A correspondent (in our most recent go-around) writes, “the essential cause(s) of Israel’s self-destructiveness remains a mystery to me “ So I am going to try to demystify it (them).

1. The original slogan of Shalom Achshav was “The Occupation Corrupts.” In truth, that was a remarkable insight to have had so early on. Forty years since the Occupation began and 28 years since SA was founded, it is now obvious to all save the willfully blind (of whom there are more than a few). It is the sort of thing, however, that even people with 20-20 vision prefer to ignore or repress. And in time what was once outrageous becomes the norm. One gets used to that. The West Bank was once called, in Hebrew, “hashtachim” – “the territories.” These days, you’re far more likely to hear reference to Yehudah and Shomron (Judaea and Samaria), the Biblical names for the area.
Read on…