Summer 2008

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Righteous Among the Editors: When the Left Loved Israel

Ronald and Allis Radosh

On the 60th anniversary of Israel’s founding, the argument that the Jewish state should cease to exist as a Jewish state may still be found in the pages of the flagship publication of the American left, The Nation. Last year, in a special issue devoted to Israel, the magazine’s editors noted that, although for many years the publication had supported a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a shift of “realities on the ground” mandated a shift in their thinking. If the age-old goal of a two-state solution fails—and the magazine’s editors suspect it might very well—then “the calls for inclusion on fully equal terms in one state will grow.” Americans thus have to “rethink our assumptions.”

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As much as I found Ronald and Allis Radosh’s article fascinating, I found the response from Katrina vanden Heuvel, Editor of The Nation, even more interesting. The interest lies not so much in what Ms. vanden Heuvel writes as in what she does not write. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to claim that the Radoshes have not laid out a serious indictment against The Nation and its editors. While indictments, in themselves, do not determine culpability, they do require a significant response. Ms. vanden Heuvel’s offhandedly dismissal of the Radosh’s detailed account of The Nation’s reversal in its attitude towards Israel, leaves the indictment largely undefended, and one cannot help wondering why. In one of vanden Heuvel paltry responses she states: “When Kirchwey was writing, Israel was fighting for its survival; it was not engaging in a self-destructive occupation that even Israeli conservatives believe will eventually undermine its character and security.” And she continues: “…the Radoshes piece is emblematic of a strain within the pro-Israel community that says unless you adopt an unwavering pro-Likud approach to Israel, then you're anti-Israel.” Vanden Heuvel conveniently ignores the 2000 Camp David negotiations, where an almost total withdrawal of Israel from the West Bank and The Gaza Strip was placed on the table, and from whitch Yasser Arafat walked away. Arafat later lamented his rejection of the proposal in an interview published in the world press two years later. A more detailed of that proposal is once again being offered to the Palestinians, and it appears that they are once again rejecting it. Vanden Heuvel implies that the points raised by the Radosh’s are no more than an attempt to stifle valid criticism of Israel. She informs us that The Nation cares about the future of Israel and that it is as a friend that she and her journal are offering their criticism. It is in respect to statements such as these that the retort was coined: With such friends, who needs enemies?

Posted by E.M. Bennatan | August 24, 2008 1:55:31 PM EDT

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