Opinion: the hypocrisy of branding Israel as an Apartheid state

First off, in the spirit of clarifying the parameters of ‘apartheid’ and how it is classified, here’s an easy litmus test. Apartheid was institutionalised discrimination against non-whites, it was an organised counter-humanist government that made use of social manipulation and religion to substantiate its claims against all non-whites. Apartheid refused basic constitutional rights such as voting and the freedom to move around within South Africa to non-whites. Apartheid was the proliferation of the public degradation of all non-whites.

Now, seeing as we’ve covered the layman’s ideals of apartheid, let’s knock it out. Israel takes in droves of Palestinian refugees fleeing the counter-humanist Palestinian laws. Laws where women have next to no rights, same-sex relationships are outlawed, freedom of speech is non-existent, the right to practice a religion of your choice is not allowed. Israel allows freedom for LGBT individuals, equal rights to women and allow all people to practice their religion openly and without persecution. The Israeli government contains representatives from all religions, including Islam. Name on Islamic nation that allows Christians and Jews, Buddhists and Hindus to vote on constitutional issues…

In 2005, Israel completely withdrew from Gaza, only maintaining some control over goods import through land and sea blockades — as the influx and regional trade in weapons used for terrorism was based within Hamas-controlled Gaza — aimed at effecting some form of security for the sovereign state of Israel. On that note, can we clarify that when an attack is launched against a sovereign state, said state has the right to retaliate in kind. Should Botswana attack South Africa, would we not retaliate to defend our own?

Now, let’s get down to Hamas. I see no need to explain what they stand for, as this is abundantly clear… if you’ve done your homework. More than a third of Palestinians voted for Hamas in the local government elections in 2006, and in subsequent Palestinian government shake-ups Hamas has gone unopposed in its power-grab. With an annual operational budget of around $70 million and a governmental budget of around $540 million for development in the Gaza region, you would think that the plight of Palestinians living in Gaza would be better answered; unfortunately, Hamas insists that developmental spending in Gaza is centred only around organisations that have direct links with them. Hamas is a terrorist organisation, there are no two ways about that. There is no way we can ignore that they are a threat to peace and stability in the region, and that a solution to this threat is necessary.

What is interesting to note, however, is the response of other Islamic nations to the plight of the Palestinians. Egypt has just recently evicted thousands from their homes in the town of Rafah in the Sinai peninsula to make way for a buffer zone and fence, to keep Palestinians out. They are also not admitting refugees, as a measure to stop the spread of terrorism from within Palestine. Jordan and Saudi arabia have also closed their borders to Palestinian refugees for fear of Islamic fundamentalism spreading into their territories.

Who then will answer the call for help, when Islamic states refuse to admit Palestinians looking for help… oh wait, Israel is still admitting thousands of Palestinians fleeing the oppression brought on by their own people.

While Israel has done its fair share of wrong in this conflict, by unlawfully taking land and making use of excessive force when dealing with certain threats; Hamas has committed as many if not more crimes against its own people as well as those of Israel. The borders of Israel have been warped, but Palestine has become a breeding ground for terrorism, as their own security forces are too weak to stand up to the oppression of Hamas. These facts can be debated over and over until we go blue.

What is clear, however, is that calling Israel an Apartheid state is as accurate as calling Hamas a peaceful movement for sustainable change. Get your facts straight, and debate the real issues instead of feeding sensationalist ideas that you clearly don’t understand. If Israel was enforcing Apartheid-like laws, you wouldn’t be seeing so many non-Israelis protected through their constitution; and if you’re going to point to a wall built to keep out threats so as to protect everyone living within those walls — including Arabs — then perhaps you’d like to start with Saudi Arabia’s two fences blocking access from Yemen and Iraq, as well as Egypt’s new buffer zone.

A two-state solution is the only way for peaceful coexistence, but Hamas and every other form of religious fundamentalism needs to be removed, before this will become a viable solution.