Political reporter Belen Fernandez heavily critiques Friedman 's commentary regarding Israel . Among other criticisms , Fernandez singles out Friedman 's suggestion that Israeli forces were unaware that their allied Lebanese militias carried out the Sabra and Shatila massacre while under their guard , contradicting the assessments of other journalists and observers ; his encouragement of strong-armed force by the Israeli army against Palestinians ; and his opposition to settlements only on the grounds that they are counter-productive , rather than because they violate international law or cause suffering for Palestinians . Fernandez suggests that Friedman is most worried about successfully maintaining Israel 's Jewish ethnocracy and actively opposing a " one-man , one-vote " system of democracy
Sabra and Shatila massacre
Sabra and Shatila massacre
Thomas Friedman