Klein Halevi, Wolpe Discuss “Crisis in Israel”

Israeli author Yossi Klein Halevi and Rabbi David Wolpe acknowledged the recent attack by Hamas on Israel was a gamechanger, the ultimate consequences of which remain unclear.

“This is one of those moments that defines a country’s resolve,” Klein Halevi said.

Klein Halevi, a senior fellow at the Jerusalem-based Shalom Hartman Institute and author of the 2019 book, “Letters to my Palestinian Neighbor,” and Wolpe, emeritus rabbi at Sinai Temple and a visiting scholar at Harvard Divinity School, were participating in “Crisis in Israel,” a virtual webinar held Oct. 22.

The discussion was held as the American-Jewish community continues to grapple with the atrocities of October 7 and Israel’s war with Hamas. In Los Angeles, there have been multiple community-wide events showing support for Israel, including a march in Pico-Robertson on Oct. 15 and a pro-Israel event for San Fernando Valley’s Jewish community held Oct. 22.

The expression of American-Jewish solidarity affirms “much of the diaspora has rediscovered its love for Israel,” Klein Halevi said during the webinar. “Sometimes you don’t know how much you love something until it’s threatened.”

This feeling of togetherness has caught on in Israel, which was experiencing deep domestic divisions before Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on innocent civilians.

Now, the country is witnessing “a peak moment of national unity and purpose,” Klein Halevi said.

During the hourlong discussion, Klein Halevi wondered if Hamas’ ability to strike at and wound Israel was emblematic of deeper existential issues facing the Jewish state. Was the country still the scrappy, fearless nation that had achieved impossible military victories over its enemies throughout its 75-year-history?

Or, he wondered, “Did the tightrope walker look down? Has the country lost its nerve?”

Klein Halevi and Wolpe’s recent discussion was held as part of “Community Conversations,” a series of virtual events co-organized by Jews United for Democracy and Justice (JUDJ) and Community Advocates, Inc. 

Wolpe moderated the conversation, posing his own questions to Klein Halevi along with those submitted beforehand by the audience.

Klein Halevi expressed frustration with those who oppose Israel’s current retaliatory strikes on Hamas in the Gaza Strip because of the humanitarian consequences but offer no insight into what Israel should do.

Klein Halevi expressed frustration with those who oppose Israel’s current retaliatory strikes on Hamas in the Gaza Strip because of the humanitarian consequences but offer no insight into what Israel should do.

“They never, or almost never, offer us an alternative,” Klein Halevi said. 

If Israel doesn’t respond—currently there are approximately 300,000 Israeli ground troops on the Israeli-Gaza border—it will lose its ability to deter future attacks.

“If we don’t respond strongly, we will be inviting aggression from Hezbollah, from Syria – and of course all this is coming from Iran.”

While no one is saying innocent Palestinians deserve to be punished for Hamas’ actions, one can’t ignore that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip elected Hamas in 2006, Klein Halevi said. “The blame for Hamas belongs with the Palestinian people.” 

He also criticized the lack of unequivocal condemnation of Hamas by the international Muslim community. “Right not, I see a colossal moral failure in virtually the entire Muslim world,” he said.

This lack of decisive condemnation of Hamas from the Muslim community has caused much “disappointment [currently] shuddering through the American-left,” Wolpe opined. “It’s been a shock to the system on the progressive-left not to hear that.”

This lack of decisive condemnation of Hamas from the Muslim community has caused much “disappointment [currently] shuddering through the American-left,” Wolpe opined. “It’s been a shock to the system on the progressive-left not to hear that.”

How will recent events impact an Israeli-Saudi normalization agreement, which was in the process of being negotiated before Hamas’ unprecedented attack? Klein Halevi said the Hamas massacre has shattered the perception of Israel’s strength. Saudi Arabia, he explained, was compelled to enter diplomatic relations with Israel because the Jewish State was seen as strong. If Israel’s unable to project regional dominance, however, Arab countries in the Gulf will have less to gain from a relationship with Israel, he said.

On the topic of hostages, Klein Halevi said, “My sense is the determination to go to the end includes all consequences.” In other words, Israel is prepared to do whatever it takes to dismantle Hamas even if it leads to the tragic death of the remaining hostages.

Whatever happens next, “We’re about to experience a nightmare in Gaza.”