Some stories out of Israel suggest a real weakening of the civil spirit. When Israeli president Shimon Peres visited the Hebrew University library in Jerusalem November 1, Ali Baher, an Arab student leader at the school, refused to shake hands with him, saying it was a hand that had murdered children at Qana, Lebanon, the historic missile-strike massacre in 1996. When Peres left, Baher was detained for three hours and, per Jews Sans Fronteres, evicted from his dorm room. Haaretz covered it and quoted Baher: "I have a right to not shake hands with those I do not want to shake hand with." This support blog says he has to leave his room by tomorrow.
Imagine Obama calling on Arab societies to respect minorities, and then in the same breath saying that Israel must show greater respect to its minority population?
