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Guest Columnist
Editorial
The Synagogue Picketers'
Intellectual Assumptions
Ann Arbor
A
s the weekly picket of
Beth Israel Congregation
in Ann Arbor by self-
styled Jewish Witnesses for Peace
and Friends now enters its eighth
year, it may be an appropriate time
to consider the central assump-
tion on which the picketers' eight-
year project rests. In
essence, the pickets
claim that because Jews
dictate America's Israel
policy, the picketing of
synagogues is justified
to weaken the "Jewish
lobby."
To be sure, it is not
coincidental that the
country with the larg-
est, wealthiest Jewish
community is also the
one with the most con-
sistently pro-Israel for-
eign policy. AIPAC, the American
Israel Public Affairs Committee, is
rated as the second most-effective
lobby in Washington. But as a total
explanation of U.S. behavior, the
above thesis, which aligns with
John Mearsheimer and Stephen
Walt's widely criticized book The
Israel Lobby, is inadequate.
First, this thesis emphasizes
domestic influences on policy
formation to the total exclusion
of strategic influences, when, in
fact, the benefits to the U.S. of an
Israeli alliance have been consid-
erable. As the region's dominant
power, Israel has crushed states
hostile to America, protected
American clients like Jordan and
provided invaluable intelligence
on Soviet and Iranian capabilities.
The year 1967 was a watershed in
American-Israeli relations because
the Mideast strategic balance, not
American domestic politics, saw a
sea change.
If the Israel lobby dictated
Mideast policy, that policy would
defer reflexively to Israeli positions.
But in practice, whenever differ-
ences arise, American self-interest
normally trumps that of Israel.
We see this, for example, in the
U.S. decision in 1992 and 1999 to
help bring down two Likud gov-
ernments, not because the Israeli
lobby pressured it to do so — on
ferent from some 90 percent of
Americans. What is more, polls
show, Jews as a group support sub-
stantially more dovish Israeli poli-
cies than the general population.
Surely, most people at Beth Israel
Wider Israel Support
Congregation, insofar as they care
The second intellectual danger
about Israel one way or another
inherent in a single-minded
(and a surprising number have no
focus on Jewish influence is that it
interest), fit this description.
ignores pro-Israel sentiment in the
Why, then, should a group that
general American popu-
wants "peace" picket an expressly
lation. Some 80 percent
religious institution that takes
of Jewish votes, and a
no position of any sort on Israeli
comparable proportion
policy and whose individual mem-
of campaign gifts, go to
bers are more dovish than other
Democratic presidential
Americans? Why not picket AIPAC
candidates. But George
or the Republican Party, which —
W. Bush may have been
unlike Beth Israel — are expressly
the strongest supporter
political institutions? If one must
of Israel ever to occupy
profane religious worship with
the White House, while
Barack Obama is seen by demonstrations, why not target
Christian Zionist churches, which
many Jews as one of the
are far more popular and influ-
weakest. Zionist funding
ential than synagogues? For that
of congressional races is
negligible, and what money there is matter, why not picket the Ann
goes overwhelmingly to Democrats. Arbor mosque?
On some level, one would like
Yet Republican congressmen —
to imagine, the picketers are well-
exactly one of whose 290 current
meaning people animated by
members is Jewish — are no less
empathy for the "weak." But at the
supportive of Israel than their
same time, their actions suggest
Democratic counterparts. Indeed,
that
they are in thrall, consciously
sympathy for Israel tends to cor-
or
unconsciously,
to three clas-
relate with political conservatism,
sic
assumptions:
a)
An essential
as suggested by a 2010 poll showing
Jewishness
renders
all
synagogue
that, while 63 percent of Americans
worshippers,
hundreds
of people
identified more with Israel than
about
whose
personal
views
the
the Palestinians (compared to 15
picketers
know
absolutely
nothing,
percent who identified more with
Palestinians), the pro-Israel propor- indistinguishable from one anoth-
er, and all worthy of weekly harass-
tion among Republicans was 85
ment, insult and vituperation; b)
among
independents
60
percent,
Jews exercise enormous power
percent and among Democrats 48
outside public view; c) the very
percent.
