Journey With Jonathan: Entry #2
It's a very cold and rainy day in Bethlehem--so cold, the schools are closed, and most events have been cancelled. Nonetheless, a group of Palestinian activists and leaders in the Bethlehem area gathered at the home of Sami Awad to discuss my book, Beyond the Two-State Solution, which is now available in Arabic.
The discussion was vibrant and spirited. I first gave a brief summary of the ideas in the book and then invited questions and discussion. There was no dispute among them that the two-state solution was totally dead, if it ever was viable. Most of the questions centered on how such a one-state solution would work, and what it would take to convince Zionists to abandon their supremacy and privilege, or at the very least moderate their ideology to accommodate the minimum needs of the Palestinians. Surprisingly, there was even sharp criticism by most to the Palestinian Authority and the different political factions as well as a dicussion of the need for a better leadership to achieve the rights of the Palestinian people. Even those affiliated with Fatah were most critical of their party and of the Palestinian Authority.
There were also concerns expressed about the current Israeli government, with its open calls for a Second Nakba and the ethnic cleansing of more Palestinians, as well as concern that Palestinian frustrations and legitimate resistance can easily be manipulated in order to provide a pretext for further oppression and even for a mass expulsion of people from Palestine.
At the end of the meeting, before I left, those who had not read the book asked for a second meeting to read it more thoroughly and to discuss it further. We also asked if other Palestinian leaders, including those affiliated with Hamas, could also be brought into the discussion.