Quote:
As far as a nation goes, I'd define it as needing the following:
1. A common territory
2. A common culture
3. A common social structure (even if overlaid by a conqueror's)
4. A common language
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As I understand it, not enough Jews speak enough Hebrew for the Jewish people to be a "nation," but Israelis
are a nation, and therefore Israel
is a nation, by this definition. You've decided to talk about Yiddish and Ladino, although all the populations I mentioned had the common language of Hebrew.
It's a fine definition, by the way, except that it is only a smidgen away from the definition of
nation-state. In fact, you've pretty much finished the job and wiped out all Native American nations living outside of the reservations, or speaking languages other than their ancestral tongue. Well done. You've also presented the Palestinians with a chicken-and-egg problem of their own, which I suppose is only fair. Palestinians living abroad, after all, are not part of a Palestinian "nation." As you've noted, Ukrainians speaking Russian as a first language are out, provided there are also Ukrainians speaking Ukrainian (after all, they need a common language.) Etc., etc., etc.
I think we're down to nit-picking, at this point. As you say, you see Israel as a nation. You see Palestine as a nation, but not as a nation-state. I think you're right, and I think Palestine should attend to the matter of
becoming such a state, rather than the matter of attempting to erase or delegitimize the state next door. And the first order of business, again, is to have a single central authority. No terror bombing brigades, no militias, etc. But that's for Palestine to work out, nu?
As for Israel, her responsibility is to her citizens. Those who know the history of the last century, understand the events that led to Israel's current status. Her existence is not on the bargaining table; therefore, if Palestinian Arabs, dispossessed by the invasions of other Arab nations, insist on the death of Israel as a condition for the birth of Palestine, their national aspirations are destined to be frustrated. The PLO came to understand this in the 1980s and 1990s. Hamas has not.
The Palestinian people do need a state. Israel does need to live in peace within her borders. I agree, you agree, and I daresay the Kadima leadership in Israel agrees; their whole electoral platform was on unilateral disengagement from occupied territory.
Who does that leave?
Dan