By Jane Piazza

On Wednesday, March 24, 2010, Israeli historian Ilan Pappé spoke at Woldman Theater in UB’s Norton Hall to an audience of about 170 people, many from the WNY Peace Center and UB students. He spoke quite in depth on “The Past and Present Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine”, punctuating serious material with down-to-earth good humor, and then entertained a very open question-and-answer period. The event was sponsored by the U.B. Muslim Students Association and the Palestine-Israel Committee of the WNY Peace Center.         

While acknowledging the need for an Israeli state, Pappe emphasized the need for  regime change. The Zionist representation of Israeli-Palestinian reality in U.S. publications has perpetuated many myths. Some of these myths include: The 1919-1948 period, often referred to as the time when Palestinian “terrorism” began, deemphasizes the importance of Britain “moving” Palestine and necessitating a forced migration very destructive to Palestinian people. Also, the 1948-1967 period, often characterizing Israel as a model of democracy, fails to mention the military control of Palestine and then the eventual occupation of the West Bank when U.S. President Johnson supported it.

The 1967 war, often described as a necessary response to Arab attack, misses the fact that there had been a detailed, calculated plan to occupy the West Bank beginning in 1964, and the 1967 war was a result of years of spying on the Palestinian people. Pappe also pointed out that the presentation of the Oslo process as a genuine peace effort, neglects the fact that Isreal has walled three million people off in open-air prisons with no air, land or sea control and assumes that they could be happy in this situation. Finally, Pappe views the projection of Hamas as a terrorist organization as inaccurate, and sees it instead as a liberation movement fighting against occupation.

These mythologies, Pappe contends, must be changed so that Israel’s racist attempts to get rid of Palestinians are exposed. As we did with South African apartheid, we must urge our government to move forward by boycotting, divesting and imposing sanctions (“BDS”). Pappe outlined three principles for peace: acknowledgement of crimes against humanity; accountability—i.e., the victims of ethnic cleansing have the right to go back home; and acceptance or coming together. He suggested that activists visit Israel, get informed, protest & boycott, and called on Americans to pressure their government to end support of Israel until it ends its apartheid practices.

Missed the lecture? Look for an audio version here soon!