Saturday, July 17, 2004

The UN General Assembly has begun a debate on the legality (or lack thereof) of the barrier the government of Israel is putting up in the occupied territories.  Let's follow that one.
 
"Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman told the General Assembly today that the World Court opinion was the result of Palestinian attempts "to manufacture a virtual reality … in which there are Palestinian rights but no Palestinian responsibilities, in which there are Israeli responsibilities but no Israeli rights.""
 
How so?  Paelestinians have a right to not be restricted in their movement; that is unquestionable.  They have a responsibility to be civil in their actions, but the wall does not give them any responsibility for anything.  It is, if anything, paternalistic in its assumption that Palestinians as a whole cannot be responsible for their actions.  Israelies have a right to be free from fear.  That can be solved very easily and quickly by giving the Paelstinians what they want and deserve: The West Bank and Gaza Strip.  They do a have responsibility to treat their neighbours with respect and dignity.   

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