I don’t get it. I need enlightenment. Some leaders of Jewish organizations are opposing Netanyahu’s promise to annex Jewish West Bank settlements. How dare they say that they speak for their organizations! Did they poll their members? Of course not!
Let’s look at the record. When these same liberal leaders opposed moving the American embassy to Jerusalem, they warned, sternly, that it would cause an Arab uprising. Nothing happened. When Netanyahu annexed the Golan, they warned, sternly, that it would cause an Arab uprising. Nothing happened. Now they warn, sternly, that annexing the Jewish settlements will “lead to greater conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.” So far, in the Arab world, nothing has happened, save for pro forma huffing from the Palestinian authority. The most vocal denunciations are coming from liberal Jews. They were wrong before, they are wrong now.
These pundits seem to have missed the fact that there is now detente among the Arab states and Israel. These states no longer care about the Palestinians. They care about Iran. This is a golden moment, and Netanyahu is taking advantage of it. Good for him. If these leaders have so much empathy for the Palestinians, let them try wandering into Hebron unguarded. Doubtless we would never hear from them again.
Ten years ago 70% of Israelis supported the two-state solution. That number now stands at 30%. These liberals obviously think they know, so much better than the Israelis themselves, what is good for Israel. Safe here in America, not under the daily threat of rocket attacks, they pity the poor Palestinians who, in three genocidal wars, tried to annihilate every Jew in Israel. Israel has once more made Netanyahu prime minister. They are the ones that are quite literally under the gun. Trust them. So far, they have been doing pretty well deciding what is in their own best interest.
Lee Levin
Overland Park, Kansas
