This month Jeff Halper defines the situation in Palestine/Israel as a settler-colonial struggle not a conflict between two equal parties.
Jeff notes that there is currently no effective political process going on. We are moving from neo-liberalism into what he describes as ‘techno-fascism’, where everything is transactional, based on deals. This is clearly seen with the current US administration but also in other parts of the world. There are effectively no markets but a corporate state.
This techno-fascism makes it very difficult for the Palestinians, and other oppressed people, to move forward. Trump sees Gaza simply as a piece of real estate to be used for economic gain and is looking for a way to pacify the Palestinian people.
Jeff goes on to look at how we can help Palestinians to move forward politically. He describes how ICAHD is closely aligned with the Palestinian-led One Democratic State Campaign, with equal rights for all people living in Palestine/Israel. Support for One Democratic State is slowly building among Palestinians and international advocacy is important in keeping Palestine on the map, giving time for Palestinians to come together and reinforcing the settler-colonial nature of Zionism.
Jeff stresses that reframing terminology is important. The situation in Palestine/Israel is not a ‘conflict’ between two equal parties but a settler-colonial struggle. Jeff’s book ‘Decolonizing Israel, Liberating Palestine’ looks at this in detail. The way forward is not through conflict but through de-colonisation, creating a new playing field with equal rights for all in Palestine/Israel.