Gideon Levy: 'I've been fighting against occupation for almost 40 years'

 

Anadolu English

According to Israeli journalist and author Gideon Levy, the Israeli army has been committing "war crimes" routinely in the occupied Palestinian territories for 55 years, not only during times of war, and the only way for the occupation to end is for the Tel Aviv government to start "paying the price." 

Levy, a writer for Israel's Haaretz newspaper, is one of the few voices in his country opposing the occupation and describing Israel as a "racist regime." 

For about 40 years, Levy, who has been personally following the events in the occupied West Bank as a journalist in the field, believes that the Israeli society and government are currently in an "extremely radical state of mind." 

Considering this situation, Levy, who does not think that Israel will make concessions for peace, believes that the only hope is international intervention. 

Reminding that US President Joe Biden is preparing for the upcoming elections, the Israeli journalist says he does not find this international intervention very likely. 

Describing the previous state of Israeli society as "bad enough," Levy told Anadolu that in the last one and a half months, the society has shifted even more towards "racism." 

Expressing the view that a positive change towards peace is not possible to come from Israeli society, Levy stated: 'It (the peace) will not come from Israeli society. Israelis will not wake up one morning and say, 'The occupation is too cruel, apartheid (racist regime) is illegal, let's put an end to this.'" 

"In the last 55 years (of the occupation), it hasn't happened, and it won't happen (in the future.) It will only happen if Israelis start paying the price for the occupation if they are punished for the occupation they continue, and if they realize that the cost they have to pay to continue the occupation is too high," he said. 

However, Levy stressed that the situation "is not at that stage yet" and said the international community "needs to stop talking and take action." 

"I don't foresee this happening in the near future. But I think the day will come when the international community says 'enough.' I am waiting for that day, but it doesn't seem very close," he added.