.. . with which I entirely agreement. He writes:
One of the things that encourage Israel’s enemies is the idea that the Jewish state is only temporary: that it is just a passing problem, not here to stay. The existence of Israel is conditional at best: Maybe if they behave themselves, we’ll let them stick around for a few more years, until demographics overwhelm them . . .
It would be helpful to peace in the Middle East if Israel’s enemies could be absolutely sure that Israel is not going anywhere: that it is here to stay. Remember the old gay slogan? “We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it”? Israel’s enemies need to know something like that about Israel. But as long as they have the feeling that the world — you know: “the world,” as in the New York Times, the U.N., and Bono — is not really committed to the existence of Israel, they will push for Israel’s destruction.
They have never resigned themselves to Israel’s existence; they have never resigned themselves to co-existence. People like Helen Thomas make it easier for them not to resign themselves. People like Thomas give them hope — making them think, “Ah, maybe we can actually get rid of them. Not just extract a better deal, but get rid of them altogether!” . . .
Anti-Israel people, before, complained about Israeli policies. Now they are apt to complain about Israel, pure and simple. . .People say, with increasing frequency, “Why should there be a Jewish state? Isn’t that kind of racist — undemocratic?” There are 57 members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference — almost 60 states that identify themselves specifically as Muslim. The world has no problem with them: only with the tiny, dusty sliver that identifies itself as Jewish. The Jews were storm-tossed, homeless, for 2,000 years — dependent on the goodwill of host nations, dependent on the kindness of strangers. And yet the world begrudges their one dinky state.
We have no problem with Thais in Thailand; we have no problem with Senegalese in Senegal; we have a problem with Jews in Israel — never mind the 1.5 million Arabs who live there, enjoying rights that are unknown to most Arabs elsewhere. . . [more . . .]