“They don’t want to talk about the conflict. They want to talk about investments, business, and economic opportunities, bilateral relations between Israel and their countries.”
It’s quite an interesting time, watching other countries in the Middle East open up with Israel (UAE and Saudi) while far left USA & academia here is pushing for divestment.
I’m American (married to an Israeli), and the Western ignorance/arrogance is baffling.
Our colleges ought to take note that Israel has succeeded in building and fostering friendly & economic relations with its neighbors (Iran and its proxies are another story altogether).
We definitely need more narrative/coverage of Israel’s success working with and alongside Arab nations. That is often ignored in the discourse here.
The alliances Israel is forging with other Arab countries is wonderful but I always take it with a grain of salt. Look at our Peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan for instance. We have had peace with them for decades but in terms of public opinion, the Egyptians and Jordanians hate us as much now as they ever did. What about the tunnels the Egyptians knew about and did nothing? Is there no accountability? Where is the US condemning Egypt and using it as leverage to take in Palestinians so that Israel can bomb the crap out of Hamas? I am astounded .... is this what peace means in the Arab world? Getting back to the Palestinians ..... they offer nothing to the world but a doctrine of hate and yet look how much bang they get for their buck. We give the world so much in terms of innovation and research and yet our return is feeble. It always good to look at the bright side but lets not overdo our acceptance by the world. We really dont get much support at all and that is the reality of the situation. papa j
I saw a photo of Palestinians who are Jordanian passing out oriental pastry to celebrate the murder of Jews. overall, I agree with what you write...."peace" is always going to be conditional on Israel's being the best military in the Mid East. the Oct. 7th atrocities...where was protection for the Israelis on that day....the IDF....why so long in responding in a tiny country?
The quote from Matt Ridley about economic change bringing social change doesn’t ring true to me. Wasn’t that the idea behind opening trade with China? Economic freedom was supposed to lead to political reform - but it didn’t happen.
This reminds me of what Casey Stengel said about managing a baseball team: “there are guys that like me, guys that don’t, and guys that are undecided. The trick to managing is keeping the guys who don’t like me away from the undecideds.”
My Kibbutznik...who fought in Europe during WWII....told me fifty years ago... "we can always do business with the Arabs." So today with the UAE , with Morocco. The cold peace with Egypt . the Frigid peace with Jordan seething with Palestinian hate for Israel. The young Jews believe Israel's history starts in 1948 when Israel expelled all the Arabs. And a lot of not so young Jews believe the same. So maybe Israel has a right to exist....as a fait accompli....but to them like the current thought about America....it is founded as colonial settler state and genocidal. Not my idea of history since I've read about Jewish and Israel's history. True enough I have no intention of reading the 100 years war on Palestine by Columbia's Said Chair Rashid Khalidi. He will be read in plenty of Jewish studies anti Zionist classes.
Ordered Taleb's book! I 100% agree with the proposition that we have to hit back twice as hard, five times as hard. As a side note regarding economics, I assume that of course no Gazans are participating in jobs in Israel since Oct. 7. Will this cause the population to exert any type of pressure on Hamas?
50 years ago I'd watch the Gazans line up on the road for day jobs in Israel. I assume they wer paid better in Israel. even then I thought it was dangerous for me to visit Gaza just over the border. I'm sure the leftist kibbutzim in the "sleeve" would continue to hire Gazans as part of their commitment for peace if this war ended.
Love his point of view!!
It’s quite an interesting time, watching other countries in the Middle East open up with Israel (UAE and Saudi) while far left USA & academia here is pushing for divestment.
I’m American (married to an Israeli), and the Western ignorance/arrogance is baffling.
Our colleges ought to take note that Israel has succeeded in building and fostering friendly & economic relations with its neighbors (Iran and its proxies are another story altogether).
We definitely need more narrative/coverage of Israel’s success working with and alongside Arab nations. That is often ignored in the discourse here.
Incredibly ignorant & arrogant - well stated, Jen
“The west is in the process of suicide…”
It is interesting that it was a Brazilian diplomat. The Brazilian government under Lulu is hostile to Israel.
The alliances Israel is forging with other Arab countries is wonderful but I always take it with a grain of salt. Look at our Peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan for instance. We have had peace with them for decades but in terms of public opinion, the Egyptians and Jordanians hate us as much now as they ever did. What about the tunnels the Egyptians knew about and did nothing? Is there no accountability? Where is the US condemning Egypt and using it as leverage to take in Palestinians so that Israel can bomb the crap out of Hamas? I am astounded .... is this what peace means in the Arab world? Getting back to the Palestinians ..... they offer nothing to the world but a doctrine of hate and yet look how much bang they get for their buck. We give the world so much in terms of innovation and research and yet our return is feeble. It always good to look at the bright side but lets not overdo our acceptance by the world. We really dont get much support at all and that is the reality of the situation. papa j
Yes, but they aren't attacking Israel anymore. That's an improvement.
I saw a photo of Palestinians who are Jordanian passing out oriental pastry to celebrate the murder of Jews. overall, I agree with what you write...."peace" is always going to be conditional on Israel's being the best military in the Mid East. the Oct. 7th atrocities...where was protection for the Israelis on that day....the IDF....why so long in responding in a tiny country?
Discouraging but true.
An excellent piece
The quote from Matt Ridley about economic change bringing social change doesn’t ring true to me. Wasn’t that the idea behind opening trade with China? Economic freedom was supposed to lead to political reform - but it didn’t happen.
The diplomatic corps appears to not get it/the two state solution died on 10/7
This reminds me of what Casey Stengel said about managing a baseball team: “there are guys that like me, guys that don’t, and guys that are undecided. The trick to managing is keeping the guys who don’t like me away from the undecideds.”
My Kibbutznik...who fought in Europe during WWII....told me fifty years ago... "we can always do business with the Arabs." So today with the UAE , with Morocco. The cold peace with Egypt . the Frigid peace with Jordan seething with Palestinian hate for Israel. The young Jews believe Israel's history starts in 1948 when Israel expelled all the Arabs. And a lot of not so young Jews believe the same. So maybe Israel has a right to exist....as a fait accompli....but to them like the current thought about America....it is founded as colonial settler state and genocidal. Not my idea of history since I've read about Jewish and Israel's history. True enough I have no intention of reading the 100 years war on Palestine by Columbia's Said Chair Rashid Khalidi. He will be read in plenty of Jewish studies anti Zionist classes.
Ordered Taleb's book! I 100% agree with the proposition that we have to hit back twice as hard, five times as hard. As a side note regarding economics, I assume that of course no Gazans are participating in jobs in Israel since Oct. 7. Will this cause the population to exert any type of pressure on Hamas?
50 years ago I'd watch the Gazans line up on the road for day jobs in Israel. I assume they wer paid better in Israel. even then I thought it was dangerous for me to visit Gaza just over the border. I'm sure the leftist kibbutzim in the "sleeve" would continue to hire Gazans as part of their commitment for peace if this war ended.
Are we going to keep making the same mistakes over and over again?
Very interesting article. I especially liked your “eye for an eye” comment.