Heard this song on the radio today and remembered how evocative it was of the campaigns in the 80's to return land to aboriginal peoples in Australia. ThenI started wondering how it would be if Israel collectively had this on their ipod.
The Palestinians have been given land by international accord, yet Israel seems able somehow to decide for itself what is their land, rather as the Whites did generally in the New World in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Imagine (and pray for) Israelis singing "The time has come ... It belongs to them, let's give it back" [then perhaps they'll leave off bombing us]
That bald bloke in the video is now the minister for environment in Australia. Wonder if He will give it back?
this left me thinking how interesting it is that fights over land have been around since Genesis - must be a human problem
ReplyDeleteThanks for this blog, which I have just discovered although you live only about 15 miles from me (I am in Chelmsford), and for putting me on your blogroll.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with your analogy between Palestine and Australia is that the Aborigines have not, as far as I know, demanded back the WHOLE of Australia and for all white people to leave. Nor have they said that they just might allow some to stay as long as they get back downtown Sydney and Canberra. Nor have they started a campaign of randomly bombing residential areas. If they did the last, there is no doubt that the Australian army would intervene even if that meant invading Aboriginal reservations.
Peter, you are right in that the analogy does break down.
ReplyDeleteHowever, given the ethnic cleansing of aborigines from (for example Tasmania) to make way for white settlers and farmers, there are some parallels with the establishment of Israel and the forcible eviction of Palestinians from long - established communities.
I would never support the violence of Hamas but I'm afraid no amount of persuasion is going to get me to sympathise with the Zionist cause.
Peace
Tim