Israel Must Assert Sovereignty, Not Blame Others, for Extreme Violence

As Rosh Hashanah approaches, a call for national soul-searching is being made in Israel, urging the country to confront and curb extreme violence and enforce the law. The author, Josh Aronson, argues that this action should stem from moral responsibility and a commitment to global Jewry, not fear of international sanctions.

Aronson draws a parallel between a problematic child and foster care to illustrate the political situation. He posits that the Israeli government and its law enforcement agencies are the "parent," the settlers and Israeli society are the "children," extremist elements are the "problem child," and international sanctions, particularly from Britain and the West, represent the "foster family." When a sovereign government fails to act as a responsible parent by not enforcing laws and stopping violence, the international community steps in, disrupting the entire "household."

He contends that the automatic Israeli reaction of dismissing sanctions as mere antisemitism is a psychological defense mechanism that avoids self-responsibility. The author asserts that British and European sanctions are not arbitrary but a direct consequence of a governance vacuum. When a sovereign state neglects to discipline its fringe elements, the world intervenes, often punishing the majority of law-abiding citizens and negatively impacting Israel's international standing.

Philosophically, Aronson invokes Thomas Hobbes, stating that a state's legitimacy rests on its monopoly of power and enforcement of order. A state that allows private citizens to take the law into their own hands forfeits its sovereignty and invites external pressure. He concludes by expressing a hope for a year of clarity, where Israel cleanses itself of wrongdoing not out of fear of external punishment, but from a deep desire to be worthy of its heritage.