Israeli music concert solution?

BDS and its supporters could solve the thorny problem of Israeli music concerts.

Artists, writers and other high profile supporters of the BDS policy who try to persuade musicians not to do gigs in Israel could, instead of urging them to boycott Israeli venues, they could encourage them, as long as they play to mixed audiences of both Israelis and Palestinians at the shows.

The Israelis would be unable to comply because its been the government policy to demonise Palestinians. Keeping Israeli Jews at arms distance from Palestinians has for many years been based on this rhetoric. They don’t want the Israeli population to discover that Palestinians are just like they are.

From an early age, Israeli Jews are educated to despise Palestinians and many Israelis have never even met one. Merely by observing IDF soldiers at checkpoints, it is clear they hold them in contempt, including women, children and the elderly, even though none of these groups are (generally) a threat to Israelis. This barrier and the complete censorship of historic Israeli crimes against the Palestinians means a concert with mixed audiences is impossible. Israeli Jews are convinced Palestinians hate them because they are Jews. In reality it is the theft of their land, the anti Arab prejudice and the brutal occupation which causes resentment.

Palestinians are aware that they have many friends amongst the Jewish community. It’s hardly a surprise that they see the (overwhelmingly) Jewish IDF as the brutal occupation force that it is. It is nothing to do with Judaism, its the uniform. To treat other human beings with such intense hatred, as the conscripted Israeli Defence Force do, cannot be explained through fear alone.

It appears that many Palestinian leaders accept there can be no two state solution but it if it were put to a democratic Israel/Palestine vote, only one side would be almost unanimously against it. Yet by repeating the old phrase that ‘they want to drive us into the sea’, Israelis hide their own refusal to live along side their neighbours. The Palestinians are tired of the occupation, tired of the siege, tired of not having hope for a decent future. I suspect many would grasp at the most remote chance to lead a normal life. The Israelis are the ones who won’t allow them to. Having said that, they have indescribable determination and won’t be kneeling for Israel any time soon.

Netanyahu continually claims there is no peace partner. How can any political deal be struck when Israel has its boot firmly on the Palestinians throat? Besides, all the time there is no deal Netanyahu is stealing land from the Palestinians in a drip – drip fashion. Nothing lasts forever, the Israelis should consider that. They might be able to bomb their neighbours to the dark ages today but when and not if the time arises, their neighbours could be equally merciless.

Accusations of being anti-Semitic won’t silence me and a political solution would be the most peaceful way to solve it. Unless the Israelis come to their collective senses and begin electing reasonable representatives, instead of fascists like Netanyahu, I can only see there being a bloodbath when the Arabs do eventually get the upper hand. Because they will and I don’t want innocent civilians to suffer any longer, whether they are Muslim, Jewish, Christian or any other religion.