West Bank: the hypocrites' ball

COLUMN. Once the West Bank and Gaza are annexed and the fact that there is a single State of Israel acknowledged, the country would sooner or later be forced to confront the question of equal rights for its inhabitants, writes Metin Arditi Going it Alone Every Monday, the writer Metin Arditi shares his indignations, his barbs or his enthusiasms in a short column, "Going it Alone", whose title pays tribute to the Le Figaro essayist André Frossard. Between East Jerusalem and the imposing settlement of Ma'ale Adumim, the area known as "E1" has just been granted permission by the Israeli government to build 1,236 homes. Such a development would prevent Palestinian residents from crossing their hypothetical state from north to south and would spell the end of a two-state solution. The governments of a dozen or so European countries (not Switzerland, of course, please do not disturb Mr. Cassis, but for once its inaction happens to be fitting), Canada, Australia, and around ten Muslim-majority countries, all opposed to the project, have spoken out. Ah, what joy it is to parade one's membership of the virtuous camp. Especially when it costs nothing. Two states or nothing, say all these good people, knowing full well that such a solution would require the displacement of 800,000 settlers — a guaranteed recipe for civil war. What is more, no party in Israel wants it. The reality is that from the river to the sea there is today only one state. The only problem is that it is not acknowledged as such, and that it is not democratic. Once the West Bank and Gaza are annexed and the fact that there is a single State of Israel acknowledged, the country would sooner or later be forced to confront the question of equal rights for its inhabitants, roughly fifty-fifty, Jews and Palestinians — unless it wants to live through repeated 7 October-type attacks. Or to choose the path of suicide (this is not a metaphor). Le Temps publie des chroniques, rédigées par des membres de la rédaction ou des personnes extérieures, ainsi que des opinions et tribunes, proposées à des personnalités ou sollicitées par elles. Ces textes reflètent le point de vue de leurs autrices et auteurs. Elles ne représentent nullement la position du média.