Today, my Impromptus is devoted to Israel. It’s a “blowout” — an expansion — of a piece I have in the magazine: “Hung Up on Israel: An explanation for the sincere.”

For years, people have asked me, “Why do you write so much about Israel? Why are you hung up on that situation?” Sometimes people ask scornfully and nastily. But sometimes they ask sincerely. They are genuinely curious. They don’t know what all the fuss is about.

Why focus on Israel? I would have thought the answer obvious. But if people ask, it’s not obvious. And honest questions deserve honest answers.

I was inspired, in part, by my colleague Reihan Salam, who wrote a piece in a recent NR about breasts in Times Square. Specifically, he explained why it ought to be illegal for women to bare their breasts in Times Square.

To read the article, go here (but it’ll cost you a quarter — and be more than worth it).

I was really impressed. Because if you had asked me, “Why shouldn’t women be able to bare their breasts in Times Square?” I don’t think I would have been able to tell you. I would have been mute or sputtering. I might have been tempted to say, “If you have to ask, you’ll never know. It’s sort of like, ‘If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it.’ Why shouldn’t women be allowed to bare their breasts in Times Square, or elsewhere in public? Isn’t the answer sort of baked into the human cake? Doesn’t anyone with a modicum of civilization know, in his bones?”

But Reihan patiently went through the matter — as if it were Year Zero, and we were just rising from the swamp or whatever.

And I later thought, Cripe: If he can do that, surely I can explain why Israel is important!

For many years, I have said, “Show me where a man stands on abortion and Israel, and you’ve shown me all I need to know.” Someday, I’ll take the time to explain that one, too.