(Jerusalem Post) — It has been painful few weeks in the United States. Yet something dramatic and potentially very problematic is developing here in Israel.
First, the U.S.
- More than 105,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus
- Tens of millions of Americans are out of work
- Businesses are poised to go bankrupt
- An intense debate is underway over how fast to reopen society
- Then comes the horrific, unconscionable murder of an African American man in Minneapolis named George Floyd by a group of police officers, a terrible injustice that rightly sparked outrage all over the country and the world.
- One of the officers involved has been arrested and charged with murder — but all of them should be, even as investigations should take place at the local, state and national level (via the FBI) to figure out how this could possibly have taken place and who was responsible.
- Many turned out on the streets to peacefully protest a justice system that too often does not provide African Americans the justice and protection they deserve.
- But criminals, thugs and domestic terrorists then seized on the crisis to unleash riots, looting, fires, and ugly, violent attacks in cities all over the U.S.
Now, Israel.
- We, too, are trying to recover from the COVID-19 crisis.
- We have far fewer deaths, per capita, than the U.S.
- And by God’s grace and wise leadership, we are successfully beginning to reopen our society.
That said, Israel’s government is now actively discussing the prospect of holding a vote in our parliament as early as July 1st to “annex” — or impose Israeli sovereign law over — up to 30% of the hotly disputed territory known to most of the world as the “West Bank.”
There are pros, but there are many cons, to such a move. But one also has to ask, “Why now?” Such a move is likely to create a firestorm of regional and global criticism against Israel.
I examine the momentous decision Israel is about to make in this new column in The Jerusalem Post. Hope you’ll take a moment to read it, to comment on it, and to share it on social media. Thanks.
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