Friedman to Palestinians: “Make Israelis Feel Morally Insecure”
April 4, 2012 16:28 by Simon Plosker
Thomas Friedman
In his latest New York Times opinion piece, Thomas Friedman advocates Palestinian “non-violent resistance”:
By Palestinians engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience in the West Bank with one hand and carrying a map of a reasonable two-state settlement in the other, they will be adopting the only strategy that will end the Israeli occupation: Making Israelis feel morally insecure but strategically secure. The Iron Law of the peace process is that whoever makes the Israeli silent majority feel morally insecure about occupation but strategically secure in Israel wins.
What strikes me most about Friedman’s opinions is just how out of touch he is with the everyday reality of ordinary Israelis (and I count myself as one). His idea rests on the faulty premise that the so-called peace process is about ending Israeli control over disputed territories claimed by the Palestinians.
This cannot be the end game of a peace process. The vast majority of Israelis of all political colors yearn for real peace. If Friedman believes that the relinquishing of Israeli controlled territory is a successful outcome of his vision of Palestinian non-violent resistance then he’s deluding himself.
What about peace itself? Friedman mentions Egypt’s Anwar Sadat as an example of successful peacemaking. Yet, it wasn’t “moral insecurity” or even “strategic security” that convinced mainstream Israelis to support giving up the Sinai and concluding a peace treaty. It was the simple act of Sadat clearly and publicly stating his desire for peace with Israel that broke down the barriers of mistrust.
This is something that Israelis have yet to hear from the Palestinian leadership whose idea of “non-violent resistance” is not Friedman’s naive vision of sit-ins, boycotts and hunger strikes but a full-on campaign of delegitimization of Israel being waged via diplomatic, political, cultural and media spheres.
This form of so-called “non-violent resistance” isn’t going to make Israelis feel morally insecure even if they are in favor of relinquishing territory.
Instead of encouraging an assault on Israel by non-military means, isn’t it about time that Thomas Friedman started to advocate for a peace process that actually involves making peace?
The land for peace formula has been proven faulty by virtue of Palestinian reactions to Israeli concessions. So why then is Friedman intent on promoting a land for nothing formula?
Annie
1:41 pm
Apr 05, 2012
Mr, Friedman, as an Israeli, fighting for justice, our Jewish homeland and a lasting peace does not make me feel “morally insecure.” Remember this – “Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity” – Martin Luther King, Jr
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Tuvia Fogel
4:34 pm
Apr 05, 2012
“So why then is Friedman intent on promoting a land for nothing formula?” Easy, because rockets falling on Tel Aviv after Israel cedes Judea and Shomron will not affect swarthy, wealthy journalists living in New York. Oh, and even if that should happen – which it won’t, because Israelis are not as stupid as Friedman and Abbas would like – don’t expect Friedman to say ‘Ooops, sorry!’. Just like the Oslo scum, he’s waaay too arrogant for that.
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Rob Blum
4:24 am
Apr 06, 2012
simon, well written. Friedman has been a pompous darling of the center left in the us for a while. Note that this particular op-ed, like so many others i have read in the nyt, makes no mention of the big issue preventing any Israeli-Palestinian settlement — the Palestinian “right of return” issue. shhhh, let’s just be quiet about that one and maybe it will go away…
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Friedman an die Palästinenser: “In Israel für moralische Verunsicherung sorgen” « Medien BackSpin
4:09 pm
Apr 06, 2012
[...] HonestReporting Media BackSpin, 6. April 2012 [...]
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Harvey
1:23 am
Apr 09, 2012
Friedman buys into the same tired old rhetoric we have heard ad nauseum . If only Israel would withdraw from the west bank peace will undoubtedly ensue .
