A couple weeks ago, Israel earned itself more goodwill and made friends all over the globe by attacking a Turkish flotilla carrying relief supplies for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The Israelis were convinced this was not a humanitarian operation, but a terrorist one, so they boarded the boats, shot things up and killed some people. They justified their actions by claiming there were weapons aboard, but these weapons turned out to be a box of Bic shaving razors.
Israel's Belligerent-In-Chief Bibi Netanyahu displayed not the slightest bit of embarrassment or contrition. His bad-neighbor policy continues to be shoot first and ask questions later. If mistakes are made, well, tough shit. That's the price of self-defense. And Israel is always defending itself from one thing or another. Peace in the Middle East seems impossible.
It was in this time frame that a videographer asked veteran/ancient/decrepit White House reporter Helen Thomas what Israel could do to improve the situation. Helen looked into the lens and hissed, "Get the hell out of Palestine! Just go back home to Poland or Germany or wherever." Ooh, Helen, that's just a tiny bit anti-Semitic, don't you think? Apparently her bosses at the Hearst News Service thought so, because Helen announced her retirement the next day, ending a career that dates back to the days of John Quincy Adams.
Old Helen, who has some Palestinian ancestry, was clearly wrong to blurt out this bigoted sentiment. But there are plenty of bigots on both sides in the so-called Holy Land/Promised Land. Jews, Christians, and Muslims have been fussin' and fightin' over this patch of ground for literally thousands of years. That bit of British imperial wisdom which redrew the maps at the end of WW II and created Israel out of what had been Palestine has done nothing but fan the flames of resentment ever since.
What Helen suggested will never happen. Modern Israel will not go away. It has a right to exist, and its location makes historical sense. What does not make sense is the absence of a genuine Palestinian state. It's their land too. The only option with a snowball's chance in hell of maintaining peace in the region is the two-state solution. There must be a modern nation of Palestine, just as there is a nation of Israel. Most reasonable Israelis understand this and agree with it. Bibi's not one of 'em. Which is a shame.
Arabs and Jews have been behaving like spoiled children for far too long. It's time for some basic kindergarten rules: Share! Play nice!! Now!!! Please!!!!
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