Kim Petersen

Israel is waging a war, and it has been ever since European Jews entered Palestine and began a campaign to denationalize Mandate Palestine. The continuing siege, occupation, dispossession, and annexation of Palestine are crystal clear examples of the state of war.

Palestinians have every right to resist the siege, occupation, dispossession, and annexation. Palestine has the legitimate right of self-defense and the use of violence to resist violence against itself. If there were no siege, occupation, dispossession, and annexation, then there would be nothing for the Palestinians to resist against. Israel provides the right for Palestinians to fire rockets into Israel. Since Israel has no right to carry out the illegal acts of laying siege, occupying, dispossessing, and annexing the territory of another people, it follows that Israel also has no legitimate right to respond to any resistance — resistance that is legitimate – to its illegal actions.

Israel has the right and the responsibility to uphold international law, and that would require ending the siege, occupation, dispossession, and annexation. It should also require much more: such as prosecuting those culpable for its state’s aggression, issuing a profound mea culpa, and providing restitution to its victims.

Israel and its morally challenged supporters have no leg to stand on in justifying Israel’s indefensible killing and destruction. That the United States, Canada, and many European countries would support a scofflaw state such as Israel speaks to the moral inclination of these countries, the elected representatives, and those who elect them.

In 1933, the ethical scientist Albert Einstein said, “As long as I have any choice, I will stay only in a country where political liberty, toleration, and equality of all citizens before the law are the rule.”

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