Looking to Tom Friedman for guidance in Israel
There are a few writers whom I count as my North Stars and Tom Friedman is at the top of the list. He has deeply immersed himself, physically and intellectually, in global geopolitics for more years than I’ve been alive. After the Hamas attacks in Israel, he contacted his North Stars in the region, Nahum Barnea, a veteran Yediot newspaper columnist, and Professor Victor Friedman (no relation), who teaches behavioral science at Jezreel Valley College in central Israel.
He wrote about his thoughts and theirs in his New York Times column on October 7th with a piece titled Israel’s Worst Day at War. He followed up that piece with another on October 10th titled Israel Has Never Needed to Be Smarter Than in This Moment.
These two unlocked links are well worth reading and contemplating. He addresses the heavy weight of history, Netanyahu’s divisive politics, and what the U.S., Israel, and countries like Saudi Arabia must do now to prevent the whole of human society from being thrown into violent chaos.
I hope Friedman has a direct line to the offices of Biden, Netanyahu, Israel’s opposition leader Benny Gantz, and MBS. His knowledge, perspective, and counsel is crucial right now as the world holds its breath.
We will see if the unity government in Israel is a real shift in Netanyahu’s psyche and not just a symbolic gesture. War can create otherwise unlikely allies. Time will tell in short-order whether we collectively descend into darkness or rise into the light. I continue to root for our better angels, and for peace.