Comments on: Meeting the Palestinians, Obama’s Retinue is Ross, Steinberg, Shapiro, Kurtzer

By: charles Keating

charles Keating — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

It's obvious Obama knows the play script. Is he the ultimate fox, or just another hen? Time will tell, but only if he actually gets into the White House. Will he make a trip to Mexico too?

By: Richard Witty

Richard Witty — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

The Jewish community wants to be sure that Israel will be safe.

Its not a force for evil, as implied.

By: Doppler

Doppler — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

It's not fear of losing Jewish financial support. He's proven he can raise what he wants and needs from little guys on the internet. It's fear of offending "Jewish sensibilities" in the media and academic thought police. If a public figure crosses that line, say by highlighting crimes against humanity by the settler/occupying forces, he is smeared as anti-Semitic, and all his work is either ignored or characterized as "sloppy," "derivative," "second rate," with much "tut-tutting," and there doesn't seem to be anyone to stand up and say, "pshaw," or, "if you're rich and powerful and people notice, don't whine about it." Obama needs cover, not money, and will as long offending "jewish sensibilities" is verboten.

By: contrarian

contrarian — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Fine, Witty. But why don't the Palestinians get similar access to make sure that the Palestinians are safe? Don't they have the same fears and aspirations as Israelis? Why does the bottom line on every U.S. policy decision involve satisfying (often irrational and counterproductive) fears on the part of Israelis and their U.S. allies? How come it never works that way for Palestinians.

And Phil, I know you rarely read comments, but I hope you'll see this one: I used to share your hope about Obama and Israel/the Middle East. He'd be the next Carter, a man with an actual sense of the history of the area and a conscience to match it. And for a while, I thought he was mostly saying and doing what he had to do to get elected; that we'd see the real Obama come 1/20/09. But I've given up. I assume that, in his heart, he does understand and sympathize with the true nature of the Palestinian plight. But I think this campaign has showed us how badly his hands are tied. Part of it is his fault and part of it isn't. Maybe he'll make a few nice gestures as President -- a speech in the West Bank? -- but when it comes to hoping for a real friend for the Palestinians, I've given up. What we've seen is what we'll get. The suffering will go on.

By: contrarian

contrarian — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

And by the way, Doppler is right. Phil should stop saying Obama's moves are about Jewish money. He's going to have $300 million, whether the Israel-firsters pony up or not. It's a simpler calculation (and a correct one, I think): Most Americans don't know a damn thing about the Israel/Palestine situation. But they are instinctively and emotionally "pro-Israel," even though they aren't sure what this means specifically. But the Israelis look more like "us" and all that is ever found in the media are reports of "barbaric" Palestinian militants. Israel is the home of the victimized Jews; the rest of the Middle East is filled with Jew-hating terrorists. That's what most Americans think when they think of this issue at all. Obama knows that he can't change that, certianly not in a campaign. So if he stirs up any kind of a fight with any of the "pro-Israel" groups, the ignorant masses, who otherwise ignore Israel, will suddenly pay attention. And all they will hear are pro-Israel groups invoking the Holocaust and accusing Obama of siding with those that would destroy Israel. It would be political suicide for Obama. Money isn't the issue here.

By: charles Keating

charles Keating — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

The American community just wants to be sure America will be safe.

Its all about the means, not the ends. Every community wants to be safe.

By: Finnegan Calder

Finnegan Calder — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

I really wish I could see cause for optimism; but all I see the indelible hand of the Judeo-American lobby all over Obama.

To be honest, I am so close to giving up hope .. but still have to acknowledge that he is probably still the best of a pretty unappealing bunch.

By: charles Keating

charles Keating — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Too bad our mainstream media doesn't allow as much free speech as they have in Israel. And we are the one with the written constitution, including its First Amendment. We even have actual borders–or at least we once did.

By: LanceThruster

LanceThruster — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Important observations, Philip. I have seen Arab voices dismissed outright over the presumption of an inability to report/mediate in an unbiased fashion, yet little or nothing is made of Jewish participant's agenda (if we even *are* aware of their cultural identity as many Jewish names are more readily mistaken for 'anglo' ones than most Arabic names would be).

This double-standard has persisted for far too long. Thank you for your efforts in helping to change this.

By: 5 dancing shlomos

5 dancing shlomos — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

obama made his peace with the holy of holies in the land of holies.

six million mentioned many times.

im curious about that number. yad vashem reduced auschwitz from 4mil to less than 1mill maybe to less than 300 thous. the other camps also reduced. so how come still 6mill? all the excess deads were catholics and gypsies and homos and mental retards?

a generous fellow replied to me one time that the number doesnt matter. that one is monstrous. ok. actions say differently.