'Apartheid' label doesn't fit Mideast

[furman]

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/2006/12/04/1205edapartheid.html

'Apartheid' label doesn't fit Mideast
By CEDRIC L. SUZMAN
Published on: 12/05/06

Former President Jimmy Carter's use of the word "apartheid" in the title of his new book on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is highly regrettable, although it has certainly gained a great deal of publicity for the book.

It is regrettable because it is inaccurate and especially because it is unfair to black South Africans and the African National Congress in particular.

I in no way condone or agree with the way Israel has conducted its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and believe it was a huge strategic and costly military mistake to build the settlements on Palestinian land after 1967. At the same time, Israel's actions must be viewed in the context of the overall conflict: the Palestinians' refusal since 1948 to recognize Israel's right to exist and their decision to resort to airplane hijackings, murder on the high seas, suicide bombings and other forms of terrorism and armed conflict.

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The evils and injustices of apartheid were truly unique to South Africa and should not be denigrated by loosely using the word to describe other situations.

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To his great credit, President F.W. de Klerk saw that negotiations were the only way out, and he was incredibly fortunate to have a person of the stature of Nelson Mandela, who was willing to negotiate with him. The rest is history, but regrettably, Israel has never had a Mandela with whom it could negotiate.

Cedric L. Suzman is vice president and director of programming at the Southern Center for International Studies in Atlanta.