I have never liked this supercilious self-appointed broadcaster of his own virtue and version of what he believes is true virtue and wisdom, which it is not. Of course Friedman’s latest piece actually gives no alternative to what Israel is doing except to basically surrender to Hamas and the rest of the Islamic terrorists. Unacceptable and stupid! Everyone who doesn't agree with him is considered a right wing idiot.
I have written and said many many times, and logic, experience and common sense supports that the only solution is to destroy these savages and barbarians. None can be allowed to survive as it is guaranteed they will reorganise and rearm and carry on ad infinitum.
Once Hamas is destroyed and the Ayatollah regime as well, a new Middle East and world will emerge. All these Islamic monsters will slink back into their hovels and it may just be the end of Islamic expansion.
I don't think Europe has the leadership or the courage to do anything about Islam taking over Europe. Maybe Trump can inspire Europe, but they haven't defended themselves since WWII, relying on the USA to do so. and they had to be rescued twice by the USA. Europe has no leaders. All are wimps. Not one stands out at all as a leader. Britain has a reappearance of Clement Attlee and Ernest Bevin in Starmer and Lammy. France is done for as is Belgium. And who know what the Germans will do after Merkel's brainless madness.
Thomas Friedman should be ignored. He is no prophet. He is just a left wing fool. (Of course he doesn’t think so, nor know he is one).
He predicts the world will turn against Israel. but it will not be any worse than it is now .Antisemitism will always be around, but after this war a new respect for Israel and the Jews will arise.
Let me comment on Friedman's conclusions:
“I have three reactions to these open letters”, says Friedman in a NYTimes article titled "This Israeli Government is a danger to Jews everywhere."
"First, Amen". - Of course it fits with his skewed left wing mentality. It is a major error to assume that former high ranking soldiers, pilots etc have the answers and what they say is gospel. Whilst skilled in their professions, they are not politicians nor necessarily deep or geopolitical thinkers. Part of the problem in the IDF over some years is that, like the Israeli Judiciary, it has been taken over and dominated by elitist left wingers who have promoted only their own. There is a glass ceiling for the religious and right-leaning in the IDF. Just look how many former generals and Chiefs of Staff are in the Knesset and how most of them are leftist.
I know of a case of a superb and capable officer who left the military as he was not promoted because he was not a left winger. Note how the new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, not one of the elitist guard, has changed the tactics since his appointment. The new Shabak head after Ronen Bar will hopefully restore that vital agency to the level of the Mossad, as it was before concentrating on fake news about hilltop youth instead of our enemies and thus missing warning signs of October 7. Former Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi was a Lapid/Bennett government appointee as is the horrid attorney general they are still struggling with to fire.
"Second, this is what being pro-Israel really sounds like". - Rubbish! Friedman, the self-appointed oracle has spoken, as he does from time to time. It was the methane gas at Delphi that was actually speaking.
"Third, it is time for a similar movement calling out Hamas’s vile excesses, led by those who support Palestinian statehood and a peaceful resolution in Gaza. No one should accept Hamas prolonging this war to keep itself in power. Nothing would do more to pressure Hamas to accept a cease-fire than to be denounced across the world, on college campuses and in high-profile demonstrations from those who have been giving this hate-driven organization a free pass. This is what being pro-Palestinian really sounds like". -
Be careful reading what Friedman writes. On the one hand he gives something by referring to "Hamas's vile excesses", but then we get the usual thoughtless virtue seeking garbage about "Palestinian statehood and a peaceful resolution in Gaza".
Where has Friedman been? Has he been sleeping with Rip van Winkle? These savages have been attacking Israel for over 100 years and nowhere does Friedman mention or take into account Islam, the resurgence of Islam and Islam's often clearly stated ambition to take over the world.
"Nothing would do more to pressure Hamas to accept a cease-fire than to be denounced across the world". Oh please! Friedman is a fool and clearly has his head buried in the sand. He has seen and learned nothing! I suspect that with people like Friedman, they get locked into a certain political position and do not have the courage to veer away from their usual stance for fear of losing readership, or G-d forbid, the New York Times would not support a different view and who would employ him after that? And thus doth self-interest make cowards of them all.
For all his pontification, he seems to me a fool and a dishonest fool at that.
In America, plus-minus 50% of the population vote or once voted Democrat, so Friedman had a few million potential buyers for his books and other spoutings. Most Jews have been Democrats and provide a good market, gullible fools that they are.
The New York Times, Jewish owned, which means nothing, is somehow regarded as the newspaper of record. Its history is appalling. It exists in a city that is majority left wing and where a leading mayoral candidate is pro-Hamas.
My advice: Ignore Friedman, or criticise him wherever and whenever possible, but don’t take what he says seriously.
David Hersch is Chairman of SAIPAC, the South African Israel Public Affairs Committee. Former chairman of the South African Zionist Federation (Cape Council) as well as a former national vice-chairman of the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF). He is also former member of the South Jewish Board of Deputies (Cape Council). Retired businessman and broadcaster.
12 June 2025