Israeli Journalist Ari Shavit Speaks in Scarsdale

When I told a friend who is an expert on the Middle East that I was going to see Ari Shavit at a talk sponsored by the Jewish lobbyists AIPAC (America's Pro-Israel Lobby) she was puzzled. Why would AIPAC, a group that takes the position that Israel can do no wrong, fund a tour by author, peace-nick and occasional apologist Ari Shavit? It would seem more appropriate for AIPAC to showcase Prime Minister Netanyahu than a journalist who is known for reporting what happened in Israel, warts and all.

As I had just read Shavit's 464-page book, My Promised Land, I registered with AIPAC to go to see the man in person at a temple in Scarsdale. When I arrived I was surprised to find a packed parking lot and over 500 people in the audience. A professional staff from the lobbying group was greeting and wooing guests as they came in – and the session, which was billed as a talk by Shavit, began with a video and rallying cry for support from AIPAC.

When Shavit finally rose to the podium, he shared many of the conclusions he drew in his book. which is a history of Israel told through the eyes of the disparate groups that came to inhabit the promised land. In the book, he explores the stories of the early settlers, Zionists, "Oriental Jews" (from the Arab world), Orthodox, Russians, young and old. He includes controversial accounts of the settlers driving native residents from their homeland and taking territory by force.

On Thursday, he stressed the challenges faced by Israel, while seeking to reinforce points on which he was in agreement with AIPAC.

Shavit discussed the "cloud of danger" that hangs over Israel, saying, "How is it that people who have escaped Auschwitz are confronted with such fear? According to Shavit, Israel is the "only democracy that is existentially threatened."

In its fight for survival, Shavit points to two heroes:

The first is Israeli society itself, which he credits with being "rich, innovative, full of life, cohesive, and resilient."

The second hero is the Iron Dome that protects Israel from incoming missiles. He said, "The inventors should get the Nobel Peace Prize" because they have saved so many lives. The Iron Dome should be a symbol of how Israel should act. Violence did not bring stability." He called the Iron Dome "a symbol of the great American-Israeli bond," and said "we owe so much to Obama and Congress for their generous support."

He then went on to discuss the many forces that challenge Israel, saying that the Middle East is moving toward the 11th rather the 21st century. He declared those after decades, anti Semitism is back with "hate in Europe and hate in the Middle East."

His biggest fear is a nuclearized Iran. He believes that if Iran gets nuclear capabilities "the world order will collapse and endanger us all. Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey will all go nuclear and we will have a 21st century of nuclear terror." He called on leaders to "use diplomacy to stop this great threat."

He charged the Palestinians with "killing Israel from within," and said, "we cannot have a one-state solution." Dubbing Israel "a small lonely people," he called for a stronger alliance with the West. He said "power is not enough, we need justice on our side too."

He also decried the loss of commitment to Israel among younger Jews. He said, "People over 70 are committed to Israel, people over 50 are with Israel, but people under 30 are confused, lost and apathetic."

Is Shavit optimistic about the future of his country? He said, "No – we must combine realism with optimism and hope. We need a renewed Zionism that will inspire us in the 21st century." Asking for those in the room to support the country he said, "We will not have a future with you and you will not have a future without us."

He ended by posing three questions to which he provided the answers:

Why Israel? There is a moral imperative.
What's Israel? A vitality against the odds.
Will Israel? That's up to us.

In the Q& A that followed, Shavit was asked what he thought about Netanyahu's decision to bypass President Obama when accepting an invitation to address the U.S. Congress. He responded, "I will only express gratitude and will not criticize your president. We have to be grateful. When I am on foreign soil I do not criticize my prime minister. I am not a Netanyahu fan but he cares, he gets it."

About Obama and Congress he added, "I wish Washington would be more attentive to what Israelis say – we live in the Middle East." He continued, "America needs Israel as a strategic base and as a frontier of democracy. We are a 'California' in the Middle East."

Asked if there was any use negotiating with Iran, Shavit said, "As long as you know they are mobsters, carry a big stick and be very careful." Shavit advocated imposing strict economic sanctions on Iran to choke them off financially.

In response to a question about his controversial account of an attack and expulsion of Arabs in Lydda, Shavit said, "I described the tragedy. I did not say we are evil. I stand by our warriors. I don't think we are angels or demons ... we are human. Israel is an amazing human enterprise."

And what ultimately does Shavit see as the way to peace? He said, "We need to look for a creative solution. The right and the left have failed. We need to look for a third way. The settlements are weakening Israel. We need a new way forward."

So was Shavit "Pimping for AIPAC?" as Priscilla Read suggests in the Westchester Jewish Voice? I'm not sure. From what I read, Shavit's differences with AIPAC may be more in tone than in substance. Though Shavit does not agree with AIPAC on everything they both favor a nuclear-free Iran, sanctions against Israel's enemies, negotiations with the Palestinians and American assistance for a country that has survived against all odds. Together they make a strong argument for why American Jews need to stand up for Israel.