My love for Israel does not transcend politics - whatever that means - nor should it. I want Israel to be strong, successful, and peaceful. That can only happen via politics. What happened Sunday makes a strong, successful, peaceful Israel much more difficult to achieve. It's empowered Iran, enraged Turkey, and caused Egypt to lift the Gaza blockade. Another flotilla will soon disembark, this one perhaps escorted by the Turkish navy. What then? Do we go to war? Does the fact that Israel was "right" mean fewer people will die?
To pretend that the decision to intercept the flotilla was anything but dumb, dangerous, and detrimental --a strategic blunder-- is make the next flotilla fiasco more likely. The best way to help Israel is to tell the truth about Israel. Papering every bad thing over out of some blind misguided idea of "love" turns you into a tool and destroys your credibility. Though most have supported my flotilla posts, some have objected The complaints largely are from deaf, dumb, and blind RWers. I'm not trying to make them happy. I'm trying to make them see what they won't see. My position on them is the same as my position on the gdolim lovers. Blind charedism is just as bad for us as blind zionism.
One or two have called the posts "anti-Israel". I disagree with this assessment most strongly. My flotilla posts are PRO Israel. There is nothing more patriotic then dissent. Dissent is what keeps the powerful from becoming fat, lazy, and irresponsible. Dissent is the best antidote to corruption, and it keeps your country, and your culture strong and prosperous.
My favorable view of dissent is is why I object to kneejerk Zionists, and it is also my argument with kneejerk Charedists. Blind, unquestioning agreement with people who ought to be be questioned, challenged and made to explain themselves is the work of the sheep in Orwell's Animal Farm. Both the sheep and the kneejerks do themselves and our precious communal institutions a disservice when they support the unsupportable. Both prop up people and policies that should instead be torn down, replaced, or rejuvenated.
Search for more information about flotilla fiasco at 4torah.com.
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