Barry Strauss
Military and naval historian focused on ancient Greece and Rome; Corliss Page Dean Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Bryce and Edith M. Bowmar Professor of Humanistic Studies Emeritus at Cornell University.
Jewish and Palestinian Claims Rest on an Unresolved Shared History
Historian Barry Strauss argues that Israel’s legitimacy cannot be separated from the long, continuous Jewish connection to the land, even as that history also includes Palestinian attachment, displacement and a region shaped by multiple peoples. He describes Israel as an imperfect liberal democracy marked by unequal outcomes for Arab citizens, and contends that criticism of its policies becomes anti-Zionism when it denies any place for a Jewish state in the region’s future. For Strauss, the conflict’s history makes slogans—and expectations of a quick settlement—misleading.
Coexistence Is Necessary but Peace Remains Unlikely
Barry Strauss argues that criticism of Israeli policy, including the Netanyahu government, is distinct from denying Israel’s right to exist—a distinction he says is obscured by antisemitism at political extremes. He maintains that Jewish historical ties to the land do not justify excluding Palestinians, but says lasting coexistence requires Palestinian acceptance of Israel as well as changes shaped by outside powers, particularly Iran and the United States. Strauss sees little reason to expect such a settlement soon.