Detached from Reality
On several occasions, I have commented on various statements by rabbinic figures that are detached from reality. But in those cases, at least the errors are understandable; since the authors really are detached from reality, having had an entirely different education and being culturally isolated from the wider world. Much less forgivable are writings by secular people that are detached from reality.
There are few people more detached from reality than the Israeli secular left. I try not to read Ha-aretz too often, as it is depressing to see just how bad self-hating Jews can be. And so I was pleased to see an article entitled "Why there's no revolution in Israel." Finally, I thought to myself, even Ha-aretz can recognize that Israel is a league above from its Arab neighbors.
Alas, I was mistaken!
The author's reason as to why in Israel, unlike in the Arab countries, there are no protests? Because:
the truth is that it is difficult to expect the Israeli public to take to the streets, because in fact it has too many things to protest.
Ah yes! Unlike in Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Albania, Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain and Iran, where there is only a single thing to protest, in Israel there are just so many terrible things that it's difficult to know where to start! That's why there are no protests!
The rest of the article presents similar such mindboggling nonsense, such as the claim that Israel's politicians have failed to realize that the population's exhaustion and desire for quiet have led to the yearning for a strong leader. In fact, it is the secular left's exhaustion and desire for quiet - and in particular, their hopelessly naive desire for warm acceptance by the international community - which have led to the desire for concessions even where these are accompanied by dangers so obvious that even the left acknowledge that they are tremendous risks.
The author subsequently admits that Israel is hardly short on protests, thus neatly overturning her earlier claim, but then argues that they have all been futile. Of course, it's difficult to get governments to change their minds, but at least in a democracy, the government can be changed regularly - and their awareness of this is what motivates them to be attuned to the people's needs and desires.
It goes without saying that Israel is not perfect. But the conclusion of the Ha-aretz article, that Israelis should be envious of their Arab neighbors, is a sad reflection on its author. Not just her detachment from reality, but also her singular lack of appreciation of all the myriad ways in which Israel is a league above its Arab neighbors.