Article in The Times of Israel by Andy Blumenthal: In short, the Left is right when it comes to caring about others and the ultimate goal that we all seek, which is genuine and lasting peace and the ability to live side by side as brothers and sisters in peace and prosperity. However, the Left got it all wrong when it comes to the reality on the ground in terms of the radical Islamic groups who want no peace, no negotiation, and no recognition of Israel, period. This is where the hope of the Left met the reality of the Right, and the Left lost all credibility, at least for the time being. Perhaps, just perhaps, reality will change and radical hearts will soften and give peace a fighting chance, allowing the Left to be right as well.

1. 12/25/22, 8:39 AM How One "Peacenik" Became Practical | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/how-one-peacenik-became-practical/ 1/6
THE BLOGS
Andy Blumenthal
Leadership With Heart
How One “Peacenik”
Became Practical
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2. 12/25/22, 8:39 AM How One "Peacenik" Became Practical | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
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Source Photo: IDF Editorial Team; https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/palestinian-terrorism/a-soldier-s-letter-to-
the-mothers-of-the-kidnapped-teens/
Recently, I thought about giving peace a chance, and I picked up My Promised
Land by Ari Shavit, a well-known peace activist. Overall, I was impressed by how
thoughtful Shavit was on this issue, as well as by his analysis of the geopolitical
situation.
As a seemingly compassionate person, Shavit describes painful feelings of
wrongdoing related to the Palestinian “transfer” in the 1948 war, “the
occupation” that followed the 1967 war, and the Palestinian prison camps that
followed the violent Intifadas. Yet after the 1967 and 1973 wars that could have
brought extinction to the Jewish State, as well as the failed Oslo and Camp
David Accords, and the multiple Intifadas with dead Jewish bodies lying in
buses, malls, discotheques, pizzarias, and more, even Shavit admits the limits of
the Leftists’ peace agenda and what he calls their “fundamental flaw”:
Regarding the occupation, the Left was absolutely right. It realized that
occupation was a moral, demographic, and political disaster. But regarding
“

3. 12/25/22, 8:39 AM How One "Peacenik" Became Practical | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
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Let’s face it: Jews are generally an over the top peace-loving people. Fighting,
for us, is truly a last resort that finally occurs too late when our backs are up
against the concentration camp walls. We’ve learned the hard way that we have
to have the backbone to “never again” go like sheep to the slaughter! Moreover,
as Netanyahu says, the best chance we have is to achieve “peace through
strength.”
For most of the last quarter-century, the Israeli Left has been on the losing side
of politics. Once the most popular party in Israel, the Labor Party is now in the
minority. Further, diehard groups like Peace Now and J Street are seen as either
out of touch with reality or, at worst, as delusional and betraying their own
people.
Israel’s new Netanyahu government, on the other hand, is the most religious
and right-wing in modern history. It is ready to push for policies that support
Israeli nationalism, a strong IDF, settlement, annexation, control of the Temple
Mount, and a deeper appreciation of Torah Judaism.
Netanyahu is the longest-serving Israeli Prime Minister, having been in office
for 15 years. He is back in power because most people believe he can not only
lead a right-leaning government well but also steer it when necessary toward a
sensible middle-of-the-road approach that will keep Israel strong and faithful,
as well as on a path of continued growth at home and with respect around the
world.
Why has the Right won out over the Left?
peace, the Left was somewhat naive. It counted on a peace partner that was
not really there. It assumed that because peace was needed, peace was
feasible. But the history of the conflict and the geostrategy of the region
implied that peace was not feasible.

4. 12/25/22, 8:39 AM How One "Peacenik" Became Practical | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
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Simplistically, you can say that the Right is right! After almost 2,000 years of
Jewish diaspora, pogroms, persecution, and the Holocaust, Jews can no longer,
in good conscience, tolerate any existential threats. While Jews initially
accepted the UN partition for a two-state solution, Arabs vehemently rejected it
and went to war against the then-fledgling State of Israel. Moreover, despite the
Arab loss, they continued to mount martial campaigns, intifadas, terrorism, and
war against Israel, only to be repeatedly defeated. Each and every chance that
Israel gave the Palestinians for mediation, negotiation, compromise, and peace
was rejected and met with more cries of Jihad!
It is said that every family in Israel has lost one or more loved ones to
Palestinian obstinacy and radical militarism, and at this point Israel is no longer
going to be lulled and fooled into complacency and a bad deal that would mean
further Palestinian aggression against Israel and its people.
Hardcore liberals have been blinded by their belief that the Palestinians are
somehow the victims, even though they are part of the violent Arab Goliath that
is fighting against Israel (which is made up of many Holocaust survivors and
Mizrachi refugees). Also, the UN’s constant stream of hateful and harsh
resolutions against the State of Israel in a world where the real Axis of Evil
states violate human rights, support state terrorism, and fight grossly unjust
and illegal wars has turned it into a bloody farce of an organization. When the
haters’ wars and resolutions didn’t work, they turned to lawfare against Israel by
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5. 12/25/22, 8:39 AM How One "Peacenik" Became Practical | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
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supporting Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) to keep trying to drive all
Israelis into the Sea of Destruction and, eventually, to their deaths.
In a sense, I would like to be a peacenik because I believe in doing good for
others and in Tikkun Olam for the world. However, after reading Shavit’s book
and looking at the current situation, with two “people” living on the same land
and the Palestinians still insisting on having it all “from the river to the sea,”
peace is just not practical now. Yes, we can and should make peace with as many
of our neighbors as possible, because that’s a positive goal for everyone.
However, as long as we keep begging for peace that the Palestinians just don’t
really want (yet), then we are simply banging our heads against a wall with no
achievable results possible at this time.
In short, the Left is right when it comes to caring about others and the ultimate
goal that we all seek, which is genuine and lasting peace and the ability to live
side by side as brothers and sisters in peace and prosperity. However, the Left
got it all wrong when it comes to the reality on the ground in terms of the
radical Islamic groups who want no peace, no negotiation, and no recognition of
Israel, period. This is where the hope of the Left met the reality of the Right, and
the Left lost all credibility, at least for the time being. Perhaps, just perhaps,
reality will change and radical hearts will soften and give peace a fighting
chance, allowing the Left to be right as well.

6. 12/25/22, 8:39 AM How One "Peacenik" Became Practical | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/how-one-peacenik-became-practical/ 6/6
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andy Blumenthal is a dynamic, award-winning leader who writes frequently about Jewish life,
culture, and security. All opinions are his own.
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