The best predictor of an American Jew’s political take on Middle East politics is How steadfast is his or her belief in antisemitism as an enduring force. And so, Peter Beinart who is not particularly steadfast on this point, has gone from right to left. But Richard Cohen does believe in anti-Semitism as an enduring force; and the Arab spring is bringing out the ultra-Zionist in him, and sweeping him further and further to the right like a pebble in the surf… “The Arab world is saturated by Jew-hatred,” he states reflexively in the Washington Post, and essentially describes the Palestinians as Nazis. Not a word about what Jewish nationalism did to the region. Though he says Israel should cut a deal right now, and by the way Palestinians, forget about Jerusalem. (Does the Post give a platform to any integrationist Jews, by the way, Jews who have put nationalism behind them?):
[I]n truth, I put more faith in the staying power of anti-Semitism than I do in the forecasting gifts of my colleagues [unnamed scholars and journalists]. If they are right, wonderful. If not, we all have something to worry about.
The trouble with democracies is that they tend to cater to the prejudices of the people – not just to their good sense.
