T. Mitchell’s lessons for Meretz from N. Irleand

Our friend, Dr. Thomas Mitchell, is continuing his work observing Middle East politics through a comparative lens of the Northern Ireland peace process, at his “Self-Hating Gentile” Blog:  

Meretz, the liberal Zionist party in Israel, would do well to imitate [Northern Ireland’s non-sectarian liberal] Alliance. Alliance never abandoned its support for power sharing and for negotiations and the rule of law. But when the situation was not ripe for peace, it concentrated on other issues: the economy, civil rights, policing, etc. Meretz should not abandon a sincere commitment to the two-state solution. But it should emphasize other issues when the situation is not ripe for peace–opposition to religious coercion, support for Arab civil rights within Israel, opposition to human rights violations by the IDF and Shin Bet. These in the long run may do more to advance the cause of peace than crying in the wilderness.

 Click here for this entire post, and click on the following links for his other recent commentaries:

• George Mitchell–the canary in the mineshaft
• Northern Ireland’s Agreement parties and the lesso…
• New Assembly Election in Northern Ireland–Lessons…
• Ossama Bin Laden and Palestine: the Ramifications