Ep. 29: The Asymptotic ‘Two State Solution’ (Part II)

NOTE: If you haven't yet listened to last week's Part I of this episode, please do that first.

The idea that there exists an ongoing effort to achieve a “two-state solution” in Israel and Palestine - often referred to as The Middle East Peace Process™ - is uniformly taken for granted by American media. This "two-state solution" is always at different stages of viability, yet never quite works out. Presidents fail to achieve it; Palestinian violence makes it "more difficult"; Israeli settlements are "unhelpful" to it. 

But how honest is this effort? How are nonstop obituaries for a phantom "process" helping to maintain the status quo, or worse? How much does this infinitely regressive effort deliberately mask an ongoing and active policy of ethnic cleansing by the Israelis in the West Bank and Gaza? 

In Part II of this two-part episode, we discuss this "two-state" racket with Rebecca Vilkomerson of Jewish Voice for Peace.

The Guest

Rebecca Vilkomerson is the Executive Director of Jewish Voice for Peace, a national, grassroots organization inspired by Jewish tradition to work for a just and lasting peace according to principles of human rights, equality, and international law for all the people of Israel and Palestine. In 2010 she was named one of the 50 most influential Jewish American leaders by the Forward, and was named one of 14 Women to Watch in 2014.

Show Notes

I’m Jewish, and I want people to boycott Israel

Rebecca Vilkomerson | June 24, 2016 | The Washington Post

Israel to bar U.S. Jewish group from country over BDS support

Mairav Zonszein | January 7, 2018 | +972

Antisemitism and the Struggle for Justice

Rebecca Vilkomerson | November 30, 2017 | Jewish Voice for Peace

Fighting Israeli Occupying Forces Is “Terrorism.” Boycotting Is “Anti-Semitism.” What’s Allowed?

Glenn Greenwald | April 3, 2016 | The Intercept

The Myriad Deaths of Liberal Zionism 

Nima Shirazi | January 9, 2018 | Wide Asleep In America

The dark roots of AIPAC, ‘America’s Pro-Israel Lobby’

Doug Rossinow | March 6, 2018 | The Washington Post

Pandermonium! At AIPAC, Trump Makes Same Promise on Jerusalem We've Been Hearing Since 1972

Nima Shirazi | March 21, 2016 | Wide Asleep in America

Jews Are Due For A #MeToo Reckoning — About Palestinians

Peter Beinart | December 18, 2017 | Forward

I'm a U.S. Jew on Israel's BDS Blacklist. I Have Family in Israel. But I Won't Be Silenced

Rebecca Vilkomerson | January 7, 2018 | Ha'aretz

IfNotNow And The Challenge Of The Millennial Left

Peter Beinart | April 10, 2017 | Forward

No Country For Olmert? Carterizing the Wounds of Palestine

Nima Shirazi | October 1, 2008 | Wide Asleep in America

References

No hurricane aid if you boycott Israel, says Texas city

Ali Abunimah | October 21, 2017 | The Electronic Intifada

Hurricane Relief Program Removes 'No Israel Boycott' Pledge

October 26, 2017 | Associated Press

The Discriminatory Laws Database 

Adalah | September 25, 2017

Laws Targeting Israel Boycotts Fail First Legal Test

Vera Eidelman | January 30, 2018 | ACLU

ACLU Opposes Federal Bill Aimed at Boycotts of Israel as Free Speech Violation 

March 6, 2018 | ACLU

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For a full transcript of this episode, see here.

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