Criticism from “Israel’s” Best Friends: A Real Cause for Concern

Ali Rizk

American officials have made statements against “Israel’s” behavior, saying that this behavior was actually against “Israeli” interests themselves.

These statements came from US War Secretaries Robert Gates and Leon Panetta, also Hillary Clinton, who indirectly criticized “Israeli” behavior in a speech to the pro-“Israeli” AIPAC lobby; which was described as genuine concern from “Israel’s” friends.

But what fits the description of “genuine concern from “Israel’s” friends” even more accurately is a new trend which has been developing amongst American Jewish intellectuals who are not anti but pro-“Israeli”, something which makes their comments all the more relevant.

Peter Beinehart, a liberal Jew supportive of the existence of an “Israeli” state recently published a book entitled “The Crisis of Zionism”, which has generated more and more momentum for criticism against the “Israeli” political establishment by prominent American Jewish intellectuals; who are rightly concerned about “Israel’s” future.

Paul Krugman, a well-known New York Times columnist, who is one of those American Jews, accused the “Israeli” government of pursuing “narrow minded policies that are basically a gradual, long run form of national suicide”. Thomas Friedman and Roger Cohen are two other well known “PRO-Israeli” New York times columnists have also took aim at the “Israeli” politicians.

Friedman wrote an article back in 2010 that “Israel is behaving like a spoilt child” and has continued to criticize the “Israeli” political establishment, even saying “that never before has he been more concerned about “Israel’s” future”.

Roger Cohen wrote an op-ed earlier this year entitled: “Hey “Israel”, stay out of Iran”. Perhaps these warnings have begun to have some effect on the “Israelis” or at least on the military, with the “Israeli” joint chief of staff Benny Gantz saying that he doesn’t believe Iran would build a nuclear bomb and that the Iranian leadership was composed of rational people.(in other words expressing his opposition for the military option against Iran).

Nevertheless the comments of these friends of “Israel” do show that “Israel” indeed is in deep trouble. It has to be mentioned here that these expressions of concern for “Israel” have been accompanied by divisions amongst American Jews with the emergence of groups like J-street who are opposed to the Likud party.

Eugene Dabbous, professor of Political Science at Notre Dame University in Lebanon and who has just returned from a visit to the US, says that this division amongst Jews and the opposition against “Israeli” politicians are testimonial to the fact that “Israel” is in a crisis.

There is no longer any strong , wise “Israeli” political leadership

Dabbous says that the reservations of pro-“Israeli” Jewish voices against “Israeli” policies reflect a genuine fear that “Israel” is behaving in “a stupid, unwise way”. He adds that” “constructive Zionists” have been marginalized” and the “Israeli socialists and liberals have been pushed aside”. In other words proving what Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has said time and again :that there is no longer any strong , wise “Israeli” political leadership.

Dabbous also says this new development has actually broken the fear which used to exist when it comes to criticizing “Israel”. He argues that as these friends of “Israel” step up their criticism, it ironically opens the door for the “non-friends of “Israel” to do the same. He says his hope that this will stir up a “larger academic debate within the US about support for “Israel” and its policies”.(a debate where the non-friends of “Israel” will also take part).

He also says that AIPAC, which prevented any discussion on the issue of “Israel” has lost this ability and that the media in the US is becoming bolder in shedding criticism of “Israel”.

So, for anyone who has doubts about “Israel” being in real trouble, they must only look to what its “Jewish friends in the US” are saying and how their words could really generate developments that do not serve “Israel”. These words also show that in addition to the growing strength of the resistance bloc, the political stupidity of the “Israeli’s” is a major factor which will bring the downfall of “Israel” closer.

Source: moqawama.org

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!