The only possible way to reliably establish such a prediction would be a HUMINT (human intelligence)agent or SIGINT (signals intelligence) source establishing an actual Palestinian decision to respond to “Price Tag” actions with an intifada.
Such sources are so sensitive, and the information they yield so highly classified, that they would never be risked for a press interview. In short, the reported “prediction” is utterly implausible.
Dr. Aryeh Eldad
(Via E-Mail)
Editor’s Note: The writer is a former member of Knesset who served on the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Inclusiveness At Israel Parade
Several readers have responded to my letter of May 16 criticizing those who worked to exclude Jewish gay groups from the Celebrate Israel parade.
David Goldberger, Chaim Rich, and Lawrence Kulak all failed to address my argument that the parade is about Celebrating Israel, not about Orthodox Judaism, and thus not an appropriate venue for excluding pro-Israel groups that offend right-wing Orthodox sensibilities. They also failed to show how allowing groups like Jewish Queer Youth to march is tantamount to endorsing homosexuality any more than allowing Conservative and Reform synagogues to march is tantamount to endorsing egalitarianism or eating shellfish.
Goldberger asked whether I’d permit Jews for Jesus to march. The comparison of a group that is essentially a proselytizing Christian evangelical organization with a Jewish group of observant Jewish kids who are gay is deeply offensive, and summarizes in a nutshell everything that is inhumane about the way right-wing Orthodox Jews think about gay Jews.
Modern Orthodoxy has actually evolved considerably from intolerant views like these, which is why, despite two years of Avi Goldstein’s campaigning to exclude gay groups from the parade, Modern Orthodox institutions like the OU and RCA have not signed on to his call. JQY has marched with no incident. The Orthodox spectators who line Fifth Avenue do not seem to have a problem with them.
It is not only non-Orthodox institutions that would be unable to march in a parade that openly excluded groups like JQY. Most politicians and VIPs would have to decline as well, and the appearance of intolerance on such a high-profile stage would injure the Jewish community.
Contrary to Rich’s claim, I am not dismissing anyone’s concerns. I am merely arguing that the parade is not the appropriate forum to fight a culture war, and that doing so only adds needless negativity and divisiveness to what is supposed to be an inclusive, celebratory event.
Michael L. Brenner
Brooklyn, NY