For years I’ve supported Israeli acceptance of Palestinian rights to what we call the West Bank and what Israelis call the ancient lands of Judea and Samaria. Thomas Friedman argued in the New York Times that eliminating Palestinian warriors would be impossible and, because it would be impossible, it would be useless. I agree. Multiple Administrations of both parties consistently supported a two-state solution – except when the White House was occupied by a narcissistic TV game-show host.
When negotiations for a two-state solution still seemed possible, I argued the Biden Administration should avoid ultimatums except as part of the price for a settlement. That no longer looks possible and I’ve lost my patience. I cannot support arming a so-called “ally” while it gives the finger to American presidents – as when Netanyahu showed up in Congress over the objections of President Obama – nor can I support arming Israel while it flouts American policy – pursuing the so-called “settlement” of the entire West Bank and an indiscriminate attack on innocent Gazans, both over American objections. Israel is entitled to pursue its own policy but it’s not entitled to American arms for it, or to act as if American support is guaranteed and unconditional no matter what they do.
Israelis are rightly concerned about the survival of Israel but don’t understand that their survival depends on public reactions. That may be morally wrong but reality and morality don’t track each other well. Einstein was Jewish but few if any Israelis are Einsteins. Israel needs support, here and elsewhere, but it has foolishly been trashing its supporters.
Some Americans are convinced that support for Israel is unshakable because of the horrified reaction to the Holocaust, the general American consensus on freedom of religion plus the conviction of many evangelical Christians that reunification of ancient Israel is necessary to bring about what they call the Rapture, though they believe Israel would be destroyed after it.
But it is a disastrous mistake to think that American support is irrevocable. Palestine is Muslim; Israel is surrounded by Muslim nations; the world’s Muslims are a large multiple of the Jewish population; all of which puts pressure on America. American leftists used to support Israel but their support is clearly waning. Hamas was horrendously immoral but reactions recede in time while Israeli killing of innocents continuously irritates the conscience, making it impossible to preserve the world’s outrage with Hamas and keep support for Israel. In this world, America’s best gift to Israel would be tough love – an ultimatum that conditioned American support on stopping the war, stopping the eviction of Palestinians; and stopping the settlement of Jewish Israelis on what was Palestinian land.
Hamas will no doubt take advantage of any weakening of American support for Israel. But a battle for international support cannot be won simply by military means. Israel found and got rid of most of the perpetrators of the Olympic massacre with intelligence and police work. America has killed or captured many mass murderers without exterminating the communities, no matter how prejudiced, from which they came. The battle has to be fought that way. Israel cannot go it alone while surrounded by Muslim countries.
— Steve Gottlieb — If you think I’m on target, please pass it on. For the podcast, please click here. This commentary was scheduled for broadcast on WAMC Northeast Report, on March 12, 2024.
Constitutionalism and Democracy 