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November 15, 2007
Is Israel a Jewish State?
As I put up this post I'm watching the Democrats debating on CNN. They are talking—endlessly—about universal health care.
Frankly, they sound like a bunch of Bolsheviks.
Except for Dennis Kucinich—who sounds like a man who's gulped deeply from the Kool-Aid. Man, when he opens his mouth the other candidates are like: Can somebody puh-leese drop some extremely strong medication on poor Dennis.
They also talk—naively, ignorantly—about ending the war in Iraq.
Helloooo. We're winning the war in Iraq. The surge is working.
But they won't admit that. It's bad for their party. Al Qaeda is on the run, but the Dems will keep playing the Tet Offensive card.
This is cynicism of the highest magnitude.
Memo to John "Hair" Edwards: You keep darkly referencing the "neo-Cons" in the Bush administration. Why don't you just come out and say what you really mean?
Jews.
Memo to Hillary: Don't you ever wear a simple trumpet dress, a nice silk blouse and wool pencil skirt? Something, um, lady like? You know why nobody trusts you?
Two words: pants suit.
You know what the Democrats are not talking about? What they won't dare talk about in any serious manner?
Islamic terror.
They won't even form the words. The Democrats will not discuss the existence of transnational Muslim jihadists who are battering down the walls of Western civilization.
How come?
Well, the Dems, no doubt, have an, ahem, "nuanced view," of the war of terror.
Translation: they are in denial for they are living in 1938; appeasement is a habitual reflex for liberals.
But when it comes to so-called global warming, believe me, there's nothing nuanced about their position. It's quite militant. One might even say: uncompromising. One might even say: fanatic.
It's easy to fight the weather. It's fun to blame big-bad multi-national corporations—boo Haliburton, always works—for polluting mother earth. It's makes everyone feel all so self-righteous and holier-than-thou.
But fighting evil, well, that's way too complicated for the liberal imagination.
Meanwhile, Israel is on the chopping block, and Jeff Jacoby is eloquent on Israel's Jewish character and the Arab Jew-hatred that is intent on delegitimizing Israel and Judaism simultaneously.
In advance of the upcoming diplomatic conference in Annapolis, Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced the other day that he expects the Palestinian Authority to finally acknowledge Israel's existence as a Jewish state. A newly arrived visitor from Mars might wonder why this should even be an issue - after all, Israel is a Jewish state. If the more than 55 countries that make up the Organization of the Islamic Conference are entitled to recognition as Muslim states, and if the 22 members of the Arab League are universally accepted as Arab states, why should anyone balk at acknowledging Israel as the world's lone Jewish state?
Yet Olmert's demand was rebuffed. Saeb Erekat, the senior Palestinian Authority negotiator, said on Monday that Palestinians would refuse to recognize Israel's Jewish identity on the grounds that "it is not acceptable for a country to link its national character to a specific religion."
In fact, there are many countries in which national identity and religion are linked. Argentinian law mandates government support for the Roman Catholic faith. Queen Elizabeth II is the supreme governor of the Church of England. In the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, the constitution proclaims Buddhism the nation's "spiritual heritage." The prevailing religion in Greece," declares Section II of the Greek Constitution, "is that of the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ."
In no region of the world do countries so routinely link their national character to a specific religion as in the Muslim Middle East. The flag of Saudi Arabia features the shahada - the Islamic declaration of faith - in white Arabic script on a green background; on the Iranian flag, the Islamic phrase "Allahu Akbar" (God is great") appears 22 times. And then there is Erekat's own Palestinian Authority, whose Basic Law provides in Article 4 that "Islam is the official religion in Palestine."....
To read Jeff Jacoby's complete article, please click here.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at November 15, 2007 05:22 PM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
Robert,
I watched the debate too.
Wow...these people scare me.
They believe big daddy government will care for everyone.....
Heck...why work??
The Dems will be there to make sure you are taken care of from cradle to grave.
And of course, the real evil people are not the terrorists...
Nope...
They are the evvvvvvil corporations.....
I just hope the Republicans can get there act together.....too much is at stake.
Posted by: Lance at November 15, 2007 10:27 PM
The Dummocrats will finalize the death of the medical profession in our country: their "single payer system" will stifle progress in medicine; there will be no new drug therapies, no new surgical techniques, and no best and brightest students in a system that insists on conformity and heavy-handed government regulation.
