Readers ask why I focus on the American Jewish community. Because I think it holds the key.
Phoebe Greenwood in the Guardian on Europe’s mixed message to Israel:
The EU will offer Israel upgraded trade and diplomatic relations in more than 60 areas at a high-level meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, just weeks after European foreign ministers warned that Israeli policies in the West Bank “threaten to make a two-state solution impossible”….
One senior EU diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that despite private complaints of the inconsistency of chastising Israel with one hand while rewarding it with the other, not one minister was prepared to oppose Tuesday’s agreement.
“I was struck by the fact that a whole range of relations was offered to Israel – at the request of Israel – as if nothing is happening on the ground,” the diplomat said. “Most ministers are too afraid to speak out in case they are singled out as being too critical towards Israel, because, in the end, relations with Israel are on the one hand relations with the Jewish community at large and on the other hand with Washington – nobody wants to have fuss with Washington. So [ministers] are fine with making political statements but they refrain from taking concrete action.”
This piece serves my contention that the Israel lobby is central to the dysfunction, and that my own work involves issues of community self-interest: persuading western Jews that Jewish sovereignty in the Middle East is undermining our safety, not enhancing it. And hurting lots of other folks too.
Greenwood found one annonymous source whose opinion fits the Guardian’s party line, and we’re to believe it outwieghs the commercial interests of the EU decision makers. If they were merely trying to suck up to the Jews, they could have offered upgrades in 2 fileds, or 6: but why 60?
Sorry Phil. The Europeans are upgrading their commercial relations with Israel at a time of acute European crises because trading with Israel is good business. That’s the way the world works.
Another backroom deal backed up by threats to scream blue murder over antisemitism if they don’t get their way, carried out in secret with an elite out of touch with the interests of their constituents. Same as the Balfour declaration, the 1948 UN call, the post 67 181 resolution, the aftermath of Lebanon 82, Lebanon 96, Lebanon 06 , last year’s UN fiasco over Palestinian statehood etc etc ad nauseum. Everything looks great from the elite perspective but Israel is losing the goys on the ground and that is what will count in the end. Someone inside will spill the beans and suddenly the fear will be gone and the bots will be exposed for the shameless thugs they are.
“my own work involves issues of community self-interest.”
Phil says, “Do the right thing, or they’ll be coming after you with pitchforks.”
But there are other reasons for doing the right thing.
“Do unto others what you would have them do unto you,” and “Don’t do unto others what they might do back at you” are two very different messages.
Typical.
I can’t wait for the great ISR’merica big boom.
Faster please.
/This piece serves my contention that the Israel lobby is central to the dysfunction, and that my own work involves issues of community self-interest: persuading western Jews that Jewish sovereignty in the Middle East is undermining our safety, not enhancing it./
Wonderful