Before memories of Mitt Romney’s visit to Jerusalem fade for good, it’s worth reviewing once again what was perhaps the most discussed moment of his pilgrimage. “As I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation,” Romney told a small group assembled with him, “I recognize the power of… culture.”
Palestinians and pundits world-over went ballistic. Saeb Erekat, formerly a Palestinian negotiator at Oslo and now adviser to PA President Mahmoud Abbas, complained, “This man doesn’t realize that the Palestinian economy cannot reach its potential because there is an Israeli occupation.” Not only did Romney not understand the region, he said, but his remarks were “a racist statement.” Romney, in fact, was being harder on the Palestinians than even the Israelis were. “He also lacks knowledge about the Israelis themselves,” said Erekat. “I have not heard any Israeli official speak about cultural superiority.”
Really, Dr. Erekat, no one in Israel is willing to speak about cultural superiority? Well, I’m no Israeli official, but here goes.
There is, indeed, such a thing as cultural superiority, and I, for one, think it’s racist to be unwilling to speak about it. It’s racist to pretend that you’re living up to your potential when you’re not. And because I’m no racist, I’ll allow myself the liberty of pointing out why you’re wrong.
Was Mr. Romney really a “racist” to point out that Israel’s success is not an accident? I think not. Israel’s economy is the product of an open-minded commitment to education. Israeli education needs to improve, but still, consider the culture of the Middle East. In Egypt, one study suggests, 45 percent of women are illiterate; in Israel the figure is about 4%. Is Egyptian female illiteracy also a result of the occupation? Or is it the result of culture? Am I a racist for pointing to those numbers?
Or consider universities. Israel, a tiny country with a tiny budget, ranks far beyond all Arab and other Muslim countries, including those of the Gulf Arab states like Saudi Arabia, which have virtually limitless assets. In a 2009 ranking of the world’s top universities, the Hebrew University ranked No. 102 (shortly thereafter, it climbed to No. 57 on the strength of an award received by a professor of mathematics), Tel Aviv University was No. 114, and the Technion (Israel’s equivalent of MIT) ranked 132.
Yet in contrast, in that same study, there was not a single university in any Muslim country anywhere that made it into the top 250. King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia ranked highest among them at 266, and it was followed by the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan… at No. 350!
Others are ranked far lower. Is the failure of the Muslim world (parts of which have no budgetary constraints at all) to produce even one single worldclass university the result of the occupation? Or is this a matter of culture? Is one a racist to point this out?
Or what about Fareed Zakaria, himself a Muslim, who had this to say: “In the last 50 years, the West progressed and parts of the non-Western world also began modernizing… [But] the Arab world stayed stuck in primitive political and social arrangements. Arab politics is not culturally unique; it is just stuck in a time warp.” Is Zakaria a Muslim racist?
And then there’s Bernard Lewis, probably the greatest living scholar of the Middle East, who has argued that claiming that the backwardness of Arab societies is the result of Western imperialism is no longer convincing: “Many regions have undergone the impact of the West and suffered a similar loss of economic self-sufficiency, of cultural authenticity, and in some parts also of political independence. But some time has passed since Western domination ended in all these regions, including the Middle East. In some of them, notably in east and south Asia, the resurgent peoples of the region have begun to meet and beat the West on its own terms – in commerce and industry, in the projection of political and even military power, and, in many ways most remarkable of all, in the acceptance and internalization of Western achievement, notably in science. The Middle East still lags behind.”
I guess you’ll claim that Lewis is also a racist?
Dr. Erekat, not every criticism leveled at you or at the Palestinians is racist. Some of it is just, well, true. Obviously, living under Israeli rule doesn’t help. But if I were advising you, here’s what I’d suggest. Stop trying to figure out how to destroy Israel. It’s not going to work, and it’s just going to mire all of us in endless, painful conflict. Instead of trying to destroy us, admit it – you’d like to be like us. You, too, would like to see your people thrive after its losses in 20th century. You, too, would like your people to have a democratic, economically robust, independent country.
So do what we did. Treasure your heritage, but open yourselves up to the wisdom of the West. Honor your traditions, but make space for women at the top echelons of your society. Stay out of people’s bedrooms and let them make their own decisions about how to live their lives. Create a free press, and guarantee freedom of association.
Stop jailing people for what they think or write. Outlaw family honor killing, and when it happens, instead of looking the other way, arrest the perpetrators and throw away the key. Stop terrorizing Christians (who are among your best-educated citizens) in Bethlehem.
This isn’t racism. It’s just honesty. You don’t help the Palestinians when you accuse everyone who’s critical of you of being a racist. You just avoid dealing with the hard work of nation building. The Palestinians need to decide that they want to escape the rut into which Islam has slid, and instead, to lead the way toward a renewed, open and moderate form of your ancient tradition. We Jews have done it, and are still working at it, and you could, too.
You want to end the occupation? State publicly, in Arabic: the Jews have a right to a state, and the Palestinians will live next door to them in peace, seeking not to destroy them, but to emulate them.
