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Tags: conference-of-presidents-of-major-jewish-organizations, fatah, hamas, jewish-forward, malcolm-hoenlein
Richard, it is only because I read your blog regularly that I don’t suspect your loyalty to Israel and zionism. Every once in a while, though, your rhetoric implies otherwise. Your use of the term “pro-Israel” implies an extremist, ideologically-driven, anti-peace agenda. I don’t want to debate (at least for now) the various merits of particular organizations. What bothers me is your willingness to define “pro-Israel” in a way that excludes yourself. You’ve argued before that your views are shared by many on the Israeli Left, whom I don’t doubt are pro-Israel in the true sense of the term, even if I disagree with them.. Why do you buy into the view, so prevalent among genuine Israel-hating anti-zionists and antisemites, that “pro-Israel” is synonymous with war-mongering?
David: In the vast majority of cases in which I use that term I append the terms “hardline,” “extremist” or “right-wing” so as to distinguish bet. being simply in favor of Israel (which I’m all for) and in favor of a particular hardline ideological position. Above, I used the term ‘neocon’ along w. pro-Israel (and ‘fatcat’ as well) in order to describe Hoenlein & his fellow Jewish ‘leaders.’ And if I do use the term pro-Israel by itself in one particular place in a post it’s usually because I’ve already mentioned the term “hardline” previously associated w. it & so believe it be to understood that I’m talking about one particular extreme version of being pro-Israel.
I consider myself ‘pro-Israel’ in a strictly literal sense. And I have said this before here. But that term has been hijacked by the Aipacs of this world so that I can no longer call myself that w/o possibly being misunderstood by LGFers who may mistake me for a fellow traveler (till they read me that is). Instead, I call myself a progressive Zionist & use that term fairly often here. I’m sure you understand that someone who uses the term ‘Zionist’ to describe themselves considers themselves to be a supporter of Israel.