Ilan Pappé on “Iran, Israel & Future of Palestine“ | Exclusive Interview

Your support will make a difference. We rely on your support to produce and distribute this show for free: Summary: Ilan Pappé, an Israeli historian and political scientist, discusses the conflict between Palestine and Israel. His journey towards changing his views on Israel began during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982. This event, coupled with his archival research on the 1948 conflict, led him to question and eventually oppose the Israeli government’s policies and ideology. He was part of a group of historians known as the “new historians,“ who, through archival research, found discrepancies between historical narratives taught in schools and the reality of Palestinian displacement during the 1948 conflict. However, many of these historians later retracted their views due to various reasons. Regarding the recent conflict and the concept of a one-state solution, Professor Pappe expresses concerns about violence and sees the armed struggle by Palestinians more as a means of survival than a solution. He emphasizes the need for equality, democracy, and the right of return for Palestinians within a one-state solution. He criticizes the notion of forgetting historical justice for peace and stresses that the resolution requires global pressure to end Israeli occupation, discrimination against Palestinians, and the siege on Gaza. he addresses the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and emphasizes the importance of learning from historical mistakes to create a better future. He discusses the need for rules and structures post-liberation to avoid post-colonial disasters seen in some African and Asian countries. Pappé advocates for a return to a historical mosaic of coexistence between various religious and secular communities in the region. He highlights the One Democratic State Initiative, suggesting a state that’s neutral regarding moral values to foster equality and coexistence among diverse populations. Regarding activism within Iran for Palestine, he stresses the importance of global solidarity among oppressed groups, cautioning against aligning with powers that prioritize their interests over human rights. Pappé contextualizes the conflict, acknowledging Israel’s right to defend itself while critiquing actions that result in aggression, ethnic cleansing, and violations of international law. He contends that Palestinians historically react to violence rather than initiate it, citing the expulsion of Palestinians and the historical context of Zionism’s impact on the region. Finally, he offers no definitive prediction for the conflict’s end, highlighting uncertainties and the need for international consensus for a ceasefire to prevent further suffering among Palestinians. Ilan Pappé, an Israeli historian and political scientist, currently teaches at the University of Exeter in the UK. Formerly, he held academic positions at the University of Haifa and chaired the Emil Touma Institute for Palestinian and Israeli Studies. Pappé is known for his books like “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine“ and “Ten Myths About Israel.“ As part of Israel’s New Historians, Pappé challenges the conventional narrative around Israel’s establishment in 1948, arguing that the expulsion of Palestinians was a deliberate act of ethnic cleansing, not a spontaneous decision. He criticizes Zionism, claiming it obstructs peace in the Middle East and supports a one-state solution for Palestinians and Israelis. Pappé’s viewpoints have stirred both support and criticism within the academic community. His stance led to condemnation in the Knesset, death threats, and calls for his dismissal from academic positions while in Israel. #pappé #ilan_pappé #isreal #palestine #gaza #west_bank #gaza_war #Iran #oppression #protests #islamic_republic #apartheid #colonialism #occupation #south_africa #Zionism #Egypt