So there's this one person commenting on the blog who is a Harvard classmate and has been very respectfully challenging me on the way I talk about Israel. I really appreciate this person's comments. I need to find a name for this person. I will make up an alias, but I can't think of one. I would appreciate it, if you would come up with one. It would make the responses easier.
You said I said that I called for sanctions against Israel. Really?? Did I?? I really can't remember doing that at all. That hasn't even crossed my mind?? Can some loyal reader back me up on this?? Or someone please tell me which post Isaid this. Because honestly I don't think I said this at all.
What is Israel to do?? It obviously has a security problem with Hizbollah shooting bombs at it from its border.
Yes, it does.
There's this idea that I talked about in the "More Optimistic Scenario," where basically they clear out the 20 km. of southern Lebanon and set up the International Peacekeeping Force to guard it. That way at least the missiles don't have range to get into Israel.
But actually that's not really a good solution.
Because that's basically been the deal since 2000. I went to Khiam in southern Lebanon last year and I met and talked to these European UNIFIL guys--United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon. It was obviously weak and didn't do the job.
And Hizbollah will still exist and have even more support because southern Lebanon will still be occupied.
What is Israel to do? Act justly with its neighbors--the Palestinians, the Lebanese, everyone. Play fair. It can't treat its own people, the Palestinians, the way they do. The list of human rights abuses is too long and is known to the whole Arab world, even if Americans don't know. There are still too many Palestinians and about 4-5 Lebanese in Israeli jails.
If Israel wants to protect itself, it has to play fair and act justly. Too much of what it does is wantonly destructive and oppressive. As long as its like this or PERCEIVED like this, it is unsafe.
And the U.S. is making itself more and more unsafe and inviting acts of terrorism against itself by supporting Israel. Yesterday, the news was all about the U.S. sending Israel weapons. How stupid!!! What more clear and open invitation are you giving to those "terrorists" lurking within our borders to destroy another builidng or bomb another subway or whatever.
If Americans fear for thier own safety and want to stop terrorism, they should tell their govenrment to stop supporting Israel and sending them bombs.
Don't they see how this compromises their own safety????
1 comment:
While I think that in the long run, your analysis of Israel's actions might be accurate (though of course it doesn't apply to Israel alone), I think the other person's question had much more to do with what Israel ought to do NOW, in the wake of the kidnappings and rocket attacks. How better might they respond?
I'm not at all sure of this, but I wonder if the IDF wouldn't actually be better off foregoing the air strikes altogether and sending troops in to pinpoint specific locations. I realize that sending massive numbers of ground troops into a country raises the question of occupation, but at least they wouldn't be bombing from the air, where the possibility of error and civilian casualties seems much more immense. If there is to be military action, would it be better to start and end with ground troops?
As regards the overarching question of Israel's actions: in general, I agree, it's imperative on Israel, an established nation-state with Western backing, to commit to human rights. I feel compelled to point out, however, that after the disengagement, in which the IDF forcibly removed settlers from their homes in occupied Gaza, rocket attacks into Israel actually intensified, along with mass destruction of synagogues and other property left behind.
Now. Resentment and mistrust even after a pull-out of this kind is pretty common. It should, however, sharply call into question the assertion that "playing fair" necessarily leads to security. In this case, it has not, at least not in the short run. I also tend to question whether Israel could ever please its detractors such that they would find Arab aggression against Israel unjust without qualification.
Finally, the form letter that you posted, protesting Israel's actions and calling for a cease-fire, also demanded sanctions against Israel. That's where your classmate got the idea that you supported the idea.
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