J Street, the leftist pro-Israel organization, and Christians United for Israel, the rightist pro-Israel organization, square off on our Lively Debate page this week. Well let readers determine for themselves who gets the better of the argument.
However, embedded in the argument of Jeremy Ben-Ami, founder of J Street, is this: If there is an argument to be made for deepening and perpetuating the 42-year-old occupation, lets hear it. If not, lets join together to stop further funding of this self-defeating enterprise.
Ben-Ami asks for an argument for occupation, i.e., Israeli settlements on the West Bank of the Jordan River. Mr. Ben-Ami, here is the argument it is not particularly original, nor free of the possibility of counter-argument. But we find your tone irksome, as if there were only one side to a complex reality.
First, settlements were founded on strategically important hills that control potential invasion routes to pre-Green Line Israel. If you maintain that these settlements should be dismantled, the burden of proof lies on you to devise an equally effective means to defend Israel against ground invasion.
Two, the dismantlement of settlements has been tried in Gaza in 2005. This did not bring peace, but only more attacks on Israel and more hatred of Israel. If you maintain that West Bank settlements are to be dismantled, the burden of proof lies on you to explain how this will bring peace, not war.
Three, the dismantlement of settlements in Gaza in 2005 led to the disruption of hundreds of families, to divorces, mental illnesses, poverty, school drop-outs. The burden of proof lies on you to explain how the dismantlement of thousands of families will not yield the same.
Four, the settlements take up roughly a mere 9% of the footprint of the West Bank. How is this self-defeating for either side?
Five, whether you take Israel to be given by G-d to the Jews, or given by historical right to the Jews, the Jewish people have a right to settle the Land of Israel. This is the essence of Zionism, and presumably J Street, which calls itself pro-Israel, is Zionist. If you maintain that settlements should be dismantled, the burden of proof lies on you to explain to Israels enemies why it has a right to any other portion of the Land of Israel; Tel Aviv, for example.
Six, Israel has offered to trade an equivalent amount of Negev land to Palestinians for the settlements. Is this not both fair and practical?
There, youve heard the argument you asked for. What is your response?
