Lex Fridman Podcast #418 – Israel-Palestine Debate: Finkelstein, Destiny, M. Rabbani & Benny Morris
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Mar 14, 2024 
Norman Finkelstein, a historian known for his critical views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, joins Israeli historian Benny Morris, Middle East analyst Mouin Rabbani, and political commentator Steven Bonnell (Destiny). They engage in a profound debate about the historical complexities of the conflict, discussing pivotal events like the Nakba and the 1948 partition. The conversation dives into themes of resistance strategies, moral implications of military actions, and the narrative of selective outrage, shedding light on the intricate dynamics of this longstanding issue.
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1948: Two Narratives
- For Israelis, 1948 represents the War of Independence and the establishment of Israel.
- For Palestinians, it is the Nakba (catastrophe), marking displacement.
Partition Plan's Failure
- Norman Finkelstein believes the 1947 partition plan was the right decision, acknowledging the irreconcilable differences.
- However, both sides, driven by expansionist tendencies and rejectionism, ultimately aborted the plan.
1948 War's Two Stages
- Benny Morris argues that the 1948 war had two stages: a Palestinian Arab attack followed by an Arab states invasion.
- The displacement of Palestinians resulted from this war, not from a pre-planned expulsion.