After ignoring my repeated criticisms of Palestinian leaders, Stephens wrongly accuses me of denying Palestinians moral agency by, well, not criticizing Palestinian leaders. But let’s turn the question around: How much moral agency does Stephens grant Israel? Does he grapple at all with the moral problems inherent in holding millions of West Bank Palestinians as non-citizens for 44 years? Does he concede that subsidizing Israelis to move to the West Bank—including to settlements deep in the West Bank—is self-defeating if you believe in a two-state solution? No, he ignores those uncomfortable questions almost entirely.
And Beinart ignores the moral question of can Israel not afford to have Jews residing in communities in our national homeland not onlhy as of legal, historical right, not to mention the right of conquest after a defensive war, but because of the security provided?
Beinart does quote a so-called expert that there is no security problem and no real threat in not retaining Judea and Samaria but even the liberal Beinart thinks that opinion is too optimistic.
So, where is morality in this?
I admit, I do not know because I think Beinart's approach is immoral, as it is illogical.
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Barry Rubin who is a liberal Israeli attacked Beinart some days ago and came out with more or less these conclusions, which also make sense to me:
Does saying these things make me “right-wing”? Not at all. It is also the consensus position of the great majority of left-of-center Israelis and it should be the position of liberal Jews in other countries. The whole point is that this is not a matter of our will or preference or program but something that is being forced upon us.
Sure, I want a two-state solution, but not as a launching pad for the next round of would-be genocide. I want the ideal solution of peace and good neighborhood but I don’t expect that is going to happen. Not my fault; not our fault.
Let’s face reality, stop blaming ourselves, and get on with our lives. Let us improve Israel's society, economy, and culture. Of course, let’s also defend ourselves. Let us try to preserve as much as possible of the rapidly disappearing Jewish people. And if you want to boycott someone, why not start with those who insist on remaining our enemies and who would like to murder us?
Makes sense to me.
Its too much to expect Beinart and company to revisit their solipsism. Israel can shrink to the size of Tel Aviv and its enemies would still find its existence intolerable. Nothing Jews do or don't do will make a difference. You have be an immoral person if you can't see that.
Namely, that the Middle East is a place that follows its own set of rules.
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