Mustafa Barghouti - Open Source

In the wide range of podcasts that address the Israeli/Palestinian ethnic conflict and possible roads to its resolve an interesting issue to pick up is the interview with Mustafa Barghouti conducted by Christopher Lydon on Open Source Radio. Right after I had picked it up from the feed and begun to listen, I also saw a recommendation by Bernard Avishai on his blog

Mustafa Barghouti (a distant cousin of Marwan Barghouti) tries to represent a third force in Palestinian politics, independent from Hamas and Fatah. His aim is to begin to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with a two-state solution and as to the Palestinian state in this constellation he drives for greater democracy, economic development and what is important to note, a strict policy of non-violence regarding Israel. He claims it is possible for Jews and Arabs to peacefully live together gives the pre-1917 situation as an example. I had wanted to know his opinion on the developments from the Balfour Declaration until 1947, but the podcast mostly speaks of the present.

Barghouti's tales of the horrors in Gaza are hard to listen to and while this litany is not at all bereft of righteous indignation towards Israel, the really interesting thing is what he has to say about Israeli society. His opinion is that the current policies are not only obviously bad for Palestinians, but are also hurting the Israelis. Even though one may want to disagree, he certainly knows the Israelis well and another point he makes is that Israelis hardly know the Palestinians at all and there it is my experience he has a point.

More Open Source:
Jackson Lears,
Two communities in one region,
We want Obama,
The end of Hegemony,
Go for a walk with Open Source.