Does Kamala Harris speak boldly enough about Israel to win enough swing states?
I think she could use some fine-tuning in what she says to Muslims
Harris does a good job spelling out where she stands with Israel. What she actually will do is anyone’s guess, but on paper, she got it mostly right.
Where she goes wobbly is when she talks to critical Muslims or extreme leftists. Let me suggest that she begins by telling them all of the following.
She can just speak the truth because, in any case, she would not win over the fundamentalist anti-Zionist vote. But bystanders will love her for it.
***
Some people dislike my Middle-East stance and, for that reason, threaten to vote for a third option. This might actually give Donald Trump enough electoral votes to win the presidency. You got to be kidding. You may disagree with me, but you will always find my door open for discussion. You might help my opinion evolve. You will not find that with Trump. So, even if you think I’m not pro-Palestinian enough, you better vote for me.
***
Woke racism is not taking non-Whites seriously. Instead, minorities are handled with kid gloves instead of frankness. Gentleness is nice, but not failing to call a spade a spade because the oppressed would be too weak.
Call me old-fashioned, but I distinguish between totalitarian regimes and terrorist organizations vs. the Peoples they pretend to represent. I’m never against a People; I’m always against anti-democrats. You could hate me for that, but I believe that needs to be the American stance.
However, we must always look for details since each People has different particulars. There are nations where actually the leader, even a dictator, got it right and the citizens do not, like a king or a president who is friendly with Israel while the people they rule hate all Jews. We must always stand with those who do right and reject the others.
Jews and Palestinians are often played against each other. That’s what Britain did with many populations before they left their colonies. Britain today may be nicer but once it was done like that. We don’t need to fall into that trap. We can be for Jews and for Muslims. Actually, in areas that have less cultural and religious stress, like in the US, we see Jews and Muslims being friends and cooperating on a personal and a group level.
It is no use having Jews and Muslims compete who are the worst victims. Historic suffering of all must be mourned openly and deeply, but that’s not enough. Without combating Antisemitism, no one will have peace.
Too many unjustly equate Jews and Muslims. 20% of Israel’s population is Muslim, and they have the same democratic rights as the Jews or anyone else in Israel. Yet, none of Israel’s neighbors has equal rights for Jews.
I don’t think Jews and Muslims are natural enemies. If you dislike Jews, you have a problem since it’s a form of hatred for a whole People and culture and history and we call that racism, and you will find me opposing you.
I was informed that the present State of Israel cannot be split up into two economically viable and safe sovereign States. Such two States can only coexist if both populations respect each other. But when they do, they don’t need separate States. And when they don’t, they can’t have them.
The problem is not between Jew and Muslim or Israeli and Palestinian. The problem is between democracy and equality on the one hand and hatred and unfreedom on the other. Israel needs to uproot every grain of bigotry from its territory, as must all Nations. The US will happily help fight any violent, hateful movement anywhere. If you have a problem with that, you might be in the wrong country because the USA strives to be a law-based democracy with human freedoms and rights for all groups of people.
Much of the ‘news’ we get is deliberately colored, if not distorted, or even completely fabricated by people hating Jews. Israel is fighting the cleanest war in Gaza we have seen in modern times anywhere. Civilians do get hurt and killed, but in a small percentage because the IDF doesn’t target them and does everything to get them out of harm’s way. If you think you know better, chances are your news sources have lied to you systematically.
I know that many in our party easily speak of Israel violating international law by international consensus. This is a lie. This discussion has never been held. Israel was simply accused by the International Red Cross, and we can now all know that they never had a warm heart for the Jews. Clearly, Jews are the natives of Palestine. Europeans are the US’s colonizers.
If you insist on a Palestinian State, the only option is Jordan turned into a true democracy, with or without a symbolic king. If you want that, talk to me. We’ll make sure there is enough money for any form of peace for all.
We want all people in the world to live safe, dignified, meaningful lives. As President, I will help form an international coalition to promote worldwide democracy. It’s no longer good enough that autocrats don’t attack the Free World. We need all humans to be free and safe. We cannot have a United Nations where the vast majority of the members are not democracies.
***
Again, some people dislike my Middle-East stance and, for that reason, threaten to vote for a third option. This might actually give Donald Trump enough electoral votes to win the presidency. You got to be kidding. You may disagree with me, but you’ll always find my door open for discussion. You might help my opinion evolve. You will not find that with Trump. So, even if you think I’m not pro-Palestinian enough, you better vote for me.
***
It’s probably not realistic for me to hope she will put all the above into her teleprompter and read it to the greatest gathering of Muslims in the US. Yet, there is no ‘all or nothing.’ Every bit of frankness and truth will help.
