Tuesday May 19, 2009
Posted by Edwin Bennatan
Counterpoint to:
The Limits of Force in the Middle East
"Between the late 1970s and 1990s, I was one of those foreigners who progressively fell out of love with Israel."
Max Hastings, former editor of The Daily Telegraph
University of Oxford Lecture
On May 7, Sir Max Hastings, former editor of the Daily Telegraph, went to Oxford University to tell his story of Israel and how he fell out of love with the country and its people.
During more than fifty years, it has been my experience that most of those who fell in love with Israel ultimately fell out of love with the Jewish state. Among Israel's friends and foes, I have seen admiration and respect for Israel survive the test of time, and occasionally among its friends even affection, but not love.
Thursday Dec 11, 2008
Posted by Edwin Bennatan
Counterpoint to:
Try tough love, Hillary
"Nobody's been more solidly pro-Israel than Hillary Clinton. But to be effective, she must become a tough taskmaster. That is in the best long-term interest of Israel."
Roger Cohen
The New York Times
December 1, 2008
Columnist Roger Cohen, writing in the New York Times, believes that the next US secretary of state should apply pressure on Israel, and should do so as a friend. Israel, he implies, is incapable of doing what is good for it and therefore needs a friend, such as Hillary Clinton, to force it into acting in its best interest. She must be "a tough taskmaster", opines Cohen.
To some of us this attitude may sound extremely condescending, yet it is not new. The United States has applied pressure on Israel on numerous occasions in the past, and there are some prominent Israelis who share Cohen's view that this is what we now need.
Thursday Oct 02, 2008
Posted by Edwin Bennatan
Counterpoint to:
A last chance for peace in Israel?
"It's a sign of how desensitised Israel has become to the violence committed in its name that the potential indictment for war crimes of Livni's main rival, Shaul Mofaz, was barely an issue."
Johann Hari
The Independent (London)
September 22, 2008
Here are four interesting stories. If you bear with me, I will link them later.
The first story is rooted in the Taba negotiations when, in January 2001, the Palestinians rejected peace proposals from President Clinton and from Israel. Two years later Yasser Arafat lamented his mistake in offhandedly rejecting the offers, but in the intervening time he and his people had launched one of the worst waves of violence and terror Israel had ever witnessed. It became known as the second intifada.
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About this blog
Point / Counterpoint
A response to selected commentary about Israel in the world press, from an up-close observer of the Middle East for more than fifty years.
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Recent Comments
Robert Kenner, New York, USA: Tom Friedman has written some great op-eds, but this is not one of them. His succumbing to political correctness is sad, but not surprising. If he had written that Israel has made several serious attempt to reach a peace agreement and it is the Palestinians who have rejected these efforts, then he would indeed have lost quite a bit of his readership. Friedman is not a Charles Krauthammer, and he wouldn't survive a New York minute in the NYT if he was.
norwegian: #4: You have to understand that for the folks here at JPost, there is no greater sin than being a "arab-lover".. It doesnt matter what he says, it doesnt matter what his arguments are. He is a lefty arab lover, and so should be ignored, just like the presiudent of the United States. Its called a echo-chamber, I do believe.
Joseph London: I was born the same month and year as the State of Israel, so I've lived through her history.Israel seems to win every war to destroy her and Israel also seems to be expected to make every concession to terrorists like Arafat. Throughout history the victor has tended to call the tune, aside from Israel. I would suggest that Egypt take responsibility for Gaza and Jordan take resposibility for the West Bank. Let Arab states rule Arabs. Israel and Jordan can share Jerusalem.
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