Amid all the controversy American support for Israel has generated in recent months, between the Walt-Mearsheimer paper, Jimmy Carter’s book, et al, many have lost sight of the damage the Bush Administration’s policies are doing to Israel and to any hope of resolving the ongoing Middle East conflict.
I’ve mentioned previously in this space the interference of the US in Israeli-Syrian relations. The problem is continuing to grow, and is all the more obscene because there are realistic and attainable options, something that is not usually the case with American Middle East policy.
This article in Ha’aretz by Ze’ev Schiff offers both illustration of the problem and some obfuscations and omissions as well.
The visit by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to Israel was already significant for being another in a line of signals that an attack on Iran is not forthcoming. Israel’s message to him was equally noteworthy. (more…)
The academic world can be a brutal place. Academics in many fields attack each others’ work all the time. But the case of Norman Finkelstein and his tenure bid at DePaul University stands out as being very unusual. It’s been reported on at our sister blog, Muzzlewatch.
What makes it unusual is that the process seems to have been influenced by a scholar who has no expertise in the field in which Finkelstein works. Alan Dershowitz and Finkelstein have had a running feud for years, each viciously attacking the other’s integrity. But in fact, Dershowitz is no more than an interested lay-person on the Middle East.He is a professor of law, and criminal law, not international law, at that.
This does not, of course, mean Dershowitz is not entitled to voice his opinion, nor that his views are not substantial. One can only judge his writing on the matter of the Middle East by reading that work. Having done so, I am comfortable saying that Dershowitz has an awful lot of study to do before he has any standing to criticize scholars in the field.
In over 25 years of studying the history and politics of the Middle East in general and Israel in particular, I have come to be very critical of most scholarship on the subject. There is much excellent work out there, there is some flawed material, and there is also some shoddy work, and I have not found that the views or conclusions of the researchers have anything to do with the quality of the work. (more…)
Dear Readers,
It has been and continues to be my goal that this blog be a forum for a free exchange of ideas from all points of view. The reality of this issue is that it tends to get heated. I do not believe it is practical to try to force people to keep their heads while so many in the Middle East and the US are losing theirs.
Having said that, the level of discussion has degenerated to the point where I feel the need to take action. Let me be clear:
1. There will be no tolerance for racist, anti-Semitic, anti-Arab or any other similarly bigoted views.
2. Name-calling is also out of bounds. Speak with all of your passion, and freely enjoin any ideas you find objectionable or disagreeable. But the name-calling (which includes not only accusations of anti-Semitism, but also calling others “crazy” or “racist” or any other epithets) stops now.
Violation of these guidelines will cause moderation for the first offense and a permanent ban for the second. Any comments including such offenses will be removed from the site from here on. Since I do not read every comment, if you believe someone has violated those guidelines, you need to send me an e-mail and I will investigate.
Be aware that these rules will be applied equally to people of any background, any political beliefs and whether or not you agree with what I write in this space. Please also be aware that, while this was prompted by one specific incident, many posters have been far more abusive than is called for, certainly than should be expected in civilized discourse.
I hope I never have to act on any of this, and I believe in the integrity of every person on here enough that I believe that there is a very good chance I will not have to. But if these guidelines are violated, please believe they will be enforced.
Thanks for your cooperation, and for your participation in this forum. Let’s keep it a place people want to come to.
The much-awaited moment has come and the League of Arab States has reissued the 2002 Saudi Peace Plan with no changes or amendments.
It is important to understand what this initiative says and the great potential it has for putting the region on a course toward a sustainable peace. It is also important to understand what it is not — a take it or leave it offer with no room for negotiations.
In fact, it’s exactly what Israel has needed for decades–a firm opening offer and invitation to negotiations from the entire Arab world. It’s not only peace with the Palestinians. It’s peace with the entire Arab world that is being offered. And not just peace, but normal relations. This is offered in exchange for Israeli withdrawal from all territories it captured in 1967, the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and an “agreed upon” resolution to the refugee issue, based on UN General Assembly Resolution 194.
This can’t be stressed enough–the economic, cultural, diplomatic, political and social ties that come with normal relations prevent war and create a peaceful environment that no treaty or agreement possibly can. Israel needs to jump at this offer to negotiate. The Arab states know that Israel would not accept their plan whole cloth. They know Israel’s stance is that they are unwilling to go back to the 1967 borders and are unwilling to take responsibility for the refugees. But if Israel is willing to come to the table with their points and negotiate with the Arabs, progress can be made. (more…)
