I just came across one of the most absurd articles I’ve read in a while, by a certain Kenneth Levin, a clinical instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a Princeton-trained historian, a commentator on Israeli politics and an author of a book I’m sure is full of more nonsense called “The Oslo Syndrome: Delusions of a People Under Siege”.
The article lists some so-called seven pillars of Middle East reality that he thinks stand in the way of peace with Israel.
Here are the seven points and what I think of each one:
Arab leaders have no interest in genuine peace with Israel
This can’t be more wrong; the Arab leaders wouldn’t want anything more than to have the whole Israel-Palestine problem solved, a peace established, the ability to move on and leave the whole thing behind them. In fact, a number of the Arab regimes, if not most of them, already have secret ties with Israel, and are just waiting for the chance to make them public and announce normalization. Plus more and more of these Arab regimes are coming to think that the only way to help solve the Palestinian problem is by building ties with Israel. All this might be against the will of their people, but the leaders and regimes would do anything to move on and put this problem behind them.
Israeli-Arab peace will come on the Arabs’ timetable
Israeli-Arab peace will come on both side’s timetables, just like any other peace agreement, and the proof is that the Arab leaders have proposed peace and normalization deals with Israel several times that ended up in the bin because Israel wasn’t willing to move from its side. If anyone, it’s Israel that’s setting its timetable, not the Arabs.
All minorities living within the Arab world are under siege
This is very very wrong, and a trip to any country in the Arab world where a religious minority exists can show that; Jews in countries like Tunisia and Morocco, Christians in countries like Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, and the list continues; These people enjoy all their rights and freedoms, and live in peace alongside Muslims.
The Arab world is not about to make an exception for the Jews
Again, echoing the previous point, Jews have been living in many Arab countries for decades and centuries without any problems; the Israel-Palestine problem has nothing to do with Arabs or Muslims discriminating against Jews, it’s a problem over land between two people: Palestinians from all religions and Israelis from all religions.
Arab regimes also demonize non-Muslim and non-Arab peoples living beyond the Arab world
Apart from a very small minority of radical extremists this is not true, in fact the opposite holds with most people idealizing the west, admiring them and being very open to learning from them and getting in touch with them.
The concern of so-called “moderate” regimes with the threat posed by radical forces in the region has not altered these realities
Radicalism and extremism is a threat the whole world faces as a whole, not against what is called Islamic-extremism but extremism in general, including Christian and Jewish extremism and the kind of extremism that’s rising in countries like the USA. Unless we all face this threat together, things will only keep getting worse.
Those who urge an American return to Realpolitik in Middle East policy are promoting a delusion
I think there should be a real American return to playing a role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, period! The Middle East policy of the US in the past years, the Bush years, has been solely focused on launching wars in the region, and totally neglecting the Israeli-Palestinian problem, giving Israel the green light to do as it pleases.
In the end, I just wish people would take the time to at least do some research before penning such absurd articles and publishing them online only to make fools out of themselves.
I’m glad you’ve pointed to the partisan inconsistencies in this article. I laugh at his assertion that the sheer number of Arabs makes them THE dominant force in the region. By this logic, China and India should be controlling the world right now. And although he sensationalizes the Saudi Arabian issue, I do think the influence of Wahhabism throughout the Muslim world is an issue of concern. But, you’re right, all forms of extremism, no matter the ideology, need to be countered.
I agree with Akram–it’s a chuckleheaded article. (I spent a few years at Harvard; it’s got quite a few chuckleheads.)
Oh, MMM, you might want to take a look at Akram’s blog. Apparently Tom Delay is comparing himself to victims of the Holocaust. (Akram shares with us the fact that he lives in Mississippi. Hopefully it’s become a far more enlightened and tolerant state than when I was last there, five years ago.)
Well, good reply, but I should tell you that such extremists as Kenneth Levin are far far away from reality and their thoughts do not need to be read or answered. Even Sharon or Ben Laden won’t believe this.
greeting from the south
Jimbo,
Wish I could tell you that MS has changed much, but it hasn’t. It’s gotten a little better, but not much.
