Dana Goldstein in The American Prospect:
I never, as a rule, write about the Israel-Palestine conflict. I'm going to break that rule today… It's not just that military solutions have a poor track record
of solving problems of terrorism in the Middle East — or, really,
anywhere. It's not just that a ground war leading to the deaths of over
400 people, many of them civilians, [make that 600] is a disproportionate response to
the latest rag-tag rocket fire of Hamas, which has claimed the lives of
four Israelis. It is not just that while Israel has every right to
target those missile sites and the terrorists who perpetrated those
attacks, it seems that through brutal, widespread violence, the Israeli
government is doing little more than devastating an already
impoverished society and planting seeds of hatred in a new generation
of Palestinians.
It is that this latest incursion, and indeed, much of Israel's
military history, seems manufactured in opposition to the founding idea
of the Zionist project itself — that the world should be made safe for
Jews. And that if the larger world could not be safe, than at least one
place — the Promised Land — should be. I needn't argue here that
Israel is one of the most unsafe places on earth to be a Jew; with
suicide bombings, missiles, and now full-fledged war, that much is
apparent. Asking young Jews to fight and die in a ground war, one whose
perpetration inflames anti-Semitic sentiments, is not the best way to
make Israel, or the world at large, safe for the Jewish people. And
sure enough, it is tragic to learn that due to the fighting in Gaza,
Jews in France, Sweden, Belgium, and Denmark have suffered anti-Semitic violence and vandalism in recent days.
Two comments. Add Goldstein's voice to those saying that the Gaza insanity is endangering Jews in whose name this stuff is being done, around the world. My point about antisemitic act in France the other day, which I seem to have written poorly. And note that Goldstein is engaging, whether she likes it or not, anti-Zionist ideas. The simplest most obvious one. Zionism was started because Jews were truly unsafe in the west. The complete reversal of the conditions of its founding show that it should be heaved. Better, truer Jewish visions needed that address minority rights. Right now, thugs are leading the community.
'Zionism was started because Jews were truly unsafe in the west. The complete reversal of the conditions of its founding show that it should be heaved.'
For sure. That's the pragmatic argument — zionism didn't work; didn't deliver on its promises.
The stronger, principled argument is that zionism used — continues to use — brutal methods of ethnic cleansing to steal land.
At present, with black clouds of smoke in the sky, the victims don't really care which argument prevails. Whatever works.
JUST HEAVE IT! (SM)
My bet: phase 2 (urban warfare) is coming and will be preceded by even more in-depth stuff about suffering Sderot, plus new opinionists (look for some obliging Palestinians) informing us that Hamas are dinosaurs, ergo, extinction is only natural. Horror fatigue will set in, and some other more important story – baby twins decapitated, eaten? – will steal the headlines.
I have probably read all the primary literature of the founding of the Zionist movement. As far as I can tell, making the world safe for the Jews was never the issue.
The early leaders created a mobilizing intelligentsia so that they could shake money out of the pockets of rich Western Jews for the sake of obtain power, wealth and status for themselves.
See Introduction: The Virtual Colonial Motherland as Political Innovation.
Joachim-
Thats great but, the ideological origins of the Zionist movement in the 19th century has little bearing on Zionism immediately prior to, and after, the establishment of Israel. It mutated between 1880 and 1948, for a number of reasons.
It seems to me that the linked article makes the argument you despise, Phil, that Israel is somehow special, above other nations, better than, and should thus behave better.
I argue that being "special" leads to thinking you don't have to obey rules meant for others not as "special" as you are. Israel isn't special, it's a country founded in blood, violence and betrayal as most others were. It is a country which has laws and interacts with other countries on the basis of customs and treaties. It should therefore, as a nation among nations (not above all others) obey the laws regarding war: the Geneva Conventions.
Pretty simple. Not that special. Very Jewish I think: the rule of law matters.
see also:
How Israel brought Gaza to the brink of humanitarian catastrophe
Oxford professor of international relations Avi Shlaim served in the Israeli army and has never questioned the state's legitimacy. But its merciless assault on Gaza has led him to devastating conclusions
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/07/gaza-israel-palestine
Avi Shlaim has never questioned Israel's legitimacy?
You guys just keep taking to each other!
@JM: "The early leaders created a mobilizing intelligentsia so that they could shake money out of the pockets of rich Western Jews"
Zionism was a scam from the get-go, and Jewish American Zionists (and Christian Zionists like John Hagee and GW Bush) are in on the scam today. They've all been joined by Corporatist-military-industrial complex-mercantilists, and Socialists, the whole idea being to shake as much money out of Empire and the American taxpayer as possible.
What happens when the Establishment of the world's sole superpower is taken over by con artists? Americans and the world have only just started to get a taste.
RE:
"Avi Shlaim has never questioned Israel's legitimacy?
You guys just keep taking to each other!
Posted by: Jim Haygood | January 07, 2009 at 04:25 PM"
This is yet another Hasbara comment in the name of a real person by Bill Pearlman, aka Sword Of Gideonthepoint & his dozen other socket puppets. Perhaps someone should start posting on other blogs in the name of Bill Pearlman–make sure when you do, you make your comments really juvenile, vulgar, personal attacks so you retain Bill's style and content.
Policemen, designated as civilians under the Geneva Convention.
You got my back, Watcher. Thanks.
Oh no! Phil has found another American Jew who is critical of Israel! When will it stop?!
At least we know that Egypt and the EU will still be on Israel's side!