Posted by: Daniel Wohlgelernter at November 15, 2007 11:03 PM
Robert:
Fatah is Hamas
Hamas is Fatah
This concept is undeniably true.
The upcomming Annapolis conference is just another sham initiated by an outgoing president in a last ditch effort attempting to make his mark on middle east policy.
The last Pres. to do this was Clinton at Camp David(Barak and Arafat)
What transpired was the 2nd Intifada where hundreds of jews died.
I have no doubt that this next folly will produce no true peaceful results and most probably will bring about a war with Hamas/Fatah.
How many more Jews must die before our leaders(Israeli and US) realize that peace is not a word found in the Arab dictionary.
Gregg
Tel-Aviv
Posted by: gregg at November 16, 2007 01:59 AM
Robert-
You said: "Memo to Hillary: Don't you ever wear a simple trumpet dress, a nice silk blouse and wool pencil skirt? Something, um, lady like? You know why nobody trusts you? Two words: pants suit."
With all due respect, that was a pretty chauvinistic statement. We really should be way beyond the point where we judge women based on what they wear.
I would wear pants also if I was in the public eye all the time. If she wore skirts, her skirts would be criticized for being too short, too long, too conservative, not conservative enough, etc. Also: skirts, pantyhose, and heels are very uncomfortable when you're constantly traveling and on your feet for many hours at a time.
Let's judge the woman on her words and actions, not on her outfits.
Posted by: Janet at November 16, 2007 05:16 AM
It is utterly pathetic the way Olmert runs after the Palestinians begging them to recognize Israel. Who cares whether they recognize us, and what good would it do if, for some transient purpose, they were arm-twisted into saying they do?
Posted by: kishke at November 16, 2007 05:40 AM
Lance:
The Dems sound more and more like some Socialist party from France.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.seraphicpress.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at November 16, 2007 08:22 AM
Daniel:
It's fuzzy, feel-good medicine talk. The true consequences of the plans the Dems are spinning are disastrous.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at November 16, 2007 08:25 AM
Gregg:
Yup, we've seen this movie before, several times. It does not end well.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at November 16, 2007 08:26 AM
Kishke:
I agree, I simply don't understand this obsession with getting the Arabs to recognize Israel.
Bomb them back to the stone age and believe me, they'll recognize Israel real fast.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at November 16, 2007 08:30 AM
Robert,
It definitely is socialism....
And class warfare.
They despise individuals who have an entrepreneurial spirit.
Posted by: Lance at November 16, 2007 08:42 AM
Janet:
Thanks so much for your comment.
When I'm not on strike I work in Hollywood. Hence I'm acutely aware of image and the power of images projected to the public.
The power of costume and its relation to propaganda should never be underestimated.
When I'm working with my costume designers on an actresses wardrobe we'll always choose a pants suit when we want to project the image of a sexless, cold distant woman. A woman who is unsure about her true nature, her very core.
We'll also cut her hair short and butchy.
We understand that the American viewing audience will be thoroughly alienated from this character.
It's a slam dunk.
We have a saying on-set: "If you're comfortable in your wardrobe, then you're doing something wrong."
I'm actually offering Hillary good advice. Lord knows I hope she doesn't take it. Her poll numbers would rise overnight. Witness her Vogue cover after Bill's dalliance with Monica was revealed. Her numbers shot into the stratosphere. She was not wearing a pants suit. The editors of Vogue get it far better than the cadre of Emma Goldmans in Hillary's campaign.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at November 16, 2007 08:47 AM
Robert-
I understand what you're saying. But I still think that the American public and news media need to focus less on style and more on substance.
Janet
Posted by: Janet at November 16, 2007 09:12 AM
Robert:
The mere fact that they are at the negotiating table is proof and to spare that they recognize Israel; who else are they negotiating with? And the reason they're at the table is that they recognize that they've lost and will continue to lose militarily, but can gain much through so-called negotiations. What that should mean is Israel approaching from a position of strength. But their "leaders" don't get it.
Janet:
(a) You may wish people were more focused on substance over style, but most are not. Robert's addressing the vast majority.
(b) Often style has plenty to say about substance. You can tell a lot about a person from the way they dress.
Posted by: kishke at November 16, 2007 09:27 AM