Do You *Recognize* the State of Israel?

wretcheddomain wrote: »

We've often had threads on here arguing over whether or not Israel or Hamas are terrorists and so forth, but I was curious to poll Boardster's here on whether or not you recognize the State of Israel or not. For instance, George Galloway recently left a debate in Oxford when he found out he was debating an Israeli citizen, remarking that 'I don't recognize Israel and I don't debate with Israeli's'. His logic was that he didn't want to provide a platform to an Israeli in the same way he wouldn't have provided a platform to a proponent of apartheid South Africa. Either way, he refuses to recognize the State of Israel as this would 'normalize' relations which would be a bad thing if we glossed over any inequalities or crimes which were being undertaken by Israel.

Here's the video of his walkout for anyone who hasn't seen it:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/video-george-galloway-walks-out-of-oxford-debate-8505543.html

It also appears from news released today from Ben Gurion University that rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel increase the risk of miscarriage for their citizens. Of course - this research ignores any rocket attacks that Israel fire into Gaza but this would be a recent example of slimy propaganda which spurts out of the political and social orifice of Israel:

http://www.thehealthsphere.com/wp/?p=8013#more-8013

My position is clear - I think we shouldn't recognize the State of Israel given that the state was formed illegally and it continues to impose an apartheid regime on the Palestinian people.

So what's your view?

I agree that Galloway was right to walk out and refuse to give yet another stage for Zionists to spread their propaganda and misinformation, but I do recognise the State of Israel, much like I recognise South Africa pre-1993.

I do not however feel Israel is a terrorist state which has been engaged in Illegal occupation of Palestinian Lands since 1967 and been operating a policy of systematic genocide and Ethnic Cleansing of Palestinian people from their lands (both in The Occupied Territories, and within post 1948 "Israel") and as such should be held to task and prosecuted and punished by the international community and treated like the Pariah state that it is until such time as they withdraw from Palestinian lands (including East Jerusalem) and allow Palestinian Refugee's (the worlds largest Refugee population) their right of return, which is a basic human right and legal entitlement under international law.

I also do not believe Israel has a right to exist as a "Jewish" nation. No country has the right to give preferential treatments to one religion or race, there are over 2million non-jews in Israel and they should have just as much entitlement to full access to services as Jewish Israeli's.

I also believe Israel should be subject to International Sanctions and Boycott and fully support the BDSMovement and believe that Palestine has just as much right to Exist as Israel does (probably more so in reality).

Here's a short video from BDSMovement.net explaing why sanctions are needed and who you should support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israel until they halt their ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Palestinian people and withdraw from Palestinian lands for good.