About the Author
MM is a prolific and creative writer and thinker, previously a daily blog contributor to the TOI. He often makes his readers laugh, mad, or assume he's nuts—close to perfect blogging. He's proud that his analytical short comments are removed both from left-wing and right-wing news sites. None of his content is generated by the new bore on the block, AI. *
As a frontier thinker, he sees things many don't yet. He's half a prophet. Half. Let's not exaggerate. Or not at all because he doesn't claim G^d talks to him. He gives him good ideas—that's all. MM doesn't believe that people observe and think in a vacuum. He, therefore, wanted a broad bio that readers interested can track a bit what (lack of) backgrounds, experiences, and educations contribute to his visions. *
This year, he will prioritize getting his unpublished books published rather than just blog posts. Next year, he hopes to focus on activism against human extinction. To find less-recent posts on a subject XXX among his over 2000 archived ones, go to the right-top corner of a Times of Israel page, click on the search icon and search "zuiden, XXX". One can find a second, wilder blog, to which one may subscribe too, here: https://mmvanzuiden.wordpress.com/ or by clicking on the globe icon next to his picture on top. *
Like most of his readers, he believes in being friendly, respectful, and loyal. However, if you think those are his absolute top priorities, you might end up disappointed. His first loyalty is to the truth. He will try to stay within the limits of democratic and Jewish law, but he won't lie to support opinions or people when don't deserve that. (Yet, we all make honest mistakes, which is just fine and does not justify losing support.) He admits that he sometimes exaggerates to make a point, which could have him come across as nasty, while in actuality, he's quite a lovely person to interact with. He holds - how Dutch - that a strong opinion doesn't imply intolerance of other views. *
Sometimes he's misunderstood because his wide and diverse field of vision seldomly fits any specialist's box. But that's exactly what some love about him. He has written a lot about Psychology (including Sexuality and Abuse), Medicine (including physical immortality), Science (including basic statistics), Politics (Israel, the US, and the Netherlands, Activism - more than leftwing or rightwing, he hopes to highlight reality), Oppression and Liberation (intersectionally, for young people, the elderly, non-Whites, women, workers, Jews, LGBTQIA+, foreigners and anyone else who's dehumanized or exploited), Integrity, Philosophy, Jews (Judaism, Zionism, Holocaust and Jewish Liberation), the Climate Crisis, Ecology and Veganism, Affairs from the news, or the Torah Portion of the Week, or new insights that suddenly befell him. *
Chronologically, his most influential teachers are his parents, Nico (natan) van Zuiden and Betty (beisye) Nieweg, Wim Kan, Mozart, Harvey Jackins, Marshal Rosenberg, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and, lehavdil bein chayim lechayim, Rabbi Dr. Natan Lopes Cardozo, Rav Zev Leff, and Rav Meir Lubin. This short list doesn't mean to disrespect others who taught him a lot or a little. One of his rabbis calls him Mr. Innovation [Ish haChidushim]. Yet, his originalities seem to root deeply in traditional Judaism, though they may grow in unexpected directions. In fact, he claims he's modernizing nothing. Rather, mainly basing himself on the basic Hebrew Torah text, he tries to rediscover classical Jewish thought almost lost in thousands of years of stifling Gentile domination and Jewish assimilation. (He pleads for a close reading of the Torah instead of going by rough assumptions of what it would probably mean and before fleeing to Commentaries.) This, in all aspects of life, but prominently in the areas of Free Will, Activism, Homosexuality for men, and Redemption. *
He hopes that his words will inspire and inform, and disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. He aims to bring a fresh perspective rather than harp on the obvious and familiar. When he can, he loves to write encyclopedic overviews. He doesn't expect his readers to agree. Rather, original minds should be disputed. In short, his main political positions are among others: anti-Trumpism, for Zionism, Intersectionality, non-violence, anti those who abuse democratic liberties, anti the fake ME peace process, for original-Orthodoxy, pro-Science, pro-Free Will, anti-blaming-the-victim, and for down-to-earth, classical optimism, and happiness. Read his blog on how he attempts to bridge any tensions between those ideas or fields. *
He is a fetal survivor of the pharmaceutical industry (https://diethylstilbestrol.co.uk/studies/des-and-psychological-health/), born in 1953 to his parents who were Dutch-Jewish Holocaust survivors who met in the largest concentration camp in the Netherlands, Westerbork. He grew up a humble listener. It took him decades to become a speaker too, and decades more to admit to being a genius. But his humility was his to keep. And so was his honesty. Bullies and con artists almost instantaneously envy and hate him. He hopes to bring new things and not just preach to the choir. *
He holds a BA in medicine (University of Amsterdam) – is half a doctor. He practices Re-evaluation Co-counseling since 1977, is not an official teacher anymore, and became a friendly, powerful therapist. He became a social activist, became religious, made Aliyah, and raised three wonderful kids. Previously, for decades, he was known to the Jerusalem Post readers as a frequent letter writer. For a couple of years, he was active in hasbara to the Dutch-speaking public. He wrote an unpublished tome about Jewish Free Will. He's a strict vegan since 2008. He's an Orthodox Jew but not a rabbi. *
His writing has been made possible by an allowance for second-generation Holocaust survivors from the Netherlands. It has been his dream since he was 38 to try to make a difference by teaching through writing. He had three times 9-out-of-10 for Dutch at his high school finals but is spending his days communicating in English and Hebrew - how ironic. G-d must have a fine sense of humor. In case you wonder - yes, he is a bit dyslectic. If you're a native English speaker and wonder why you should read from people whose English is only their second language, consider the advantage of having an original peek outside of your cultural bubble. *
To send any personal reaction to him, scroll to the top of the blog post and click Contact Me. *
His newest books you may find here: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AMoshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&s=relevancerank&text=Moshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1