Leading thinkers Ghada Karmi and Antony Loewenstein discuss the Israeli state's military-industrial complex, its relationship with the global far right, and why a one-state solution is the closest approximation to a just conclusion for seventy-five years of occupation.
Israel's success in exporting weapons and technologies of repression contributes to its appeal as a model for establishing fundamentalist states.
The two-state solution fails to address the settler colonial nature of the Israeli state and the power dynamics between Israelis and Palestinians.
Israel's economic reliance on military industries allows it to export its practices, contributing to its perceived impunity and appeal as a dominant force.
Deep dives
The Reality of Israel as a Model for Other Nations
Israel is seen as a model for other nations seeking to establish fundamentalist states, regardless of religious affiliation. Israel's success in exporting weapons and technologies of repression also contributes to its appeal. It has provided inspiration and tools for countries like India, which is becoming a Hindu fundamentalist state. The relationship between Israel and the United States is crucial, with the U.S. consistently supporting Israel's interests and shielding it from international scrutiny.
The Inadequacy of the Two-State Solution
The two-state solution is often presented as the default option for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, it fails to address the underlying settler colonial nature of the Israeli state and the unequal power dynamics between Israelis and Palestinians. The framing of the conflict as between two equal sides overlooks the reality of occupation and displacement experienced by Palestinians. The idea of a two-state solution is deeply unfair, dividing the land unequally and maintaining an unjust status quo.
Israel's Reliance on Military Industries and the Implications of Impunity
Israel's economic reliance on military industries and its proficiency in surveillance technologies have allowed it to export its practices and ideologies to other nations. The impunity with which Israel conducts its actions, supported by global powers like the United States, contributes to its appeal as a model for other countries seeking to assert dominance and control. Israel's success in exporting arms and technologies of repression demonstrates the continuity of settler colonial projects and the importance of accountability in challenging their consequences.
The Israeli arms industry as an insurance policy
The podcast explores the idea that the Israeli arms industry acts as an insurance policy for Israel's global impunity. Israeli officials have openly stated that Israel's role is to support the US and complement its actions, including providing support to repressive regimes that the US may not be able to openly support. Israel is now the 10th largest arms dealer globally, selling weapons to over 125 nations, including Arab countries. The effectiveness of Israeli weapons in repressing Palestinians has led to a growing demand for Israeli arms in the global market. This arms industry plays a significant role in maintaining Israel's perceived impunity and lack of international pressure for change.
Media representation, social media, and the Israel-Palestine conflict
The podcast discusses the limited representation of Palestinian voices in mainstream media, with Palestinians almost absent from op-eds and coverage for decades. However, the rise of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and others has provided Palestinians with an opportunity to share their own stories and experiences. This has led to a significant growth in global support and solidarity for Palestinians, despite mainstream media's inadequate coverage. The Israeli government has attempted to censor or shadow ban Palestinian voices on social media platforms, but this strategy has had limited success. The podcast also highlights the Israeli government's alliances with far-right groups globally, forming connections that go beyond Netanyahu's leadership. This alignment with the global far right and Israel's role as an inspiration for ethno-nationalist movements presents a dangerous development that extends beyond the threats to Palestinians alone.
This week we were planning to bring you an episode about money in the digital age, but with everything that is currently unfolding in occupied Palestine we felt that this conversation between two leading thinkers on the subject was an important contribution to current discourse.
In this episode, recorded on October 6th, Ghada Karmi and Antony Loewenstein sat down with our host, Eleanor Penny, to discuss the Israeli state’s military-industrial complex, its relationship with the global far right, and why a one-state solution is the closest approximation to a just conclusion for seventy-five years of occupation. Having been recorded prior to the events that have followed since October 7th, please listen in the awareness that some of the language in the episode may not be reflective of the detailed situation that has developed over the last two weeks.
You can find Antony's book "The Palestine Laboratory:
How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World" here: tinyurl.com/mwu7hbed
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