The theme of the evening was "The State of the Two-State Solution". But Rosenberg covered considerably more subjects. Rosenberg asked Shapiro questions about the recent protests in Gaza against Hamas, President Trump's recognition of Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights, the forthcoming Israeli elections, his relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu and the state of the Democratic Party where it concerns Jews and Israel.
While the two covered a broad number of subjects, it left very little time for Q&A. Indeed, Rosenberg on two occasions said he had only more question only to ask yet another question. It didn't help matters that the audio was quite poor. Fortunately for myself, I got to pose my question. My question revolved around a tweet Shapiro composed last night regarding the two state solution:
If anyone tells you a negotiated two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is impossible, here’s your answer. Leadership. The right leaders, at the right time, can surprise the world, surprise themselves, and make the impossible possible.
I quoted Shapiro's tweet and then reminded him that Mahmoud Abbas' four year term as President of the Palestinian Authority expired 10 years ago. I further reminded him that the Palestinian Authority today named a street in a West Bank village after a man who murdered a rabbi and an IDF sergeant in cold blood. With that, I asked, "If young Palestinians can expect to have streets named in their honor for killing Jews then where is this leadership of which you speak?"
As soon as Shapiro acknowledged that I had "legitimate" points I knew he was not going to answer my question. Shapiro said he wrote the tweet to mark the 40th anniversary of the Israel-Egypt peace treaty going into effect and proceeded to argue how inconceivable that was two years earlier. Apples and oranges. While acknowledging a two state solution was not possible under the leadership of the Palestinian Authority, Shapiro engaged in moral equivalence by claiming Israel's leadership wasn't prepared for a two state solution either. Had I the opportunity to rebut, I would have asked him to name a single Israeli street named after someone who had murdered a Palestinian. No matter. Shapiro said we had to hold out hope for a new generation of Israeli and Palestinian leadership. How such leadership would emerge from the Palestinian side when they are taught not to acknowledge the humanity of Jews he did not explain.
In the grand scheme of things, Shapiro came off as a condescending know it all who was wedded to a solution with no possibility in the foreseeable future. He was at his most insufferable when he claimed Israel was being turned into a "political football" but that it was "not happening on my side of the aisle." What Chutzpah!!! For all my problems with Republicans there isn't a Republican who is currently questioning the loyalty of Jews to the United States.
Needless to say, Dad was annoyed throughout the entire evening but kept himself in check. That is, until, when Shapiro said, "Israelis worship Trump like he's the Messiah." Dad quipped, "And Obama is the devil." He said it loudly enough to get a nice approving laugh. Dad only regretted not saying it louder.
While there were probably a significant number of those assembled while not thrilled with Trump don't remember the Obama years with fondness. But most were quite left-wing and scoffed when Netanyahu or Trump's name was mentioned. Aside from myself, most who posed questions were more critical of Israel than the Palestinians with the final questioner being unabashedly anti-Israel. Although I did not enjoy being surrounded by Trump supporters a few weeks back, with friends like these who need enemies? Let's just say it will be a lot more fun tomorrow night than it was tonight when I watch the Red Sox on Opening Day of the 2019 MLB season.
As soon as Shapiro acknowledged that I had "legitimate" points I knew he was not going to answer my question. Shapiro said he wrote the tweet to mark the 40th anniversary of the Israel-Egypt peace treaty going into effect and proceeded to argue how inconceivable that was two years earlier. Apples and oranges. While acknowledging a two state solution was not possible under the leadership of the Palestinian Authority, Shapiro engaged in moral equivalence by claiming Israel's leadership wasn't prepared for a two state solution either. Had I the opportunity to rebut, I would have asked him to name a single Israeli street named after someone who had murdered a Palestinian. No matter. Shapiro said we had to hold out hope for a new generation of Israeli and Palestinian leadership. How such leadership would emerge from the Palestinian side when they are taught not to acknowledge the humanity of Jews he did not explain.
In the grand scheme of things, Shapiro came off as a condescending know it all who was wedded to a solution with no possibility in the foreseeable future. He was at his most insufferable when he claimed Israel was being turned into a "political football" but that it was "not happening on my side of the aisle." What Chutzpah!!! For all my problems with Republicans there isn't a Republican who is currently questioning the loyalty of Jews to the United States.
Needless to say, Dad was annoyed throughout the entire evening but kept himself in check. That is, until, when Shapiro said, "Israelis worship Trump like he's the Messiah." Dad quipped, "And Obama is the devil." He said it loudly enough to get a nice approving laugh. Dad only regretted not saying it louder.
While there were probably a significant number of those assembled while not thrilled with Trump don't remember the Obama years with fondness. But most were quite left-wing and scoffed when Netanyahu or Trump's name was mentioned. Aside from myself, most who posed questions were more critical of Israel than the Palestinians with the final questioner being unabashedly anti-Israel. Although I did not enjoy being surrounded by Trump supporters a few weeks back, with friends like these who need enemies? Let's just say it will be a lot more fun tomorrow night than it was tonight when I watch the Red Sox on Opening Day of the 2019 MLB season.
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