by Jay Shapiro
Arutz Sheva Israel National Radio http://www.arutzsheva.org
Broadcast on March 2, 2000 / Adar Aleph 25, 5760
In this article:
1. Land As A Tool
2. The Ultimate Secular Redemption
3. Exhausted Israelis
4. The Impact On Diplomacy
LAND AS A TOOL
Some 20 years ago, Prof. Shlomo Avineri of Hebrew University wrote a book
called "Variations of Zionist Thought." In his introduction, Avineri notes
that the dream of "redeeming the Land" accompanied Jewish life throughout
the long exile, but it never had a practical application. As long as we
were able to survive as Jews, we gave little consideration to a major move
back to Eretz Yisrael. As the Enlightenment scored a breach in the
traditional world, those who wished to remain Jewish - but who were no
longer sure that traditional Judaism was the proper way in which to do this
- began to look for other solutions.
This is where the Land of Israel entered the practical thinking of the
modern Jew. Although the goal of the secular Zionists was to liberate the
Jewish people, they felt that a renewed national identity had to be related
somehow to the physical, geographical cradle of the Jewish nation. For the
early Zionist thinkers, however, Eretz Yisrael served only as a tool by
which to help formulate a modern Jewish identity. The liberation of the
land, for them, then, was not a goal in and of itself, but was merely the
means to an end. For those Jews for whom the land possesses no inherent
holiness, the Land of Israel could potentially be dissected, if necessary,
as long as some territory - however small - remained.
THE ULTIMATE SECULAR REDEMPTION
When Shimon Peres first began talking of his "New Middle East," he declared
that Israel would become the "Hong Kong" and "Singapore" of the region.
These exotic places are largely business and tourism centers. Although
Singapore does have an army, Hong Kong is wholly dependent upon the good
will of its owner, China. The Hong Kong-Singapore model lay at the
foundation of the Peresian proclamation that hotels perched on the banks of
the Kinneret are more crucial for Israel than fortresses and tanks.
His vision prompted me to reflect on the differences between the religious
and secular visions of redemption. Whereas the religious Zionist believes
in the ultimate redemption of the Jewish people, the redemption of the land
and the coming of the Messiah - his secular counterpart has two Messiahs:
Hi-tech and tourism, and "peace." For the religious Zionist, Elijah will
proclaim the coming of the Messiah; for the secular Zionist, "Peace" will
herald the onset of hi tech and tourism - what I call the "ultimate secular
redemption."
Peres, Barak and company probably would not mind if Israel were to be
reduced to the area in and around metropolitan Tel Aviv. While serving as
Minister of Interior, Barak outlined his plan for the future of Israel.
Barak wrote in the September 20th edition of the Jerusalem Post that Israel
would eventually house 12 million people, all packed into an area
characterized by far fewer land resources and less green space. If the
Barak vision comes to fruition, the Israeli urban octopus will extend its
tentacles to Haifa in the north and Ashkelon in the south. Put simply, our
beloved homeland would be transformed into a well-planned concrete,
high-rise ghetto.
EXHAUSTED ISRAELIS
The ultimate secular redemption has been helped along by several subtle,
behind-the-scenes forces. Writing in a recent edition of Commentary
Magazine, Daniel Pipes explains that "fatigue takes many forms in
contemporary Israel. The pervasive feeling that they have fought long
enough and that the time has come to settle, leads many to express openly
their annoyance with the need for military preparedness and the huge
expense of maintaining a modern armed force. At the same time, Israel's
soaring economy has given many citizens a taste for the good life that
cannot be easily reconciled with the need for patience and fortitude - and
especially sacrifice... And Israelis are tired of the moral opprobrium
their country has long suffered - at the UN, in western academic circles
and in editorial boardrooms. Indeed, in an extreme reaction to this
ongoing moral ostracism, some of the country's foremost intellectuals have,
as it were, defected. They have accommodated sizable chunks of the Arab
side's version of the Arab-Israel conflict, promulgating them as important
new truths."
THE IMPACT ON DIPLOMACY
Pipes then examines the political and diplomatic implications of Israeli
fatigue and self-absorption, noting "how little attention Israelis are
paying these days to their Arab neighbors." Israelis, says Pipes, are
convinced that the region's Arabs share Israelis' hopes and dreams for the
future. "According to a survey conducted by the Jaffee Center at Tel Aviv
University," Pipes writes, "fully two-thirds of Israelis now agree with the
following dubious assertions: that most Palestinians want peace; that
signing agreements will end the Arab-Israel conflict; and that if forced to
choose between negotiations and increased military strength, Israel should
choose negotiations. Prime Minister Barak perfectly sums up this outlook in
his repeated invocation of a peace that will 'work for everyone,' the
unspoken assumption being that Arabs no less than Israelis seek to resolve
their conflict on harmonious terms..."
Pipes calls "a delusional but widespread assumption" the Israeli belief
that peace in the Middle East is ours for the making, and that Israel can
"solve" the Palestinian problem by acceding to the creation of a state in
the West Bank and Gaza. A similar delusion is that Israel "can eliminate
anti-Zionism by helping to funnel money to the Arabs, who will use their
newfound affluence to become good neighbors or - in the post Zionist
scenario - it can win Arab hearts by dismantling the Jewish character of
the Jewish state." Such false illusions have prompted Israelis to be
willing to transfer "hard earned territory...in the hope that their
troubles will thereby disappear."
Whether such troubles will indeed disappear, time will surely tell. A
better bet for a more promising Jewish future, in my view, involves a
reversal of the post-Zionist doctrine. Instead of viewing our land as a
mere tool, let's begin to appreciate the inherent holiness of Eretz
Yisrael. Let us resume the historical Jewish longing for the ultimate
Messianic redemption, instead of its shallow secular counterpart. Perhaps
by readjusting our perceptions, we can once again regain our composure and
our sorely-lacking national-self confidence. Should we choose to follow
this recipe, perhaps we will experience a fresh appreciation of our Arab
neighbors, and thus an alternate understanding of their vision of a "new
Middle East."
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