Progressive Zionist FRY'D DAZE - Yom Kippur Edition

Welcome to the Progressive Zionist - Yom Kippur Edition of Fry'd Daze.

I am writing this early due to the fact that Yom Kippur starts later tomorrow night for me (I am on the West Coast of the U.S. and I don't plan on being on the computer for 24 hours once sundown hits. SO... without further ado, here we go.

Our first story is from Maan and Haaretz where it is being reported that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke and told the European Council:

Addressing the council's parliamentary assembly in Strasbourg, Abbas appealed to Europe to support Palestine's bid for full UN membership, which is under review by a Security Council standing committee.

"Today we are at the heart of the Arab spring: we say that the hour of the Palestinian spring has struck," he told European parliamentarians.

"You supported the Arab spring which was seeking democracy and freedom," he said.

"Now the Palestinian spring has arrived, asking for freedom and an end to the (Israeli) occupation. We deserve your support."

Abbas further went on to say :

Abbas told the Europeans that Palestinians were not against negotiations, but they must take place in a more constructive environment, with greater clarity about the conditions, and with a freeze on Israeli settlement building on Palestinian lands.

"We don’t intend to isolate Israel or take its legitimacy but we want to gain our legitimacy and decide our future and our goals without occupation and settlements," the president said.

To that end Abbas is running counter to the Quartet proposal which is trying to get the Palestinians back to the negotiating table but does not specifically end all Israeli settlement activity. Given that President Abbas is now traveling the world to get U.N. approval he seems to be wanting to build a State without having to actually talk to the Israelis.

On the other hand, Mr. Abbas has a point in that P.M. Netanyahu has made it clear that some/most of the settlement activities will continue in areas that Israel now claims for itself. Currently Abbas is looking for a settlement along the lines of the 1967 borders while Netanyahu at best is offering only about 50% of the West Bank in a combination of the Lieberman plan meets the Allon plan. So one can see his point if he thinks this is all worthless. I personally think he should talk to the Israelis but, I am can't honestly say at the same time that I wouldn't at least think about doing what he is doing.

Our next story is from Ynet where the paper is reporting the apprehension of the criminals who killed Asher Palmer and his 18 month old son Yonatan.

Two Palestinians from Halhul were arrested on Tuesday on suspicion they murdered Asher Palmer and his infant son Yonatan near Kiryat Arba last month. The two were arrested following an investigation involving the police, the Shin Bet and the IDF.

A gag order has been placed in the identities of the detainees and the details of the investigation.

During their interrogation, the suspects admitted to throwing the stone which caused the deaths of Asher and Yonatan. The stone was hurled from a driving car. Police are also looking into the possibility that the two are behind 17 other cases involving stones being hurled at Israeli vehicles.

Funeral of Asher and Yonatan Palmer (Photo: Noam Moskowitz)

Three other Palestinians were also arrested and confessed to taking Palmer's gun after the attack. Police have found and are in possession of the weapon.

All I can say is that I wish the Palmer family peace and hope that all of us would send condolences for this horrible tragedy.

Next we have a Haaretz piece on the Social Protest Movement in Israel and where do they go from here:

The organizers of this summer's social protests are busy planning their next steps, as they are far from satisfied by the recommendations of the Trajtenberg committee on socioeconomic change. Stav Shafir, one of the tent camp protest organizers, is preparing a strike by students when the universities and colleges are scheduled to start their new academic year at the end of this month, immediately after the mass protest rally planned for October 29.

The social protest movement is now facing a turning point. The last remaining tent encampments in Tel Aviv were demolished at the beginning of the week and most of the protesters have gone home. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unable to push the Trajtenberg committee's recommendations through his own cabinet on Monday - and has yet to provide the protesters with any concrete results. Netanyahu appointed the committee to provide answers to the protesters' demands, but the organizers have rejected the proposals, saying the recommendations may be correct in principle, but they will do little to make any major changes in policy, or in citizens' lives.....

.....A big student rebellion at the beginning of the school year is quietly being organized," wrote Shafir yesterday on her Facebook page. She said the strike would shut down the system and "return it to our hands," and asked for help from students.        

The plan is for the strike to start immediately after the mass rally scheduled for October 29. Shafir said she is looking brave students to volunteer to help organize the strike.

"Our demands, after two and a half months on the streets, have not been answered. We cannot return from the summer to our studies and work when our society is still falling apart - there is no public housing, nor proper employment, and no new social budget. So we are not returning until we receive what we deserve," Shafir said.

Given what is happening in America with the Occupy Wall Street movement this is particularly timely in it's newsworthyness. These young people are working for change in their country as people are working for change in ours. I recommend one reads up on both the U.S. and Israeli movements - it is interesting stuff.

Finally we have this from Carlo Strenger at Haaretz: An Open Letter to Mahmoud Abbas on Yom Kippur

Please just read this letter

You, Mr. Abbas, know that Israelis will never accept the right of return. This, for them, is a red line they will never cross. Today, the vast majority of Israelis were born here. In the last six decades, a vibrant culture has come into being here. They have nowhere to go – and they don’t want to go anywhere. This is their home, and they will fight for it without compromise.

This is not the just the view of people like Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman, for whom, as you know, I have little sympathy. It is the view of Tzipi Livni, of Shaul Mofaz and Shelly Yechimovich. You need to realize that it is even the view of the three remaining MKs of Meretz, Israel’s party most committed to liberal values.

You are faced with a terrible dilemma, Mr. Abbas. Your legitimacy as leader of the Palestinian people seems to depend on not renouncing the right of return. Your success in establishing a state for your people depends on convincing Israelis that you accept Israel as the homeland of the Jews.

It will also help you gain support from EU countries, who would be more inclined to support your bid for UN recognition if it were connected to recognition of Israel as the state of the Jewish people. You may remember that Spain, the country spearheading support for your UN bid, also just recognized Israel as a Jewish state – and you might take this as a lead for a fruitful line of action.

Mr. Abbas, I know that this proposal is very difficult for you to accept. I write to you on the eve of Yom Kippur, because my heart is weary and full of sorrow, because I see the two-state solution slipping away, and along with it the State of Israel as I had hoped to see it – and the State of Palestine that I believe your people deserves.
Let me wish you all G'mar Chatimah Tova... and please discuss.

Shalom
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