Most American supporters of Israel realize that even if a two state solution is reached, there will still be a problem regarding the large Arab/Palestinian minority, the foremost problem of which is the potential for them to achieve majority status through large families. As such many Jews would wish for those Arabs to move out. How many of those who wish for such an outcome would express this in terms of policy or in terms of considering it a realistic political expectation, I don’t think it’s really that many. (In fact the two state solution, which in 1995 seemed just around the corner, is considered by most to be an unrealistic expectation, so much more so an agreement that would entail forcing the Palestinians living in Israel to consider their citizenship forfeit.) Unlike the right wing Jews in Israel, many of whom labor under illusions regarding the realities of the situation and prospects for the future, I think most right wing American Jews harbor fewer illusions regarding what is and is not achievable in terms of US foreign policy specifically.
I find my discussing these issues to be a bit strange: reflecting my understanding of pro Israel stances that include elements that I disagree with, rather than vociferously advocating my own position and considering anything to the right of me to be ridiculous, fascistic, unacceptable (choose one). My own position fluctuates reflecting sometimes my wishes and other times the reality. Take Obama. If Obama succeeds in getting Israel and the Palestinians to sign an agreement (a peace agreement certainly and an agreement on eventual borders would also be a plus in my opinion) I think it would be great. But one has to consider the odds slim. If no peace is signed, then in all probability Obama will have eroded Israel’s position in the Democratic party specifically (and maybe in the American public’s mind generally). (Certainly one could blame this more on Israel than on Obama, but I think for example a President Biden would not have eroded Israel’s position in the Democratic party to the degree that Obama will have done so if he serves his full 8 years without achieving any progress on the Palestinian Israeli front.)
Regarding my own position regarding Arab Israelis. (I use this term, because that is the term I use to think of them and so that is the term I use to describe my own thoughts about them.) They’re not going to move away from Israel. Would I like them to? Maybe. It would simplify certain matters. But I don’t expect them to and so underneath a web name like wondering jew I’m willing to reveal that it would simplify life, but my wishes are hardly relevant to the reality.
I live in Jerusalem and there are Jews who dream of a day when all the Arabs will move out of Jerusalem. Personally I don’t. I consider the Old City to be the “coolest” part of Jerusalem and the Old City would look mighty strange without any Arabs.
As I wrote in another comment a little further down on this post I consider the Arab Israelis in tune enough with the existence of a Knesset and general issues like free speech that I do not consider the growing Arab population inside Israel to be a mortal danger. I think discrimination by Israel (regarding education specifically) of the Arab sector is stupid. The more educated they are, the more the economy of Israel as a whole would hum, the more they would be in tune with democracy and the ship of state would run smoother. The worse the education, the worse the economy of Israel as a whole, the worse the economy of the Arab villages in particular, the greater the attraction of Islam, the larger the families would be and the greater the danger.
I realize that there are elements of patronizing that are involved in my discourse and if I were talking in person to a Palestinian I would try to figure out how to say the same thing in a more polite manner. Although most of the participants in the comments section don’t deserve honesty (don’t deserve much at all), in general I think you do, and so I have tried to be honest. Two elements that are necessary in a discussion on the I/P issue are curiosity about the other side (compassion would be best, but curiosity is the minimum requirement) and honesty.
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