As the war in Gaza escalates and Israel’s ground campaign expands, I often find myself at a loss. Some days, it is difficult to think of anything else. And yet formulating a position adequate to the scale of the conflict can seem elusive. Some things I can say for sure: Hamas’s October 7 attacks were an atrocity. A military response from Israel is justified. And yet, though I’m not an expert on Israel-Palestine, I do not see how this stage in the conflict can proceed without inflicting death and destruction on a staggering number of civilians.
The US has a unique relationship with Israel. The Biden administration has so far offered almost total support for Israel’s strategy. We Americans who see our nation as, on the whole, a force for good have a special responsibility to think through this conflict very carefully. Its consequences will not remain confined to the Middle East. As we’re already seeing, the war in Gaza is opening up unexpected political fissures here at home. I think many people feel that we—Americans, Israelis, Palestinians, and the people of many other nations—have found ourselves, almost overnight, pushed to the edge of a precipice. The moment calls for caution, but not for silence.
In this episode, you’ll see John and me thinking through the complexity of this situation in real time. It’s not an easy conversation. But then, it shouldn’t be easy. I may not yet have clarity, but in this episode, you’ll see me groping toward it.
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0:00 Why John thinks pro-Hamas sentiment on the American left is racist
6:11 Distinguishing between anti-colonialism and antisemitism
12:46 There are great crimes in America’s past. But we shouldn’t let them define us.
17:08 Glenn: We’re standing on the precipice of something catastrophic
27:57 John’s proposal for the US’s role in Israel’s domestic conflict
34:59 Is it right for people to lose their jobs over opposing Israel?
42:07 Why are pro-Hamas leftists supporting an anti-liberal regime?
47:01 Glenn and John’s responsibilities as teachers
52:26 What’s next on TGS
Recorded October 28, 2023
Links and Readings
John’s Free Press piece, “The Ultimate Condescension Toward Palestinians”
Adam Shatz’s LRB essay, “Vengeful Pathologies”
Joe Biden’s Oval Office address on Israel and Ukraine
Reza Aslan’s book, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
Reza Aslan’s new book, An American Martyr in Persia: The Epic Life and Tragic Death of Howard Baskerville
John McWhorter – Thinking Through the Gaza War