
majority of mankind, which have extended diplomatic
recognition to the State of Palestine, within its clearly
defined and UN-recognized borders (all of that portion of
historical Palestine which Israel has occupied since June
1967, nothing more and nothing less) even while its entire
territory remains under Israeli occupation and without
waiting for Israel's prior permission.
(2) Enforce crippling UN Security Council-mandated sanctions
against Israel "for as long as it takes" (to quote Joe Biden
in another context) until Israel ends its illegal occupation
(as ardently sought by Joe Biden in another context) and
fully withdraws from the territory of the State of
Palestine.
If the Global West is unwilling to take these steps and to
do so promptly, it will be clear to all that the Global West
is simply bleating yet more more hot air in claiming to seek
a "two-state solution" and, as between the two possible
definitive solutions, genuinely prefers the final solution
being pursued by Israel.
The Global Majority is unlikely to forget or forgive.