At the recent Annapolis meeting, behind closed doors, up close and personal, the assembled Arab foreign ministers refused to shake hands with Tzipi Livni, Israel’s Foreign Minister. She asked her Arab counterparts, especially her Saudi counterpart, why they did not want to shake hands with her. “I am not plague-ridden” Livni said. According to the Dutch minister, all the Arab ministers backed away from her as if “she were Dracula’s sister.” According to Fern Sidman, an unnamed Israeli source confirmed that PRESS HERE “the Saudis refused to shake hands and the Syrians refused to say anything nice.” (Of course, another unnamed Israeli source also told Sidman that “at least they came to the meeting”.) These details are also contained in the Washington Post and in Guysen International News.
My friend and colleague, Dr. Nancy H. Kobrin, had only three, chilling words for me about this: “Zainab Bint al-Harith”. That is the name of the Jewish woman long and falsely alleged to have poisoned the prophet Mohammed.
In addition, the United States, Israel’s strongest ally, apparently just circulated the Annapolis resolution to members of the UN Security Council–but without first showing anything to Israel’s Ambassador, Dan Gillerman who was, at the time, busy celebrating the General Assembly’s November 29th, 1947 resolution that created a Jewish state. What a difference sixty years can make! (These details are contained in the New York Sun).
Livni and Gillerman have just both been publicly shunned. Israeli diplomats will have to grow bionic skins in order not to suffer the effects of such interpersonally cruel behavior. But look: Israelis have been kidnapped, blown up and wounded for life by Islamist terrorists. It can always be worse but the two kinds of assaults are intimately connected. The fact that the world allows the state sponsors of terrorism to isolate and shame Israeli diplomats also allows and even encourages terrorist fanatics to continue their murdererous rampage. One breeds the other; this is the cycle of violence.
Israel’s civilian supporters have also been shunned, both behind closed doors and in public. May we all continue to bear this mistreatment with honor, patience, grace, and faith. And, as we count our blessings, let us also remember that Israel is a nuclear power whose military prowess has already proved essential in the battle against Iran and Syria–and that Saudi Arabia is also well known for refusing to extend its hand when it comes to aiding other Muslims.
The significance and consequences of the Annapolis meeting are far worse than I have so far suggested. But many people understand public slights more than they understand diplomatic negotiations; however, for those who primarily focus on the latter, let me stand on the shoulders of others and point out that 1) Israel- and Jew-hating Arabists in the State Department have won one more round; President Bush refuses to publicly criticize the Saudis and has also failed to appoint diplomats who might do so privately.
Worse: As former Minister Natan Sharansky PRESS HERE has just pointed out, while Iran may be perceived as a threat to the stability of Arab national despots, democracy is perceived as the second biggest threat to their continued rule. Sharansky also notes that Mahmoud Abbas has absolutely no power. Thus, what is the point of forcing Israel to negotiate with the powerless diplomat when the United States has failed to bring Hamas, which controls Gaza, to the table in Annapolis?
In addition, Ted Belman of Israpundit has sent me Carolyn Glick’s rather ominous report. Apparently, and not coincidentally, U.S. Ambassador Richard Jones just had an unprecedented meeting with the President of the Israeli Supreme Court, Dorit Beinisch, in which Jones demanded that the Israeli Court “interpret Israeli law in a prejudicial manner in order to demonize Israeli opponents of Palestinian statehood and the ethnic cleansing of Jews from Judea and Samaria.”
According to David Bedein in Frontpage, Prime Minister Olmert “stood down from his opposition to international supervision of the agreement’s implementation. Nothing remains of the principle established by Yitzhak Rabin, which was maintained by all Israeli prime ministers, that only Israel would decide whether the Palestinian side had met its commitments.”
NEWSFLASH! Four days later, on December 3, 2007, Benny Avni, in the New York Sun, reported that Zalmay Khalilzad, America’s Ambassador to the United Nations, had seriously “fumbled” in his attempt to have the UN Security Council sign onto the “internalization implementation” clause; both the Palestinians and the Israelis had already decided to “withdraw (their) own resolution proposal.” Thus, and happily, David Bedein (and everyone else) was wrong about this. In Avni’s view, Khalilzad “ended up with a big fat fumble for American diplomacy.”
