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 …
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 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.