Posted by
Josh Todd on Sunday, July 30, 2006 12:09:36 PM
Historically, Jews have been a persecuted people, perhaps more so than most groups. Part of this persecution was due in part, as Thomas Sowell wrote in his essay "Are Jews Generic?", to their economic middle man status (salesmen, bankers, etc.).
Typically, they have also been a numeric (and cultural) minority, also. Thus, Zionism developed. The desire for a Jewish state--dubbed Jewish "nationalism" which now holds the negative overtones that academia has bestowed upon the term--seemed reasonable. If Jews were a minority persecuted by the majority in many places, then it would follow that their plight would improve if they were the majority.
After World War II, Zionism became a reality after the British withdrew from Palestine and Israel declared itself a state. Immediately, another majority--the Arabs--attempted to destroy the new nation. Since that time, this tiny plot of holy land has been embroiled in fairly consistent combat.
Eventually, Israel acquired peripheral lands that they would occupy as buffer zones, but terrorism--suicide bombers and rockets from Hamas, Hezbollah, and other groups--became the almost doctrinal response.
However, the "peace process" continued and Israel conceded 95% of Yasser Arafat's demands during 2000 negotiations--which imply a give and take, not dominance--but the offer was rejected. Fighting continued.
Still, Israel pulled troops out of southern Lebanon--home to the Iranian arm of Hezbollah--and Ariel Sharon began abandoning settlements in Gaza. Thus, Israel traded "land for peace."
But no peace resulted.
When Israeli soldiers were kidnapped, bombings continued, and rocket attacks commenced, Israel responded. Given their recent attempts to play the "land for peace" game, Israel has earned the right to decimate Hezbollah.
Yet Kofi Annan has called an emergency UN meeting and leaders all over the world are calling on Israel to stop the offensive. A draft French resolution would established a buffer zone in southern Lebanon that would be, in theory, free of both Israeli troops and Hezbollah. Unfortunately, the latter's propensity for using civilian areas, and even UN outposts, as barracks, offices, and fire bases would seem to put a damper on the French resolution.
The point here is that Israel is always asked to cease and concede while less stringent (or no) demands are made of its opponents. Thus, one would plausibly conclude that the game is rigged against Israel.
We in the United States are taught ad nauseam to understand the unsocial behavior of other groups and countries because of their plight. We must, they say, not pass judgment because there are good reasons (usually "poverty") behind, say, theft or poor education outcomes or violent demonstrations. Yet, no such deference is given to Israel's Jews, a group that has historically been persecuted and is currently surrounded by countries and terrorist groups that have vowed to deprive them of their very existence.