Even as the largest protest ever for a hostage deal was taking place, a leading Israeli public intellectual reminded us that there's no reason to assume that any deal is even possible.
I have followed Einat Wilf for years - ever since I had her speak on Peoplehood to a group of Catholic high school teachers that I brought to Israel. She should be required reading for all diplomats, negotiates and people in the State Department. Her analysis is always clear, eloquent and well thought out. Agree with her or disagree but she should never be ignored. That Israel is being torn apart by rules imposed on it by possibly well-meaning, but certainly misguided allies is tragic. Everything about this situation is tragic and how it will resolve is not yet written. But we, at least, must be clear-headed and not turn on one another.
The hostage families have become the tools of the Israeli Left in their quest to topple Bibi’s government. And both are Sinwar’s useful idiots in his jihad against the Jewish State.
I agree as far as it goes. Why should we allow ANY supplies to the enemy even by Egypt? Did the U.S. allow supplies to get to Japan during WWII? Or Germany? I fully agree that these "negotiations" is simply a funhouse mirror of the overall "peace process" negotiations in which we fail to reckon with the other sides beliefs and interests. I don't know if the hostages can be rescued. But they aren't going to be freed through negotiating with Sinwar.
I know a woman who many years ago at the age of 35 contracted meningococcal meningitis. To save her life, doctors had to amputate both her legs above the knee. She went on to raise two happy, kind, charitable and successful sons, and has lived to enjoy playing with her grandchildren. It gave me no pleasure to hear the doctors tell me they had to amputate my wife’s legs. And there isn’t a day that goes by that I wish I could have done something, anything, to have saved her the pain, both real and emotional, of having to live without them. But once she contracted that disease there was in fact nothing I could have done. And because the amputations allowed her to live, the well-being of her children was assured. It gives me no pleasure - none at all - to say: as with my wife’s legs, so with the hostages.
This is why I read ‘Israel From the Inside,’ because I know I will hear both sides from people whose voices have credibility. On so many other apps I begin reading and then recognize the ‘wing’ to which the app belongs and so disengage or delete the text. As Jews we need balance from our sources. Truth is hard to ascertain but we must attempt to search for it and pray that ultimately our beloved Israel will find the best way to resolve this crisis and give solace to all its citizens and the world’s Jews.
Dr. Wilf's analysis is brilliant. But how do we convince the Israeli populace to accept it and implement it? Perhaps today's murder of 3 of our policemen by a Jordanian driver of an aid truck will be the instigation to stop this foolhardy aid.
What makes this approach difficult is first and foremost that the U.S., Israel’s indispensable ally, has been trying to “micromanage” the war against Hamas since the beginning. The U.S. leadership has been saying things like: There’s going to be a famine; too many civilians are dying, you can’t go into Rafah, etc. and warning of reduced military and/or political support. The UN, ICC, etc.don’t directly impact the war but they certainly impact public opinion in other countries which leads to political actions against Israel. Finally, the weak U.S. leadership that removed sanctions against Iran has provided Hamas and other terror groups ( Hezbollah, etc.) with vast amounts of funds, arms, etc. to be the highly armed groups that they have become. Ultimately, I believe that Israel will have to adopt a policy for the future that there will be no negotiations for hostages, but in the current situation, I believe that Israel has had a social contract with it’s citizens that implies/ requires that the utmost be done to set them free and this should definitely be honored now.
The fact that 150,000 citizens of Israel came out to demonstrate for their fellow Israelis speaks volumes about the character of the people that many of us are blessed to call or own. It is a people like no other on this earth.
I have followed Einat Wilf for years - ever since I had her speak on Peoplehood to a group of Catholic high school teachers that I brought to Israel. She should be required reading for all diplomats, negotiates and people in the State Department. Her analysis is always clear, eloquent and well thought out. Agree with her or disagree but she should never be ignored. That Israel is being torn apart by rules imposed on it by possibly well-meaning, but certainly misguided allies is tragic. Everything about this situation is tragic and how it will resolve is not yet written. But we, at least, must be clear-headed and not turn on one another.
The hostage families have become the tools of the Israeli Left in their quest to topple Bibi’s government. And both are Sinwar’s useful idiots in his jihad against the Jewish State.
I agree as far as it goes. Why should we allow ANY supplies to the enemy even by Egypt? Did the U.S. allow supplies to get to Japan during WWII? Or Germany? I fully agree that these "negotiations" is simply a funhouse mirror of the overall "peace process" negotiations in which we fail to reckon with the other sides beliefs and interests. I don't know if the hostages can be rescued. But they aren't going to be freed through negotiating with Sinwar.
I know a woman who many years ago at the age of 35 contracted meningococcal meningitis. To save her life, doctors had to amputate both her legs above the knee. She went on to raise two happy, kind, charitable and successful sons, and has lived to enjoy playing with her grandchildren. It gave me no pleasure to hear the doctors tell me they had to amputate my wife’s legs. And there isn’t a day that goes by that I wish I could have done something, anything, to have saved her the pain, both real and emotional, of having to live without them. But once she contracted that disease there was in fact nothing I could have done. And because the amputations allowed her to live, the well-being of her children was assured. It gives me no pleasure - none at all - to say: as with my wife’s legs, so with the hostages.
This is why I read ‘Israel From the Inside,’ because I know I will hear both sides from people whose voices have credibility. On so many other apps I begin reading and then recognize the ‘wing’ to which the app belongs and so disengage or delete the text. As Jews we need balance from our sources. Truth is hard to ascertain but we must attempt to search for it and pray that ultimately our beloved Israel will find the best way to resolve this crisis and give solace to all its citizens and the world’s Jews.
Dr. Wilf's analysis is brilliant. But how do we convince the Israeli populace to accept it and implement it? Perhaps today's murder of 3 of our policemen by a Jordanian driver of an aid truck will be the instigation to stop this foolhardy aid.
What makes this approach difficult is first and foremost that the U.S., Israel’s indispensable ally, has been trying to “micromanage” the war against Hamas since the beginning. The U.S. leadership has been saying things like: There’s going to be a famine; too many civilians are dying, you can’t go into Rafah, etc. and warning of reduced military and/or political support. The UN, ICC, etc.don’t directly impact the war but they certainly impact public opinion in other countries which leads to political actions against Israel. Finally, the weak U.S. leadership that removed sanctions against Iran has provided Hamas and other terror groups ( Hezbollah, etc.) with vast amounts of funds, arms, etc. to be the highly armed groups that they have become. Ultimately, I believe that Israel will have to adopt a policy for the future that there will be no negotiations for hostages, but in the current situation, I believe that Israel has had a social contract with it’s citizens that implies/ requires that the utmost be done to set them free and this should definitely be honored now.
The "utmost" that you speak of may not be what you think of as the "utmost". Beauty is often only in the eye of the beholder.
The fact that 150,000 citizens of Israel came out to demonstrate for their fellow Israelis speaks volumes about the character of the people that many of us are blessed to call or own. It is a people like no other on this earth.