For my entire adult lifetime, the mainstream American conversation about Israel-Palestine—the one you watch on cable television and read on the opinion pages—has been a conversation among political Zionists. Its participants have argued over how the Jewish state should behave, not whether it should exist. Last year that began to change. Palestinians entered America’s public discussion in an unprecedented way, and with their entrance, anti-Zionism entered too. In 2021, the terms of US discourse began to shift. The ramifications of that shift will likely be with us for decades to come.
I think it’s interesting that Beinart conflates criticism of Israel and anti-Zionism with “Palestinian voices.” Not all Palestinians are anti-Zionist, polls show about half support the two state solution. Or would he agree that more Palestinians like Khaled Abu Toameh and Bassem Eid should go on CNN?
The vast majority of Americans and in world are Zionists in the sense that they recognize Israel’s existence and don’t want to destroy it. Maybe then the reason why more Palestinians aren’t being interviewed is because they tend to be anti-Zionist, and that’s not what mainstream American media outlets want to present. They want to hear that the Palestinians are victims, and they want peace, but Israel won’t make peace with them. Not “from the river to the sea Palestine will be free.” I weep for the Palestinians if the only representation they have are those who want to fight endlessly until Israel is destroyed. That won’t end well for anyone.
It’s good for the Palestinians that they have entered mainstream media, though I would disagree with the author about the extent to which they have penetrated mainstream American society. It is too bad those who get there are the anti-peace, anti-Jewish rights, anti-Zionist ones. I would also disagree with the author and say that the Palestinian perspective has been heard, but has traditionally come from anti-Zionist Jews like the author, not Palestinians themselves. Maybe the author should delete his substack and make room for actual Palestinians.
Perhaps another reason why most conversations are between hawkish Zionists and dovish Zionists is because among Zionists there are actual differences of opinion. Among pro-Palestinians, anti-Zionism is the order of the day and as far as I can tell little to no dissent is tolerated. Just ask Norman Finkelstein. In other words it doesn’t matter how many social media followers Nora Erekat has if she’s saying the exact same things as Peter Beinart and every other anti-Zionist on the planet.
In conclusion, it’s great that those Palestinians who are there are representing their community in the media. It’s just too bad that those representatives are opposed to peace and Jewish rights.
I think it’s interesting that Beinart conflates criticism of Israel and anti-Zionism with “Palestinian voices.” Not all Palestinians are anti-Zionist, polls show about half support the two state solution. Or would he agree that more Palestinians like Khaled Abu Toameh and Bassem Eid should go on CNN?
The vast majority of Americans and in world are Zionists in the sense that they recognize Israel’s existence and don’t want to destroy it. Maybe then the reason why more Palestinians aren’t being interviewed is because they tend to be anti-Zionist, and that’s not what mainstream American media outlets want to present. They want to hear that the Palestinians are victims, and they want peace, but Israel won’t make peace with them. Not “from the river to the sea Palestine will be free.” I weep for the Palestinians if the only representation they have are those who want to fight endlessly until Israel is destroyed. That won’t end well for anyone.
It’s good for the Palestinians that they have entered mainstream media, though I would disagree with the author about the extent to which they have penetrated mainstream American society. It is too bad those who get there are the anti-peace, anti-Jewish rights, anti-Zionist ones. I would also disagree with the author and say that the Palestinian perspective has been heard, but has traditionally come from anti-Zionist Jews like the author, not Palestinians themselves. Maybe the author should delete his substack and make room for actual Palestinians.
Perhaps another reason why most conversations are between hawkish Zionists and dovish Zionists is because among Zionists there are actual differences of opinion. Among pro-Palestinians, anti-Zionism is the order of the day and as far as I can tell little to no dissent is tolerated. Just ask Norman Finkelstein. In other words it doesn’t matter how many social media followers Nora Erekat has if she’s saying the exact same things as Peter Beinart and every other anti-Zionist on the planet.
In conclusion, it’s great that those Palestinians who are there are representing their community in the media. It’s just too bad that those representatives are opposed to peace and Jewish rights.