WASHINGTON: The chairman of a Congress foreign affairs committee has told Americans for Peace Now (APN) activists and supporters in Los Angeles on Monday that if Israel maintains its rule over the West Bank and Gaza, it will either cease to be a democracy, or cease to be Jewish.
Democratic Congressman Howard Berman, who chairs the committee at the House of Representatives, told members of the Jewish-American organization that throughout his 30 years in Congress he has been heavily involved in issues involving Israel’s security and Middle East peace.
He said it was during his first congressional trip to Israel in 1983 that he saw the problems Israel would face if it maintained its rule over the West Bank and Gaza.
“Either it would eventually have to rule over a disenfranchised Palestinian majority, or if it enfranchises the Palestinians Israel would eventually cease to be Jewish. I call it the demography-democracy problem,” he said.
Quoting former Israeli Prime Minister Sharon, he said: “To hold 3.5 million Palestinians under occupation. I believe that is a terrible thing for Israel and for the Palestinians. It can’t continue endlessly. Do you want to stay forever in Jenin, in Nablus, in Ramallah, in Bethlehem? I don’t think that’s right.
“Over the years, I discovered two things. First, I learned that there were indeed many Palestinians who were prepared to accept Israel and who genuinely believe in coexistence. Second, I discovered the immense toll the occupation is taking on Israel,” Berman said.
Commenting on Berman’s “unusually dovish thoughts,” the online “Tablet Magazine — A New Read on Jewish Life,” wrote:
“Here’s the thing: Berman is no peacenik. Last time we mentioned him, for example, he was pushing for tougher Iran sanctions; and you don’t attain his position of power, much less keep getting elected to his Hollywood district, if you are perceived as unduly harsh on Israel. What he utters represents, by definition, what is mainstream for America’s pro-Israel political leaders. Which is, apparently, that Israel’s current policy of occupation and disenfranchisement is unsustainable.”
At the same APN event, however, Berman defended Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and placed the blame for stalled peace talks on the Palestinians.
“It is time for Palestinian Authority President [Mahmoud] Abbas to come to the negotiating table,” he said.
Berman backed US President Barack Obama’s strong involvement in the peace process, and said: “A strong US commitment is not adequate for achieving Israeli-Palestinian peace. Not even a strong US commitment plus a supportive Israeli government is adequate to the task.
“The United States cannot negotiate on the Palestinians’ behalf by proxy, as some have reported President Abbas would like. It would be unfortunate indeed if the Palestinians chose to stay on the sidelines rather than negotiate for the statehood they have long craved.”
The spark for engagement must come from the Israelis and Palestinians negotiating together, he said, adding this is what worked for three major diplomatic breakthroughs in the troubled region, including the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty, the 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles, and the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty.
He acknowledged the one-year anniversary of Israel’s invasion into Gaza.
“There is great suffering in Gaza, especially because of Israel’s refusal to allow reconstruction materials to be brought in.”
Berman also defended legislation he authored calling for greater sanctions against Iran even though APN has taken issue with it.
“Although it is true that ordinary Iranians may suffer under a strong sanctions regime, they and their neighbors would likely suffer far less under sanctions than they would in a world where Iran is about to go nuclear, for that will be an uncertain world indeed,” he said.
“Unfortunately, there are no sanctions that are both strong enough to dissuade the Iranian regime from its nuclear course and limited enough not to impinge on the quality of life for average Iranians.”
