664
PARTISAN REVIEW
Conor Cruise O'Brien:
I think in the event of something like that, the
Palestinians would appeal to the Europeans for help with their econ–
omy, which would, of course, be very badly damaged by total severance
from Israeli territory. The Europeans would probably, to do them jus–
tice, come to their assistance . I would hope that in doing so they would
stipulate that the Palestinians cease to harbor terrorist operations
against Israel. I think with the Palestinians in great need of help, they
would agree to stipulations of that kind. The Palestinians would not be
altogether helpless and abandoned. I think the Europeans would favor
such a role.
Justin Caspro:
I am a student about to get my doctorate in astrophysics
at a local technical school, and I feel a strong obligation to the work
that I do on a day-to-day basis, in terms of American society and also
from a political point of view. But is it really right for my group to spend
that much money on a project that doesn't have some use for society in
general? There are physical scientists trying to play more of a role in
society. Also, I've been intrigued by the possibility that if neither Amer–
ica nor the European Union manages to come to a consensus about how
to supervise developments in the Middle East, what are the chances of
a larger, stronger political union between the two democratic and
nuclear states in the region? I mean Israel and India. Any comments
about that?
Liah Greenfeld:
I am happy to hear from a scientist who wants to play
the role of policymaker. You may try to play it but nobody wants to
hear you. The problem is, of course, with writers who too can play this
role . They don't, and if they did they wou ldn 't be heard, because it is no
longer assumed that they are supposed to make such pronouncements.
It
is not a matter of who tries to play this ro le, but who is in the posi–
tion to do so. Unfortunately, this position has been given to people who
cannot play it. When
Fortune
magazine said, "Economists rule the
world."
It
was not a joke. Physicists and biologists and astrophysicists
do much more than all the social scientists put together, but nobody
would say that biologists or physicists rule the world.
David Pryce-Jones:
India and Israel. Obviously, the enemy of my enemy
is my friend. The Indians have always had a very reserved position
towards Israel. I found myself in India in February and went to see a
member of Parliament, who is also a leading columnist. He told me that
