The Pride of Ownership
"This land is mine;
God gave this land to me,
This brave and ancient land to me."
Those are some of the words to the theme from the movie Exodus, a movie that was a big deal when it was released but now is little noted. I quote the lyrics not because I mean to discuss the movie nor because I want to hold them up as wonderful poetry, but because they express the attitude of a great many people with respect to Israel.
To rehash some history: World War II left a great many Jews displaced. They weren't eager to go back to where they had been before the war (if it still existed) because economic and military devastation made it seem untenable. Besides, much of Europe was (and as I hear from European friends, still is) anti-Semitic. The "solution," it seemed to the United Nations, an organization that needed badly to show that it could be more functional than the old League of Nations, that the solution was to take what had been Palestinian land, rename it Israel, and give it to the displaced Jews. Since it was possible to tie this to the Old Testament passages in which God gave His chosen people some land, all of the (non-Arabic) people said "Amen." The Palestinians especially didn't say "Amen." They were the ones whose land was being taken away. Other Arab states were angry that the UN had acted against the interests of their Palestinian brothers. They argued that Israel had no right to exist.
For nearly sixty years, the Arab states have tried to reclaim what once belonged to the Palestinians, although the deed that the Palestinians got from God is not recorded. Israel had become stronger and stronger militarily. Every time Arab nations have attacked Israel, Israel has defeated them. Hamas and Hezbollah have mounted terrorist campaigns, and they've been bloody, but history shows that terrorist campaigns don't change national boundaries--or people's minds; they are bloody, painful, expensive nuisances.
Israel has, for years, followed a policy of massive retaliation. If a Hezbollah operative from Lebanon does something to harm Israel or an Israeli, Israel strikes back against Lebanon, even though the Lebanese government and people do not necessarily support what Hezbollah has done. And here in the United States, Fearless Leader pretty much shrugs it off. He can't say anything in favor of the Lebanese because that would partially invalidate his current campaign in Iraq, wherein US forces are punishing the many for the actions of the few. And he can't point out that the Israeli reaction is intemperate and disproportionate, likely to do nothing more than recruit new enemies for Israel; no American politician ever says anything even mildly critical of Israel because doing so could cost him the Jewish vote.
Among Jews I've known, some are stridently pro-Israel that it makes me think they really might be happier there--and that the only thing keeping them here is the mild American climate and cushy American life where terrorist attacks only occur about every ten years or so. But I also know Jews who really don't seem to give a damn about Israel. They figure that the Israelis can probably take care of themselves and should do so. I certainly dislike anyone who votes solely on the basis of policy towards Israel as much as I dislike anyone who votes solely on the basis of any other single issue, without considering a candidate's political philosophy and positions on issues of more immediate importance. And Israel, unfortunately, is at the core of much of the unrest in the middle east. Unfortunately, as long as there are people who believe that somewhere in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, there's a deed, signed by God, giving Israel to the Jews, the arrogant, egocentric Israelis are going to put world peace at risk by trying to prove that they're God's Chosen People and doen't have to live by the principles that apply to everyone else.
Or maybe they're just pissed off because the UN gave them the only land in the middle east that has no oil.
God gave this land to me,
This brave and ancient land to me."
Those are some of the words to the theme from the movie Exodus, a movie that was a big deal when it was released but now is little noted. I quote the lyrics not because I mean to discuss the movie nor because I want to hold them up as wonderful poetry, but because they express the attitude of a great many people with respect to Israel.
To rehash some history: World War II left a great many Jews displaced. They weren't eager to go back to where they had been before the war (if it still existed) because economic and military devastation made it seem untenable. Besides, much of Europe was (and as I hear from European friends, still is) anti-Semitic. The "solution," it seemed to the United Nations, an organization that needed badly to show that it could be more functional than the old League of Nations, that the solution was to take what had been Palestinian land, rename it Israel, and give it to the displaced Jews. Since it was possible to tie this to the Old Testament passages in which God gave His chosen people some land, all of the (non-Arabic) people said "Amen." The Palestinians especially didn't say "Amen." They were the ones whose land was being taken away. Other Arab states were angry that the UN had acted against the interests of their Palestinian brothers. They argued that Israel had no right to exist.
For nearly sixty years, the Arab states have tried to reclaim what once belonged to the Palestinians, although the deed that the Palestinians got from God is not recorded. Israel had become stronger and stronger militarily. Every time Arab nations have attacked Israel, Israel has defeated them. Hamas and Hezbollah have mounted terrorist campaigns, and they've been bloody, but history shows that terrorist campaigns don't change national boundaries--or people's minds; they are bloody, painful, expensive nuisances.
Israel has, for years, followed a policy of massive retaliation. If a Hezbollah operative from Lebanon does something to harm Israel or an Israeli, Israel strikes back against Lebanon, even though the Lebanese government and people do not necessarily support what Hezbollah has done. And here in the United States, Fearless Leader pretty much shrugs it off. He can't say anything in favor of the Lebanese because that would partially invalidate his current campaign in Iraq, wherein US forces are punishing the many for the actions of the few. And he can't point out that the Israeli reaction is intemperate and disproportionate, likely to do nothing more than recruit new enemies for Israel; no American politician ever says anything even mildly critical of Israel because doing so could cost him the Jewish vote.
Among Jews I've known, some are stridently pro-Israel that it makes me think they really might be happier there--and that the only thing keeping them here is the mild American climate and cushy American life where terrorist attacks only occur about every ten years or so. But I also know Jews who really don't seem to give a damn about Israel. They figure that the Israelis can probably take care of themselves and should do so. I certainly dislike anyone who votes solely on the basis of policy towards Israel as much as I dislike anyone who votes solely on the basis of any other single issue, without considering a candidate's political philosophy and positions on issues of more immediate importance. And Israel, unfortunately, is at the core of much of the unrest in the middle east. Unfortunately, as long as there are people who believe that somewhere in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, there's a deed, signed by God, giving Israel to the Jews, the arrogant, egocentric Israelis are going to put world peace at risk by trying to prove that they're God's Chosen People and doen't have to live by the principles that apply to everyone else.
Or maybe they're just pissed off because the UN gave them the only land in the middle east that has no oil.
posted by amsterdr at 12:11 PM
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