by Barry Rubin
I was actually astonished at how this column was even more valid than it was when it was first written. See if you agree:
Underlying any other factor regarding
attitudes toward Israel in the Media-University-Government (MUG)
complex is the programmatic and ideological problem faced in honestly
understanding and explaining Israel’s behavior.
To report truthfully would require comprehending and communicating the following two paragraphs:
–Most Israelis believe, on the basis
of their experience during the 1990s’ Oslo era and with the “peace
process” generally, that Palestinian leaders cannot and will not make
peace, and that most Arabs and Muslims still want to destroy Israel. As a
result, they explain, past Israeli concessions have made Israel’s
situation worse, risks to show that Israel wants peace have not
persuaded onlookers, withdrawals from territory have only led to that
territory being used to launch attacks on Israel.
–In justifying their stance, Israelis
cite the extremism of Iran; the advances of Hamas and Hizballah; the
growing radicalism and Islamist influence in the Egyptian revolution,
and other such factors. In addition, they worry that the Obama
Administration policy is undermining Israel and enabling a growing
extremism in the region. This is a prevailing viewpoint across the
political spectrum.
I could have chosen to make additional
points but this shows the main factors. Since the Israeli argument is
so cogent and backed by facts and observable realities, it would be
dangerously persuasive to those who actually get to hear it.
Instead, the muggers of MUG must insist:
–Peace would be easily and quickly obtained if not for Israel’s policies.
–Settlements and not Arab/Muslim
positions are the factor preventing peace, even though it could be
pointed out that if the Palestinians made peace all the settlements on
their territory would be removed.
–If Israel only had a different government the peace process would rapidly advance.
–Obama and his supporters want to save
Israel in spite of itself and they, not Israel’ own leadership, knows
what’s best for the country.
–Israelis “know” that Obama is right
which is why public opinion polls, statements, and evidence to the
contrary is suppressed or spun away. American Jews can support
anti-Israel policies in the firm belief that they are really
“pro-Israel” policies.
–They have only replaced demonizing
the “other” with romanticizing the “other.” Never underestimate the
importance of ignorance or of its common form—believing that other
people think and act just like themselves. The “great experts” really
know very little about the issues. (I could give you a long and amusing
list on that point.)
–It is far more pleasant to believe
that conflict can be made to disappear, hatreds quenched. If they are
all our fault than we can easily fix them.
(No sooner did I write this that up pops a great example of the genre! It’s all Israel’s fault, Netanyahu never showed he wanted peace, blah, blah, blah.)
Or, in short, “Why do they hate us?” because we’ve behaved so badly but we can fix it by behaving properly.
Consequently, the systematic
misrepresentation isn’t because these people are mean or that they hate
Israel as such (well, actually, a lot of academics but relatively few
journalists or government officials do) but because their worldview and
political line–including 100 percent support for Obama–requires it.
Equally, their systematic view that
revolutionary Islamism isn’t a real threat but just a marginal movement
of those who misunderstand Islam and want to hijack it, requires it.
Equally, their systematic view that to portray certain peoples as
hardline, intransigent, “irrational,” etc., is a form of racism and
Islamophobia.
I constantly receive letters from
Iranians, Turks, Lebanese, Egyptians, and Syrians about their despair at
losing their country, being oppressed, or seeing so much bloodshed in
their struggle for democracy and to avoid being crushed by Islamist or
radical nationalist dictatorships.
Genuinely moderate Muslims in the West
have similar complaints and experiences. One case that typifies many is
of a courageous man who is shunned by the politicians, virtually barred
from the two mosques in his small city, and sees those who threaten him
being praised in the media and feted by local politicians.
These people often have similar
symptoms. They are depressed, often close to tears, deeply frustrated,
and bewildered. What makes their lot even more bitter is the lack of
sympathy for the Western MUG that praises their enemies (and all of
ours) at the same time. They, too, are victims of the same syndrome that
Israel suffers from.
One of the worst things in life is for
someone to wake up and discover he’s been supporting evil. Indeed, not
only an evil in the abstract but forces and ideas that threaten his own
freedom and happiness. A lot of people in the West have already woken up
but many more need to do so.
Barry Rubin
Source: http://www.gloria-center.org/2013/11/why-most-of-the-mass-media-cant-report-honestly-on-israel-or-other-middle-east-issues/
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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