Why Israel Needs Helen Thomas

Helen Thomas expressed a cockeyed and impractical position about Israel--one held by much of the world--and lost her job because of it.

This is a boring story as all stories about Helen Thomas tend to be, and I take it up now with some regret--but, alas, she has become, once again, more meaningful than she ought to be.

But before getting to Helen Thomas, let's register the Tony Judt piece on the op-ed page in yesterday's New York Times. It is everything that Helen Thomas probably meant to say. It is what many people mean to say when they try to express their stupefaction that, in the course of two generations, Israel has not meaningfully altered its geo-political relationships. It is as succinct and as useful a deconstruction of what's wrong with Israel and Israelis as may exist. Judt, however, has not lost his job.

Which is why it's important that Helen Thomas should lose hers.

The point must be made: Apostasy, when it comes to Israel, will destroy anybody in public life. Helen Thomas, in that regard, is an ideal target.Continue reading on newser.com