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Tuesday
03Mar

Israel’s War Footing Could Get Serious Under Netanyahu

DateTuesday, March 3, 2009 at 11:30AM

By Professor Paul Eidelberg

The Netanyahu government is painfully aware that the hatred of Israel sweeping across the democratic world is preparing public opinion for Israel's elimination from the Middle East. That this hatred is conspicuous in American colleges and universities should not shock astute observers if only because Israel, in its essence, rejects everything that now dominates academia: nihilism and atheism. There is no way in the world that this hatred of Israel can be overcome by reasoned argument - or what Israel calls "hasbara" (information) programs. The West has already sacrificed whatever remains of the Enlightenment or the Age of Reason. When a terrorist group like Hamas can use women and children as protective shields against Israel's belated retaliation against years of Arab bombardment of Israeli towns, and yet gain support from American academics, (and now support from Obama’s proposed $900 million in aid to Hamas and the PA) - it's farewell to reason as well as human decency.

The question is: What could Netanyahu’s hard line government do if they take Israel on the offensive in a war to preserve its very existence?

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Sunday
11Jan

Beyond Political Parties

DateSunday, January 11, 2009 at 07:39PM

By Prof. Paul Eidelberg

Everyone is of course preoccupied with the war in Gaza. For commentators I recommend Daniel Pipes, Barry Rubin, and reports from the staff of the BESA Center. This is not to suggest they offer a realistic solution to the conflict, or even a comprehensive understanding of Israel’s dilemma. But one thing should be clear: total destruction of Hamas, which I and others advocate, will not solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Nor will the establishment of a Palestinian state. In the final analysis, only the emergence in Israel of a new kind of statesmanship primed by a positive and distinctively Jewish goal can sustain this country and inspire the Jewish people with joyful confidence in the future.

I will return to this later, but since we are approaching Israel’s February 10 elections, featuring the absurd phenomenon of more than 30 parties competing for seats in the Knesset, I will take this opportunity to say a few words about political parties.

Many well-motivated people believe they can improve the quality of public life by forming a new political party, or by reforming an existing party.

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Monday
05Jan

To Israel’s General Staff: Lessons From A Master of War

DateMonday, January 5, 2009 at 02:14PM

By Prof. Paul Eidelberg

Israel’s General Staff would do well to emulate George S. Patton, the general most feared by Nazi Germany.

On the eve of battle, Patton would admonish his soldiers: “The object of war is not to die for your country. It is to make the other poor dumb bastard die for his.” This requires confronting and killing the enemy on the battlefield.

“Never let the enemy rest.” No cease fires or hudnas. Unconditional surrender should be Israel’s proclaimed war aim!

“We want the enemy to KNOW that they are fighting the toughest fighting men in the world!” This precludes benevolence (which Arabs despise). Just as Hamas terrorists would show no mercy to you, so you should show no mercy to them. These terrorists must be killed even if this results in civilian casualties.

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Sunday
04Jan

WAR

DateSunday, January 4, 2009 at 02:00PM

By Prof. Paul Eidelberg

Let us recall certain lessons on war by one of the greatest military scientists, General Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831).

Clausewitz’s magnum opus, On War, is studied in military schools to this day. He defines war as “an act of violence intended to compel our opponent to fulfill our will. Violence is the means; submission of the enemy to our will the ultimate object.” For as long as the enemy remains armed, he will wait for a more favorable moment for action.

The ultimate object of war is political. To attain this object fully, the enemy must be disarmed. Disarming the enemy “becomes therefore the immediate object of hostilities. It takes the place of the final object and puts it aside as something we can eliminate from our calculations.

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Saturday
03Jan

A Muslim’s View of Ecumenism

DateSaturday, January 3, 2009 at 02:06PM

By Professor Paul Eidelberg

If anyone wants to know how enlightened Muslims look upon ecumenism he can hardly do better than read the works of Seyyed Hossein Nasr, perhaps the most erudite Muslim philosopher of our time.

Nasr, who received his Ph.D. in the History of Science and Philosophy at Harvard and subsequently served as Chancellor of Aryamehr University in Iran, has taught and lectured at America’s most prestigious universities.

“Ecumenism,” he writes, “is becoming an instrument for simple relativization and further secularization.” By “relativization” he means this. The tendency of ecumenism is to deny that any religion is the repository of exclusive truth. Ecumenism thus reinforces the doctrine of cultural relativism according to which there are no objective and universally valid standards by which to determine whether the beliefs and practices of one people are superior to those of another.

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Friday
02Jan

Then and Now

DateFriday, January 2, 2009 at 02:03PM

By Professor Paul Eidelberg

Back in 1920, an event took place in Israel that redounds to the honor and courage of many Jews, secular and religious. Indeed, since these Jews were then subject to British rule, their noble conduct shines all the more brilliantly when contrasted to the behavior of many Jews in the supposedly sovereign state of Israel—and I have especially in mind Israel’s ruling elites.

The event is recorded in Dr. Joseph B. Shechtman’s excellent biography of Vladimir Jabotinsky, from which I shall quote and paraphrase.

At the end of 1919, Jabotinsky formed the Jewish Defense Corp (Haganah) in reaction to Arab violence. On April 4, an Arab mob, inflamed by anti-Jewish speeches, began attacking Jews in Jerusalem. “Soon Jewish blood was shed and the mob rushed into the Jewish quarter to kill and to pillage, shouting: “El Dowleh ma’ana (the government is with us).

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