Thomas Friedman on the Palestine-Israel Situation
Thomas Friedman on the Palestine - Israel situation.
The New York Times’ Foreign Affairs columnist that I read whenever he has a column published is THOMAS FRIEDMAN. He is the author of THE book which I believe is very important for every one living NOW in the 21st century needs to read, “THE WORLD IS FLAT 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century” now published in paperback. I URGE my students to put that book on their MUST READ LIST.
For extensive information about Thomas L. Friedman, including his recent Times columns, list of his books, official biography, use this link to the official New York Times websection for “Thomas L. Friedman.”
I have followed Friedman for years with MUCH appreciation. If you want to read an especially interesting feature article about Thomas Friedman in spite of it being somewhat outdated (July 1, 2006), I suggest the Washingtonian’s “Thomas Friedman is On The Top of the World: Thomas Friedman is the great explainer big issues like why we’re at war and jobs are moving overseas. He also loves hitting a little white ball in Bethesda” by Garrett M. Graff.
SIDENOTE: IF you want to read about life in Washington, DC and area with many very interesting articles, subscribe to “Washingtonian” magazine. I read it regularly – a habit I developed as an undergraduate and graduate student at The American University, Washington, DC a long-long time ago. I agree with the website’s claim, “The Website Washington Lives By.” Take a look – it’s free!
Now, here is the link to Friedman's column in today's New York Times “2 for 2, or 2 for 1?” dealing with the Palestine-Israel situation. I read the column and learned more information and gained valuable perspective. I think this is a significant contribution to our continuing conversation about the Palestine-Israel situation. I URGE you to read the column too and then comment.
Friedman definitely grabs our attention in his first sentence, “Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu of Israel, the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and President Obama all spoke at the U.N. last week and, honestly, it is hard to decide whose speech was worse.” POIGNANT! Attention-grabbing!
He continues with his candid incisive critique, “The whole soap opera was just another reminder of how broken the peacemaking effort is today and how much both sides still suspect the other of really wanting two states for one people rather than two states for two people.”
Putting the spotlight on Netanyahu and Abbas, Friedman continues with a quote from the Israeli newspaper Haaretz assessing the performances of Netanyahu and Abbas, “From these two narratives of demand and complaint, it appeared as if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict traveled in a time machine back to the end of the last century, and decades of dialogue were wiped out — to the great joy of the extremists on both sides. Not peace, but rather the very fact of direct contact between the parties is once more perceived as a goal, and even that is increasingly fading into the distance.” VERY SAD!
Friedman delves into an incisive analysis of the situation in what he labels, “New Middle East.” He lifts up a different view, so I urge you to read his analysis. He proceeds to advise the Israeli leadership on the basis of the HIGH STAKES he sees in the “New Middle East” which launches a 6-month TOTAL FREEZE on settlement-building. I do believe this is the KEY to any peace talks involving Abbas and the Palestinians.
Friedman urges that such initiative by Israel would put the ball in the Palestinian’s court so that IF they do NOT respond, they will be isolated. And, he urges the potential of cutting a deal. HOPEFUL!
Friedman also outlines the ways that Palestinian leadership could do much more to encourage such an overture because the only thing that can force Netanyahu to move is the Israeli center. This popular opinion move is dependent on a MORE MODERATE PALESTINIAN LEADERSHIP.
To be honest, the conclusion of Friedman’s column is very troubling, “We really are back at the beginning of this conflict. Until each side reassures the other that both of them really do want two states for two people — not just for one — nothing good is going to happen out there, but something really bad might.” I share his analysis – in reality, NEITHER THE PALESTINIANS nor the ISRAELIS truly are willing to negotiate for 2 states for 2 people. What do YOU think?
Here we go…
Mr. E.
John Eyster lives in the Edgerton area. He is an adjunct professor of political science at UW-Waukesha and an advocate for democracy/civics education in Wisconsin high schools. John is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff. His opinion is not necessarily that of the The Gazette staff or management.
Sep 30, 2011 at 10:09 p.m.
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NVgrf, I will remind you that you called me racist for calling Obama to task. Selective name calling at best, try harder next time. John gave it up, you should too.
Sep 30, 2011 at 7:31 a.m.
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NV......., given your pro-Palestinian-terrorist -meaning pro-annihilation of Israel stance- your quibbling is very desperate.
It's true that Jews aren't the only Semites but the term anti-semitism historically means hatred of Jews. Probably due to the hatred of Jews by non-Semites. For example, non-Semites who support the Holocaust and the annihilation of Israel.
As for the accusation of anti-semitism being a ploy, supporting terrorists who want to annihilate Israel is anti-semitism. There's no other way to describe it.
Sep 29, 2011 at 11:29 p.m.
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Anti-Semites abound on this site. Keep in mind that Arabs are Semites.
Sep 29, 2011 at 11:26 p.m.
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Love it how anyone who criticizes Israel is anti-semetic. The oldest ploy in the world.
Sep 28, 2011 at 8:53 p.m.
