David Suissa

February 8, 2011

Letter to George Soros: Israel, a stumbling block or shining light?

By David Suissa

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Dear Mr. George Soros:

I saw that you wrote in The Washington Post last week that Israel is the “main stumbling block” to democratic progress in Egypt. You also said that “as a committed advocate of democracy and open society, I cannot help but share in the enthusiasm that is sweeping across the Middle East.”

I’m writing to let you know that I share your enthusiasm for democracy and open societies, but I need to challenge your view of Israel.

For many years now, I have been struck by the tragic absence of basic freedoms and human rights throughout the Middle East. You might have seen the latest findings from the independent Freedom House, which reports that “The Middle East and North Africa remained the region with the lowest level of freedom in 2010, continuing its multiyear decline from an already-low democratic baseline.”

They define freedom based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Of the 18 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, 14 countries (population: 330 million) are “not free,” 3 countries (population: 39.3 million) are “partly free” and only one country (population: 7.6 million) is “free.”

That free country is Israel.

Since you are a world-famous liberal and the founder of the Open Society Foundations (it works “to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens”), I figured that Israel’s democratic success would be a source of pride. I hoped that you might look at the turmoil in the Middle East and then point with pride to Israel and say: “Hey, look, there’s an exception! This is what the protesters in Egypt are screaming for — their rights and freedoms, just what Israel already offers!”

But you didn’t do that. Instead, you actually called Israel “the main stumbling block” to the hopeful evolution of an Egyptian democracy. Not just a stumbling block, but the main stumbling block! 

This, with due respect, is ludicrous. As if Israel has the magical power to “block” the evolution of democracy in Egypt or any other country, even if it wanted to.

And as if some real and concrete stumbling blocks aren’t already there in Egypt, like a history of anti-democratic regimes that have ruled the country since before Israel was born; or the absence of myriad democratic institutions that are essential to the flourishing of a civil society; or the widespread dissemination of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism and anti-anything Western; or the fact that the only significant organized group in the country — the Muslim Brotherhood — is enamored more with the theocracy of Shariah law than the democracy of Thomas Jefferson.

Aren’t these “made in Egypt” stumbling blocks big enough for you? You still had to find a way to squeeze in Israel as the main culprit?

In a sense, I see where your obsession with blaming Israel comes from. It hit me the other night, when professor Micah Goodman of Israel was speaking at a private home about his new book, “The Secrets of the ‘Guide to the Perplexed.’ ” Our personalities and characters are guided by our actions, he said, not the other way around. We become our actions.

You, Mr. Soros, have been criticizing Israel for so long that you have become that criticism. Even when you are presented with a glaring example of the value of Israel’s open and civil society, you refuse to give the country its due. You must criticize Israel, you must find a way to blame it, because this is what you do — and this is who you are.

You are like many Israel bashers who call themselves “pro-Israel.” They’re so used to criticizing Israel under the guise of “tough love,” that when they see an opportunity to show a little pride, they, well … they quickly change the subject. Israel still hasn’t made peace with the Palestinians! Israel must make peace now more than ever! As if Israel doesn’t crave peace and has never made any offers or sacrifices for peace.

God forbid Israel bashers should ever take a time-out from criticism and say, “Israel must spread its democratic values throughout the Middle East!” But no, that would make Israel look too good, and shift the attention to the 330 million Arabs who are not free, who are not under Israel’s rule, and whose voices have been drowned out for decades by the world’s obsession with blaming Israel for the ills of the Middle East.

Well, thanks to the extraordinary human eruption now happening in the Middle East — an eruption that is about freedom and dignity and not the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — it will become harder and harder for people like you to make your “blame Israel first” arguments. I have no doubt, though, that you will try.

So I am challenging you to a live debate: “Israel: Stumbling Block or Shining Light?”

Because I don’t have a private jet, let’s do it in Los Angeles.

David Suissa is the founder of OLAM magazine and OLAM.org. You can read his daily blog at suissablog.com and e-mail him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

A version of this article appeared in print.

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Soros doesn’t consider Israel a stumbling block because of liberal imperfections, but because it is Jewish. An Arab state a tenth as open and democratic as Israel would be praiseworthy; a Jewish Israel ten times as open and democratic as it is now would still be a stumbling block. Soros has personally destroyed his Jewishness; an undestroyed Israel cramps his style and belies his personal decision.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 2/08/11 at 7:21 pm

This article is another one of Suissa’s masterpieces.

Comment by Avi on 2/09/11 at 2:18 pm

Soros seemed to blame AIPAC and Likudniks for preventing Egyptian democracy. I see him as a modern day Henry Ford,many$$,but an anti-semite at the core. Israel despite it`s many faults will live and prosper long after Soros has gone to the dustbin of history.

