Has Israel been Trumped? A talk with Neil Lazarus

“The world changes every ten years,” said Neil Lazarus, an expert on political science and Israeli and Middle Eastern politics. “9/11 was the last game-changer. President Trump is the next.”

Last Thursday, Lazarus, an acclaimed public speaker, visited Muhlenberg. He held a talk at Hillel, sponsored by Hillel International, Zionist Organization of America, and Stand With Us, on the new presidential administration and its potential effects on the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. His goal was to answer the question, “Has Israel been Trumped?”

As he explained in his talk, the answer may very well be yes.

“With the election of President Trump,” Lazarus said, “the world is reshaping itself.” Lazarus explained that Trump’s rise to power is not an isolated incident. It’s part of a massive multinational resurgence of far-right political parties, from Trump’s election last November, to Brexit and UKIP in the UK, to nationalist, racist, anti-immigrant parties gaining power in mainland Europe.

“This is a backlash against Obama and liberal ideology,” Lazarus said, “It’s also a question of Obama’s legacy.” A legacy which, according to Lazarus, includes increased Iranian and Russian strength, and the development of non-state fundamentalist terrorist organizations that blur national boundaries like ISIS, Hamas, and Hezbollah.

To Lazarus, this legacy, particularly concerning last year’s Iranian nuclear deal, reveals both a fundamental difference between how Americans and Israelis approach political deals, and potential common ground between Israel and the Trump administration.

“America went to the Persian Bazaar and got ripped off because it took the opening price,” Lazarus said of the U.S,’s approach to negotiating the Iranian deal.

Israelis, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are generally opposed to the deal because it doesn’t completely end Iran’s nuclear program. Iran is still allowed to enrich uranium, but only for civilian uses like power plants. Even though the deal dramatically reduces Iran’s ability to enrich uranium, and its stockpile, it’s still viewed by many to be a bad deal.

“America is a contractual society that’s willing to take a bad deal,” Lazarus said. “In the Middle East, if it’s a bad deal, you walk out.”

Trump is among those who view the nuclear deal as inadequate. His vocal opposition to the deal and desire for harsh enforcement or complete renegotiation creates common ground with Israel, which is already anti-Iran due to the emergence of the Iranian-affiliated terrorist organization Hezbollah, and threats against Israel.

Israel has not been exempt from the rise of far-right political parties. The far-right party in Israel is gaining ground, and is placing pressure on Netanyahu to annex Gaza and the West Bank, as they believe Israel should have control over the entire region and no separate Palestinian state should exist.

Supporters of annexation also succeeded in passing a law in the Israeli parliament that retroactively legalizes Israeli settlements built on private Palestinian land. To Lazarus, the law shows blatant disregard for Palestinian national sovereignty. Lazarus argues the law is a dramatic step towards expanding Israeli law over Palestinian land—an essential component of annexation.

Lazarus views Palestinian national sovereignty, and the creation of an independent Palestinian state, to be vital to preserving the rights and safety of Palestinian people. “Palestinians, particularly refugees, are treated as third-class citizens,” Lazarus said. “The only way to prevent that is to create an independent Palestinian state.”

However, the West Bank and Gaza may be annexed, or at least brought under greater Israeli control, before that goal of Palestinian statehood can be realized. “Trump is the only president not committed to a two- state solution,” Lazarus says. The lack of U.S. support for the two-state solution, combined with the rise of the pro-annexation far-right party in Israel, could spell disaster for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

In Lazarus’s opinion, the two-state solution is the only good solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “We should be building Gaza,” he says, “not continuing cycles of war.” Contrary to Trump’s assertion that the issue should be worked out between Israel and Palestine, Lazarus is in favor of a regional deal that involves their neighbors.

Lazarus also pointed out that by aligning itself with Trump, Israel puts itself at the risk of not only losing support from Jewish Americans, the majority of whom vote Democratic and are strongly opposed to Trump, but international condemnation for any potential actions against Palestine.

When I asked him what Muhlenberg students could do in response to this crisis, Lazarus said political involvement is crucial. “Be interested in Israel, in the crisis in Syria,” he said. “Be socially conscious and try to make a difference.” He also strongly encouraged Jewish students to register for Birthright trips to Israel, in order to explore Israeli and Jewish culture and heritage.

“Remember this,” Lazarus told us. “The people who most shout against Muslims are no friends of the Jewish people.”

If you’re interested in learning more about Mr. Lazarus and his work, visit his website at www. awesomeseminars.com.

Photos courtesy of Haris Bhatti

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