Naomi Chazan–Realism in peace-making: a left perspective (audio)

Naomi Chazan spoke to a well-attended drinks and nibbles function of AJDS supports and friends on Wednesday 16 June 2011.
You can listen to the mp3 audio files (unfortunately, the room was a bit dim and the video isn’t 100%, nor is the audio, but it well worth considering her argument, even if you don’t agree with it all).
The audio files are attached at the end of this page.
(click or download with right hand mouse button/save]
(use VLC player if you have any problems)
A very characteristic photo of Naomi at function, with the menu in the background.
Chazan said she had some working assumptions.
1) Without a Palestinian State alongside Israel there will not be a moment’s peace.
2) Occupation is immoral and it is immoral to rule another people; it undermines one’s own being. It is awful for the occupied and unacceptable for the occupier. It is a cancer.
She outline 5 prospects for the shape of things to come, ranging from a negotiated peace to absolutely nothing happening, the one state solution and so on. She argued that each side will have to give up more than they ever thought possible.
On the critical issue of a just solution to the refugee problem she said that it is all probability does not mean the right of return to Israel, but a right of return to the State of Palestine. This would be facilitated by an acknowledgement that Israel bears partial (her emphasis) responsibility for the refugee problem. You cannot correct history, but acknowledge mistakes. The details, she said, have been around for years, but the will is lacking.
As a leading spokesperson of the Zionist left, that is probably as much as you will get for from this ‘block’ from someone who is a left political ‘realist’ rather than ‘sloganeer’ or ideologist. She did make the point that even raising the issue of an apology was totally heretical in some quarters and this might be why she spoke of a partial apology.
Argue away on Facebook.

naomiajds1.mp3

naomiajds2.mp3