[Reprinted from September 13, 2005 entry on American Jew.]I was standing at the
Texans for Israel table on the West Mall and was approached by someone interested in talking about Israel.
His questions/comments:
How do you feel about disengagement?
Why Texans for Israel? Israel is a first world country. I could understand Texans for Zimbabwe.
Are you all Jews in the organization? Was a Jewish name for the organization already taken?
Are you a PAC? Do you do social stuff? Cultural stuff?
What about upholding International Law and the Geneva Conventions?
Wouldn’t ending our military support for Israel be a good thing? Isn’t that a reason why people hate us?
Doesn’t our support for Israel cause instability in the region?
What do we get for giving Israel so much?
Wait, what was the 48 war? Was that the Yom Kippur war?
So what exactly are the 67 borders?
These problems started when, after the Holocaust, tons of Jews came onto someone else’s land.
Why would anyone want to live in Gaza? Isn’t it dangerous?
Zionism is an extremist philosophy. Herzl was an extremist. It would be like if Bin Laden just went to take a part of Saudi Arabia. I know lots of Jews who aren’t Zionists.
Really, most Jews today are Zionists?
A dumb person is not asking these questions. This is an undergrad from a fine University. Israel is of course not the center of his life, but still he is interested in the issue. He has questions, comments, and concerns. He sincerely wants what is best for America.
I’m here to give answers. But I just provide one man’s opinion.
The student asked why Texans for Israel exists, but the rest of his questions provided the answer. No matter how strong the US-Israel relationship may be, it will always need sustaining, and it can always be enhanced.
There is a new generation graduating from America’s top universities, a new generation who does not see the value of a strong US-Israel relationship. These future leaders of America may want to weaken the US-Israel relationship, unless someone engages them in order to explain the importance of it all.
This is why I do what I do.
