David Brooks on Israel

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April 17, 2009 9:57 am

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David Brooks did a remarkable job in describing the many facets of Israel in a short article. I would like to add few points.

Israel is certainly a Western country in many ways. Every Prime Minister there is harshly criticized after short time in the office. The only way for a Prime Minister to enjoy wide support while leaving the office is to die (or be killed) at that time. Israel also participates actively in world economy in high tech and defense; it precedes the US in exports to India. It is a democracy, at least in the sense of criticizing everything in a strong language. In American sense the style of Rahm Emanuel, before he "mellowed out" is a good example of it, except that in Israel such style is the rule rather than an exception. The local bickering. although superficially of Middle Eastern variety, is in fact a proud heritage of the shtetl in Eastern Europe.

Contrary to the US TV image Israel provides a feeling of personal safety to a walker in its streets. I felt much safer at night in Arab quarters of Jerusalem than in Binghamton, NY.

In spite of rhetoric, nuclear Iran is not a strategic threat to Israel. It is though one against the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and other moderate countries in the region. The strategic objective of Iran is toppling the regimes in moderate Arab countries and controlling the oil in the Middle East. The anti-semitic rhetoric and active support of Hezballah and Hamas is a tool in achieving Iranian aims in the region because their public relation value in the Islam world. The denial of Holocaust goes hand in hand with Hamas Charter, according to which the Jews initiated Second World War (The French Revolution, The Russian Revolution and the First World War too) to make money and form their state.

The left and the neo-liberals use to praise the "vitality," of the Islamist terror organizations, apparently the 21st century variety of opium for intellectuals. Well, Israel is much more vital, and stronger too.

— Aharon Meytahl, Vestal, New York