Last weeks Pambazuka Review of African Blogs:
http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/blog/40723
Arab leaders have no interest in genuine peace with Israel
This can’t be more wrong; the Arab leaders wouldn’t want anything more than to have the whole Israel-Palestine problem solved, a peace established, the ability to move on and leave the whole thing behind them. In fact, a number of the Arab regimes, if not most of them, already have secret ties with Israel, and are just waiting for the chance to make them public and announce normalization. Plus more and more of these Arab regimes are coming to think that the only way to help solve the Palestinian problem is by building ties with Israel. All this might be against the will of their people, but the leaders and regimes would do anything to move on and put this problem behind them.
This is true of some Arab countries, but not others. Dictatorships such as Syria, Saudi Arabia, and even Egypt (despite signing a peace treaty with Israel) like to demonize Israel, so as to redirect resentment towards their own regimes. Hostility is to their advantage, so why would they want to end it?
Israeli-Arab peace will come on the Arabs’ timetable
Israeli-Arab peace will come on both side’s timetables, just like any other peace agreement, and the proof is that the Arab leaders have proposed peace and normalization deals with Israel several times that ended up in the bin because Israel wasn’t willing to move from its side. If anyone, it’s Israel that’s setting its timetable, not the Arabs.
Israel has no territorial dispute with any country except Syria and the Palestinians. So why haven’t the other 20-something Arab countries made peace with Israel? Because Israel refuses to give up… what exactly?
All minorities living within the Arab world are under siege
This is very very wrong, and a trip to any country in the Arab world where a religious minority exists can show that; Jews in countries like Tunisia and Morocco, Christians in countries like Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, and the list continues; These people enjoy all their rights and freedoms, and live in peace alongside Muslims.
This is wishful thinking at best, an outright lie at worse. Christians are emigrating en masse from Lebanon, Iraq, the Palestinian territories and other places due to the hostility of their neighbors. Try googling “copts persecution” to read about how Egypt treats its Christian minority. If that’s “rights and freedoms”, then I shudder to imagine what “persecution” would be.
The Arab world is not about to make an exception for the Jews
Again, echoing the previous point, Jews have been living in many Arab countries for decades and centuries without any problems; the Israel-Palestine problem has nothing to do with Arabs or Muslims discriminating against Jews, it’s a problem over land between two people: Palestinians from all religions and Israelis from all religions.
Since 1948 the population of Jews in Arab countries has gone from over 1 million to about 15,000. This is the most complete ethnic cleansing in the world since the Holocaust. And we’re supposed to call this “living without any problems”?
Arab regimes also demonize non-Muslim and non-Arab peoples living beyond the Arab world
Apart from a very small minority of radical extremists this is not true, in fact the opposite holds with most people idealizing the west, admiring them and being very open to learning from them and getting in touch with them.
Tell that to the thousands of Muslims who protested the Danish cartoons. Or better, tell that to the nuns and other Middle Eastern Christians who were murdered because they happened to share a religion with the Danes.
The concern of so-called “moderate” regimes with the threat posed by radical forces in the region has not altered these realities
Radicalism and extremism is a threat the whole world faces as a whole, not against what is called Islamic-extremism but extremism in general, including Christian and Jewish extremism and the kind of extremism that’s rising in countries like the USA. Unless we all face this threat together, things will only keep getting worse.
Do you really mean this, do you have any sort of plan for moving against extremists of all kinds? Or is this just an excuse for inaction regarding Muslim extremists?
When I go to the airport, it’s pretty clear that the guards protect me against Muslim extremists, not Christian or Jewish ones. We know who the isolated nutcases are – Christian and Jewish. And we know which religion has a history of hijacking planes and bombing restaurants and buses.
Those who urge an American return to Realpolitik in Middle East policy are promoting a delusion
I think there should be a real American return to playing a role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, period! The Middle East policy of the US in the past years, the Bush years, has been solely focused on launching wars in the region, and totally neglecting the Israeli-Palestinian problem, giving Israel the green light to do as it pleases.
Look, I don’t think invading Iraq was a good idea either, and I don’t know how to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But just as a technical comment, the term “realpolitik” means “politics based on reality”. Unfortunately that term cannot be used to describe anything you wrote.
