The Real Dividing Line in Israel-Palestine | by Slavoj Žižek - Project Syndicate
www.project-syndicate.org
Slavoj Žižek argues that the solution to a conflict dominated by fundamentalists depends on combining two extremes.

It's dogshit

Hamas and Israeli hardliners are two sides of the same coin. The choice is not one hardline faction or the other; it is between fundamentalists and all those who still believe in the possibility of peaceful co-existence. There can be no compromise between Palestinian and Israeli extremists, who must be combatted with a full-throated defense of Palestinian rights that goes hand-in-hand with an unwavering commitment to the fight against anti-Semitism.

Utopian as this may sound, the two struggles are of a piece. We can and should unconditionally support Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorist attacks. But we also must unconditionally sympathize with the truly desperate and hopeless conditions faced by Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories. Those who think there is a “contradiction” in this position are the ones who are effectively blocking a solution.

both-sides zizek-theory

We can and should unconditionally defend US slave owners' property rights. But we also must unconditionally sympathize with the truly desperate and hopeless conditions faced by enslaved people.

We can and should unconditionally support Nazi Germany's right to rid itself of undesirables. But we also must unconditionally sympathize with the truly desperate and hopeless conditions faced by those placed in concentration camps.

Feel free to add your own

  • a_blanqui_slate [none/use name, any]
    ·
    11 months ago

    The action of creating isntreal was the displacement and genocide of Palestinians. Your argument is still invalid.

    No, this displacement and genocide preceded the incorporation of the state of Israel as a political entity, continues currently, and could extend beyond it's existence if there were a devolution into the local communes.

    I don't recognize the legitimacy of its statehood because doing so would be to recognize that it has claims to lands that it stole by genociding the people living there. This is wrong and unjust.

    I don't recognize the legitimacy of it's statehood because getting hung up on legitimacy is metaphysical drivel. Israel makes and exercises claims to stolen land, legitimate or not. This act of stealing the land and holding it from the indigenous population is to be opposed regardless of what intellectual or legal framework can be roped around it to 'legitimize' it. Talk of Israel's 'right to defend itself' is metaphysical drivel attempting to legitimate genocide.

    • SuperNovaCouchGuy2 [any]
      ·
      11 months ago

      No, this displacement and genocide preceded the incorporation of the state of Israel as a political entity, continues currently, and could extend beyond it's existence if there were a devolution into the local communes.

      No? Lot of words to say absolutely nothing but unintentional Zionist apologia. "Hurr our country is ok bcuz the region already had a genocide!!!!"

      The act of creating isntreal necessitated the conquest of Palestine by Britain and the forceful settlement of Palestinian land.

      *And "this displacement and genocide preceded the incorporation of the state of Isntreal" is a stupid thing to say because its literally saying "bro the map was green from the beginning in the early 20th century!" As if the genocide was going to happen anyways and then Isntreal was just created by accident lmao

      Show

      This act of stealing the land and holding it from the indigenous population is to be opposed regardless of what intellectual or legal framework can be roped around it to 'legitimize' it.

      Literally what I said but ok. "B-bbbubt akshualasflaslfy you-ACK" its not an "intellectual" or "legal" argument to say that its wrong and unjust to genocide a population.

      Talk of Israel's 'right to defend itself' is metaphysical drivel attempting to legitimate genocide.

      So is talk of "Israel's" "right to exist" because a settler colonial state that is only there to steal land and commits genocide must be destroyed no matter what.