For many Jews, Israel is the single most important foreign affairs issue. Jews come first and the rest of humanity exists far behind. Such is the disease of nationalistic fervour. Is there any chance of helping Africa?
Israel’s northern cities and towns need massive reconstruction aid to repair the widespread damage caused by a month of indiscriminate Hezbollah rocket attacks. Israelis whose lives were torn apart by the war are in need of financial and emotional assistance. And Jerusalem needs the political support of American Jews to ensure that Washington holds firm on insisting that Hezbollah is reined in, as required by the United Nations agreement that ended the fighting.
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Without a doubt, Israel is, and should be, the main foreign-policy priority for American Jews. But we must seriously consider the cost of spending our time and resources solely on helping Israel.
What, in particular, of the genocide in Darfur? Must Jewish efforts on behalf of the victims of that tragedy be put on hold until Israel’s acute needs are met?…
The fact that this question isn’t obvious to the writer speaks volumes.