Dear Professor Benny Morris,

I would like to thank you for your answer.

You are afraid that Jews become a discriminated minority in the unified state
that we propose. As Palestinian Christian with doctoral thesis on "non-Muslims
in Egypt", I can understand your position. However, as historian, you know
that neither Jews, nor Christians, nor Muslims respected their minorities.
Even today, Jews discriminate non-Jews in Israel. You also know that Muslim
Morocco protected Jews during the Second World War while Christian Europe
massacred them.

Any person (whether belonging to a majority or to a minority) has the right
not to be discriminated. Discrimination is unavoidable if you maintain conflicting
religious laws and courts, with privileges linked to religious groups, as
it is the case in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, etc. To avoid discrimination,
there are two options:

- Either you divide the country in different states, one for each religious
community (there are five in Palestine: Jews, Samaritans, Christians, Muslims
and Druze), with inevitable religious cleansing (as in Cyprus). This is what
you propose.
- Or you maintain the country unified, but with one legal and judicial system
and with equal rights and duties for all, whatever is their religion (as
in Switzerland). This is what our Association proposes.

Yes, there is hatred between Jews and non-Jews in the region. Hate is due
to injustice. If injustice is repaired, hate will disappear. The territory's
division into two states will only exacerbate this hatred. Moreover, suppose
that you divide Palestine/Israel into two states, how long would the Palestinian
refugees let the Jews live in peace if their legitimate right to return is
not recognised?

If you hate your brother, would you cut your mother in two? If you really
love the region where you live, you will not divide it. Think about the judgement
of Salomon (I Kings 3:16-28).

Again, I reiterate my invitation to join our Association and to help creating
one democratic state in Palestine/Israel, without any discrimination based
on religion or gender. Such a solution will reduce fanaticism and promote
democracy in all the Middle East.

I would appreciate if you could answer me.

With my best regards.

Sami Aldeeb, doctor of laws
Chairman
Association for one democratic state in Palestine/Israel
www.one-democratic-state.org
Private website: www.go.to/samipage
Switzerland





>-- Message original --
>Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2004 20:34:38 +0200
>From:  morrisim@pluto.mscc.huji.ac.il
>To:  aldeeb@bluewin.ch
>Subject: Re: Letter to Benny Morris + invitation
>
>
>Dear Dr. Aldeeb,
>It would be nice if Jews and Arabs could live together as equals in one
state.
>
>Unfortunately, the tradition in Muslim countries has been that Muslims
>dominate, minorities suffer and are inferior. In Palestine, there is the
>added
>burden of over a century of conflict and hatred. Lastly, if the populations
>
>are about equal at the beginning, Arab birth rates will give the Arabs a
>
>majority in short order. The Jews will become a minority, the Arabs will
>
>treat them commensurately - and the Jews will be slaughtered or leave. A
>one
>state solution is a nonstarter.
>Benny Morris
>Quoting  aldeeb@bluewin.ch:
>
>>
>> Dear Professor Benny Morris,
>>
>> I read your reply to your critics in Haaretz:
>>  http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/386065.html
>>
>> I am not willing to litigate with you. I understand your reaction as well
>> as your fears, although I don't share them. You are right in some of your
>> arguments. I share your opinion that the two-states-solution will not
work,
>> that Palestinians will never be satisfied with half-Palestine, that the
>> Palestinian
>> Refugees will continue requesting their return home.
>>
>> Still I have a question: Is it necessary to continue the confrontation
>which
>> will end with the destruction of all the region? Is there any alternative?
>> Would it be acceptable for you to create one state from the Sea to the
>River
>> with equal rights for all, whatever be their religion and gender, and
the
>> return of the Palestinian refugees, as our Association proposes? Please
>> notice that we have included in our bylaws principles inspired by the
Swiss
>> Constitution of 1874 which ended the conflict between Catholics and
>> Protestants.
>> You find our bylaws in different languages in:
>>  http://www.one-democratic-state.org/Bylaws/index.html
>>
>> I am interested in your answer. Hereafter, I send you an invitation to
>join
>> our Association if you accept our bylaws. Am I too much optimistic? Or
>> should
>> we continue killing each other?
>>
>> With my best regards.
>>
>> Sami Aldeeb, doctor of laws
>> Chairman
>> Association for one democratic state in Palestine/Israel
>> www.one-democratic-state.org
>> Switzerland
>>
>>
>> Copy of this message to our 357 members, to the Knesset and Swiss Parliament
>> members, and to the press.
>> --------------
>>
>>
>> The Association for One Democratic State in Palestine/Israel
>> Sami Aldeeb, doctor of laws
>> Chairman
>> Ochettaz 17
>> 1025 St-Sulpice, Switzerland
>> Tel. 0041 21 6916585 or 0041 21 6924968
>> E-mail:  aldeeb@bluewin.ch
>> Website:  http://www.one-democratic-state.org
>> Private web / site priv?:  http://go.to/samipage
>>
>> Invitation to join us
>>
>> We are a group of 357 peace-loving persons, living inside and outside
>> Palestine/Israel.
>> April 15, 2003, we created in Switzerland an Association whose aim is
to
>> promote by peaceful means the establishment of one democratic State in
>> Palestine/Israel
>> which will respect human rights and the principle of non-discrimination
>> based on religion, gender, nationality, ethnicity or language. We invite
>> you to join our group by filling the following questions and returning
>them
>> to my address:  aldeeb@bluewin.ch. Please send this message to all interested
>> persons.
>>
>> I accept the bylaws and to be a member.
>> Name:
>> Address:
>> Religion (facultative):
>> Nationality:
>> E-mail:
>> Personal indications in two lines (curriculum and present function):
>>
>> Thank you in advance.
>>
>>
>> Sami Aldeeb, doctor of laws
>> Chairman
>>
>>