Overcoming Zionism: Towards a Single Democratic State in Israel/Palestine -- a talk by Joel Kovel

cork | rights, freedoms and repression | event notice Friday April 13, 2007 16:23 by pockets - Tír Na gCasta

Joel Kovel is is Alger Hiss Professor of Social Studies at Bard College in New York.

He has recently published the book

Overcoming Zionism: Towards a Single Democratic State in Israel/Palestine

Venue not confrmed yet so check the link to the article on IPSC

In this book, Kovel argues that Israel is an incorrigible human rights offender because, by discriminating against Arabs, it is guilty of 'state-sponsored racism'. Like arpa rtheid South Africa, the best hope for peace in Israel is to return to the idea of a one-state solution, where Jews and Palestinians can co-exist in a secular democ racy. Kovel is well-known writer on the middle east conflict. This book draws on his detailed knowledge to show that Zionism and democracy are essentially imcompat ible. He offers a thoughtful account of the emotional and psychological aspects of Zionism that helps us understand the relationship between ideology, culture and p olitical processes. Ultimately, Kovel argues, a two-state solution is essentially hopeless as it concedes too much to the regressive forces of nationalism, wherein lie the roots of continued conflict.