Obama Says Israel’s Prosperity Obstructs Peace

[Ed Hudgins]

Obama Says Israel’s Prosperity Obstructs Peace
By Edward Hudgins

March 31, 2016 --

President Obama seems to blame the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict on, of all things, Israel’s prosperity. Not only is Obama wrong. If he understood the moral source of Israel’s affluence, he’d understand the avenue to peace.
 

Israel's economic strength 

Asked at a town hall meeting about that conflict, the president replied that “in some ways because Israeli society has been so successful economically, it has I think from a position of strength been less willing to make concessions. On the other hand, the Palestinians because of weakness have not had the political cohesion and organization to enter into negotiations and feel like they can get what they need.”

Is Obama right? To answer this question, we need to step back and look at some basic facts.
 

The values of Israel

Jews began coming to what was then Turkish-governed (later British-governed) Palestine in the late 1880s. Those from Eastern Europe were escaping the ghettos into which they were confined and subjected to periodic pogroms. Those from Western Europe saw continued anti-Semitism and their legal rights of citizenship as too tenuous a protection for their lives. The fears of those Zionists were proven all too right by Hitler and his henchmen. After World War II, Holocaust survivors sought refuge in Palestine.

Once in Palestine, Jews worked what some called a miracle. They purchased land, created settlements, introduced advanced agricultural and irrigation practices, and literally made the desert

bloom. They founded Tel Aviv as a modern, Westernized city. Indeed, today Israeli firms and entrepreneurs are cutting-edge techno-leaders: “Silicon Wadi” is that country’s equivalent of Silicon Valley.

In other words, the two top values defining Israeli society are life and productive achievement.
 

The values of Palestinians

When Israel declared itself a country per a United Nations resolution, David Ben Gurion promised the new state “will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants... (Continue reading here.)

[anthony]

Very nice, and it had to be said, Ed. You indicate the modern sickness affecting us all in all parts, which the contrast in values between Palestine and Israel is in microcosm. The disease one sees is that it doesn't do for one (or a people) to place maximum value in himself, his life and his future, as he will be despised for it; but in reverse, disvalue your life and sacrifice your children's futures and you attract everlasting aid, esteem and pity. Or, to mangle the famous saying - the love of the 'bad' for being the 'bad'. Your President seems to suffer from it some and he's not alone.

Memories are short, it wasn't so long ago that Israel pulled out lock, stock and barrel from Gaza, as they are now pressured to do from the West Bank. As I'm always reminding folks, the Gazans had every opportunity to be an independent nation with a flourishing economy and a fine tourist destination on the Med - by now. An example, for the West Bank to follow. Instead, they and their leaders would rather sacrifice their lives and their kids to some glorious future when Israel is defeated.

Peace? The Palestinians are the least desiring of peace, it's time western leaders realized and openly admitted this. Theirs is not forgivable ignorance entirely, I'm convinced, but a deeper prejudice against Israel and its success, as Obama almost stated outright. Let's make Israelis stew in uncertainty a little, and they will come down from their high horse and petition for any unstable settlement - has been his tactic and purpose all along, I think.