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
Chris USA: Israel is in the grip of a python that is slowly squeezing the life out of it. How long can it pretend time is on its side before it admits its lethargy has turned into paralysis?
Sharona Jerusalem Israel: JoeG from the US YES, THE WHOLE WORLD CAN BE WRONG. Take a look at the Western World as Hitler was rising to power in the 1930's. All wrong. RE: Arab citizens-when they do 2 or 3 years of national service like their Jewish peers then they can compete equally for jobs they are qualified for. Until then, IDF vets and national service vets should get preference. This should apply to Haredi Jewish shirkers as well. Let the Arab residents pay their municipal taxes and fix their infrastructure. What Israel actually does makes no difference. The anti-Semites will never pay any attention to facts!
McQueen, NY: I think it's asking too much for people to hire those Arabs who don't serve in the army or even in national service over an equally qualified Jew. How will that help anything? It will only increase the sense of entitlement. On the other hand if one encounters an Arab who has served his country, then, sure, treat him as well as you humanly can.
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