"Apparently, somewhere within the US establishment it was decided that the American imperial interests are not being served by Israel, and moreover, that the Jewish establishment has become too overbearing and bitchy for its own good. It was decided that the Jewish shrew must be tamed, and so she shall."
-From Godspeed to Gaza, May 30, 2010
Now, this is coming from an 'internationally acclaimed writer', published in the middle east's leading english daily, Arab News.
Now, to believe that the Jewish 'shrew', as he wants to call it, is now being 'tamed' by the Obama administration, you must first believe in something called The Israel Lobby- the theory/idea that the U.S. caters and has catered to Israeli political interests for the past 50+ years due to an intimate and corrupt relationship between Jews and U.S. politicians. Furthermore, many arabs will go further and say the lobby controls Wall Street, and, as Mr. Shamir put it, 'Its fingers orchestrated the US media'. Ok, sounds like a big anti-Jewish conspiracy theory. Except, one thing is a little odd...
Israel Shamir is a Jew. Not by religion (come on, God has nothing to do with this), but by blood/heritage. Also, for what its worth, he became an Israeli Citizen in 1969, fought in the Yom Kippur War in '73, and studied law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Shamir is, by almost all accounts, Jewish.
The way I see it, the conspiracy theory proffered by Mr. Shamir and anti-semitic arabs throughout the levant and the greater middle east is not too far off from the prominent theories and ideas regarding Israeli-U.S. relations in some of the most elite universities in the United States. Political Science, Policy Studies, and International Relations classrooms, more often than not, are instructed by Professors who buy into neo-liberal, progressive intellectual movements that cite U.S.-Israeli relations as the root of all political turmoil in the Middle East. What I don't understand is this: Why are American Jewish students buying into these ideas?
I understand, with the nature of progressive politics in today's universities, it is preferable to be critical of U.S. policy in the middle east. And, even if you are an American Jew, you can believe whatever you want, that is what is beautiful about our country- we have the right to criticize our government in hopes of changing policy that we see as being unfair to ourselves or others. But WHY is this shift in U.S. policy, an abandonment of our support of Israel as the one bright, shining democracy in the Middle East, coming from the elite, educated American Jews (who, according to the theory behind 'The Israel Lobby', are the ones who have manipulated U.S. media and financial institutions in FAVOR of Israeli interests)?
I am certainly not alone in recognizing this trend (see Peter Beinart's article The Failure of the American Jewish Establishment in the New York Review of Books), and I predict it will only become more apparent as my generation begins to move up the ranks and more left-wing American Jews enter the policy-making arena in our government.
I also give credit for Mr. Shamir for recognizing the trend, although his reaction is more of a rejoice, while mine is more fearful:
"It appears that there is a forthcoming weather change: at least the older generation of Jewish leaders - conservative, belligerent, aggressive, suspicious - will give way to a new generation, that of Dan Axelrod, Rahm Emmanuel, J street and the like. Whether it will be a change of style or of substance, it is too early to say - but style is substance, too."
This is the beginning of a trend that could change U.S. politics forever. So my question to all of you is this: Which has more influence over the future of Israel, Hamas or the new generation of progressive American Jews?
In my belief, Obama is only the first vehicle through which the new policies to dismantle the age-old U.S.-Israeli relationship will be enacted.
Before commenting, please read all of Mr. Shamir's article. Thank you.