Finally, according to Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook HERE, one day after Annapolis, Abbas’s Palestinian Authority re-broadcast a map in which Israel was completely absent and the Palestinian state occupied what is now Tel Aviv, Ber-Sheva, Jerusalem, and Haifa.
And he’s the “good guy.”
Here’s what I have to say to the Israeli people: Vote Olmert out of office as quickly as possible. Do not, God forbid, assassinate him. President Beinisch: How dare Mr. Jones tell you what to do? Tell him to go to Hell–which is right next door in Sudan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. To Jews and to our supporters and to freedom-loving people everywhere: Hang in, hang on, trust no one. Be prepared for anything.
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14 Comments
1. Velfke:Is there any surprise in this at all? Maybe the timing, but certainly not the event of betrayal. A meeting is announced for a discussion between countries encompassing one billion people and a single country with six million, under the good offices of a secretary of state who is in the thrall of Israel-haters and Jew despisers. That the meeting is fated to fall to the camp of Islam is no surprise, is it? The only question is why did the dumb Jews walk into the trap so willingly?
Nov 30, 2007 - 1:40 pm 2. George Jochnowitz:The Left licks Islamic ass, as we all know. President George W. Bush has been a pro-Israel president, unlike his father. But the Bush family licks Saudi ass. Despite his pro-Israel senitments, President Bush can never say anything to recognize how gross Saudi behavior is. How can we expect diplomacy to succeed when the Saudis are permitted to behave in such an anti-diplomatic manner?
Nov 30, 2007 - 2:13 pm 3. Paulus Cooper:An excellent article! I commend the author’s bravery and convictions. However, I wish that she had been tougher on Bush and Condi. They are both intelligent, worldly “grown-ups”, and they clearly knew better than to think that this “event” would lead to anything of substance. They’re behavior is both shocking and disgraceful.
Nov 30, 2007 - 6:12 pm 4. Bogdan of Australia:This is beyond parody, this meeting in Annapolis. Is Bush playing some kind of game or has he lost his mind? As his long -standing supporter and admirer I feel horrendously betrayed. Looks once more like the old saying: “Harmless to enemies, treacherous to friends” comes true again… An absolute shame…
Dec 1, 2007 - 7:15 am 5. David Thomson:“Is Bush playing some kind of game or has he lost his mind?”
President Bush has lost his mind. The election results of 2006 turned him into some sort of babbling fool. The same holds true of Condi Rice. Also, these two dimwits want to be remembered in the history books for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian problem. Its the legacy thing. The situation, however, could be worse. Al Gore, Jr., or John Kerry could reside in the White House. In that case, the situation in the Middle East would be out of control.
Dec 1, 2007 - 10:31 am 6. Joan Lachkar:Brilliant article. I love Kobrin’s quote0-that is it in a nutshell.
Joan Lachkar
Dec 1, 2007 - 10:57 am 7. gliker:www:joanlachkarphd.com
People don’t like Jews… it’s the only reason anyone gives a crap about the Palestinians.
I am Judah the Maccabbee.
I am ready for anything.
Dec 1, 2007 - 11:58 am 8. Ben-David:Don’t expect Beinish - or any other members of the left-wing Israeli oligarchy - to stand up against “international public opinion”.
They will gladly use outsiders to impose their will upon Israelis who disagree with them.
They certainly haven’t waited for international prompting before using the state-controlled media and judiciary to demonize the Israeli right and the settler movement - groups that have now been proven correct in all their objections to the Peace/piece process.
Nothing is new in this story - we will shortly light Hanukah candles, celebrating the victory of the proud Jewish majority over the Hellenizing minority. Then as now, the “progressives” invited and enabled non-Jewish oppression of their brethren.
Dec 1, 2007 - 1:31 pm 9. rick554:I’m in total agreement. The State Dept is powerless anyhow. Dont worry Israel, we are standing with you.
