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This thread is a lesson on the importance of precise questions.
JAKE TAPPER: "Do you think the Jewish people have the right to a state in the area where Israel exists now?"
REP. RASHIDA TLAIB: "Look, I truly believe the state of Israel exists, correct, but..."
JAKE TAPPER: "Do you think the Jewish people have the right to a state in the area where Israel exists now?"
REP. RASHIDA TLAIB: "Look, I truly believe the state of Israel exists, correct, but..."
At the end of the interview, @jaketapper asks again:
JAKE TAPPER: "Yes or no, does Israel have a right to exist?"
REP. RASHIDA TLAIB: "Oh, of course! But just like Palestinians have a right to exist."
JAKE TAPPER: "Yes or no, does Israel have a right to exist?"
REP. RASHIDA TLAIB: "Oh, of course! But just like Palestinians have a right to exist."
Why did @RashidaTlaib dodge @jaketapper's first question ("Do the Jewish people have the right to a state"), but give a direct answer to his second question ("Does Israel have a right to exist")?
Because it's taboo to say Israel doesn't have a right to exist. She knows this.
Because it's taboo to say Israel doesn't have a right to exist. She knows this.
Israel's Declaration of Independence – the document that explains why Israel has a right to exist – refers to "the natural right of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate, like all other nations, in their own sovereign State."
This is everything in one sentence.
This is everything in one sentence.
If you're going to say that Israel has the right to exist, then you should clarify that you disagree with what Israel and the Jewish people mean when they say that Israel has the right to exist.
There's more. Rep. @RashidaTlaib says she supports the BDS movement and supports Israel's right to exist.
Sure, and I am a vegetarian who eats meat.
Sure, and I am a vegetarian who eats meat.
Rep. Tlaib's messaging strategy is not new. The PLO pretended to recognize Israel's "right to exist" in 1993, and Israel pretended that the PLO was sincere. The PLO's strategy was to "recognize" Israel but continue to demand things that would negate the recognition. Very clever!
Look, it's possible that Rep. Tlaib doesn't know:
A. What the BDS movement demands
B. What it means for Israel to exist
C. You can't have it both ways
All snark aside, we can never find common ground if we only engage with each other in sound bites or "gotcha" questions.
A. What the BDS movement demands
B. What it means for Israel to exist
C. You can't have it both ways
All snark aside, we can never find common ground if we only engage with each other in sound bites or "gotcha" questions.
I extend my hand in peace: Rep. Tlaib, I would love to meet you when you visit Israel and hear your family story. I am a licensed tour guide. As an educator, I try to listen more than I speak. I embrace every human with an open mind and an open heart. Let's talk.
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