Do that, and the next time Romney comes to town, he’ll see plenty on your side of the line to praise. Until then, please don’t call us racist. Just get to work and build your society. If you’re interested, by the way, my new book has lots more to say about this. Drop me a brief email, and I’ll happily send you a copy.
I’ll even write you a nice inscription. For, after all, I’m really not a racist.
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Dr. Daniel Gordis is Senior Vice President of the Shalem Center, where he is also a senior fellow. The author of numerous books on Jewish thought and currents in Israel...
The Jewish State must end, say its enemies, from intellectuals like Tony Judt to hate-filled demagogues like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Even average Israelis are wondering if they wouldn't be better off somewhere else. 
Context matters, Dr. Gordis.
Gov. Romney can speak with authority about his financial experience at Bain Capital, his time as the Governor of Massachusetts, and his knowledge of the Mormon religion. But he is not a cultural anthropologist.
He is an American politician, competing in a presidential election, and addressing the voters in the United States. Should he become the president, he will follow 4 presidents who have advocated a 2-state resolution of what was British palestine. This is the context in which he spoke.
I understand his words as taking a side in a debate which is not between cultures, but between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs. A debate about what that resolution might be. He could equally have talked of crime rates, or educational achievements, or Olympic medals, in order to make his point. And I understand his desired audience as being American voters, especially American Jewish voters.
Whether taking sides in this debate is of benefit to the United States is a good question. The comments of Mr. Lewis, Mr. Zakaria, and yourself all seem valid. But they are not what Gov. Romney was talking about.
All of what you write is true but do you really think that Mitt Romney was thinking all that when he made the comment. His thinking does not jive with your comments on the ways that the Palestinians could improve their lot.
I am saddened by the discourse on this rich question of understanding the global distribution of wealth. On one hand, Dr. Gordis and Mitt Romney seem to talk only in terms of culture. On the other, Dr. Erekat immediately rejects this explanation as “racism.” I wish all sides would speak more humbly, with nuance, and with an open mind to alternative explanations. I for one believe that culture is an important factor when it comes to explaining the wealth of a nation or people, but I don’t believe that it is the sole explanatory force. For example, in order for a nation to be wealthy, you likely need to have a culture that is open to technological progress and is not stuck in a bygone era (perhaps the Amish or some Haredi Jews fit the category of a culture opposed to technological progress). But you also need to have economic and political institutions that are open to technological progress. In order for a nation to embrace innovation, you likely need to have a system of intellectual property rights to incentivize that innovation, as one example.
I hold that culture and political/economic institutions, though related, are not entirely the same. To prove this point, I point to two examples from East Asia. First, Deng Xaioping didn’t change Chinese culture in 1978 when the Chinese economy liberalized and economic growth really began. Second, prior to the Korean War, there were no distinct cultural differences between North and South Korea, but after the war, their institutions totally diverged. So to conflate Palestinian culture with Palestinian institutions (or Jewish/Israeli culture with Israeli institutions) would neglect the various contingencies of history.
I do not believe that there is something unique about Arab/Islam culture that would explain the relative poverty of the Arab world. For example, we see plenty of smart, rich and successful Arabs and Muslims. You point in particular to Fareed Zakaria (might not be the best example to use in light of the recent plagiarism accusations). Furthermore, look at the differences between Palestinians living in pre-67 Israel and Palestinians living just across the Green Line. We see that the Palestinians in Israel are wildly more prosperous than their cousins across the border, even though they share the same culture. I believe that this difference in wealth distribution can be explained by institutions. We must be honest with ourselves and recognize that the Occupation likely is not great for economic growth. But it would be foolish to only point to the Israeli Occupation as the cause of Palestinian poverty. Many Palestinian institutions can be traced to the Jordanian Occupation, the British Occupation and the Ottoman Occupation. These various rulers tended not to be interested in promoting inclusive Palestinian economic and political institutions that promoted growth, democracy, education and equal rights. But to do as Erekat does, and attribute the plight of the Palestinians only to the Israeli Occupation, is a gross misreading of history.
Mitt Romney walked into a fascinating academic debate. Many scholars, such as Jared Diamond, Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson (much of my thinking is informed by Acemoglu and Robinson’s book, Why Nations Fail) attempt to answer this question. As is true of most of history, there is never just one causal factor.
I look forward to reading Dr. Gordis’s forthcoming book. Though we may disagree on the cause of the relative poverty of the Palestinians, I am optimistic that we will agree on the various prescriptions that he proposes.
Daniel:
You omitted one striking document that didn’t receive the attention it should have when it was issued: the United Nations Development Program report on the Arab states first issued in 2002.
Note these paragraphs in the program’s own home page for the reports (http://arabstates.undp.org/subpage.php?spid=14).
“In many ways, these reports are a breakthrough: Not only do they highlight the root causes and the deep drivers of development challenges in the region, but they also outline a vision for the fulfillment of human development through increased access to education and knowledge, full enjoyment of freedom as the cornerstone of good governance, empowerment of women, and the guarantee of human security for all.
