I want more than a hug

Op-ed: Israel needs its American friends to provide more than sympathetic words

Donniel Hartman
　
Newt Gingrich, a true friend of Israel,attempted to prove his friendship by denying the existence of a Palestinian people. This and other similarly "friendly" statements by Republican presidential candidates over the last few weeks is evidence of a perception not merely of friendship but of what these candidates believe the Jewish people want to hear.

There is a Palestinian people

My commitment to a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel grows precisely out of my desire both to enable Palestinians to express their national aspirations and my commitment to ensure my ability to maintain Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people.
As a Jew, I know that there is a Palestinian people. I say, "as a Jew," because beyond the fact that today there are millions of people who define themselves as such, the playing of the historical card to deny present reality is one that we Jews suffered from over and again. In fact, the essence of the current efforts to delegitimize Israel as a Jewish state is grounded in the so-called historical "fact" that Judaism is a religion and not a national identity. As a Jew, I am obligated to live by Hillel’s doctrine - What is hateful unto you, do not do unto others - and to view this doctrine as enjoined by Hillel, as the essence of Torah.
As a Jew, I am obligated to strive for peace and to sanctify all life as created in the image of God. For me, one of the meanings of Israel as a Jewish state is that it is a country whose policies constantly strive to create a world in which these values can be realized. Such an aspiration takes precedence, I believe, over the holiness of the land, the rights of Jews to settle in our ancient homeland, and even requires, as all values do, the taking of risks.
In the real world, one’s commitments to one’s values are measured precisely by the sacrifices one is willing to make for them. Peace and the dignity of all humankind is not simply a word for an ideal awaiting a messianic era but a value which obligates us as Jews.
As a Jew, I know I am obligated by the primacy of human life and that this commitment to the sanctity of life starts first and foremost with one’s own. I am commanded to love my neighbor as myself, a commandment which presupposes the value of my life. As a result, issues of security and the right of self-defense are moral duties.
While moral responsibility must include a measure of altruism, it cannot come at the expense of a healthy sense of self. Israel’s ability to defend itself and protect its citizens, and to live not merely within secure borders but with neighbors who can be trusted to commit to long-term treaties, are self-evident rights and Jewish values.
These are the things I know, the four principles that I have learned from my tradition and the values on which a Jewish state is founded. While I do want to know that I am not alone and that I have real friends, what I want from my friends is more than a hug. What I hope for from my political allies in the United States, be they Republican or Democrat, is to show whether their policies share the above values and how they may help me fulfill them.
We are a strong people, and Israel is a strong country. Our strength is measured in our ability to defend ourselves, in the friends who stand by our side, and in the value and justice of both our aspirations and our policies. To our friends in the American political leadership I ask that you both recognize this and speak with me about this. This is what I really want to hear from you. This is what gives me and my nation hope for a better future.
Rabbi Dr. Donniel Hartman is president of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, Israel