Faizel Patel, 2016-08-31
The Director at the Centre for the Study of Democracy at the University of Johannesburg Professor Steven Friedman says there must a be a balance of power between Israeli’s and Palestinians for an amicable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Friedman was speaking at the United Nations International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East in Pretoria today.
The three-day event has drawn speakers and academics from across the world to discuss prospects for a political solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and deteriorating humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Professor Steven Friedman says the reason there isn’t a real peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is because there is no mutual hurt.
“Once side operates with total impunity. As long as one sides operates with total impunity, it is entirely unrealistic to expect that there’ll be any good faith in negotiations, let alone a resolution to the conflict. “
Professor Friedman says its shameful that the view in mainstream democracy studies, the thinking of academics and politicians in the west is that every human being is entitled to rights and to elect a government as long as the humanbeing is not Palestinian.
He says there must be shift in the balance of power.
“And to be blunt, and one has to be blunt, the only way to change the balance of power is to end the Israeli states impunity.”
Friedman say while he agrees that it’s a very bad idea to single Israel out, he has a problem with the fact that it’s only one state which is able to get away with serial gross human rights abuses.
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