Daniel Doron: Neo-Colonialist

Cross-posted to The Debate Link

Daniel Doron writes in opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state:

But should not the establishment of such a state–which the Europeans so strongly promote–adhere to the European Union’s 1993 Copenhagen Political Criteria for new members, which states, “Membership criteria require that the candidate country must have achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, rule of law, human rights, and respect for and protection of minorities”?

Not unless Palestine is applying for membership in the EU, no. This has been my edition of simple answers to simple fundamentally idiotic questions.

The idea that political rights are something you “earn” through sufficient social advancement is an idea we discredited not one but two centuries ago. Recognition of one’s rights should never be considered an “unreasonable” demand to make. It is something that should come with the territory, if you will. I find it a moral violation when Palestinian and Arab states refuse to recognize Israel’s right to exist as constituted by its citizens (that is, as a Jewish state). But I have no grounds to assert the wrongness of that belief if I am not willing to affirm that claim equally for the Palestinians: that Palestine has a right — a right just as unconditional as Israel’s — to exist. You can affirm that and still say that we need to negotiate our way to a settlement (though I support unilateral disengagement and recognition, with negotiations proceeding from there — I’d prefer this dispute to be one of borders between nations). But you have to affirm the basic right.

And this puts me in a quandary, because right now the Israeli Prime Minister (in contrast to the opposition) does not recognize this right. He flatly opposes a Palestinian state. Not that the time isn’t ripe, not that “we can’t do it now”. He rejects Palestine’s right to exist. That’s wrong. And unless you’re willing to say it is wrong, you don’t have grounds to complain when the Palestinian Authority takes the same position.

Doron, for his part, vacillates between opposing a Palestinian state flatly and implying, as he does above, that they need to meet requisite standards of political maturity before it is established. They are different positions, but it doesn’t really matter. There is a name for putting a people under the occupation and political control of an external sovereign, of whom they are not citizens and have limited political, social, and legal rights, until such time as they are deemed enlightened enough to be worthy of self-governance. Its name is colonialism, and its track record is not good. Doron seems to specifically want Israel to be a colonial power.

Remind me what pro-Israel means again?