Summary
Overview
In this interview, Israeli activist Dor Hedges discusses his work documenting Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, the roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and why he believes the two-state solution is no longer viable. Born in East Jerusalem in 1968 to parents who settled there, Hedges describes his journey from growing up in a settlement to becoming a field researcher exposing what he calls an apartheid system. He explains how Israeli society has been indoctrinated to ignore Palestinian existence, how settlements economically benefit middle-class Israelis, and why he believes only external pressure—not internal Israeli politics—can bring change.
Apartheid and the Core Conflict
Hedges immediately identifies the Israeli control over the West Bank as apartheid, explaining that this is the fundamental issue he works to expose. He describes how approximately 3 million Palestinians live under military occupation while 800,000 Israeli settlers enjoy full rights in the same territory, creating two separate legal, political, and physical systems. Despite personal and familial benefits from this system, he has chosen to take responsibility and fight against it.
- Hedges defines the situation in the West Bank as apartheid—two separate systems for Israelis and Palestinians in the same territory
- Approximately 3 million Palestinians live under military occupation in the West Bank while 800,000 Israeli settlers have full rights
- Palestinians cannot enter settlements, cannot vote in Israeli elections, and face different, harsher military court systems
- Hedges believes people should fight apartheid regimes regardless of whether they're Palestinian, Israeli, or German
" Apartheid ist ein eindeutiges Wort. Es ist einfach so einfach... letztendlich ist es ein Apartheid-Regime. Und ich glaube, Leute sollen ein Apartheid-Regime kämpfen. Egal ob sie Palästinenser, Israelis oder Deutschen. "
" Jede Lösung wird nur, wenn Israel gezwungen wird, ihre Politik zu ändern. Von wem? Von euch. "
Why Continue Fighting?
Despite his pessimism about political solutions, Hedges explains why he continues his work documenting settlements. He feels responsibility to the place where he grew up, even as Israeli society becomes more radical, racist, and religious. He emphasizes that he's not enthusiastic about the situation but continues because he believes external pressure is the only thing that will force Israel to change its policies.
- Hedges has decided he has responsibility toward the place where he grew up, despite not being enthusiastic about the direction of Israeli society
- He sees Israeli society becoming more radical, racist, religious, and ignorant
- He believes no political solution will come from within Israel itself
- Change will only come when Israel is forced to change its policies by external actors
" Ich bin zwar in so einer Gesellschaft leben, die immer so radikaler wird, die immer rassistischer wird, die immer religiöser wird, die immer so ignorierter wird. Ich nehme es. Ich bin hier aufgewachsen. Ich gehöre zu diesem Ort. "
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