Alterman-ed State

I want to recommend the current edition of the Nation, for it's article by Eric Alterman about Israel's 60th Anniversary. It's a thoughtful, not at all hostile article in which he meets with many public figures and talks to them in realistic terms about what Israel is like today, the attitudes of elite-but-mainstream (i.e., leftist but not hyper-leftist) Israelis toward their own country and toward the prospect of peace.

I'm jealous of Alterman - I wish I could get invited to a party at David Broza's house or to talk to Yehoshua in his living room! But I think the main point, that Americans get a one-dimensional image of Israel, is obvious when it comes to be people who don't know all that much and get their information from TV news, but is even true of people who are familiar with Israel and get their information from advocacy organizations. In fact, he says, these are often counterproductive:

As anyone who spends time speaking with Israelis cannot help realizing, Israel is a far more complex country than is portrayed in the American media. This complexity is one reason, Avineri notes, that Israelis are coming to resent what he believes is the "harm caused by [some] American Jewish organizations." He believes that Israel's "contentious political culture is totally lost when seen from the prism of advocacy, which presents Israel as a one-dimensional country, as if everything has to do with survival, attacks, counterattacks." What's more, he adds, "the shrillness on exhibit doesn't help. It does not enhance Israel in any way."

This simplistic approach is even counterproductive to some of the advocacy organizations, as continuing to represent Israel as the plucky little country holding on against all the odds is not very compelling to people who aren't willing to be b.s.'d like that. Israel's complexity is a more compelling story than that, in my opinion.

I also came across this letter by Brit Tzedek ve'Shalom to the two presidential candidates, asking them to make the peace process a high priority early in the next administration.

A couple of weeks ago I spoke to a local Congregational church, and my topic was "Challenges of a Progressive Zionist," which I said were two-fold: first, that many of the people with whom we agree on so many issues disagree with us, vociferously and I think foolishly, about Israel. (Foolishly because Israel is a fairly progressive society, as the Alterman article makes clear.) The second challenge is that Israel does things that are counterproductive. This is a controversial thing to say for someone in my position but acknowledging that does not challenge my commitment to Israel's safety, security or progress. It's part of the complicated view of the world that I was talking about a moment ago. It doesn't do anyone any good to pretend that facts don't exist.

When I got home my mother-in-law, who was visiting us, asked if I wanted to force Israel to make land concessions despite the apparent inability of the Palestinian side to make the "strategic decision for peace" that would entail little things like giving up the so-called right of return and the armed struggle. The answer to that is, no. I agree with Alterman's analysis that

The increasing strength of Hamas, the weakness and corruption of Fatah, a rash of suicide bombings, the shelling of Israeli cities from Lebanon and hateful rhetoric emanating from so much of the Arab world have all but drained Israelis of their compassion and patience for the Palestinian "other." "Political Islam has undermined the appeal of the Palestinian plight in the West," Avishai Margalit explains. [After the exchange of our corpses for their terrorists] the terrorist/child murderer was met with a hero's reception, including patriotic parades in Lebanon and victory proclamations issued by Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah. Such scenes tell many Israelis all they believe they need to know about the possibilities of peace with the Arab world and clear their consciences about whatever misery the Palestinians are forced to endure in the name of preventing future attacks.

But just because there may not be a final settlement on the horizon doesn't mean that Israel should pursue indefensible and counterproductive strategies, as it does when it continues to build and support the settlements. Stopping such activity would go a long way toward broadcasting seriousness of purpose domestically and international, as well as to the Jewish population in the United States, which seems to need to be reminded of what the right thing is as well. As Yehoshua puts it,

I have been very much disappointed with the American Jews who do not oppose settlements. They have been educated on liberalism and democracy. And they could see what is happening here and help us. I understand the idea of automatic solidarity, but all their good democratic values vanish when it comes to Israel.

Sometimes a friend just needs to tell a friend when he's off track. And that's why I signed the Brit Tzedek letter - to be that friend, and to hope that the next president is that friend as well.