The Charlotte Jewish News - January 2011 - Page 5
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Wall Street Journal’s Bret Stephens
Speaks About the Future of Israel
Though the news about Israel
that comes out of the Middle
East can be depressing, Bret
Stephens manages to keep a
good sense of humor. Stephens
is the Wall Street Journal’s
Deputy Editorial Page Editor
and principal columnist on for
eign affairs, and he spoke in
Charlotte at a program spon
sored by the Jewish Community
Relations Council of the Jewish
Federation of Greater Charlotte
in November
Right up front Stephens
promised to deliver news about
the Middle East that would
depress and upset any support
ers of Israel. Fortunately, he said
it tongue in cheek with a smile.
To start with he stated that the
answer to the perennial ques
tion, “Is there any hope for
peace?” is a resounding no.
He predicts that any talk will
fail because the most that Israel
can concede to is not enough for
the Palestinians. Israel will
The Jewish Federation
of Greater Charlotte
Community Relations
Council presents
THE THREAT OF
A NUCLEAR
iRan
Thursday,
February 3, 2011
7:00 PM
Sam Lemer Center
for Cultural Arts
The threat of a nuclear
Iran is a matter of the
gravest concern and
utmost urgency to the
world. Indeed, preventing
the regime in Tehran
from acquiring nuclear
weapons is a defining
issue of our time and it is
imperative that the voices
of all those who seek a
more peaceful world are
heard.
Join us as we cover the
history of the issues at
hand and focus on how we
as Americans can address
this urgent crisis.
PANEL:
Jonathan Berkey,
Professor of Middle East
History, Davidson
College
Dr. Jack Caravelli,
Former CIA and NSA,
expert on nonproliferation
and nuclear terrorism,
and author of Nuclear
Insecurity (2008)
David Ibsen, Pohcy and
Coalitions Director,
United Against Nuclear
Iran (UANI)
never give in on the Palestinian
“right to return” and they will
have a difficult time complying
with Israel’s request for no mili
tarism. Ultimately, the real
question is whether the
Palestinians are prepared to
accept Israel as a Jewish state.
Again, unfortunately, the
answer is generally no.
The reality on the ground is
this: Hamas, controlling the
Gaza Strip adjacent to Israel, is
“the spear point of Iranian
power” Egypt, which may not
be an all-out ally of Israel, but
has at least been tolerant and
supportive under Mubarak, may
change radically when Mubarak
retires or dies. While grooming
his son to take over a continued
democratic and free Egypt, the
Muslim Brotherhood is gaining
power, and may be the next
regime for Israel to deal with
there. Lebanon will likely see
civil war between Hezbollah
and the more moderate factions.
And then there is Iran, in the
midst of enriching uranium,
weaponizing it, and working on
a delivery system, all while call
ing for the complete destruction
of Israel.
Those are the realities, but
there are some ideas floating
around the area that are even
worse, Stephens says. One of
those is the worldwide notion
that Israel must live up to an
“A+” standard, no matter what
happens. If Israel fails at some
thing, the assumption is that
there was malice aforethought,
not that Israel may have made a
mistake. “Those of whom
everything is expected, nothing
is forgiven; those of whom
nothing is expected, everything
is forgiven,” Stephens quipped.
Israel, he says, is the only nation
expected to act like a
“Christian” nation.
Finally, before he took ques
tions, he did give the audience a
glimmer of hope. There are
Bret Stephens with Jeff Epstein, chair of the JCRC.
ways to talk about Israel that are
positive he said. He warned the
listeners against “defending”
Israel. “Go on the offensive
instead,” he recommends. “Talk
about the good things Israel has
done and point out the bad
things that are being done in the
rest of the Middle East.”
“At least he warned us that it
might be depressing and disap
pointing,” said one attendee.
“But most of us still aren’t
about to give up on Israel.”
Please join the Jewish
Community Relations Council
for its next event, February 3, at
7 PM in the Sam Lemer center
for a discussion on the urgency
of Iran’s impending nuclear
capabilities. ^
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