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That's not a very accurate description

Reader comment on item: When Israel Stood Up to Washington [in 1981]
in response to reader comment: Looking back at History

Submitted by Esther (Israel), Apr 15, 2010 at 03:31

The Romans finally turned Judea into a province of the Roman empire and oppressed the Jews in various ways. Hopefully the US isn't about to occupy Israel as part of an endless imperialist expansionism, maybe because the US isn't in the habit of doing such things...

So what do you think the Jews should learn from this episode? I'm not sure what's you're suggesting, so I'll suggest 2 very different options:

A. Always bow your head and do whatever the superpower demands of you. That sounds pretty rational if your only interest is physical survival, but what if we prefer death to slavery?

OR

B. Never be a client state of any superpower.

What the Jews actually learned from it is:

1. Internal wars between the Jews will bring our demise. An excellent lesson, still alive at least in the minds of Israeli Jews (though not always followed closely enough).

2. Don't upset the nations (kind of like option A above). A terrible lesson. Where did it get us? Millennia of persecutions, expulsions, massacres and finally genocide. Maybe all of this would still have happened if we did choose to be more aggressive in defending ourselves and our existential interests, but the fact is bowing our heads and being utterly defenseless didn't save us from the wrath of the powerful. When you allow people to treat you like a doormat, they will treat you like a doormat. Israel has made a lot of concessions and is willing to make more, but not for nothing or in return for more war, bloodshed and terror. Israel is the only party that is constantly pressured and condemned, while it's the Arabs who reject any agreement that includes accepting the existence of Israel as a Jewish state. It's irrational of the West to expect us to commit suicide. If the West decides Israel must stop existing, then the West should kill us or hand us over to Muslims all by itself, it can't expect us to sign our own death sentence.

The problem with Israel is that it's a small state with very strong enemies. Maybe less so militarilly for the time being, but they have the oil, numbers, territory, huge important market for all kinds of exports, dominating block in the UN, money to invest in political influence, propaganda, Western universities, NGOs, strong lobbies, growing minorities in the West which translates to voting power. They can hardly be pressured. Only Israel can be pressured. But just to the edge of the cliff, not beyond it. PM Olmert already offered to the Palestinians everything except the liquidation of Israel as a Jewish state, after which Abbas said the gaps are still wide. So if now the reincarnation of the Roman empire tells us: 'Jump off the cliff or we'll push you over', I say: 'Push us over'. Though even Obama's America still has a long way to go before it turns into anything like the Roman empire. The EU is somewhat closer...

