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A Peace Deal Won't End Delegitimization of Israel

(Times of Israel) Emily B. Landau and Judith Rosen - On university campuses Israel is being portrayed as the root of all evil. But can we expect the drive to delegitimize Israel to dissolve if Israel were to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians? There should be no illusions that the hard core of the delegitimization activity would dissipate because much of the delegitimacy furor is swept up by anti-Israel fervor, rather than objective concern for the plight of the Palestinians. Recurrent statements that question the relevance, need, and legitimacy of a Jewish state have nothing to do with a resolution of the Palestinian conflict. Thus, even if the Palestinian issue is resolved, the delegitimization sentiment will persist. Take, for instance, the Iranian nuclear issue. There is a strong trend that points the accusing finger at Israel, ignoring the vast differences between Israel (defensively oriented, with a solid 40-plus-year record of restraint and responsibility in the nuclear realm) and Iran (blatantly violating a clear commitment, and lying about it for decades, while aggressively provoking its neighbors and rejecting Israel's right to exist as a sovereign state). On the Iranian nuclear front, the pattern is similar to the sentiment that fuels the attacks on Israel on the Palestinian issue: Israel is necessarily the guilty party, and don't bother us with the facts. Those who in recent years have discovered that it is no longer politically incorrect to spout anti-Israel and often anti-Semitic tropes will find other targets for their fierce anti-Israel rhetoric. Therefore, we cannot be content to think that a changed Israeli policy regarding the Palestinians will make the problem go away. Dr. Emily B. Landau heads the Arms Control and Regional Security Program at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, where Dr. Judith Rosen is an editor.
2015-01-01 00:00:00
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