Jan
30
Written by:
Dr. Ernie Moore
Monday, January 30, 2012
In a recent editorial Yediot Aharonot, not famous for its conservative views, stated that Israel is facing four real threats.
Let’s look at each in order:
“(1) The Bomb. Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak are correct when they claim that the State of Israel cannot allow itself to live in the shadow of the threat of an Iranian nuclear bomb. Meir Dagan, Gaby Ashkenazi, Yuval Diskin and others are also correct that an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities must be the very last option…”
[EDM: Yes and no. Naming the leaders who are from various political persuasions, and who agree that “the State of Israel cannot allow itself to live in the shadow of the threat of an Iranian nuclear bomb,” does not mean that Israel has to act.
[Most of the world, including the United States, has lived under nuclear threat for decades. The difference in this situation is that Iran has repeatedly stated that they want to blow Israel off the map, but of course they don’t have the means.
[That could be similar to President Obama pre-swearing in ranting about Guantanamo, etc. and then doing the same as George Bush was doing after Obama was elected. It’s different when you have the power to do something but finally come to realize that the ramifications might not be exactly what you want.
[Having said that, I think the current leaders in Iran are exactly looney and self-destructive to try to nuke Israel. Perhaps a change in governments is in order.]
“(2) The USA. Those who ceaselessly, shout that we must guard to the very end our special relation with the USA, even if it is one of total dependence, are right. Those who contend that Israel is a democratic and sovereign state, and that only we will decide on tough questions regarding our existence are also right…”
[EDM: I remind you that the YA editorial was about Israel’s 4 major problems. The USA is ranked right after Iran and their nukes. So what’s the problem/benefit in their statement?
[One word: Obama. His policy toward Israel are similar to someone with manic-depressive syndrome. Or perhaps like the Arafat year where he said whatever pleased his audience at the time.
[YA is right that Israel has a right to stand on its own are right, but when a nation takes Yankee dollars they should expect to put up with US ‘interference’ in their affairs. We don’t like the Obama treatment of Israel, but regardless of who is in power in DC, there will be times when allies bump into one another. Live with it or give up the foreign aid.
[But… I also hasten to add that the US should reevaluate which nations get aid. What are we giving China aid for?, as one silly example.]
“(3) The Jews. Those who say that the gap is dangerously widening between Jews in the Diaspora, especially in the US and Europe, and Israel are correct…”
[EDM: YA is right on target with their statement that, as Pogo said, ‘We have met the enemy and he is us.’
[I am forever amazed at how the rabbis in Israel bear so much power in a society and in government when over 45% of Israelis are secular – not religious at all – and another 30% are not Hassidic, or Ultra Orthodox.
[As one example of swatting a gnat and swallowing a camel, this past week a rabbi decreed that religious Jews should not run a water tap because somewhere in the water system it caused an electric switch to be thrown and electricity to flow to run the pump. That is utter nonsense to us.
[All over the world there are Shabbat elevators that run during Saturdays. Orthodox people get in them and a switch is thrown and the elevator moves to the next floor. Of course they will argue correctly that they didn’t throw the switch. Enter the gnat and camel.]
“(4) Tribes. Those who assert that the Israel's "existential forge" never existed and wasn't even a fable – that Israeli society was, and is, frayed – are correct. But to those who jeer at such an assertion are also correct: Israel has made great achievements due to this existential forge…"
[EDM: When it comes to peering into one’s navel and constantly re-examining the roots, and trying to separate fact from fable or arguing those who want to diminish someone, no one exceeds the Jews.
[Don’t misunderstand me. There is so much diversity, so much history, and so much proof of the Jewish people that it doesn’t need defended.
[“On the other hand, today’s Jews and in particular, Israelis, are becoming, in my opinion, so divided and antagonistic toward one another that the paper used the correct work – “tribes.” With regard to Israel there have always been tribes, as Ben Gurion learned in trying to get everyone to unite in forming the nation, and in fighting the Arabs. Even during the war there was great animosity. Enough!]