Israel and the Arab World

     Religious antagonisms leading to hostility and bloodshed are a primitive manifestation which WAISers are committed to fight. It will not be easy. As Tim Brown remarks:
     Many years ago after he had delivered a lecture, B.F. Skinner, who knew the Middle East well was asked from the audience. In the conflict between the Jews and the Arabs, which side is right. He answered. Both. And if you can't accept that, then you don't understand the essence of tragedy.
     Hank Levin tries to explain the attitude of Jews and cites a similar one among Muslims. He writes:
     Yes, there is a lot of sensitivity on the subject of Israel among American Jews with the feeling that others don't understand. Much of this comes from our history in which "outsiders" have never had our interest in mind. But, the hypocrisy goes in both directions. For example, Miles Seeley talks of his admiration for the Arab people (I admire them too), but does he apply the same standard to the discourse? Is he able to discuss the Arab-Israeli issue openly with Jordanians, Saudis, Syrians in a way where they can recognize both sides of the issue? How about the subject of the treatment of women and the situation of how his wife or daughter would be treated? Is this a subject for open discussion or would it be considered anti-Arab? As a Jew married to a Spanish Catholic (albeit with a name that was Jewish some 500 years ago in Valencia), we see the unfairness of calling someone with whom one disagrees an Anti-Semite. But, you need to look deeper when you hear someone tell you that they lived in Arab lands and do not apply the same standard of discourse to both sides. This is an emotional topic for those who are involved in it. It should not be surprising that academic discourse is not the order of the day for those who are immersed in the issues and a long history of suspicion of outsiders who have "one's best interests in mind" and a "putative sense of fairness on such matters".


     My comment: WAIS applies the same standards to all sides. It is unfortunate that academic discourse is not the order of the day. I am reminded of the time when the French and Germans had a visceral hatred of each other. Since I lived in both countries. I got it from both sides. Fortunately reason has prevailed, and we hope that Jews and Arabs will follow this example. The educated among both groups should set an example to the fanatics and the haters.

Ronald Hilton - 2/1/00