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Gideon Levy in Victoria Opens a Few More Eyes
Volume 29 Issue 4, 5 & 6 | Posted: June 30, 2015
Gideon Levy spoke in Victoria March 28. Sponsored by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, who cited The Independent’s assessment as “the most hated man in Israel” for his 30 years of reporting on Israel’s human rights abuses in The West Bank and Gaza, Gideon Levy who writes for Ha'aretz in Israel, spoke at the University of Victoria. It was part of an eight city tour between March 22-29, starting in Montreal and culminating in Vancouver, following on the March 17 Israeli elections.
The title of his presentation was “Israeli Elections: What Next for Israel-Palestine?” The main issues, of course, continue to be the massive reduction of the Palestinian state, the apartheid-like occupation of Gaza and The West Bank regions of Israel, and the illegal settlements proliferating on Palestinian land.
Gideon Levy spoke in Victoria March 28. Sponsored by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, who cited The Independent’s assessment as “the most hated man in Israel” for his 30 years of reporting on Israel’s human rights abuses in The West Bank and Gaza, Gideon Levy who writes for Ha'aretz in Israel, spoke at the University of Victoria. It was part of an eight city tour between March 22-29, starting in Montreal and culminating in Vancouver, following on the March 17 Israeli elections.
The title of his presentation was “Israeli Elections: What Next for Israel-Palestine?” The main issues, of course, continue to be the massive reduction of the Palestinian state, the apartheid-like occupation of Gaza and The West Bank regions of Israel, and the illegal settlements proliferating on Palestinian land.
University representative David Leach opened with the conventional acknowledgement the event was being held on First Nations Land. He made a special effort to sound like he really meant it, to the effect that when Gideon Levy began to speak he commented on how moved he was by the idea. He said he looked forward to the day when the same practice could be exercised in Israel by acknowledging the original inhabitants of the region.
During his introduction CPJME national president Thomas Woodley stated that since 1982 Gideon Levy had been publishing in Ha'aretz, a journal regularly critical of Israeli government policy. His parents had fled the Nazis in 1935 and that he had been an aide to former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres between 1978-82 and had published two books pertinent to the night’s subject Twilight Zone and The Punishment of Gaza.
Levy’s first comments on how overwhelmed he was by the First Nations Land acknowledgement was followed by the comment that while the University of Tel Aviv where he taught was similarly on Palestinian land, it was never acknowledged.
His immediate comment on the just completed Israeli election was that he was happier with Netanyahu's victory who at least was open about what he felt rather than the 25 years of hypocrisy he experienced with Labour governments on the questions of the occupation of Palestinian land. On this point he said he was embarrassed with having served as an aide with the former Labour prime minister.
In terms of the twisted logic of the current situation where the Israelis see themselves as victims with no other choice in terms of their very existence and survival, he cited Golda Meir’s now notorious quote that she “could never forgive the Arabs for forcing us to kill their children.”
The current president is neither beloved nor admired, Levy said, but he is very good at spreading fear and presenting himself as the only savior. His steely logic seems impregnable.
Netanyahu let it out how he really does not believe in any two state solution and Levy thinks the only way forward is for legal action by international criminal court to halt the illegal occupation and land settlements. He is convinced there is no hope of change from within Israel.
While Israel presents itself as the only western style democracy in the region and therefore worthy of Western and particularly American support, in reality, according to Gideon Levy, Israel is perpetuating a level of brutality that is rooted in deeply held if somewhat unacknowledged beliefs.
These consist of a residue of the chosen people myth, despite the fact that 70 per cent of Israelis are secular. Due to the Nazi holocaust, the nation also sees itself as the greatest victim in history and therefore has the right to protect itself by any means justifiable. The third element by which the mistreatment of the Palestinians is rationalized, he said is a deeply held conviction that 'Palestinians are not really human beings like us' and that ultimately this is the key to understanding the contradiction of denying basic justice to half their population.
Because Palestinians are not viewed as fully human, it is not a question in their minds of human rights, Levy explained.
Levy’s newspaper, Ha'aratz is the only media in Israel who raises any level of dissent. In Israel, Levy explained democracy is only for the majority. His newspaper lost a million dollars in subscriptions due to cancelations when it took the unpopular stand on the latest major issue. He says the general population is afraid to demonstrate for their convictions.
It is why he is convinced change will have to come from without and why he was on tour.
A very convincing speaker, passionate but calm, he seemed to reach the audience where there were many of a liberal persuasion. Nothing he said caused any disruption as has been the case at a number of CPJME events in recent years. One could see from the questioning that he moved many in the audience to a more critical perspective on the whole matter.
Former federal Liberal cabinet minister David Anderson asked questions from the audience.
Levy feels that the American support is what is granting Israel such a special status of immunity from international action. The American-Israeli lobby works against anyone in positions of power and influence, including university professors who have a critical perspective on the situation, he explained.
The lobby works to defeat selected politicians or have professors removed from university positions, he said.