Professor Aryeh Eldad Criticizes Asa Kasher's Comparison of Israel to Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah

Professor Aryeh Eldad responds critically to philosopher Asa Kasher's recent comparison of Israel's actions in the West Bank and Gaza to the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Eldad challenges Kasher's analogy, arguing that it ignores the ongoing terror attacks against Israel, from fedayeen raids and suicide bombings to the October 7 massacre and beyond. Eldad recalls the biblical story of Sodom, where extreme cruelty and lack of compassion led to divine punishment, contrasting it with the complex realities Israel faces today.

Kasher, who draws on universal ethical values from Jewish tradition, calls for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through peaceful means that respect human dignity universally, rejecting any notion of granting "superior status" to any group. Eldad questions Kasher's moral stance on whether Israelis may prioritize their own safety and that of their families and nation over their enemies, especially in the context of military actions in Gaza following the October 7 attacks.

Eldad disputes Kasher's claim that Israeli citizens did not decide on the extensive destruction of Palestinian buildings, emphasizing Israel's parliamentary democracy where elected governments represent the people's decisions. He also reminds readers that the Palestine Liberation Organization was founded in 1964, before Israel's 1967 territorial acquisitions, and highlights Hamas's charter and educational indoctrination denying Israel's existence.

While acknowledging Kasher's acceptance of Israel's justified response to the October 7 attacks, Eldad rejects the philosopher's view that Israel's subsequent actions in Gaza were disproportionate. Eldad warns that applying abstract ethical standards designed for interpersonal relations to state conduct in wartime risks moral distortions and unfairly condemns Israel as a modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah, ignoring the existential threats it faces.