Rahm Emanuel, Israel, and the question of Jewish self-determination

The author, chairman of the Elie Wiesel Foundation and son of Elie Wiesel, criticizes Rahm Emanuel's recent statements in Tel Aviv, where Emanuel reportedly said Israel has become a "pariah" and "cannot fight indefinitely against a world that has stopped believing you have the right to fight." The author argues that Emanuel's embarrassment with Israel's strength is misplaced and that American Jews should not provide ammunition to Israel's enemies by blaming Israel for its self-defense. He contrasts Emanuel's view with his father's moral vision, stating that "the world's approval was never the measure of a Jew's right to live." The article also questions the double standard applied to Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria compared to the historical expulsion of Jews from other Middle Eastern countries, asserting that these are questions for the Israeli people to decide. The author concludes that Israel's right to exist is not contingent on the world's permission or belief, but is an inherent right.