………
Equally critical is the importance of good governance to the achievement of development results, a central message in all of the Arab Human Development Reports. The reports have shed light on a broad range of development challenges facing the people of the Arab countries, from poverty, unemployment, and volatile economic growth; to water scarcity, food security, and climate change; to gender equity and the empowerment of women as well as vulnerable groups; and to conflict prevention and recovery. But the common theme tying each page together is the call for freedom and good governance as the cornerstone of progress in human development.”
So the same challenge can be posed to Dr Erekat: Is the UNDP racist to point out how absence of freedom,good governance and empowerment of women in the Arab world are the root causes of its failure to have its citizens reach their potential?
Assume you know ,the new University rankings have the 3 Israeli universities moving into the top 100
Saeb Ereket is not worth Gordis’ efforts. Erekat is a serial liar, who retorts to anything concerning Israel with a lie. Western media print those lies without any memory of how his previous statements were shown to be false. His most infamous lie was the “tens of thousands Palestinian Arab civiliana killed in the Jenin Massacre”
You forgot to mention the billions that Arafat and his cronies embezzled from the aid received over the years. See:
http://cifwatch.com/2012/08/16/the-palestinian-failure/
Once again you’ve made us feel proud and strong. Stuck on “political correctitude” these days, so many of us in the US are questioning the priorities and values we’ve grown up with. Our having to rely on our own efforts and initiatives was part of life. You responded to Erekat perfectly. Our problems are ours to fix. Only we can get ourselves pointed in the right direction and on track.
We hope that Mr.Erekat takes your advice. It would add immeasurably to his success as a true and effective leader for the Palestinian people. Maybe he will do that.
When will you be in South Florida?
Looking forward to seeing you and hearing you. We need another shabbaton.
Regards,
Helen and Mark
Well done, Daniel! Let’s face it, playing the eternal victim card is highly attractive to lazy people, and it’s great for propaganda.
Reminds me of this light bulb joke: “How many Palestinians does it take to change a light bulb?” Answer: “None. They’d rather sit in the dark and blame the Jews.”
Until this changes, it is not only Israel who will continue to suffer, but equally, if not more, the Palestinian people themselves. How convenient to abnegate all responsibility, rely on facile notions of Political Correctness, and cry “racism!”
Josh, your post in reply to Daniel Gordis is a worthy piece. If it has two faults, they lie in just two sentences in your post; namely:
“We must be honest with ourselves and recognize that the Occupation likely is not great for economic growth. But it would be foolish to only point to the Israeli Occupation as the cause of Palestinian poverty.”
First, the so-called “Occupation” is an invention of Arabists being faithful to their famous three “NOs” following the U.N. call for a cease-fire in 1967, after they sensed that the IDF was actually “winning.”
Of course they are steadfast in their determination to remove every vestige of Judaism and its history from what they falsely regard as their exclusive land. Second, their primary claim to land rights lie north of the 1967 line. I need hardly point out that those lands, as well as Jerusalem has itself been “occupied” by many sects before Exodus itself, by bedouins, city-state kingdoms, and other warring tribal sects before Moses was born, by the Assyrians, the Egyptians, the Romans, the British, and the Jordanians. Much of the West Bank territory is now “occupied” by those who named themselves a “Palestinian Entity”, not a nation, in May 1964. One can surely sympathize with the need for these people to have a nation of their own, but we must still ask whether any of the space they claim as theirs was ever clearly defined as a nation, or whether they now occupy an area in dispute. Was it ever defined?
Well, at least three times. According to Scripture, it was chosen by God to be the land of Moses’ people; it was precisely defined again twice in history: first by the British Mandate, as Great Britain was carving up the entire Middle East while busily defining the rest of the nations that exist there now; and next by the U.N., which in its generosity, arbitrarily tore up the British Mandate, carved off the largest portion of that land as undefined, and left what remained, to be established as the new State of Israel.
In flagrant violation of international law, the Arab States immediately began a series of armed invasions of Israel, rejected U.N. resolutions 224 and 338, and announced there would be no negotiation, no compromise, and no peace. We now have a “boundary” that the Palestinians demand to be called a “border”, even while refusing, for 45 years to negotiate honestly over the disputed territory that, according to U.N. resolutions is to be negotiated. The boundary exists only because Israel refrained from decimating the invading Arab armies, and instead accepted the terms of the U.N…. even while knowing that the likelihood of permanent peace was very small. The thousands of rockets being fired into Israel continue today, with muted recognition by the media, utter indifference by the U.N. and ceaseless attempts to delegitimize Israel, led by left-leaning liberals in affluent countries as well as by Israel’s sworn enemies. If this path continues over the next few years, the rockets that descend on Israel will be much more numerous and more powerful, culminating in one more defensive war by Israel as it determines to protect its tiny nation its people, and the faith of millions of us throughout the diaspora.
Excellent recap of the current unequal cultural landscape. Essentially, the situation can be summarized by stating: You are what you think. A Palestinian culture consumed by hate, and the literal glorification of death (i.e., Hamas), grows in poisoned soil. It never ceases to amaze me how little wisdom exist among the Islamic clerical elite. The mosque in these societies is far more powerful than the judiciary and executive branch. Failure to emulate the West, really the ancient Greek ethos, means that Islamic societies will never leave the 12th Century.