Tzipiyah.com

The current election in the United States of America, coupled by so many discussion I’ve had with friends where, after scratching the surface of my political opinions, expressed amazement at how much they agreed with parts of my outlook when they first thought I was on the polar opposite of their position, encouraged me to write a piece in which I want to express and detail my approach to most political questions.

I’m warning you, in the current political climate, there is a good chance you will hate this piece. The reason is simple: my approach does not fit in any box. As such, liberals will call me a fascist while conservatives will call me a socialist liberal. I do believe, however, that the great majority of people in the world will relate to my approach and see it as a breath of fresh air, EVEN those who disagree with most/all my conclusions. Feel free to disagree with me! This is only food for thought. As always, your comments would be appreciated.

Let me start with this past American presidential campaign to set the stage to our discussion:

I disagreed with Barack Obama on most of his policies. I think it is dangerous to speak with Ahmadinejad or other leaders who hold an ideology which is blindly hateful and with which dialogue is not possible and speaking to only represents legitimization. I believe in a free market much more along the lines of the Republican party than along the lines of the one Barack Obama wants to design. Actually, the only issue I actually agree with Barack Obama on seems to be on Education, in which I am hopeful his proposals will re-energize the educational system of America.

And yet…. every time I hear Barack Obama speak, I am inspired.

No, I am not talking about his ability to speak masterfully: he is probably the best speaker I have ever heard speaking live, the second best overall only second to Martin Luther King Jr. But that is not the source of my inspiration. I am inspired by his approach to those issues.

I am inspired when Barack Obama speaks about listening to people he disagrees with, Republicans, and hear their criticism. And while he stresses he will not adopt their positions, he understand the value of listening to the other and considering his position.

I am inspired by his rhetoric which encourages the population to take control of its destiny, which encourages the population to be represented in the White House and not just the president living in the White House.

I am inspired by the fact that he continuously repeats that he will be the president of all of his nation, the American nation, and not just those who voted for him. As such, he will make sure to apply his policies in a conciliatory way and not an adversarial way.

I am inspired by the fact that he focuses on things which unite his nation and not things which divide them – he speaks of bringing the number of abortions down instead of focusing on his pro-choice agenda which makes the right unhappy etc…

I am inspired by his looking forward with hope rather than backwards with criticism. While he had his share of negative attacks which I was disappointed in, the overall tone of his campaign was positive. It was about hope in a better future, about being optimistic, having faith.

I am inspired by the fact that Obama realizes that a president who inspires the population is much more likely to be a successful president.

As you can see, none of these things really reflect the actual policy I would have applied if I was president. However, it does reflect an approach to politics which I think is the right approach.

If we widen the discussion a little bit and look at Israeli politics, many people will call me a “right wing nutcase”. I mean, I completely opposed the disengagement. I would love to, one day, have the privilege to live in one of the amazing communities in Judea and Samaria.

These positions shock most liberals who bring up values and principles which they think my position go against: freedom, the collective rights of a nation, human rights, justice, empathy, social justice etc… On my economical perspective, they cite social justice, caring about the middle class and the poor, etc…

However, let me make something very clear:

The reason I support the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria, and the sovereignty of the Jewish Nation on all of the land of Israel, is not out of hate for Palestinians. It is because I believe in the collective right of the Jewish People to settle its ancestral homeland, and I believe this right is more true, and not less true, in the historical cities which are found in Judea and Samaria which are the main Jewish historical cities. I believe in the right of the Jewish People to live in Jerusalem, Hevron, Schem, etc…

The reason why I opposed the disengagement was not because I want to continue the suffering of the Palestinians. It is rather because I believe in human rights for all, including Jews, and therefore I don’t believe any place on earth should be made Judenrein (free of Jews), as the Palestinians want their state to be.

The reason I am a Zionist is not ONLY because of nationalist reasons, although those reasons are definitely a part of it. It is rather because I believe Zionism has made right the greatest injustice of the history of humanity by giving back a homeland to the oldest refugees of this world – the “wandering Jews”. Zionism, to me, is not only a hope for the Jewish Nation, but it is the greatest message of hope for all those fighting for justice in this world. It is a clear message that even if it takes time, justice will eventually prevail.

The reason why I would love to live in a settlement is not out of hate for the Palestinians. Not at all. I really think Palestinian people are victims. This is not just some effective rhetoric, I really believe it. I feel they are the victims of their own leadership, the victims of the Arab world, and yes, sometimes (even though not nearly as often as we are accused), the victims of the Israeli government actions.
Unfortunately, by framing the current problem as an Israeli-Arab, or Israeli-Palestinian problem, I believe we have done a great disservice to the Palestinians. Instead, if we would have recognized Jewish Sovereignty on Judea and Samaria for the moral and ideological reasons I mentioned already, and some legal ones which I will not mention here, then, we could have dealt with those who attack us as criminals. We would have dealt with them with strength and cause very clear deterrence. But at the same time, we would have been able to help those Palestinians who do not oppose us live a good life, probably a better life they would ever get in a Palestinian State. You see, I don’t believe the Palestinians have a collective right to a state (and I won’t get into why right over here), but I do believe in their human rights.

The reason I believe in a free market economy is not in order to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. It is rather because I honestly believe that the free market economy, while not perfect and while it needs minor regulations, is the best tool to make the poor richer and the middle class more successful. I think it is the best tool to provide real social justice and opportunity to all.

The reason why I oppose Obama’s idea of speaking to Ahmadinejad is not on tactical grounds, although I do think that giving him the legitimacy of a head to head meeting with the President of the US is a tactical error. My main reason is because I believe it would be immoral to give a platform to someone who is being accused by respected human rights activists such as Irwin Cotler of incitement to genocide.

You see, the right nowadays, unfortunately, makes it seem as if their positions are taken without a lot of thought on the subjects of human rights, justice, equality, etc… I believe my positions, while mostly on the right, are specifically based on my view of human rights, justice and equality.

And, of course, as a religious Jew, I find the source of my interpretation of human rights, justice and equality is in the Torah. When I say the Torah wants us in Gush Katif, I don’t only mean it on a strict legal sense but also, that the principles of freedom and national rights outlined in the Torah are the source of our right to this land.

I often find myself preferring to discuss things with some of my liberal friends rather than my conservative friends. When I discuss things with my liberal friends, while we disagree on conclusions, we are able to discuss things openly, give space to each other’s vision without feeling pressured to adopt the other person’s position. When I discuss things with close-minded people everywhere on the political spectrum – every small disagreement I have with them becomes a big issue which they feel they need to convince me on, and I am entered into an adversarial mode with them.

Often, I realize that when it comes to the principles which make up my policy, I have much more in common with some of my liberal friends than some of my conservative friends, even if I disagree with most of their actual policies, and while I agree with most conclusions my conservative friends come up with, I often see myself cringe at the logic which justifies their policy positions or at the approach they use to promote those positions.

Where does that put me? Somewhere in the middle? Not really. I doubt anyone who considers my positions would call me a centrist.

I, however, think that this is what people mean when they say they want a new type of politics, because I think most people agree with the principles which make up the basis for my politics, many, if not most, which are similar to Obama’s even if we disagree on policy. I think people of all sides are sick of the campaigns which were lead, by both sides (yes, while republicans are always attacked for this, Democrats also need to take a good look in the mirror), and want politics which are more principled and not just focused on policy, because they have the potential of being more unifying.

My only hope is that the Republican Party learns from this and, without changing its policies, reformulates is message to be more inspiring, principled and attractive. I also hope all sides of the Israeli political spectrum learn from this, because they definitely need a good lesson on this, and Israeli definitely needs a leader which could inspire them.