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Some progressive Jews who are trying to preserve the decency of the Jewish community and the bonds of the U.S.-Israel relationship seem to hate their Jewish heritage pass along this Seth Lipsky piece about the "Mufti demarche," which is an attempt to locate historical foundation for a debater’s point on Hajj Amin al-Husseini’s ties to Hitler, in order to prove… well, Lipsky doesn’t say, and I suspect if I provide any speculation I’ll get an impassioned IM from one of Lipsky’s proteges, so why bother. But basically it’s an example of an old man making a childish argument.
And he’s doing so in order to justify a decision from Avigdor Lieberman to circulate a photo of al-Husseini and Hitler. If ever there’s an argument against Lieberman’s capacity to represent Israel’s interests, it’s summed right up by this conflation between Godwin’s Law and diplomacy. My dear beloved Shtetl: can I be real with you for a moment?
The Palestinians are not Hitler. Bad things happened to us, bad things happened to them. Some of them we’re responsible for. Some of them they’re responsible for. After awhile mature people figure out ways to move beyond that and construct ideas for a lasting solution. If that behavior has an opposite, it’s the circulation of pictures that, at their very worst, are designed to make people think that an entire people doesn’t deserve justice, peace and statehood because of something some asshole did with Hitler in the 1940s. You see how absurd that statement is when issued explicitly? That’s why people resort to euphemisms — because they know their goals and their methods are blinkered and unworthy.
And they do so out of guilt. Guilt because they don’t like the way it feels to know that their beloved Jewish state is doing something wrong. The pathway out of that guilt lies with measures toward redeeming Israel and entrenching its secure existence as a normal-if-ever-vigilant state in the Middle East. It’s not with apologizing for Avigdor Lieberman’s blundering ability to undermine Israeli diplomacy. It’s not by lashing out at Barack Obama’s efforts to save Israel. And it’s not by calling progressive Jewry a bunch of self-haters. The only thing that gets you is an ever-defensive, ever-beleaguered Israel that slouches along toward being either less democratic or less Jewish. Those are the real existential threats Israel faces.
The good news is that as a Shtetl we’re too smart to act so childishly. Our mothers always told us so, and, collectively, we have the SAT scores to prove it. OK?
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It’s hard to see from up close, but a great deal of progress has been made over the last couple years. Once the “anti-semite/self-hating jew” card began to be less effective at actually silencing people, and there’s been more open discussion allowed, along with Israel’s horrendous actions in Lebanon and Gaza, we are almost at a point where we can have some rational, adult dialog about the various governance options for Israel and Palestine.
It’s very good to see the discussion starting to coalesce around the question of what actions are in Israel’s own long-term interests, and what behaviors might actually be counterproductive to those interests.
Once it becomes more obvious to more people that the Israeli Right is not doing anything to improve either Israel’s security or political position, more people will be willing to consider better options. And it’s very difficult to map the current status into the future and see an improved regional outlook for anyone, Israel included.
Just keep talking, calmly and rationally, and keep pointing out that screeching and flinging feces isn’t the best way to determine the best way forward, and the fundamentally untenable nature of Netanyahu and Lieberman’s way will become apparent.
The American Political right tried their best to destroy the US, and while they did a lot of damage, it didn’t take them long to discredit themselves. It sure looks like the Likudniks are on the same path…
mikey
As a representative of the Shtetl, have an easy fast tomorrow. (This remark was low-hanging fruit)
All that Lipsky can argue is that the mufti is a symbol of Palestinian incitement in our own time. It is silly to argue that any peace agreement will not fully cover this matter.
And Jeffrey Goldberg’s questions to Erica Brown were awful. I do not know anyone who confuses the American government with the czars, but in New York you have the probability of more insular communities.
Alas, the Israeli attitude hasn’t seen any real change with all the peace walks and diplomatic ventures for 39 years. They now appear to be a genocidal community unwilling to discuss the reality of their actions against a defenseless people that live within their own borders. I remember when I was in favor of what Israel had to say. “We just want a place of our own” has turned into; “and yours as well thank you”.
The polarization of the US/Israeli community’s stance defending Israel against gross atrocity has worn out it’s welcome. I am sorry, but they are no longer worthy of any help. The people are allowing Bibi to stand. That should be an indication of a country not worthy of any further help.