Is ethnic-cleansing the evil it is made out to be?

Benny Morris, the embattled Israeli historian had written a book in 1988, "The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem, 1947-1949," in which he presented evidence that Israel's founders had excised Arabs from lands they were appropriating. Of course, this caused an uproar in Israel where he was ostracized and called an Anti-Zionist and other slurs and epithets.

Well, he has just recently come out with a book "The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited," published in January, in which he presents evidence that that Arab leaders also played a significant role in the flight of Arabs during the war.

The most interesting thing about Mr. Morris is his complete reversal on his stance almost two decades ago where he "argued that Israel had a moral obligation to compromise with the Palestinians, whom he portrayed as victims of Israeli aggression." (JONATHAN D. TEPPERMAN, NYTimes, An Israeli Who's Got Everybody Outraged) Now, his position is that the aggression was justified in the '48 war, and that it may well be justified it the future. The palestinians, after all, are a "very sick society."

"Mr. Morris said his views began to shift in late 2000, after the collapse of the Camp David peace talks and the subsequent launching of the second intifada. Disgusted by what he saw as implacable Palestinian rejectionism, Mr. Morris loudly renounced his former support for the peace process and for accommodation with the Palestinians. Although he had previously believed that the Palestinians, reluctantly or not, were "willing to make an historic compromise," he came to reject that view, publicly declaring that any compromise between Israelis and the Palestinians ?- whom he described as "in the state of being a serial killer" ?- is impossible.

"Mr. Morris's seemingly contradictory positions ?- an acknowledgment of the crimes of 1948 combined with speculation that such deeds may be necessary again ?- may reflect the generally dim outlook shared by much of the Israeli mainstream."(J.T.)

Benny Morris had uncovered instances of ethnic cleansing, and had denounced it only to reverse his stance and say that ethnic cleansing was necessary for the very existential survival of the Jewish immigrants in Palestine, and that ethnic cleansing may be necessary in Israel's future.

An Israeli Who's Got Everybody Outraged

So, is ethnic-cleansing the evil it is made out to be?