Dec 1, 2007 - 5:25 pm 10. Fern Sidman:In the article I had written on Annapolis,I had quoted an unnamed Israeli official who confided that the Saudis refused to shake hands with the Israeli delegation and that the Syrians refused to say anything nice.
http://netwmd.com/blog/2007/11/28/2119
I think the Bush administration is fully cognizant of the fact that such a “peace” summit will not lead to any kind of formidable and long lasting peace. I feel that since the lame duck president is busying himself with the final chapters in the creation of his presidential legacy, he desperately needed to go on record as attempting to forge ahead with his “road map” to peace, after several years of putting this issue on the back burner.
Bush knows full well that it’s not at all difficult to push Israel into making territorial concessions. Israel, under the leadership of a scandal ridden Olmert government, is ready to slice up the pie. I’m sure they’re receiving lucrative US economic and military incentives as well. Olmert is a desperate leader (whose fragile parliamentary coalition is about to collapse) and one who truly does not believe Israel belongs to the Jewish people. He is the number one victim of Arab/Palestinian propaganda.
Allow me to relate a moshul (parable) from the Talmud:
A story is told in the Talmud of two women who came to Shlomo HaMelech arguing about who is the real and biological mother of a child. The heated dispute continued unabated, while King Solomon asked each woman a series of questions concerning the childbirth. When no definitive conclusion could be reached, Shlomo said, “The only fair thing to do at this point is to cut the child in two and each of you can take a half”. One woman began to scream wildly, crying out, “No, No, No, you can’t do that to my child”. The other woman remained silent. It was at that juncture that Shlomo said, “To the woman who cried out, the child indeed belongs to her and she is indeed the real mother, for what mother would remain silent upon hearing that her child would be sacrificed?”
So too, the Palestinians, holding deeply held religious beliefs really believe that the land called Israel really is Palestine and belongs to them. They are willing to cry out for their “baby”. The Jews, on the other hand, devoid of G-d and Torah and religious tenacity are not quite sure that this “baby” belongs to them. They think it does, they might say it does, but when it comes to chopping it up they remain eerily silent and are ready to put it up on the negotiating table, all in the hopes of a fraudulent peace. They are a people who have been beaten down, worn out, exasperated, tired beyond belief of being a pariah state. They have unconsciously absorbed the incessant propaganda leveled against them and it is the war of words, not of bullets and bombs that in the end will be the source of their abandonment of the Zionist dream.
To even entertain the notion of dividing the eternal capitol of Israel, Jerusalem, in return for a worthless piece of paper is the sign of nation literally gasping for air, at its wits end.
Dec 1, 2007 - 7:10 pm 11. Kyrel Zantonavitch:Why is Israel so self-hating and suicidal as to even attend such an evil “peace” conference? Notice how no-one there is calling it a justice or liberty conference. And for good reason.
Get some damn self-respect, Israel!
Dec 2, 2007 - 3:43 pm 12. Noga:“Get some damn self-respect, Israel!”
I had the same gut reaction, before the conference:
http://contentious-centrist.blogspot.com/2007/11/to-shake-or-not-to-shake-in-prelude-to.html
Dec 2, 2007 - 4:47 pm 13. Roger Davis:Since giving up Gaza did nothing to help peace, why award the peace-breakers with another prize? They have shown their true colors and if Abbas has no real power and has drawn a map without Israel why waste time and finances to continue this farce?
In addition Richard Jones needs to be sent packing.
In the words of King Solomon:
“A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.” Is Olmert that simple or has he lost his backbone if he had one?
As it has been said: You can’t reason with the devil - he has no power if we don’t give it to him.
Dec 2, 2007 - 10:53 pm 14. martin kessler:History will show Bush’s venture into Iraq was the smartest and best thing anyone could have done for the national interests of the United States and its economic health, and it was intentional to a purpose —because he now virtually controls the largest reserve of oil in the world–and Saudi Arabia and Venezuela are getting to be a pain in the ass to keep on kissing. The WMD was just a ploy, we all know that. He could never just come out and say “It’s about Oil” could he? Bush is not stupid. If you do not know this, let me tell you— the interests of the United States does not include the survival of the state of Israel. Read that aloud twice to make sure your ears hear it.
