Jeremy Larner responds to 
Edward Said's piece in a letter to 
PeterCoyote:

---------

Dr. Said is a highly intelligent & sophisticated advocate.
I especially liked his call for "a secular Arab politics"...tho he does
not reckon why so little of that has yet emerged...nor does he apply
the same sweeping rhetorical condemnation he reserves for the US &
Israel to the long-term deeds & attitudes of its opposite...i.e., the
ones that prevail in the Arab states, which are mostly dictatorships.
Nor does he refer to the battles within those countries against Muslim
extremists, and the relation of Palestinians to secular vs. religious
factions.

One must note also that he attributes the suffering of Iraqi
children to US policies, and not to the Iraqi government...which
has persistently defied UN inspection of biological/chemical &
nuclear efforts supplied from Europe.  (tho I too was appalled by
the way we pulled out & left Saddam in power & in possession of his
genocidal airforce.   Clearly, there has been much to criticize in
US policy, its aims, means & allies...which have at times reflected
the opposite of the values I cherish & believe we have to perpetually
keep on fighting for in this country.)

But I don't agree w/Said on what's going on in the US right now.
I find his understanding of what's happened & how it affects us
to be selective, partisan & ungenerous, tho he makes an effort to
be balanced.  I also think he underrates the degree of dialogue in
high places.   But I could be wrong about that.  We'll soon know more.

Also one would never guess from Said & his colleagues the
long-prevailing hegemony of "Arabists" in the State Dept... tho
their influence was v.  clear in the way the Gulf War was handled.
There has been much more courting of the large Arab states (few of
which, as I've said, have done anything for the Palestinians, or for
peace) than of the Israelis. It's simply not true that Israeli & US
interests & policies coincide; there have been many fluctuations &
variations over the years, much tension & pressure & some outright
hostility on both sides.   The Clintons, in fact, seemed to have an
oddly dilettantish understanding of the region's history...one rather
slanted toward the Palestinians (at least, till Hillary ran in NY).

I'm glad that Dr. Said condemns suicide bombing... tho he omits any
words for the victims...& such practices have a long history in this
conflict.  Did you notice that he does not anywhere in this essay
suggest that Israel has any right to go on existing?   He proposes
no means, no terms, no process to that end.  Nor does he speak of
negotiations, or the compromises they entail, or the approaches which
might be most effective, or speak of past wars launched to wipe out
Israel, or tactics which made things worse.  (Of which there have
been plenty, on BOTH sides!  Or do you agree that all the racism &
violence has come only from the Israelis?)

Nor does Said mention ideas & trends & groups among the Israelis who
have a desire to give land for peace, people whom one would think he
might respect & see as possible political partners.   After all, to a
large extent, the Israelis DO have the kind of "secular politics" he
advocates...what a curse that the religious parties, a small minority,
have a swing vote!  At times, many of the Arabs have been beneficiaries
of that kind of politics.  (which is not to minimize the conflict &
its results in terms of Arab suffering, degradation & bloodshed).

I note also that Said defines the Bush administration & its media
apologists as his political antagonists...as if we, as independent
democrats, had to choose between his point of view & theirs.   But he
doesn't mention a the large array of historians & commentators of
democratic-progressive outlook, who view Israelis & Palestinians
as peoples both worthy of independent states, dignity, survival,
friendship & dialogue.  I, like them, have been opposed to all those in
Israeli politics who reject that goal...should I feel any differently
about Said?  Is there a reason why you or I must choose between Said
& Bush?   I reject that choice...but sometimes I feel lonely.

2)Pete:  I'm not a Zionist either, & have spoken & written against
the disastrous settlement policy & racist settlers & other outrages
of the Likud & the various Jewish terrorists (one of whom murdered
Rabin).  I also believe no religious state can be a democracy... tho
Israelis, at least, have the vitality of public debate & free access
to information.  (My guess is you've been there, & experienced that
atmosphere...)

What's saddening (& sometimes maddening to me) is that so many American
(& Jewish) leftists overlook the long history of the region's history
of nazism, sexism, religious cruelty & repression... In addition to
Arab efforts to drive the Jews into the sea, the surrounding countries
exiled 1 million Jews, the ones they didn't put on trial, while Israel
absorbed them.  The Arab states, rich in oil & land, could long ago
have worked out a political settlement, taken in some Palestinians &
negotiated a workable Palestinian state (there has never in history
been an Arab Palestine...as I think you know)... were it not for the
pervading creed of intransigent hostility.

Yes, Israel has been split & torn & pushed toward paranoia & much that
is unjustifiable, in my view (tho I don't stand in their shoes)..
Still, at various times, including quite recently, a majority have
clearly favored "land for peace."  To overlook the nature of Israel's
achievements & Israel's enemies has nothing to do with the kind of
democracy & freedom that I value as a leftist.  Those on the left who
have only sneers for Israel may feel pleased with their righteous
comrades...but have contributed very little toward understanding &
peace in the region.  To me, such identification has nothing to do
with politics...or the means by which we might ameliorate injustice &
suffering, & bring about a fairer world.

It's my impression, in fact, that the average UC college student or
Chron reader thinks there was a state called Palestine, into which
the Jewish army marched, murdering & driving out its inhabitants.
Check it out.  ...And ask yourself from what sources you've got your
impressions of the actual story, & what you've done to correct these
simplistic, pathetic & harmful popular impressions.... or acknowledge
the facile hate & sweeping judgments with which Israel must contend on
all sides...in Europe, Asia, most of Africa & in the UN, for example.

Jeremy

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I don't think I'm betraying confidences to forward these responses to
Edward Said's piece by Jeremy Larner. I find them well worth passing
on.  Jeremy, an old friend, a novelist and screenwriter (won an Oscar
for The Candidate) also used to write speeches for George McGovern. He
is marginally less cranky than I am, but often more perceptive.

Coyote