Caution, the avalanche is on the way
Dr. Michael Milshtein warns that Israeli decision-makers are fundamentally distorting the way they mediate the reality of the Palestinian issue to Israelis, explaining to citizens that the world is hypocritical instead of acknowledging the consequences of the change in Israeli policy and character. He points to rising violence, a disconnect from international legitimacy, and a decline in national resilience.
Dr. Michael Milshtein, a senior researcher at the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, warns in an opinion piece on ynet that Israeli decision-makers are fundamentally distorting the way they mediate the reality of the Palestinian issue to Israelis. Instead of acknowledging the consequences of the change in Israeli policy and character, citizens are told that the world is hypocritical, naive, and does not understand Arabs as they do. Milshtein points to a series of harsh events from recent days: the beating of Palestinian Ahmad al-Husseini near the Damascus Gate, severe riots in the village of Jiloud in Samaria, and attacks on foreign workers in Bat Yam. According to him, the Western world does not hate Israel, but expresses legitimate criticism of the march toward a single state, the denial of discussion on a Palestinian settlement, and the harsh images from Judea and Samaria. He warns that the world's patience is rapidly diminishing, and that national resilience is built not only on military strength but also on international legitimacy and internal cohesion – areas where a sharp decline is being recorded.