Hamas attacks Israel. Is this, as an American Jewish leader said, not only an attack on Israel but on Jews? If so, is the war on Hamas also a war on Islam and Muslims? A related question: Can one criticize or even question Israel without being labeled, or being, antisemitic?
A conservative candidate for president said that the incumbent president should urge, lean on, coerce Egypt into taking in those who are fleeing from Gaza. He did not, however, say that the United States should open its welcoming arms and take in more refugees.
About two decades ago I went to Israel on an unusual junket—all expenses paid to study terrorism from an Israeli perspective. An interlude in the trip was a guided walk around Jerusalem. We started at a place that overlooked Jerusalem. Our exceptional guide pointed out things in the old city; where Bethlehem was and is in the hills near Jerusalem; the Palestinian-controlled territory; the wall marking the boundary (although Israelis called it a fence, not a wall); and a mural-painted wall (this was called a wall) behind us, which prevented Palestinians down below from shooting into Israeli apartments up above.
Our location was a parking lot, and a nearby food van was, like many other Israeli places, playing old American rock and roll. The third song I noticed was Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive. I almost laughed at the remarkable fortuity. I know that the song is about a woman’s strength in rejecting a lover who walked out, but what better chorus could there be as I looked out over Israel and Jerusalem than I WILL SURVIVE.
During this trip, because of the sensitive places we visited—military and intelligence facilities—we were accompanied by heavily-armed young men, and in Jerusalem I fell into step with one such escort. A few moments later, some men rounded a corner shouting and elbowing others aside. I asked the escort, born and raised in Israel, what that was about, and he replied, “Just some Arabs showing off.” He and I exited the old city together, and I was visually assaulted by a row of tacky tourist shops. American rock and roll came from them, too, and the first song I heard outside the old city was R.E.M.’s Losing My Religion. I smiled and said to the escort, “That doesn’t seem right for Jerusalem.” He stopped, paused a beat, and thoughtfully said, “I think that is the only way.”
Is he right? Can there only be peace if we lose our religion?
“There are only two gods worth worshipping. Chance and electricity.” Shehan Karunatilaka, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida.
“We’ve all been blessed with God-given talents. Mine just happens to be beating up people.” Sugar Ray Leonard. (Why is it always Sugar Ray? Why not Sugar Jim or Sugar Marie?)
Each year, the U.S. gives nearly $4 billion to Israel in military aid, which since the founding of Israel has totaled hundreds of billions of dollars. Only occasionally has this been controversial. On the other hand, some in Congress don’t want any more aid for Ukraine. They contend that sending this money abroad is a drain on our economy. But when I read about Ukraine aid, the story often says that Ukraine is using major portions of the money to buy American-made arms and other military supplies. How much of the Ukraine aid is actually spent in the United States?
“Admiration for ourselves and our institutions is too often measured by our contempt and dislike for foreigners.” William Ralph Inge.
