Klein: will not happen; they turned down statehood in 1937, 1948, 2000 and 2008, and will not make a deal accepting a Jewish state because their goal is Israel’s destruction, not a Palestinian state. If a state were established, it would be a terrorist Iran-Hamas beggar-state promoting cross-border attacks into Israel and would make alliances with terrorist nations, perpetrate human rights abuses, and be Judenrein.
When it comes to Israel, the United Nations…
Foxman: is blind and bigoted.
Dershowitz: does more harm than good.
Klein: is anti-Semitic, continuously passes anti-Israel resolutions, and allows genocidal anti-Israel states to remain members.
Boycotts of Israel…
Foxman: will not succeed; if terrorism and suicide bombers did not undermine Israel’s spirit of survival and resilience, boycotts never will.
Dershowitz: make it more difficult for the Palestinians to accept reasonable peace offers.
Klein: are simply anti-Semitism; the real human rights abusers are Iran, Syria, China, North Korea, Iraq, and many African countries.
American support for Israel…
Foxman: is critical for Israel and a national security interest of the United States.
Dershowitz: will remain strong so long as Americans know the truth.
Klein: is strong; according to a recent ZOA poll there is overwhelming backing for Israeli positions…on settlements, Jerusalem, and Iran sanctions.
Israel’s best interests…
Foxman: are to value, appreciate and respect the diversity of the Jewish people.
Dershowitz: will be protected only by Israel itself.
Klein: would be served by Jewish groups and Israeli officials holding press conferences exposing the extreme terrorist, anti-Semitic nature of the Palestinian Authority – for example, its glorifying Jew-killing terrorists; refusing to show Israel on any map; naming schools, streets, sports teams and children’s camps after terrorists; promoting Jew-killing in their sermons; proclaiming that no Jew will be allowed in a Palestinian state; paying special salaries to Israeli-imprisoned Jew killers and their families.
Diplomatic approaches to peace…
Foxman: are the only possible path to bring about a reconciliation and coexistence.
Dershowitz: are necessary; war should always be a last resort.
Klein: won’t work because it’s a religious war whose goal is Israel’s destruction.
Jewish history teaches…
Foxman: never to forget; in the Seder we say that in every generation forces come up to destroy us, and yet we overcome – with faith – to survive.
Dershowitz: us to rely on Jewish power.
Klein: that in every generation Jews have to deal with Jew hatred and violence.
The world should learn from Israel…
Foxman: to stand firm against intimidation and terror; to have faith in one’s principles; to have the courage of one’s convictions; and to have confidence in the justice of one’s cause.
Dershowitz: how to fight terrorism within the rule of the law; how to create a more cultural democracy; how to build a strong economy without natural resources; and how to help the world with its technological advances.
Klein: that hard work, perseverance, talent, and belief in Torah have allowed Israel to survive and prosper in the midst of constant threats, terrorism, and war.
A set of 10 beginning sentence fragments is now directed to three rabbis for completion.
Rabbi Steven Pruzansky is spiritual leader of Congregation Bnai Yeshurun of Teaneck, New Jersey, and the author of the forthcoming The Jewish Ethic of Personal Responsibility.
Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein spends most of his workday advocating for the Jewish people and the Jewish state for a large NGO. He teaches Jewish law at Loyola Law School and is on the editorial boards of Cross-Currents, Klal Perspectives, and Jewish Action.
Rabbi Avi Shafran, a musmach of Rav Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman, zt”l, and talmid of Rav Yaakov Weinberg, zt”l, has been writing weekly essays for 15 years (his work can be viewed at rabbiavishafran.com). He also serves as director of public affairs of Agudath Israel of America, a position he has held since 1994.
