The 60th anniversary of Israel is an occasion for celebration by Jews throughout the world. The international community supported the establishment of Israel in 1948 as atonement for the horrendous persecution that Jews both East and West had experienced culminating in the Nazi Holocaust, and to provide an ongoing sanctuary for Jews fleeing anti-Semitism.
For Jews, the formation of Israel gave them a renewed sense of hope in what had appeared to be a brutally unjust world. Today most view identification with Israel as a central component of their Jewish life and identity, and feel an enormous sense of pride in the Jewish state's achievements.
But conversely we also need to recognise that most Palestinians see 1948 as a time of mourning due to their experience of the al-Nakba (the 'Catastrophe'). These conflicting narratives of hope versus suffering are also reflected within the Australian context.
In late March the Australian Parliament passed a motion celebrating and commending the achievements of the State of Israel over 60 years. The motion specifically noted the democratic tradition shared by Australia and Israel as reflected in a common commitment to civil and human rights and cultural diversity.
The motion was widely welcomed by Australia's Jewish community on two counts. First, Australian Jews view Australia's friendship with Israel as a barometer of Australia's traditionally tolerant and positive approach to its Jewish citizens. Second, most Australian Jews have close friendship and family ties with Israel. For example, my maternal grandfather was born in the ancient city of Safed early in the 20th century, and my aunt and uncle and their many children and grandchildren all live in Israel.
Australian Jews are proud of Israel's survival despite 60 years of ongoing political and military conflict with the Palestinians and much of the Arab world. They admire Israel's successful integration of Jews from all over the world ranging from Holocaust survivors to the mass of refugees from Arab countries in the 1950s to more recent arrivals from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union.
They appreciate Israel's ability to provide a decent home for all its citizens relatively free of the religious fundamentalism, political oppression, misogyny and everyday violence that afflicts much of the Middle East. And they laugh about the huge political, social and religious diversity of Israeli society including everything from ultra-orthodox 'black hats' to gay rights marchers.
In contrast, most Australian Palestinians continue to regret the establishment of Israel. In March, they placed a full-page advertisement in The Australian newspaper condemning the Australian Parliamentary motion, and describing Israel's existence as a 'triumph of racism and ethnic cleansing'. They argued that the 'Israeli people and its leaders' were responsible for the dispossession and ongoing suffering of the Palestinians.
As a left-wing Jew who has long advocated a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I can't help but empathise with the suffering of the 700,000 Palestinian refugees and their descendants. But I also believe the non-creation of Israel would have been a greater injustice for the Jews in the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust, than the relative injustice the creation of Israel imposed upon the Palestinians.
It is also simplistic to blame the Israelis in isolation for the creation of the Palestinian refugee tragedy without reference to the broader political and military context.
As noted by the seminal Israeli historian Benny Morris, the exile of the Palestinians occurred during a brutal war in which the Palestinian leaders and the Arab states openly threatened to destroy the newly founded State of Israel and massacre its population. This was a zero-sum conflict which the Israelis won and the Palestinians lost. The 'notorious' Plan Dalet was not an Israeli master plan to expel the Arab population, but rather a series of military measures to defend the borders against invading Arab armies.
It is also easy to forget that this war took place only three years after the Holocaust, and almost 6000 Israelis — that is nearly one per cent of the entire Jewish population of Israel — died in the conflict.
I personally believe the Palestinians should be at least partially compensated for the events of 1948 by securing a state of their own alongside Israel in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. But I would also prefer that local Palestinians mount their legitimate case for Palestinian dignity and independence without negating the rights and achievements of Israel.
I want to hear more about Palestine as a neighbour of Israel rather than Palestine instead of Israel. Hopefully in 10 years time we can celebrate not only Israel's 70th anniversary, but also the existence of an independent Palestinian State based on peace and reconciliation with Israel.
LINKS:
Prime Minister Rudd's Address to the House of Representatives (Israel Diplomatic Network)
60 years of Al-Nakba (Advocacy & Support Groups for Palestine in Australia)
Dr Philip Mendes is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Work at Monash University, and the author or co-author of six books including Jews and Australian Politics, Sussex Academic Press, 2004.