What we should do while we're still alive is try to strengthen our ties with other powers, not have all our eggs in one basket. Israel has a knack for technology, but limited resources because of its size. India, on the other hand, is a huge country that always wanted an independent military industry. Maybe if we joined to create an industrial partnership both states could be more independent. Maybe join with some other betrayed American allies. Maybe some kind of union of democratic states could help empower us against powerful unions such as the Islamic OIC, the Arab League, the EU. They all have unions. We stand as separate individual states, each depended on some power or another. India and other democratic states are the ideal choice. But if the US throws us under the bus and India isn't interested, then maybe some less than ideal rising power. Maybe China as long as they commit not to sell the technology to the Muslims (fat chance). I don't care anymore, I just want to live.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (63) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
4Begin reaction to the America duplicity: [117 words]levy benjaminOct 7, 2010 21:57179068
1Begin also stood up to the settlers [149 words]CalebApr 23, 2010 23:32171625
Israel standing up to Washington [64 words]IsaacApr 21, 2010 17:46171542
Israel, stand up to Obama [264 words]Nelson D'SilvaApr 21, 2010 04:24171524
Mystery of Mysteries [68 words]CanaanApr 27, 2010 23:45171524
Obama true dislike for Israel [95 words]Isaac FlaksApr 14, 2010 11:14171312
The State of Israel [160 words]sandra JohnsonApr 16, 2010 14:37171312
Appeasement never works [165 words]Clifton ChadwickApr 13, 2010 07:53171271
Time to Stay Focused [168 words]Jay 1Apr 12, 2010 23:09171257
Begin was great, but Shamir even better. [32 words]R. S. DavisApr 12, 2010 13:09171229
1Stand Israel, stand up to Obama! [129 words]Tony JordanApr 11, 2010 15:21171193
You made me lonesome for both Reagan and Begin. [145 words]batya daganApr 10, 2010 00:59171143
Looking back at History [162 words]Debanjan BanerjeeApr 9, 2010 23:00171142
That's not a very accurate description [673 words]EstherApr 15, 2010 03:31171142
My reply to Esther [31 words]Debanjan BanerjeeApr 16, 2010 00:12171142
More reply to Esther [209 words]Debanjan BanerjeeApr 16, 2010 00:22171142
Our dear Deb and his masters the Arabs [110 words]dhimmi no moreApr 17, 2010 09:32171142
Indian Muslims and their arab Masters!! [194 words]JaladhiApr 19, 2010 16:49171142
My reply to DNM [167 words]Debanjan BanerjeeApr 20, 2010 03:46171142
Our dear Deb and Omar al-farooq and you need to stick to Urdu! [428 words]dhimmi no moreApr 21, 2010 07:07171142
My reply to DNM [503 words]Debanjan BanerjeeApr 23, 2010 00:48171142
The islamic comedy goes on and on and our dear Deb has no clue what the word extant really means [679 words]dhimmi no moreApr 24, 2010 06:44171142
My reply to DNM [57 words]Debanjan BanerjeeMay 2, 2010 08:18171142
Omar al-farooq and the islamic comedy [119 words]dhimmi no moreMay 4, 2010 06:30171142
WARNING TO AMERICA - [179 words]Gordon WeareApr 9, 2010 00:28171108
LEADERSHIP. I mean REAL leadership. [242 words]Gordon WeareApr 9, 2010 00:12171107
1No fear of Israeli nukes [53 words]PPSApr 9, 2010 00:05171106
Saudi's King Abdullah has won the heart and the mind of our President [298 words]BAApr 8, 2010 22:42171103
The Western media doesn't agree to publish such things [250 words]EstherApr 15, 2010 04:52171103
Well done Israel [18 words]Straight_Talk_LuigiApr 8, 2010 16:10171093
Israel Then - Israel Now - Nothing New Under the Sun [477 words]M. ToveyApr 7, 2010 13:20171062
What did Begin achieve ? [47 words]Lars Bjørn Helm NielsenApr 7, 2010 03:06171044
"Standing up to Washington" [269 words]Marian HenningsApr 19, 2010 19:30171044
Standing up to Washington - Ben-Gurion [167 words]YJ DraimanSep 3, 2017 18:25171044
Standing up to Washington threat - Ben-Gurion [951 words]YJ DraimanSep 3, 2017 18:45171044
"how the Mighty Have Fallen" [93 words]Chaya PassowApr 7, 2010 02:19171043
Israel needs leaders that are strong enough to stand up for Israel , always. April 2010 [51 words]Phil GreendApr 6, 2010 23:47171040
When once upon a time.... [235 words]Jay1Apr 6, 2010 21:52171037
Feelings for Israel [152 words]Quenten L Raney JrApr 6, 2010 20:30171034
Begin noble hero: Obama evil appeaser. [103 words]Ralph C. Whaley MDApr 6, 2010 20:02171030
Standing up to Washington [227 words]Carmen Waggoner, Ph.D.Apr 6, 2010 19:44171028
NETANYAHU VS. BEGIN [104 words]JACQUES HADIDAApr 6, 2010 18:20171023
Where is Menachem Begin when we need him (May his memory be blessed!) [142 words]FroikeApr 7, 2010 13:25171023
Israel (and its leaders) - then and now [268 words]Raymond in DCApr 7, 2010 21:12171023
No banana republic [66 words]Rebecca MouldsApr 6, 2010 18:06171022
Right words, wrong person [91 words]PaulApr 6, 2010 16:34171019
When Israel stood up to WA--when Israel was governed by heroic men, not wobbly grovelers. [293 words]SC4Z (Secular Christians for Zion)Apr 6, 2010 15:53171016
Courage in the Leaders [94 words]Clifton MobergApr 6, 2010 15:14171014
Then and Now [9 words]Herbert FriedmanApr 6, 2010 14:11171012
2Canaries in the Mine [457 words]Charles S. GilinskyApr 6, 2010 12:57171010
Thank You DR. Pipes [101 words]T & JApr 6, 2010 11:40171006
Will Bibi find inspiration in his forefathers [34 words]steven LApr 6, 2010 10:18171003
The USA govt (executive Branch) must understand how important Israel is as an Ally! [47 words]Benny ZeeApr 6, 2010 09:30171000
be a friend, not a patsy [109 words]Z. JohnsonApr 6, 2010 09:16170999
I agree! [36 words]Thomas FApr 6, 2010 08:37170997
Begin: a Mixed Bag [143 words]John W. McGinleyApr 6, 2010 07:46170996
Netanyahu was humiliated...by his own constituents. [64 words]CalebApr 26, 2010 11:08170996
President Obama is wrong [311 words]shimshon issakiApr 6, 2010 07:05170994
Interesting [26 words]NashApr 6, 2010 06:01170993
THE 11TH. COMMANDMENT. [314 words]IamJosephApr 6, 2010 03:03170987
Correct. The 2-state is really a 3-state [106 words]EstherApr 15, 2010 05:14170987
Israel set back on its heels [147 words]Abu NudnikApr 6, 2010 01:57170983
The 11th Commandment [11 words]SC4Z (Secular Christians for Zion)Apr 6, 2010 19:23170983

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