This chapter provides an overview of the different groups and movements involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, discussing their distinctions and how they relate to political and ideological movements. It explores the origins and goals of Hamas, the rise of the Islamist movement, and the transformation of the Palestinian movement. Additionally, the chapter examines the flawed narrative of Israel as the oppressor and emphasizes the importance of bringing morality and justice into the conversation.
Shermer and Journo discuss: who really owns land? • British Mandate • Theodore Herzl • Zionism, Judaism, and Israel • territorial disputes • Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement), Hezbollah (Party of God), and terrorism • Palestinian grievances • The Palestinian cause • Is Israel a colonial conquering empire? • Is Israel an apartheid state? • Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement • Gender Apartheid • Arabs, Muslims, and Palestinians as separate identities • Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) • Islam and Islamism • justice and its demands • Freedom and individual autonomy as the starting point.
Elan Journo's most recent book is What Justice Demands: America and the Israeli Palestinian Conflict (2018). He is co-author of Failing to Confront Islamic Totalitarianism (2016), a contributor to Defending Free Speech (2016), and editor of Winning the Unwinnable War: America’s Self-Crippled Response to Islamic Totalitarianism (2009). His articles have appeared in a wide range of publications, from Foreign Policy and Middle East Quarterly to The Hill and the Los Angeles Times.
LIVE EVENT WITH MICHAEL SHERMER THIS DECEMBER: skeptic.com/event