Why invest in the historically unappealing effort to make Arabs and Jews accept each other?
I don’t think any hard core American interest is being served by Kerry’s relentless campaign. I think it’s all about prestige. It’s about salvaging the lost honor of the Obama White House, after so many retreats. It’s true that they’ve been handed this package by the previous administration, which nailed them real good. But they knew they were walking into that one, so they can’t blame anyone at this point.
How nice it would be, I believe goes the Obama-Kerry fantasy, if we could end our Middle East adventure with a bang, by getting peace between the Arabs and the Jews.
Yes, I, too, think it’s insane when a country pursues goals that are not in its best interest, if not outright contrary to those interests. Administrations, especially the embattled ones, do crazy, irresponsible things that end up costing everybody.
So, from my point of view, this is the rare moment and precious opportunity Sharon Brous is pitching, and, God help me, I cannot list a single benefit for the Israeli side. Unless, of course, one ignores the history of the past 20 years.
No one expects anything good to come Israel’s way from the “peace.” Terrorism will continue, it will just be harder to combat. Repression of the Palestinians by their own governments will increase, but this time they will be out of options, since cooperation with Israel will end. Israel will, inevitably, have to invest a lot more in its defense, and there will be no reprieve from the antisemitic boycotts, both from Europe and the Arab League. Because there will always be something Israel did wrong. For heaven’s sake, haven’t you people been watching these past 100 years or so?
“This is a rare moment — a precious opportunity,” Brous notes, “for the American Jewish leadership to improve the prospects for lasting peace and security by providing the principled support that can embolden Israel to take the necessary steps to achieve both goals.”
In other words, what Israel should expect in the coming difficult months, is for our loving brothers and sisters in America to lean on us for concessions, to make “peace” a reality.
A reality in which anywhere from 150,000 to 750,000 Jews are uprooted from their homes, a relocation effort costing tens of billions of dollars. A reality in which, after the dust settles, Israel’s densely populated center, including its airport and vital industry and commerce are laid out a mere 10 miles from the hilltops on the other side of the border. A reality in which, as no one doubts, Hamas takes over control from the PLO, as they’ve already done in several local municipalities, including Hebron.
So, I have a proposition for Sharon Brous and for all her myriad liberal Jewish supporters: tell us what you’ll do if the whole thing goes bust.
Seriously, get together a list of commitments of what you’re willing to be done to you should Israel have to pay the price for your insanity.
After the peace treaty, Israel will likely experience increased terrorism: are you prepared to, say, be tased each time we lose a Jew to your folly?
Thousands of us will experience economic catastrophes: will you mortgage your house and send us half your money?
Many of us will suffer deep mental anguish and long term depression following our deportation: will you commit to pay for the psychiatric treatment of one deported Jew?
I could draw a long list of costs, in human life and in treasure, which you could all commit to. If you want us to spill our last drop of blood to further your insane fantasy, at least have a dog in this race, state something you’re willing to lose should it turn out that you really have been the most treasonous Jews who ever lived.
If you want us to bet our lives, why don’t you bet your own life on this one, Sharon Brous?