ISRAEL: The views of Yury Avnety

The consensus of WAISers about Sharon is less than flattering. John Heelan says: "Is it not un-surprising that two key witnesses to Sharon's involvement in the Sabra and Chatila massacre (now apparently being repeated in Jenin) were murdered in Lebanon a month or so ago?" A dissenting view comes from John Wonder: "Why is it that people argue, in effect, dishonestly. They will pick out a particular segment of time, and wish we would ignore the rest. In the current criticism of Israelis and Sharon (who, I am sure echoes their sentiments), the latest politically correct (or leftist) opinion simply ignores the fact that the combined Moslem states in the area wished to push Israel into the sea (i.e. liquidate them). Would you forget it if someone tried to murder you? I wouldn't".

My comment: Sharon is far from echoing the views of all Israelis. It is significant that his right-hand man has just resigned. Moreover, most Americans fail to understand the viewpoint of Palestinians. I have been studying the history of the US nineteenth century, and it has changed my views. The conquest of the West in the second half of the 19th century was terribly brutal. The only idealists were the Mormons. In contrast with the voluminous literature denouncing slavery in the South, there were relatively few protests against the slaughtering of the Indians. My conclusion is that both the Civil War and the conquest of the West were fought for economic reasons, although the they were fought in the name of God-given Manifest Destiny, which is a Protestant version of the Jewish idea of a chosen race.

There is profound unrest among all the Indians of the West of the Americas, although in the US it has been assuaged by allowing the Indians to run casinos. The future of the United States, one and indivisible, is by no means certain. Suppose China becomes a major power with a strong Chinese American-Indian lobby. A few years ago, California Indians seized Alcatraz. The authorities handled the case very discreetly. Suppose, with Chinese backing, the Indians seized the Bay Area, and the US could not resist. The UN recognized the Indian homeland. The Indians forcibly evicted John Wonder and many others from their homes, saying that the Americans had conquered the territory only in the mid-19th century, whereas they had been here for thousands of years. Would John and others just leave peaceably?

This is simply an attempt to American WAISers realize how Palestinians feel.

Ronald Hilton - 4/21/02