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John, I have always been a reader of your blog, every blog every time you post. As a veteran I take seriously our country and our responsibility to the world. In the past 2 years of reading your blog, you have proven to this entire readership that you are not really about civics or democracy, nor our great nation, but about a propaganda, one that is only supported by few of your fellow citizens. You have over the years taunted your past successes as a teacher in Janesville, then throughout the university system. Most recently you again went out there proclaiming how you are a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how you believe that your holy scriptures are the holy word of God. But... these blogs this week reveal your true, true colors to these readers. You have sparked an anti-blog which links were recently removed from the comments here (*which I actually can totally agree with). John, you support blindly proposals by our current President that can only bring our country further into debt if followed. I would love to take a class from you someday to see if you really are as narrow minded as this blog makes you out to be, I would hope a citizen of this country with so much potential influence to youth would not teach as you blog. I would hope and pray you teach fair and justly, unlike your comments in these past few blog entries.
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Whether or not you like this, our country needs to stand behind Israel and against Palestine. Any swaying from that is a support of terrorism and we will regret it as a nation. Any teacher would know that anecdotal evidence (such as a trip to Palestine) does not create fact of law. I stand behind our country. I stand behind Israel.
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Finally John, part of what makes this country great is our ability to speak freely. I thank the Gazette for providing this forum, but will take a break as the comments here continue to escalate, and there will be not be any changing opinions at this point. John I ask you to do the same, you spoke your peace, you made your counter points. Now move on to something else we all can disagree on.
Sep 28, 2011 at 4:58 p.m.
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Eyster, there were dynamics in the environment? and you tried to follow them? Did you catch any of those dynamics? Did you catch those dynamics after various persons and nations responded? Did the dynamics turn around and follow you? If so, did you serpentine?
Then what happened?
Sep 28, 2011 at 3:10 p.m.
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I read Mrs. Eyster's anti-semitic letter to the Gazette editor:
It was like she visited Nazi Germany during Octoberfest.
Sep 28, 2011 at 2:11 p.m.
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*That would be the same Friedman, master of the mangled maladroit metaphor, who likened the Tea Party to Hezbollah. *
Yeah, what an outstanding call to a moral authority in this argument, eh? A stopped clock is right twice more per day than Friedman is per century.
Sep 28, 2011 at 10:17 a.m.
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What do I think? I think the true color of a socialist liberal comes out here.
It was the socialists in Russia that exiled the Jews. It was the socialists in Germany that pursued class warfare against the Jews.
Today it's the socialists in the US that call for Palestine to have a home base from which to launch terrorism against Israel and elsewhere.
Sep 28, 2011 at 8:24 a.m.
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What do I think? I think that with every new blog that you post it proves to me more and more just how much you are out of touch with reality!
Sep 28, 2011 at 8:09 a.m.
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Why am I not surprised that you would invoke Thomas Friedman as your latest “authority”, as you continue to bang the gong with your fourth call for Jewish genocide . . . oops, I mean, for the establishment of a Palestinian state? That would be the same Friedman, master of the mangled maladroit metaphor, who likened the Tea Party to Hezbollah. Obviously he’s an expert on the Mideast and terrorism! Maybe you can quote Huey Newton tomorrow? Surely William Ayers or “Rev” Wright have some keen insights?
All right, let me try for two points here. First, your four columns are jam-packed with lots of links and pointers to other peoples’ feelings and writings. But there’s very little of your own thinking and justification to be found. Now, I know liberals are into feelings, and eschew actual thought. Your average liberal treats cold hard logic like a vampire treats a golden crucifix. But you are one of the “educated elites”, so indulge us in a little academic exercise here. In your own words, using history, reason, and logical thinking – and without using words like “fair” – can you tell us exactly why Palestine should have its own nation now? And, can you tell us what will come next if that ever happens? Do you see a peaceful coexistence between Israel and Palestine? Will the PLO do the “lions and lambs” thing, lay down their weapons and renounce terrorism? If you think so, what leads you to that conclusion? If not, what is the real end game here?
Second, about your wife’s much-ballyhooed “LTE” yesterday. I couldn’t help but notice it was just about word-for-word from your own column. So . . . if you wrote the column, doesn’t that make it *your* LTE, regardless of who licked the stamp? Or is it actually your wife who writes this column, with you acting purely as a figurehead? Is she the real man behind the curtain here? C’mon Eyster, enquiring minds want to know!
Sep 28, 2011 at 7:21 a.m.
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I have to agree with totellthetruth, enough already. You gave your stance, the readers gave theirs. You are not going to change others views by stuffing it down their throats.
Sep 28, 2011 at 7:06 a.m.
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John, you aren't going to let this go are you. Here's an interesting fact for you John, 86% of American-Jews DO NOT SUPPORT Palestinian efforts. You as a so call teacher of Democracy must know that that is a MAJORITY. In Israel the numbers are even more swayed against Palestinian efforts. Each blog post you make you enlightens me. Do you really have this much HATRED of ISRAEL and ISRAELI ideals.
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