Margalit Fox in Friday's The New York Times writes an obituary on Professor Tanya Reinhart which illuminates the diversity of views of Israelis towards the Palestinian Question. According to the obit, Ms. Reinhart "was best known to the public as an ardent critic of her country's plicies towards the Palestinians . . ."
"Professor Reinhart, who for many years taught linguistics and cultural studies at Tel Aviv University, was known for her outspoken views and writings on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She called repeatedly for Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza, and in recent years supported a European petition calling for an academic boycott of Israel."
So much for a common American misconception that the views of Israelis are monolithic and unified in support of the Israeli government's harsh policies and actions versus the Palestinians.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
DIVERSITY OF VIEWS IN ISRAEL TOWARDS PALESTINIANS
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Roberto:
ReplyDeleteThe Israeli-Palestinian question is a complex and troubling quandary – certainly one that does not lend itself easily to generalizing assumptions of any kind.
Speaking candidly, I wouldn't even venture an opinion on the prevailing winds of public sentiment; I know enough to appreciate that both sides must feature an eclectic range of views.
There are, after all, many among the American and Israeli elite who favor an immediate end to the Jewish state's policy of expansionism, including a full withdrawal from all territories occupied during the Six-Day War of 1967. The trouble is, how much does this position resonate with the Israeli street?
I suspect there are others who share the opinions of the late professor; but then, I haven't walked the alleyways of Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.
I suppose we can say this much: the notion of Israelis as being "monolithic and unified" in their support of militarism is simply erroneous. The people of Israel are evidently too diverse to display such ideological homogeneity.