Muslims ‘Go Ape’ and Deny it

There is no denying it, Jews are exceptional. Saul Bellow says “Perhaps the Jews have themselves created such expectations. Israel has made extraordinary efforts to be democratic, equitable, reasonable, capable of change… Obviously, the Jews accepted a historic responsibility to be exceptional. They have been held to this; they have held themselves to it. Now the question is whether more cannot be demanded from other peoples.”

Muslims believe theirs is a great civilization. In “To Jerusalem and Back,” Bellow says “A great civilization should be capable of humane and generous flexibility.” You would think Muslims have had plenty of time to accept reality and adjust. Israel after all constitutes about one-sixth of one percent of the lands Arabs call Arab. Isn’t it possible for these Arabs and Persians and Muslims to find within themselves or within their civilization, traditions and religion, whatever makes it possible for people to adjust and accept and embrace reality? Can’t Muslims see that destroying Israel will do them no good?

Isn’t it possible, isn’t it time that anti-Semites demanded more of themselves too? Is this too much to ask of a species that claims it was created by God? In the image of God? Is this too much to ask of people who refuse to accept kinship with other Great Apes?