Principles on Israel we can mostly agree on
19 February 2025
This essay summarizes a blog post by Ilan Goldenberg, a foreign policy and defense expert with extensive government experience covering Iran’s nuclear program, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the broader challenges facing the Middle East.
Israel has a right and necessity to exist as a secure, Jewish and democratic state.
Palestinians have rights to freedom, security and prosperity.
The October 7th attacks were a horrific atrocity committed by Hamas and the hostages should be released now.
Palestinian civilian suffering in Gaza is horrific and must end.
Prime Minister Netanyahu and his far right government are a threat to Israeli democracy, Palestinian rights and the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Israel is a valuable ally of the United States.
There has been a major surge in antisemitism in the United States since October 7th and it cannot be tolerated.
Criticism of Israel is not inherently antisemitic and we must protect free speech.
Details here.
Note: I am working on setting up seminars or study groups to help establish the policies and legal framework for a nonterrorist, prosperous Palestinian country that coexists with Israel. If interested, please email me at Nat@PathologyOutlines.com.
The index to my prior essays (mostly post 5 November 2024) is here.
I have another blog on Cancer and Medicine.
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Email me at Nat@PathologyOutlines.com.
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I personally don't know the details, but I have a friend who told me that Hamas' attack was timed to move the energy away from the actual talks that were taking (or going to take) place with Egypt - in order to provoke the response it knew it would get - especially from Netanyahu. Also, I don't think the news adequately covered the horror of the Hamas attack and hopped to the horror of the treatment of the Palestinian people... anyway, I think it's a great idea to lay these ideas out in an even handed manner.