Jason Zengerie has written a sweeping profile of Peter Beinart at New York Magazine today. Before you read it, here are the two quotes that sum up the shifting public perception of Beinart, post-BDS endorsement.
First, an on-the-record knuckle-wrapping from one of Beinart’s benefactors in the “liberal Zionist” camp:
“I came to the book as a friend of Peter’s and as someone wanting to see it succeed and see it have a major impact on people’s thinking,” says Peter Joseph, a prominent liberal Jewish philanthropist who gave Beinart money to help launch the Open Zion blog, “but unfortunately what I’ve seen is the book has led to greater polarization, and that doesn’t serve Israel’s best interests.”
Now a few words from the anti-Zionist sump pit:
[Mondoweiss editor Philip] Weiss holds out hope that one day they might not be. “The interesting question to me is, What is the crisis of Peter Beinart? Those of us in the anti-Zionist camp wonder if this rude reception, this bum’s rush he’s getting, is going to send him into our arms.”
Beinart’s book hasn’t influenced liberal Zionists. Instead he’s repelled them, while encouraging the fringiest of the fringe Israel-bashers, who think it’s only a matter of time before he’s in Mondoweiss territory. Again, it has to be asked: What is Beinart’s end game here? As his audience dwindles, will he pivot back to the center, or venture further into the lunatic asylum?
What will Beinart do? Do we care? Should we? n nWHen he moves to Israel and has kids in the IDF, maybe we should care about what he thinks and does. Till then, I wish him a hearty FO. n n
Yes because having your kids in the IDF makes you a much better Jew. What ever happened to thall shalt not kill? I won't even go on a birthright trip because I don't think the militarization of the state has done my people any favors – it never has, with ANY people.
Try not to be smug and uninformed about the commandments "your" people are to follow. The commandment is "Thou shall not murder." To the point: THose of us who carp from the sidelines have no direct life or death consequence for the decisions of Israel, thus making it easy to offer trite recommendations.
You had best keep far away from Israel. It is not for you. Your type is best with their back bent, head down, being chased from country to country and continent to continent as it has been for the 2K years before 1948. You are pathetic.
Your ignorance makes you seem ignorant.
Totally agree with Maines. Why does Peter Beinart's flagging career merit a mention in Commentary? The schadenfreude is becoming unseemly.
I've been reading Commentary for years and the Wall Street Journal even longer. The name Peter Beinert only recently appeared in the book review of the WSJ, I believe, and in the writings of various authors affiliated with Commentary and Contentions. Frankly, I agree with MainesMichael and andog222 that Mr. Beinert is best left to himself. I have not seen a single reason to pay Mr. Beinert any mind, much less do I care about his opinion on Israel or any other topic. He is just another spouting pseudo-pundit whose opinion has as much value as that of any other person from the staunchest Israel-basher to the dearest Zionist you can image. n nLet's leave him where he belongs: by himself without spilling another drop of ink. n
Upon furtehr refelction, I have been able to figure out exactly how I feel. n nWhile I wince at the mention f is name, I consider him so detestable that I still read about him here in the hope of learning of ever new professional misfortunes/humiliations he has to endure. n nIf only he had been able to snare Tom Friedman and drag him down to the bottom as well. n nIt's not noble and not pretty, but there it is . . .
Lucky, I'm glad that you're content with reading Commentary and the WSJ…… That really says something about you….. n nmay you never be troubled with having a second thought.
May I be indulged a cynical comment: he will go where he gets the most money, adulation and/or attention.
were it merely cynical, sure. but it's simply untrue.
Mr. Beinart complains that "Jews" are abandoning Israel. In an odd way he's right – the "Jews" of the Upper East Side cocktail circuit who pine for the days when Norman Mailer hosted the Black Panthers are abandoning Israel. But more precisely they already did, in 1967. So there's nothing new here.
Beinart’s perception is correct. The president of the US claims to know more about Judaism than “any other president” but his Jewish advisor (and neighbor ) is a leader in the most extreme of the non religious (Jewish ) leftist anti Israel movements yet he enjoys strong Jewish support
—-"Beinart’s book hasn’t influenced liberal Zionists. Instead he’s repelled them, while encouraging the fringiest of the fringe Israel-bashers, who think it’s only a matter of time before he’s in Mondoweiss territory."— n n n n"Ms Goodman ." he said ruefully, " how the heck would you know what reactions liberal Zionists would have to Beinart's book? You may have met some, matter of fact i know that you've met some, but they're mostly too polite to discuss such things with you in any depth." n nAnd we dang sure aren't repelled by Peter or Peter's book. n n nWeiss' disgusting blog and his disgusting coterie repel us, Alana, but you're nearly as far as that from our thoughts. You're still quite young, and with so much to learn, and we hope that you do learn to write with a broader understanding of the diversity of opinion among people of good will. n nbest wishes.