jews d

TIMES OF ISRAEL/YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90

in
the

Expert’s Opinion

WSJ columnist
Bret Stephens
weighs in on
Israel, the media,
Trump and more.

KERI GUTEN COHEN
STORY DEVELOPMENT EDITOR

ABOVE: Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu shows his
map of Israel’s world relations
at a session of the Knesset State
Control Committee last July.
To his side is committee chair
Karin Elharar of Yesh Atid.

B

current Saudi government. Its purpose is
ret Stephens, a Pulitzer Prize-
to coordinate action wherever possible
winning foreign-affairs columnist
against terrorists, Sunni as well as Shi’ites,
for the Wall Street Journal as well as
and their state sponsors, chiefly Iran.
the paper’s deputy editorial page editor,
Longer term, it ought to lead the Middle
will speak at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 26,
East toward a set of values that are more
at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield at a
tolerant, political, pluralistic and,
Jewish National Fund event.
ultimately, democratic. The
Stephens, a former editor-in-
chances of this happening are
chief of the Jerusalem Post, will
greater today than they were 10
speak on the topic, “U.S. and the
years ago.
Middle East — Where Do We Go
This creates a long-term vision
From Here?” The JN caught up with
attractive to the Middle East’s ner-
Stephens for comment on some
vous rulers and provides a hopeful
timely topics before his speaking
vision for ordinary Middle Eastern
engagement.
Bret Stephens
citizens who want to be ruled nei-
Some say conditions are ripe
ther by theocrats nor autocrats.
for an enduring agreement
As to the Palestinians, the idea of
between Israel and the major-
a two-state solution makes sense in theory,
ity Sunni countries that want to keep
Iranian influence from expanding in the but won’t make sense in practice until
Palestinians demonstrate they are capable
region and whose long-held positions
on Palestinian statehood are negotiable. of governing themselves without threaten-
ing their neighbors.
Based on the current situation, what
The relationship between Israel and
counsel would you give the Israeli gov-
American Jews has a tradition of bipar-
ernment?
tisanship. While about 70 percent of
Stephens: Israel’s long-term goal in
American Jews continue to vote for
the Middle East ought to be to partici-
Democratic presidential candidates,
pate and lead an Alliance of Moderates
exit polls showed support for Israel
and Modernizers throughout the region,
is less likely a deciding factor in how
including the Egypt of Abdul Fattah el-
Jewish Democrats vote. Does biparti-
Sisi, the United Arab Emirates, Hashamite
san Jewish American support for Israel
Jordan and the modernizing forces of the

matter in 2017? If so, what should the
Israeli government be willing to do to
maintain it?
Stephens: It remains vitally important
that support for Israel remains fully bipar-
tisan, not simply for the sake of Israel
itself, but also for the moral health of both
Democratic and Republican parties.
Support for Israel among Republicans is
a reminder to conservatives that America
benefits from allies and that isolationism
can never be our policy; and it is a remind-
er for Democrats that supporting a liberal
democracy like Israel means distancing
themselves from the siren song of progres-
sivist totalitarianism that makes common
cause with terrorists and religious extrem-
ists in the Middle East.
I am confident that Israel will be able
to survive whatever happens in American
politics, but I wonder whether American
politics can remain healthy if one or both
of its major parties disavows the cause of
the Jewish State.
You have been critical of conserva-
tives and Republicans for sacrificing
long-held principles to embrace posi-
tions championed by President Trump
on trade, immigration, infrastructure
spending and global leadership. With
the recent unsuccessful effort to repeal
and replace “Obamacare,” do you see

continued on page 18

jn

April 13 • 2017

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