Comment by ED on 2/13/11 at 7:55 pm

Marty Kaplan is a major disgrace to the integrity of the Journal.  Shame on whoever hired this MORON.

Comment by Poppy on 2/16/11 at 11:54 am

Dear Mr. Suissa,
You must have overlooked the freedom house evaluation of the Israeli occupied west bank : it’s verdict “not free”.

So I challenge you: Do you support the “shining light” of Israel inside the green light providing “freedom and human dignity” to those under its control beyond the green line.

When you write a column about that you won’t have to worry about being called a hypocrite or suffering from deep myopia. And you can come with clean hands in criticizing the “israel bashers”

cc: Mr. George Soros

Comment by gaon on 2/18/11 at 1:05 pm

Don’t worry, Soros already knows. Freedom House is another Soros-funded front group to support troublemakers.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 2/20/11 at 2:17 am

Don’t worry, Soros already knows. Freedom House is another Soros-funded front group to support troublemakers

interesting

so since soros and suissa apparently agree with its system of ranking free and unfree countries/territories then they must agree that the palestinians in the territories are more “unfree” than those in egypt under mubarak

and suissa trusts the soros funded “troublemakers”

very interesting

Comment by gaon on 2/20/11 at 11:04 am

” Our personalities and characters are guided by our actions, he said, not the other way around. We become our actions.”

yup and the same freedom house you rely upon says 3.9 palestinians in the territories under israeli rule are “unfree”

“God forbid Israel bashers should ever take a time-out from criticism and say, “Israel must spread its democratic values throughout the Middle East!””

good, a point where you and soros can agree:

At the same time, why don’t people who can’t open their eyes about the occupation and blindly support israeli policies say “israel must spred its democratic values throughout the middle east” ....starting with those directly under its control.

Comment by gaon achayr on 2/20/11 at 11:11 am

mr. suissa

if you believe “we become our actions” you should spend time in israel speaking to some soldiers who spend their military service patrolling the occupied territories

Comment by ex chayal on 2/20/11 at 11:15 am

No Palestinians are under Israeli occupation or rule. You aren’t referring to Israeli Arabs. In Judea/Samaria (West bank sic), they are under unfree rule of the PA. In Gaza, they are under unfree rule of Hamas. In South Lebanon, they are under unfree rule of Hezbollah. In TransJordan, they are under unfree rule of an unelected king. Because of pests like you, Israel can’t ‘must spread’ anything.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 2/20/11 at 5:35 pm

ben plonie a ? for yu

why do supporters of israel think making things up helps “hasbara” ?
check the map on the israeli foreign ministry website

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts+About+Israel/Israel+in+Maps/Judea+and+Samaria.htm

Comment by gaon gam kayn on 2/20/11 at 5:56 pm

I don’t know what you are referring to in terms of making things up. The meanings of the terms have changed in every one of the fifty compromises that the Jews have made in the face of political betrayal and blackmail. This proves the error of making even the first compromise. The MFA map is a snapshot of whatever nonsense was taking place in 2004.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 2/20/11 at 9:01 pm

Palestine as universally understood as Jewish (and nobody else’s) homeland before Britain’s perfidy; broadly along Biblical borders. Upper right=extent to Euphrates River. Golan=kingdom of Bashan, TranJordan=kingdoms of Ammon, Moab and Edom; conquest of the first 3 (in a defensive war) is described in the Bible. They became tribal lands of Dan, Reuven, Gad and half of Menassah. Today’s ‘Southern Lebanon’ (Hezbollahland) was the tribal land of Asher and Naphtali. Gaza was part of Judah (‘Judea’). All before the first Arab left Arabia.

http://israelvets.com/picts/nation_reborn/full_size_images/PalestineMap.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BritishMandatePalestine1920.png

Comment by Ben Plonie on 2/20/11 at 9:33 pm

ben plonie

is it time to annex south lebanon so political israel = biblical israel ? will you and your children be serving military service in the that war of conquest ?

oh and do you plan on giving california back to the mexicans or their indian ancestors ?

Comment by od gaaon on 2/20/11 at 10:04 pm

The time to do it was during last lebanon summer war. It would have taken less than a week to take control of the Litani, announce that nothing would be left alive for two kilometers above the old border, evacuate south Lebanon in 48 hours including terrorists with shoulder missiles, and turn Bint Jebail to brown toothpaste.

But tomorrow, when Hezbollah launches 4000 rockets at Israeli population centers, should we be begging them to recreate the unstable status quo or should we end the charade immediately? If they want to bet the ranch they should be prepared to lose it.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 2/20/11 at 11:13 pm

And I am sure that if Obama gets a second term he will withdraw all the white European occupiers and beg Mexico to take Atzlan back.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 2/20/11 at 11:20 pm

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