Ive pretty much given up on expressing my opinions regarding events in the Holy Land. Throughout the entirety of my earthly existence, the focus of world events has been squarely on the Middle East, and some time during late night college bull sessions forty years ago I learned that everyone owns a particular and monumental prejudice on the subject, so there is almost nothing to be gained by picking the scabs. As for me, I have no iron in this fire beyond my interest in seeing justice done. A significant number of my classmates in medical school were Israelis, so I have close personal ties to Israel which render moot any theoretical question concerning Israels right to exist. But my personal connections to real human beings in another country do not absolve me from accountability for my own principles of justice. G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “My country, right or wrong,” is a thing that no patriot would think of saying except in a desperate case. It is like saying, “My mother, drunk or sober.” My views on Israel are largely a variation on the theme. I support my Israeli friends and earnestly wish for them to be safe in a peaceful country. But that does not mean I automatically support the policies of any Israeli government. Netanyahus Likud coalition too often, particularly in America, is confused with the Israeli people. This government has never actually enjoyed a majority mandate in the Knesset. My Israeli friends are far from unanimous in their views about Netanyahu, the right of settlement policy, or Revisionist Zionism. It doesnt take European visitors long to understand that there are basically two America, despite the monolithic way our nation is perceived abroad. This is even more true for Israel, where there is a rift straight down the middle of Israeli society, pitting the secularists of the Labour coalition against the religious and Zionist Likud coalition. At any rate, I believe decent and mature citizens can disagree about the degree to which we, the US, should enable our allies in their persistent refusal to secure at least a framework for some future settlement with Israels indigenous people, the Palestinians. Whether such a settlement involves two states or the integration of the Palestinians into Israeli society as a protected minority, there really has to be some glimpse of a way forward. But there simply is no discussing the issue. So far, all discussion has been squashed by the hectoring of belligerents, who manage to present one of the most vexing and confounding issues of the last half century in terms of simplistic morality play. Just as Likud does not represent even the majority of Israelis, Hamas does not represent all Palestinians. Until this clear and obvious truth is stipulated, there will continue to be no progress toward resolution of the conflict. In the end, justice for the Palestinians is the only absolute guarantee of Israeli internal security. But everyone keeps deferring any serious discussion of the fundamental issue. Instead, we hear obfuscations: Palestinians are all terrorists! Palestinians dont want Israel to exist! SOME Palestinians may be terrorists, and SOME Palestinians may never concede Israels right to exist. However, there is every possibility that, with the economic development of the West Bank and Gaza and the advancement of living conditions among some of the poorest, most densely-packed populations on this globe, MOST Palestinians will welcome peace and accept Israels robust economy as the engine of their own prosperity. Neither party at the table represents a unanimous, monolithic and immutable voice of its people. And, as for the allies, it is entirely possible to support Israels right to exist without supporting Netanyahus settlement policies. American politicians too often are terrified to admit the obvious. Thinking Bebe Netanyahu is a dangerous ideologue is NOT evidence of antisemitism any more than calling Ted Cruz a demagogue is the mark of an anti-hispanic racist. We really need to develop an entirely new way of talking about Israel in this country, one which is secular, rational and free from all attachments to Zionist or Evangelical dogma. In short, we should treat the Israelis as our equals and our allies, and we must expect them to behave accordingly. Now fire away. Ive got nothing further to add. I could come out for mandatory active euthanasia for officers of the DAR and stand a better chance of walking away unscathed.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 22:57:34 +0000
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