The rejoiner to that is of course what prevented the Palestinians from declaring their much vaunted nationhood at anytime between 1947 and 1967 when there was no so called occupation and no settlements . Of course the fact is there has never been any intent as far as accepting a two state solution . The objective has always and will always be the eradication of Israel and its replacement by an Islamic state . 67 was an unfortunate setback in achieving that goal and the fact is Palestinians and their supporters simply believe they are entitled to return to the 67 starting line without any concessions and without stating an acceptance of Israel as a Jewish state while maintaining their own ROR . This in itself demonstrates the impossibility of a solution based simply on a withdrawal from the West Bank . It’s high time journalists such as Friedman started asking a few questions of the Palestinians as to what they intend to bring to the table instead of always looking to israel first . But as we always come to expect from the bien pensants of the left , that will never happen .
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steve mann
5:50 pm
Apr 14, 2012
I have recently listened to a video of Melanie Phillips giving a talk in the USA-
She concludes by saying- Worse than the Liberal Left Wing condemning Israel, even worse than the Islamist wanting to destroy Israel- Is the Jew who wants to destroy Israel.
This man gives such credence to her words!
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Israeli American
4:49 pm
Apr 16, 2012
Land for peace failed before and there’s no reason to expect it to work with a culture that doesn’t understand compromise or sharing. 1. We gave Sinai for peace, but it depended on one man. 2. If we do the same again, it still depends on one man. If Hamas comes in like in Gaza, we will be left with no land and no peace. 3. Arabs won’t let Jews live in the new “state”, but Arabs live throughout Israel. Where is the justice and logic in this? 4. Other than an election in Gaza which brought in Hamas, do we really know what all Muslims living in the proposed PA state want? Why are there polls showing that over 40% of these people would prefer a Jewish run state, stating that if they could, they’d move to a Jewish area rather than living in a Palestinian state?
A PA state in Israel is not the answer. The refugees should have been absorbed in another Muslim country, as the 800,000 Jews expelled from Arab lands were absorbed in Israel and elsewhere. Israel is not for sale or barter. It’s the only home for us Jews who really want to live Jewishly. We must not give away any more land.
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usa4ever
5:58 pm
Apr 16, 2012
We know how disingenous Friedman and his ilk are. I wonder: What kind of response I would get if me and my buddies would practice some civil disobedience of our own with a flash mob in his office? I’m sure he would feel very morally secure and call security and police.
Arabs have lied to 3 generations of their progeny and brain-washed them into believing that they will eventually create another Arab country where Israel is now. It is not a negotiating ploy that useful idiots like Friedman and other pseudo-Jews believe. The Arabs have no intention of ever making peace with Israel. Otherwise, they would have to face their own people.
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Paul Tenenbaum
10:36 pm
Apr 16, 2012
The trouble nowadays is that whoever speaks and writes often is looked upon someone who knows and understands. I do not know where Tom gets his information, and I assume he has to gather his wits whenever he is invited to appear on a TV talk show.
We all must remember: in 1948 Israel ACCEPTED the partition, although by right of the League of Nations (1922) Israel would have been much, much larger. I believe the Jewish people after the Holocaust were exhausted and were not looking for a fight. Hence our unpreparedness.
The Arabs, on the other hand REJECTED OUTRIGHT the partition and attacked the brand new State.
The Arabs gambled and they lost. We do not want to absorb this “Palestine” into Israel because of cost and the number of people. But what should be done is remind them they had many opportunities to work with Israel and but they turned away. Frankly by NOT accepting 1948
they should accept whatever Israel will offer. Of course Israel will be under pressure to be generous– up to a point.
Tenpa
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Heather
4:15 am
Apr 17, 2012
Once again Tom Friedman acts like he knows it all. Maybe he should sit down and talk to some Holocaust survivors ( the few that are still living) so that he can really understand the issues of
insecurity whether it is moral or physical. Shame on you Tom Friedman , you are a disgrace to our Jewish people. You need to educate yourself a bit more before you become an authority on what is best for the Jewish people and Israel. You are too big for your boots; it’s time to remember where you came from and try and find some humility
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Carol
9:32 pm
Apr 19, 2012
Friedman, another useful Jew.
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Len Kurtz
2:54 am
Jun 21, 2012
Can we stop giving Friedman the time of day. He is just a blithering arrogant idiot.
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