I have often disagreed with Jeff Sachs - e.g. on his Millennium Village Project, some of his earlier "shock therapy" prescriptions & on Ukraine, but his observations on the Israel-Hamas war seem very pertinent.
There is a flip side to this, of course, emphasizing the Islamic/Palestinian/Hamas extremism calling for Israel's destruction.
But two wrongs don't make a right.
On balance, Sach's proposal for a ceasefire, two-state solution & post-war reconstruction (which he outlined at UNSC on 20 November 2023) seems far more sensible than the US blank cheque for Israel's indiscriminate, disproportionate, collective punishment seeking a military "solution" to an essentially political conflict.
Kul
 | The Israeli government argues that it is in a mortal fight for survival against Hamas, and therefore must take every measure, including the very destruction of Gaza, to survive. This is false. |
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Kul Chandra Gautam
Here is a summary of the key points from the article:
1. President Biden will likely push for more US arms sales to Israel when Congress returns, but this would only deepen American complicity in Israel's brutal war in Gaza. The US should promote peace instead by ending weapons supplies and supporting a two-state solution.
2. Israel claims it must destroy Gaza for its self-defense, but this is false. Hamas poses threats but not an existential one. Israel's real aim is to solidify permanent control over the Palestinian territories.
3. Israel has turned towards extremism, with many leaders now openly advocating ethnic cleansing of Palestinians to achieve "Greater Israel." This extremism appeals to Holocaust fears, religious zealotry about divine land rights, and the political weight of settlers.
4. The quest for Greater Israel is doomed to fail given diplomatic blowback, military losses, waning US support, and global opposition to Israeli aggression. The two-state solution remains the only path to peace and security.
5. Supporting Israel's extremism hurts US interests. The US faces isolation, budget stresses, public opposition to Middle East wars, and risks to troops. A just peace is needed instead.
In summary, Israel's war crimes in Gaza are untenable, counterproductive and threaten Israel's long-term future. The US should withdraw support and promote a two-state peace before extremists irrevocably ruin Israel's security and international standing.
Dear Kul, many thanks for your continued contribution to our collective understanding of a vast array of events and topics. I would be grateful to gain further clarity on the logical flow of passage above, “There is a flip side to this, of course, emphasizing the Islamic/Palestinian/Hamas extremism calling for Israel's destruction”. I am personally not aware of either Islam nor Palestinians calling for Israel’s destruction. Many thanks.
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