I don't think the hypersensitivity is about antisemitism as much as it is about the perception of Israel being in a position of absolute power and dominance and enjoying the backing of the evil US. In such a situation, the underdog gets the sympathy from the Left, even when it is undeserved. The Arabs/Iran are counting on a net gain of s…
I don't think the hypersensitivity is about antisemitism as much as it is about the perception of Israel being in a position of absolute power and dominance and enjoying the backing of the evil US. In such a situation, the underdog gets the sympathy from the Left, even when it is undeserved. The Arabs/Iran are counting on a net gain of sympathy for their purposes after provoking a second Nakba through the atrocities we saw, reasoning that the discourse long-term will be about the leveling of Gaza and the killing of thousands of civilians by the IDF, not about what provoked it.
I agree with this assessment, but I was speaking more to a certain subconscious response to antisemitism which is to confirm other people's negative presumptions about Jews in exchange for their approval. Playing the "good Jew," basically. I'm not sure the author quite does that here, but it explains the tendency among a certain sect of Israeli society to obsess over the wrongs of the IDF. Any fair society should monitor its own wrongdoings, but amplifying them to the world to make yourself seem superior really rubs me the wrong way.
The author’s essay is similar to what an American soldiers in Afghanistan would have written. The desire for peace even when it appears absolutely impossible is because they are living or paid the cost of war. The huge difference in culture I.e. in Afghanistan villages women’s hands, ears, and noses are mutilated as punishment and a medic did not offer aid to a woman because his touch could dishonor her. Like the writer guarding the gate, there is behavior one cannot understand and then the immediate connection of two boys improvising a soccer game. Add to this “good Jew” or the “American values” that are the expectation of the people and politicians at home. In the US, it was Afghan girls going to school and democracy. Israel too thought that magically democracy with a two state solution would come to a society that continually demonstrated that they did not want it. Hopefully, soldiers can expect citizens to listen, understand, and appreciate that they served their country and did their duty and in the authors case returning to serve again. Maybe instead of denigrating remarks and demanding more from soldiers, we should expect better from ourselves, civilians and politicians.
I don't think the hypersensitivity is about antisemitism as much as it is about the perception of Israel being in a position of absolute power and dominance and enjoying the backing of the evil US. In such a situation, the underdog gets the sympathy from the Left, even when it is undeserved. The Arabs/Iran are counting on a net gain of sympathy for their purposes after provoking a second Nakba through the atrocities we saw, reasoning that the discourse long-term will be about the leveling of Gaza and the killing of thousands of civilians by the IDF, not about what provoked it.
I agree with this assessment, but I was speaking more to a certain subconscious response to antisemitism which is to confirm other people's negative presumptions about Jews in exchange for their approval. Playing the "good Jew," basically. I'm not sure the author quite does that here, but it explains the tendency among a certain sect of Israeli society to obsess over the wrongs of the IDF. Any fair society should monitor its own wrongdoings, but amplifying them to the world to make yourself seem superior really rubs me the wrong way.
The author’s essay is similar to what an American soldiers in Afghanistan would have written. The desire for peace even when it appears absolutely impossible is because they are living or paid the cost of war. The huge difference in culture I.e. in Afghanistan villages women’s hands, ears, and noses are mutilated as punishment and a medic did not offer aid to a woman because his touch could dishonor her. Like the writer guarding the gate, there is behavior one cannot understand and then the immediate connection of two boys improvising a soccer game. Add to this “good Jew” or the “American values” that are the expectation of the people and politicians at home. In the US, it was Afghan girls going to school and democracy. Israel too thought that magically democracy with a two state solution would come to a society that continually demonstrated that they did not want it. Hopefully, soldiers can expect citizens to listen, understand, and appreciate that they served their country and did their duty and in the authors case returning to serve again. Maybe instead of denigrating remarks and demanding more from soldiers, we should expect better from ourselves, civilians and politicians.
So well said.
Unfortunately your final sentence above is exactly what's going to happen.