Arab leaders have no interest in genuine peace with Israel
This can’t be more wrong; the Arab leaders wouldn’t want anything more than to have the whole Israel-Palestine problem solved, a peace established, the ability to move on and leave the whole thing behind them. In fact, a number of the Arab regimes, if not most of them, already have secret ties with Israel, and are just waiting for the chance to make them public and announce normalization. Plus more and more of these Arab regimes are coming to think that the only way to help solve the Palestinian problem is by building ties with Israel. All this might be against the will of their people, but the leaders and regimes would do anything to move on and put this problem behind them.
This is true of some Arab countries, but not others. Dictatorships such as Syria, Saudi Arabia, and even Egypt (despite signing a peace treaty with Israel) like to demonize Israel, so as to redirect resentment towards their own regimes. Hostility is to their advantage, so why would they want to end it?
Israeli-Arab peace will come on the Arabs’ timetable
Israeli-Arab peace will come on both side’s timetables, just like any other peace agreement, and the proof is that the Arab leaders have proposed peace and normalization deals with Israel several times that ended up in the bin because Israel wasn’t willing to move from its side. If anyone, it’s Israel that’s setting its timetable, not the Arabs.
Israel has no territorial dispute with any country except Syria and the Palestinians. So why haven’t the other 20-something Arab countries made peace with Israel? Because Israel refuses to give up… what exactly?
All minorities living within the Arab world are under siege
This is very very wrong, and a trip to any country in the Arab world where a religious minority exists can show that; Jews in countries like Tunisia and Morocco, Christians in countries like Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, and the list continues; These people enjoy all their rights and freedoms, and live in peace alongside Muslims.
This is wishful thinking at best, an outright lie at worse. Christians are emigrating en masse from Lebanon, Iraq, the Palestinian territories and other places due to the hostility of their neighbors. Try googling “copts persecution” to read about how Egypt treats its Christian minority. If that’s “rights and freedoms”, then I shudder to imagine what “persecution” would be.
The Arab world is not about to make an exception for the Jews
Again, echoing the previous point, Jews have been living in many Arab countries for decades and centuries without any problems; the Israel-Palestine problem has nothing to do with Arabs or Muslims discriminating against Jews, it’s a problem over land between two people: Palestinians from all religions and Israelis from all religions.
Since 1948 the population of Jews in Arab countries has gone from over 1 million to about 15,000. This is the most complete ethnic cleansing in the world since the Holocaust. And we’re supposed to call this “living without any problems”?
Arab regimes also demonize non-Muslim and non-Arab peoples living beyond the Arab world
Apart from a very small minority of radical extremists this is not true, in fact the opposite holds with most people idealizing the west, admiring them and being very open to learning from them and getting in touch with them.
Tell that to the thousands of Muslims who protested the Danish cartoons. Or better, tell that to the nuns and other Middle Eastern Christians who were murdered because they happened to share a religion with the Danes.
The concern of so-called “moderate” regimes with the threat posed by radical forces in the region has not altered these realities
Radicalism and extremism is a threat the whole world faces as a whole, not against what is called Islamic-extremism but extremism in general, including Christian and Jewish extremism and the kind of extremism that’s rising in countries like the USA. Unless we all face this threat together, things will only keep getting worse.
Do you really mean this, do you have any sort of plan for moving against extremists of all kinds? Or is this just an excuse for inaction regarding Muslim extremists?
When I go to the airport, it’s pretty clear that the guards protect me against Muslim extremists, not Christian or Jewish ones. We know who the isolated nutcases are – Christian and Jewish. And we know which religion has a history of hijacking planes and bombing restaurants and buses.
Those who urge an American return to Realpolitik in Middle East policy are promoting a delusion
I think there should be a real American return to playing a role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, period! The Middle East policy of the US in the past years, the Bush years, has been solely focused on launching wars in the region, and totally neglecting the Israeli-Palestinian problem, giving Israel the green light to do as it pleases.
Look, I don’t think invading Iraq was a good idea either, and I don’t know how to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But just as a technical comment, the term “realpolitik” means “politics based on reality”. Unfortunately that term cannot be used to describe anything you wrote.