http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/why-dont-i-criticize-isra el
Not much mention of the auld occupation, mind.
restraint in their fighting against the Palestinians than we—the Americans, or Western Europeans—have used in any of our wars."
Ermmm...I'm calling bull**** on that one. I don't remember any missile strikes on West Belfast or any homes being bulldozed.
If the Palestians agreed to the same, Israel would cease firing missiles in a split-second (or so Harris is arguing, I think).
I mean, if I rake my kids' tree-house with M16 fire, as I am inclined to do more often than you'd imagine actually, nobody would call my garden a war-zone, would they. In fact, anyone who'd met my children would say Strong, sensible parenting there. Or An acceptable level of violence.
No. The reason we didn't do that is because we as a people take a dim view of conducting all-out war on our fellow citizens - however bolshy they may be.
The Israeli state, on the other hand, is so fundamentally predicated on racism that the ghettoisation, oppression and killing of non-Jews within their own borders doesn't really bother them.
shooting match.
Well, not after the last time they were allowed to.
IRA as Irael's is.
What do you think Israel should do then?
Israel's existence hasn't realistically been threatened by anyone since 1973. Hamas are an irritant at worst and launching full-scale military assaults achieves absolutely nothing.
What should Israel do? Well it could start by ensuring that Palestinians don't grow up rat poor, ghettoised, oppressed and under constant threat. It could do things like...ooh, let's see...not denying basic amenities and rights to Palestinians. Those things lead to resentment and make radicalisation much easier.
However, that approach would require some long-term thought rather than the knee-jerk, dick-swinging resort to military force that is the imprimatur of almost all Israeli governments.
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