Wayne Pines
As we conclude the transition to a new year, I think of how complex the Jewish world has become since a year ago. It is increasingly unclear how some fundamental issues faced by Jews in Israel and the U.S. will be resolved. There are more questions than answers.
What is the vision for achieving long-term peace for the Israelis? The Israeli government’s goals are to get the remaining hostages released, destroy Hamas and Hezbollah and avoid a larger war with Iran. Like a cease-fire, these are short-term goals.
But what happens if and when these goals are achieved and we move to the next stage? There are millions of Palestinians whose needs will have to be accommodated. How will the Palestinian community and Gaza be rebuilt? Who will be the leaders? Who will provide the necessary financing and stability? How will the Palestinians be governed? How will the resentment among remaining Palestinians be managed?
To achieve security for Israelis there needs to be a clear vision and direction for bringing Israelis and non-terrorist Palestinians together to live in the same neighborhood. No one has defined how that will be achieved.
How does Israel gain more international respect? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to a sparse audience at the U.N. In the U.S., a significant number of members of Congress boycotted Netanyahu’s speech to Congress. Israel’s few friends are supporting Israel militarily but if the current situation lingers, how long will that support last?
Israel cannot be arrogant about its international position. Who will develop and implement a strategy for gaining broader trust?
How should American Jews address the surge in antisemitism? It’s not just on college campuses. The Anti-Defamation League reported more than 10,000 antisemitic incidents in the U.S. in the year after Oct. 7, 2023, including 150 physical assaults. This is the highest number of incidents in any 12-month period since the ADL started tracking in 1979. In the 12-month period before Oct. 7, there were 3,325 incidents reported.
Activities on college campuses are the most visible antisemitic and frightening. According to the ADL, more than 1,200 antisemitic incidents since Oct. 7 were on college campuses. The year before, ADL recorded about 200 incidents.
Students for Justice in Palestine is well-organized to bring disruption and chaos to campuses. Jewish American organizations have undertaken efforts to counter the SJP, but Jewish students and institutions continue to feel threatened. The Jewish community and campus leaders need a systematic and organized action-oriented counter strategy.
Why are colleges and local law enforcement letting us down? Students on dozens of campuses have committed crimes that would lead to arrests, prosecutions and punishment if they were committed in the community. But few criminal charges (and student expulsions) have been brought, given the widespread vandalism and hate-based threats.
Many if not most of the criminal charges have been dismissed by local prosecutors. The universities whose property has been vandalized are treating such crimes as students exercising free speech. Only when the pro-Palestinian demonstrators are unmasked and punished with true criminal charges or expulsion will their behavior be brought under control.
Is 2024 just a repeat of 1968, as some commentators say as they minimize the college disruptions? In fact, there are material differences between 1968 and today. The demonstrations in 1968 were about a very unpopular war in which the U.S. itself was enmeshed. Students faced a draft. The demonstrations also were against racism. Protesters in 1968 did not blindly support international terrorist groups or threaten their fellow students based on religion. And students in 1968 did not hide behind masks.
Which candidates are most committed to Israel and combatting antisemitism? We need to vote for candidates who will support Israel and help us counter antisemitism. We have to see through the campaign rhetoric and make a voting judgment based on who we believe will actually stand with Israel and against antisemitism when the going gets still tougher.
These are just a few of the questions to ponder as we start our new year. Given what’s going on in Israel and on our college campuses, this is a uniquely critical time for Israel and for American Jews. If Israel is to survive and thrive, and if we in the U.S. are to control and limit the surge in antisemitism, we need clearer strategies.
Wayne Pines is a health care consultant living in Chevy Chase.
