The Right to be Wrong by Michael Freund The Jerusalem Post, March 29, 2002 I never thought I would say this, but I want to thank the members of Peace Now for reminding me, however unwittingly, just how unique the State of Israel is. In recent weeks, the forlorn activist group has taken out a series of ads in the Hebrew press and organized several small protests across the country, all in a somewhat hapless attempt to reawaken whatever might remain of the political left. Though the collapse of Oslo has refuted Peace Now's entire worldview, reducing it to little more than a hoarse cheerleader on the sidelines of national events, the group continues to press forward, promoting its platform of concessions at nearly every opportunity. Seemingly oblivious to Palestinian atrocities against innocent Israelis, Peace Now demands that Israel forcibly uproot tens of thousands of Jews from their homes, withdraw to a nine-mile wide border straddling Tel Aviv, and embrace Yasser Arafat, the Ripper of Ramallah. It is, of course, a sorry plan, one whose naivete is matched only by its futility. My first reaction upon seeing the Peace Now ads was one of pity. After all, how could anyone still possibly believe that Yasser Arafat is a partner for peace? And what makes them think that unilateral capitulation won't simply whet the Palestinians' appetite still further? My pity then turned to irritation, for Peace Now's positions represent precisely the kind of weakness that the Palestinians aim to exploit, hoping to divide Israeli society and shatter its morale. By seeking to pressure the government into making dangerous concessions, Peace Now and its supporters are undermining the country's ability to present a united front in the face of our enemies' attacks. But then it occurred to me that perhaps, rather than serving as a sign of Israel's weakness, the existence of groups such as Peace Now might actually be a sign of Israel's strength. After all, one of democracy's greatest assets, as well as one of its most frustrating faults, is that everyone has the right to be wrong. And though this may be an easy concept to grasp, it can often be anything but easy to live with. Nevertheless, fringe groups such as Peace Now, UFOs Now, or even Britney Spears fans, are all free to express themselves however much they please. And it is the preservation of that fundamental, democratic right to be as ardently absurd, or as roundly ridiculous as you feel like being, that makes for a stronger and more open society. By presenting an alternative view, however ludicrous it might be, Peace Now forces the rest of us to more carefully consider our own position, something that leaves us better equipped to grapple with the arguments of our external foes and critics. Of course, Israel is far from being a perfect democracy. The left dominates academia, the judiciary and the media, allowing only limited access to right-wing and nationalist points of view. Watching Israeli television, you might be fooled into thinking that the country is populated almost entirely by secular Ashkenazi Meretz voters living in the Tel Aviv area. But with all its failings, and there are many, Israel has nevertheless managed to cultivate a burgeoning democratic culture, one that is both vibrant and vocal, as well as endlessly interesting. Our neighbors, by contrast, don't have such "problems". Dissent is virtually non-existent in most Arab countries, many of which are ruled by archaic systems of government taken straight out of a political science atlas - monarchies and emirates, sultanates and dictatorships. There is no right to be wrong in Arab countries, where governments grant you the right to agree, or the right to disappear. That's it. Many observers have correctly pointed out that while Israel has its peace groups, there is no Arab version of Peace Now, and you won't see demonstrations calling for reconciliation with Israel in the streets of Baghdad, Cairo or Riyadh. That, of course, is absolutely true, and it shows just how out of touch our own "peace activists" are with the neighborhood in which we presently live. Arab rulers have shown themselves quite adept at bringing out a crowd when it suits their interests, particularly on Election Day, when anything less than winning 99% of the popular vote is considered a surprising outcome. If the leadership of the Arab world were truly interested in peace, we would have seen those same crowds pouring into the streets long ago, rallying for peace with Israel and pining for the day when they could eat Hummus in Haifa or Tehina in Tel Aviv. But that, of course, has never happened. So the next time you drive by a handful of Peace Now demonstrators actively blaming it all on the Jews, don't let it get to you. Just remember - they are only exercising their right to be wrong. And it is this right, this occasionally annoying, sometimes maddening, right that clearly distinguishes democratic Israel from its dictatorial neighbors. And for that, we can all be grateful. ------------------ The writer served as Deputy Director of Communications & Policy Planning in the Prime Minister's Office from 1996 to 1999.