So, what are we really doing in Iraq? Here’s what Brian Hicks, Founder & Managing Editor, Energy and Capital has to say:
We’re building and maintaining permanent military bases from which our military will ensure a near-monopoly of the world’s second-largest oil reserve. All this… for a small cadre of corporate fatheads, including the top members of Bush, Inc. The American taxpayer will be burdened with footing the bill for security in Iraq ($2 billion PER DAY!) to provide stable working conditions for Exxon-Mobil, Shell, Halliburton, not to mention the dozens of corporations feeding off the military spend bosom.
But this will ensure the economic health of the United States.
Note to President Bush: This Arab Jewish conference is crazy–are you guys nuts? We got the oil, now get the heck out of the Middle East and let them fight it out themselves. You can’t win there. You don’t give a fig for Israel. In fact, of all the nations of the world least interested in Israel’s survival the United States will be right up there with the Arab nations.The conference can’t be anything really serious with all the countries in the world you are inviting. It’s a laugh! Saying that you’re making an honest broker’s last chance for peace sounds noble, but it’s a bunch of crock. Don’t do the Arabs any favors. Peace is not in their national interest. To tell you the truth, they really feel you’re meddling in affairs that do not belong to you. Stay out of it.
The reality, is quite clear, even from this distance. Our error —and Mr. Olmert’s —in our understandings about the state of Israel is the failure to posit a necessary and sufficient presupposition so that so that reality can be clearly understood. The assumption that makes sense — an assumption almost to the level of being axiomatic, to be assumed without need of proof– is this: The interests of the United States does not include the survival of the state of Israel. Once this is firmly grasped, we then easily make the inferences as follows: The embassy is not moved to Jerusalem because it is not in the interest of the United States to solidify the claims of the Jews to Jerusalem. Period. An equally valid inference we can make is most of all doing so is at variance to the interests of Saudi Arabia. Mr. Bush, Mr. Baker, Mr. Cheney, Ms, Rice and the Senior Mr. Bush, State Department Officials, Members of Congress, all without exception, believe, –another inference we can make with certainty— the economic welfare of the United States needs oil more than it needs the vote of the Jews–those busybodies on the sideline, those of us who do not risk drowning with the Israelis, if it comes to that, as we are politely told.
If Mr. Olmert were the shrewd politician he is said to be — and not a “pushover,” one well-versed in international politics, one who “is acutely aware of who is on the other side of the table” –he would understand the interests of the Unites States does not include the survival of Israel. Can I make that any clearer? Does not Mr. Olmert know the one on the other side of the table wants him dead. If he knew that he would be forcefully advocating a policy and course of action that is focused and directed on the survival of Israel, not on appearances, not on “keeping a low flame” while at the same time Israelis are being murdered. The policy would be clear, courageous, and unequivocal. Especially courageous.
Mr. Olmert’s policy ought to be a policy I recommended in an six page essay I wrote in August 2002 upon my return to the States from serving as a volunteer in the IDF. In my view, Israel has made two major blunders. The second was Oslo–giving standing to their sworn enemy –I find that amusing as nothing was more at variance to its interest of survival–but the first major blunder was failure to annex the lands in 1967. If I may be permitted to quote myself, I wrote then as follows:
“The issue is so crystal clear: Israel must finally stop fantasizing and unilaterally announce what its borders shall be — from the Jordan to the sea, or whatever border will assure-not its security, that is misguided and shortsighted — but its survival! Security, if you have not been able to grasp, is not the issue. The issue is Survival!
Israel must then have the courage to pointedly ignore any objection to the manner of resolving the nation’s current conflict in its own interest, as I feel it must to ensure its own existence”.
I also concluded my essay, titled MY CREDO–with this observation:
“Until the Arabs come to their senses, Israel must of necessity stand ready as a loaded gun, cocked and ready to go off. It cannot afford to lower its guard — it would be national suicide.”
“Never in the history of the world has a nation as an established polity depended on its army for its survival. Nation States have engaged in wars, their armies or navies have been defeated, yet the nation as a sovereign State has continued to exist”.
“I admonish you with this thought: If the Israeli Defense Force is ever defeated, the sovereign State of Israel will cease to exist! ”
“Mark my words”
Martin Kessler
Dec 2, 2007 - 11:24 pmmdk4130@aol.com