Edward Briody

Ilan Pappe lecture at Zochrot׳s 48mm film festival in NY

Thurs, March 3, 7-9pm
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
Vanderbilt Hall 200
Zochrot Shorts and ILAN PAPPE 
Language: English
Part 2 Q A

Pappé is one of Israel’s so-called New Historians who, since the release of pertinent British and Israeli government documents in the early 1980s, have been rewriting the history of Israel’s creation in 1948, and the corresponding expulsion or flight of 700,000 Palestinians in the same year. He has written that the expulsions were not decided on an ad hoc basis, as other historians have argued, but rather constituted the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, in accordance with Plan Dalet, drawn up in 1947 by Israel’s future leaders.

The Zionist Government always wanted the West Bank and found that its settler-colonial tactic has hardly been opposed by the UN or any other power. Its success cannot be denied but there has to be a slow world reaction to its injustice to the Palestinians which is being seen in young Jews. All parties have to look beyond nationalism and old theories to arrive at a livable arrangement. Blatantly unjust positions will not last long. The status quo will result in a calamity for the Palestinians which will finally get adverse world reaction. Israelis might find themselves the object of sanctions. A cry of antisemitism will not have a chance.