Democratic State Quotes
Most American Jews had have grown up with an Israel governed by Jews who came from Europe and were culturally and politically very similar to Americans and shared similar values. Almost all Israeli policies were comfortable and understandable t American Jews. However, in the 15 years prior to this quotation, a major political shift took place in Israel and the dominant political faction shifted to first and second generation Jews who were forced out of various Muslim counties of the Middle East. These Jews were much closer to Arabs and the Muslims of the Middle East culturally and actually shared many values like vengeance, intimidation, and group and family guilt to keep enemies in check. They also understand the Arabs at a deeper level that their European culture countrymen do and were much more pessimistic about any solution whereby the Arabs would accept a Jewish State’s existence. Their political approach to suppression of the Palestinians and maintaining security for the citizens of Israel and their disrespect for Arab humanity made many American Jews estranged from the Israeli leadership just as they have been estranged from the Arab leadership and culture.
The murder to which he was referring was the Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He had been very active in trying to negotiate a peace treaty with the Palestinians. A minority of right wing, religious fundamentalists were opposed to any peace treaty that would give the Palestinians control over the land that the fundamentalists believed was given to the Jews by God. Israel’s political system was so fractionated with minority parties having so much influence that Rabin was the only leader on the horizon who was influential and powerful enough to transcend the party politics, Since his assassination the peace process has been stalled, and the murder paid off.
