Denison Gets It Half Right

Associated Baptist Press just posted an Opinion by Jim Denison, theologian-in-residence for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, entitled "The war on terror just got worse." Denison's opinion is about half right which also makes it about half wrong.

Denison is right about the need for the U.S. to work for economic progress in the Arab world and about the need to support and encourage moderate Muslims. He is right about an American veto of a Palestinian state being viewed as "an affront to their people and a threat to their future."

He is wrong to imply a need for a clearer and more unambiguous statement of U.S. support for the nation of Israel. What American President has ever stated that support more clearly and unambiguously than President Obama did in his recent speech at the United Nations?

But understand this as well: America’s commitment to Israel’s security is unshakeable. Our friendship with Israel is deep and enduring. And so we believe that any lasting peace must acknowledge the very real security concerns that Israel faces every single day.

Let us be honest with ourselves: Israel is surrounded by neighbors that have waged repeated wars against it. Israel’s citizens have been killed by rockets fired at their houses and suicide bombs on their buses. Israel’s children come of age knowing that throughout the region, other children are taught to hate them. Israel, a small country of less than eight million people, look out at a world where leaders of much larger nations threaten to wipe it off of the map. The Jewish people carry the burden of centuries of exile and persecution, and fresh memories of knowing that six million people were killed simply because of who they are. Those are facts. They cannot be denied.

The Jewish people have forged a successful state in their historic homeland. Israel deserves recognition. It deserves normal relations with its neighbors. And friends of the Palestinians do them no favors by ignoring this truth, just as friends of Israel must recognize the need to pursue a two-state solution with a secure Israel next to an independent Palestine.

In fact, Obama voiced such strong support for Israel that the Israeli press was concerned that it undermined any chance that the U.S. would ever be viewed again as an honest powerbroker in the peace process.

It is simply naive to believe that declaring our "intention to revive the peace process" would turn our veto of a Palestinian state "into positive leadership for Palestine and Israel."

The most egregious omission in Denison's opinion is his total disregard for the way Israel has alienated allies and undermined the peace process by incessantly building settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates speaks about the major obstacle to peace most succinctly:

"Israel is now alone in the Middle East. Israel has made mistakes. They are having trouble with Egypt. They have alienated Turkey. They assassinated a Hamas leader in the United Arab Emirates."

He blamed their isolation on the settlements. He explained, "The Arabs are angry about the settlements. Every American President has urged stopping the settlements because each new settlement makes it harder to define the borders."

I applaud Denison's desire to be a peacemaker. I wish he demonstrated as much concern for the security and human rights of Palestinians as he does for the Israeli's.