The Boston Globe, a New York Times—owned newspaper. today publishes an op ed peice by Israeli Jeff Halper which argues that the Israeli disengagement plan is a ruse, and part of a scheme by the Sharon government to retain large swaths of the West Bank and continue the imprisonment of Palestinians.

The Globe refers to Halper by a group he runs that opposes home demolitions, but neglects to inform readers that he is an anti—Zionist, and has long been opposed to the existence of a Jewish majority state of Israel. He favors a one state solution, a nation dominated by Arabs, and has entirely bought into the Palestinian narrative of their plight. Halper is on the far left fringe of the debate on the Middle East conflict.

In his article, Halper claims that Israel will not allow a viable Palestinian state to emerge. But if he were honest, which he is not in this article, he would admit that the only viable Palestinian state he believes possible is one that replaces Israel. No concessions offered by Sharon or any other Israeli, could ever be acceptable to Halper, if they allowed Israel to remain a Jewish majority state. 

Publishing his piece would seem to require for balance, publishing an article by a member of Meir Kahane's group which also favors a one state solution, with Palestinians transferred, which of course the Globe  will never do. The Globe and the Times are now giving legitimacy to a political view that supports the destruction of the state of Israel.  The Times never supported the creation of Israel, and has rarely sided with Israel throughout its history. Logically, they seem to be ready for the next step— the end of Israel,  by publishing this piece by Halper, who wants Israel gone. .

The Times and its other owned papers have always been able to find Jews who love to condemn Israel, and would be happy to see it shrunk or eliminated.  As with Tony Judt and his call for a one state solution in the New York Review of Books, Israel has become an inconvenience for some Jewish intellectuals in polite upper West Side cocktail parties.  Finding the Jeff Halpers of the world — Israelis who despise their own country,  only makes their own anti—Zionism easier to defend.

Richard Baehr  4 11 05