The demand that critics affirm Israel's right to exist is built to end any conversation about what Israel is doing, and this past weekend in Michigan it was put to a Muslim Senate nominee.
I take your point that the bigger or more existential questions get flung out by government spokespersons and political parties as both diversions from accounting for bad behavior, as well as excuses for not immediately acting in good faith. It's a team against team effort rather than a coming to the table around issues debate. However, I did feel an "ugh" at this line: “. . . Nobody arguing about French farm subsidies is told to affirm France’s right to exist first. The demand is reserved for this subject because this is where the facts are worst for the people asking.” In most countries there is no question of their right to exist (exception perhaps for Russian history and currently Ukraine). The question about Israel has historical precedent going back many hundreds of years and is so inextricably intertwined with the right of Jews to exist, that your comparison seems dismissive.
Thank you Mike. Your logic is water tight.
I'm guessing that asking if Nazi Germany had a right to exist would be seen as tactless, and rather tasteless?
arguably simpler to point out that no nation has a right to exist.
I take your point that the bigger or more existential questions get flung out by government spokespersons and political parties as both diversions from accounting for bad behavior, as well as excuses for not immediately acting in good faith. It's a team against team effort rather than a coming to the table around issues debate. However, I did feel an "ugh" at this line: “. . . Nobody arguing about French farm subsidies is told to affirm France’s right to exist first. The demand is reserved for this subject because this is where the facts are worst for the people asking.” In most countries there is no question of their right to exist (exception perhaps for Russian history and currently Ukraine). The question about Israel has historical precedent going back many hundreds of years and is so inextricably intertwined with the right of Jews to exist, that your comparison seems dismissive.