Tout se tient...

Condoleeza Rice's sympathy for poor Apartheided Palestinians..

and the sudden resurrrection and much-publicized arrest of an octogenarian alleged Israeli spy, long retired...

and now this formal proclamation of righteous indignation against an Israeli ambassador for saying nothing less than the truth, on every account....

There's a Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall...

Mearsheimer and Walt must be dancing with joy.

Someone is sure to lob at you the well-tested antisemitic accusation of dual loyalties, Solomon ...

I think Noga is right. From the moment Hamas took Gaza, the president saw an opportunity to strong-arm the PA and Israel into a deal. We've been hearing further hints of it at recent Washington meetings, and a strong hint yesterday or the day before when Tony Blair spoke at the Atlantic Council.

http://tonyblairoffice.org/2008/04/tony-blair-speech-to-the-atlan.html

Blair seems to get it, in this very speech as elsewhere, but he still for some reason thinks that handing over another state to a bunch of undemocratic thugs, without first requiring that they fundamentally alter how their society operates, is going to accomplish something positive.

The picture that is evolving is that, for the sake of transatlantic unity, Bush is going to let the performance based aspects of the road map wither away in favor of pushing through a deal. Bigger fish to fry and all that. China.

And whom do we have to thank for the fact that Hamas was in a position to be elected in the first place?

Update:

I just watched Jimmy Carter on Larry King Live.

Background: I'm a Democrat who voted for Carter and admired him for many years. So, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt even though he went and spoke to Hamas.

But now I'm mad.

He stereotyped American Jews, saying we don't want to criticize Israel for anything, nor "debate" the I/P issue - AS IF - then he FURTHER and outrageously claimed that the Israeli government is in disagreement with the US about the two-state solution! And won't agree to "withdraw from Palestinian land" and "swap land for peace"!

I'm furious. He's really wrong on so many levels I can hardly type. Just on the one score - "withdrawal from Palestinian land" - well in Hamas' point of view that's the whole megillah, from the river to the sea.

So what exactly does Jimmy mean by that? The Green Line? Not even UN 242 demands that! And why is the West Bank, historically the home of Jews for over 3000 years until ethnically cleansed by Jordan during the 1948 war, de facto "Palestinian" and not Jewish?

Worse: he's in the NYT and on Larry King Live, preaching. And how many people are well enough versed in these issues to know where this very persuasive, kindly, gentlemanly person is just - mistaken?

Jimmy Carter claims to be pro-Israel and denies any hint of antisemitism. But then he stereotypes American Jews and makes the outrageous claim that the Israeli government doesn't believe in the 2-state solution - for pete's sake Kadima was elected on this premise - but the withdrawal from Gaza brought nothing but terror, kidnappings and rocket attacks and withdrawal from Lebanon has created war with Hezbollah. What does that say about the security of Israel's borders, or the efficacy of withdrawal, at least under these circumstances?

Also when people toss around the idea of the 2-state solution - WHAT KIND OF PALESTINIAN STATE ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT? One without Jews? Why should the Green Line, never a border, be the border?

Why should the holiest of Jewish religious sites be outside of Israel? What about the idea of secure borders? Wouldn't Israel be cut in half by at least some of these schemes?

Why should Israel be forced to negotiate with people whose "bible" is The Protocols of the Elders of Zion? And who in any case repeatedly refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist? And who incite their children to murder Jews?

When people say there is "no debate" on this topic what they're really saying is they don't want to listen to THESE facts or answer these questions.

And where was his interviewer to ask these pertinent questions? I avoided watching this because I knew Larry King would not have the guts to ask the tough questions, instead choosing to schmooze with that vapid religious fanatic, as if he doesn't know what Sophia and everyone else who cares a tuppence knows about the reality.

It's very sad to see Israel emulating the bully in so many ways. Ironic too. Unfortunately, Zionism was a mistake (and I say that as someone who loves Jews and their culture). Go on, admit it. Come on, I know you realize that if all the anti-American states in the UN decided to annex Indiana and give it over to Eskimos, the Indianans wouldn't be very happy about it. Do you think the US would let that happen? Come on - I give you permission to admit the entire enterprize that is Israel is an immoral mistake. Cone, it's really not that hard.

You want evidence of your deep down recognition of the truth? Well, here it is, your only defense" Altogether now:
"The Big M is an anti-semite, doo dah, doo dah..."

""The Big M is an anti-semite, doo dah, doo dah..."

Actually nothing you said prior to these words marks you more as an antisemite than this statement. It has become a staple of the antisemite, just like the throat-clearing "some of my best friends are Jews"...

You appear to anticipate with relish the thought that you might be called (as you should be) an antisemite, a sentiment which in and of itself is proof enough of your contempt for historical accuracy, for Jews, for the intelligence of the readers of this blog.

Doo dah, doo dah..

All together now!

Case closed.