Hence, many of the most ardently same behavior that is acceptable
in non-Jews —including religious
pro-Israel voices come from areas
concepts of nationality and politi-
in the South, the West and the
cal violence — are unacceptable
Midwest with virtually no Jewish
when committed by Jews.
voters and no Jewish lobby, but
Where in 20th-century history
many conservative Christians.
have we seen deployed these same
Without this generalized goodwill
deeply pernicious images of Jewish
toward Israel, Jews — only 1.8 per-
essentialism, secret Jewish power
cent of Americans — would find
and unique Jewish depravity?
themselves completely isolated.
the contrary, the chief Zionist
lobbies were pro-Likud — but
because the U.S. decided that Likud
opposed basic American goals.
A Curious Target
Obviously, many Jews are more
emotionally and financially com-
mitted to Israel than the general
U.S. population. But in their sup-
port for the principle of a secure
Jewish state, Jews are no dif-
Victor Lieberman of Ann Arbor, a
member of Beth Israel Congregation,
is the Marvin B. Becker Collegiate
Professor of History at the University
of Michigan, where he teaches a large
lecture course on the Arab-Israeli
conflict.
Israel's Prudent Pursuit
Of More Potable Water
reshwater is virtually worth its weight in
gold in the arid Middle East. It sustains life.
And it's central to the discussion of the now
off-again peace talks between the Israelis and the
Palestinians. Access to water inevitably will be a fun-
damental part of any future agreement.
Against this backdrop, Israel is building one of the
largest water desalination plants in the world - eager-
ly awaited by all Israelis as well as the Palestinians,
who rely on drinking water from the Jewish state. The
plant, in Sorek in central Israel, is projected to open
in 2013.
Expectations are daunting: About 250 cubic meters
of desalinated water will flow each year, a fifth of the
water used by Israeli households. The cost is nine
figures - $400 million. But Israel's Foreign Ministry
underscored that the water crisis had to be confront-
ed with gusto.
Contrary to public reports, the amount of water
that Israel supplies to the Palestinian Authority (P.A.),
which governs the West Bank, exceeds the terms set
forth in the 1995 Oslo II accords. Equally notable, the
P.A. has mismanaged its water resources at a high
loss rate - a third of its total water supply. The con-
sequence is a water shortage in Hebron and other
Palestinian towns. In contrast, the Israeli water net-
work's average water loss is just 11 percent.
In many respects, the Palestinians knowingly skirt
the Israeli-Palestinian Joint Water Committee. This is
yet another stark example of how Israel has extended
thirst-quenching support to the West Bank only to be
rebuffed by the intended beneficiaries.
Consider as well: The Palestinians invoked politics
to reject a plan that would have created a water
desalination plant in the Israeli coastal city of Hadera
specifically to serve the West Bank. Their surreal
claim: They shouldn't have to pay for water derived
from Israeli access to the sea. "The U.S. had set aside
$250 million for the project, which could have yielded
a huge increase in the amount of available water for
the Palestinians," reports the Israeli Water Authority.
And because the Palestinian Water Authority didn't
build enough water treatment centers as called for
by Oslo II, 65 percent of West Bank wastewater flows
untreated into streams and the countryside. Israelis
also are subject to the pollutants.
Once the Sorek plant is up and running, Israel will
boast four desalination plants. Then, 65 percent of
Israel's household water needs will come from desali-
nated water.
Oded Fixler, acting director general of the Water
Authority, told JTA: "Israel's water reserves are below
the red line, agriculture is receiving a reduced quan-
tity of water and Israel's residents are being asked to
continue their efforts to save water as a regular way
of life. Streamlined use and intelligent management
of the water sector will guarantee its growth for the
benefit of all Israel's consumers."
Amid the threat of terrorist attack on several
fronts, Israel is focusing hard on freshwater needs -
as it should.
June 23 - 2011
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