The most obvious is that Israel is an issue that bitterly divides the Democratic Party while uniting the GOP. Any news coverage raising the salience of this issue detracts from coverage of issues like abortion, Donald Trump’s various crimes, health care, or other subjects that divide Republicans while uniting Democrats.
A second reason is that the campus protests, with their ragged encampments and radical chants, enhance the image of chaos that Donald Trump claims has overtaken the country.
The biggest reason is that extremists thrive on an atmosphere of crisis. The Middle East has been teetering on crisis for decades, which is why advocates of peaceful partition and coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians have never had an easy time of it. The more fevered the atmosphere, the easier it is for Trumpian conservatives, along with radicals on the left, to argue that the conflict pits good against evil and that compromise is unthinkable.
@ISIDEWITH1 any1Y
How do you feel about the impact of radical protests on public perception of political issues?
@ISIDEWITH1 any1Y
In your opinion, does the portrayal of chaos by political leaders influence public opinion more than detailed policy discussions?
@ISIDEWITH1 any1Y
Why might some political groups prefer an atmosphere of crisis to one of peace and stability?
