More criticism of that Efraim Karsh piece of Zionist propaganda that appeared on the Times Op-Ed page saying that the Palestinians have been abandoned by the Arab world. Angry Arab says his poll #s were from a website's click-poll. And Jerry Slater asks the right question, why is the Times giving space to such "travesties." Slater gives the piece a realist factcheck:
Here are just a few examples of Karsh’s chutzpah, in his oped in today’s New York Times, “The Palestinians, Alone”:
*“It was common knowledge that the May 1948 pan-Arab invasion of the nascent state of Israel was more a scramble for Palestinian territory than a fight for Palestinian national rights.” Karsh quotes the first secretary-general of the Arab League as having admitted that the goal of King Abdullah of Transjordan “was to swallow up the central hill regions of Palestine, with access to the Mediterranean at Gaza. The Egyptians would get the Negev. Galilee would go to Syria, except that the coastal part as far as Acre would be added to the Lebanon.”
But if that is true, it serves to refute the standard Israeli claim that the purpose of the Arab invasion was to destroy the new state of Israel and “throw the Jews into the sea.” Unsurprisingly, Karsh fails to point that out, since the myth of permanent and undying Arab hostility to the very existence of Israel is a staple of those who, like Karsh, find unending excuses for the demonstrable fact that Israel has repeatedly rejected clear opportunities for an overall Arab-Israeli peace settlement.
*Writing about Arab violence against Palestinians, Karsh says that Lebanese Christian militias “again slaughtered hundreds of Palestinians in 1982 in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila, this time under Israel’s watchful eye. None of the Arab states came to the Palestinians’ rescue.”
“Under Israel’s watchful eye”—well, I guess that’s one way of putting it. Most other accounts are more informative, however: it is common knowledge that the Sabra and Shatila massacres were a product of—at a minimum—the tacit collaboration, and much more likely the active encouragement of, the Israeli Army, then under the direction of Ariel Sharon. Camped just outside the refugee camps, fully aware of what was happening, and with the military capacity to end the massacres, the IDF took no action—except, that is, for firing illuminating flares over the camps throughout the nighttime slaughter. A subsequent high-level Israeli investigation found that Israel had “indirect responsibility”—and Ariel Sharon “personal responsibility”--for the massacre, which made him unfit to continue as Defense Minister.
*Karsh concludes that it’s a good thing for the Palestinians that the Arabs have now “apparently become so apathetic about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,” for their previous “self-serving interventionism has denied Palestinians the right to determine their own fate….The sooner the Palestinians recognize that their cause is theirs alone, the sooner they are likely to make peace with the existence of the State of Israel and to understand the need for a negotiated settlement.”
Can one find a more disingenuous “explanation” of why there has been no settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? And, wearily, one must once ask again why the New York Times lends itself to such travesties?
Again, Aside from the dismissal of his methods and conclusions, they still appear to be true.
Do you honestly believe that the Arab and Islamic world is committed to Palestinians’ upliftment and self-determination?
You’re not disappointed in the Arab world’s responses?
richard the fascist, disguised as a leftist.
there is no unified ‘arab world’, much less an ‘arab and islamic world’, although, as a point of distinction there is widespread popular discontent in the ME with israel’s treatment of the palestinians, which may or may not translate into political policy.
“Palestinians’ upliftment “
Richard, when you make up nonsense, don’t make up nonsense words to go with it. Makes it way too obvious. Upliftment your ass. It should cure that neck ache.
“You’re not disappointed in the Arab world’s responses?”
So we should further punish the Palestinians? That makes sense, not.
Witty: “Again, Aside from the dismissal of his methods and conclusions, they still appear to be true.” That’s a lot of chopped liver to put aside.
Do you honestly believe that most Arabs don’t care about the misery of the Palestinians under Israel’s boot? Don’t sympathize/empathize with their struggle for self-determination? You’re not disappointed with the way the US regime(s) partner with the (equally) corrupt Arab regimes at the expense of both the Palestinians and the masses inside the Arab countries? Not to mention also at the expense of the US taxpayers and our own troops?
Noone answered the question.
In dozens of other posts, including by Phil, dissenters complained of the Arab world’s apparent indifference to Palestinian plight.
Now, you won’t acknowledge that an Israeli Zionist noted that as well?
Not the Arab world, Richard – Arab governments. There is an important distinction
Just because the Arab countries do not have a consistent record of jumping in to help the Palestinians everytime the Palestinians reisist Israeli conduct on and over them does not mean the default explanation is that those Arab countries are apathetic towards the Palestinians’ misery. The Arab regimes are chiefly tools of the US superpower (partnering with the sometimes reluctant Europe)and the whole world well knows it. They must keep playing this diplomatic game (not actually doing anything to literally defend the Palestinian resisters) to continue to reap the benefits of superpower support while simutaneously mollifying their respective enraged public by calling Israel names.
Karsh is an amateur. He’s simply not worth the attention.
“Again, Aside from the dismissal of his methods and conclusions, they still appear to be true.”
Are you in some kind of competition with yourself to make each post you type dumber than the last?
There is a distinction between Arab dictators, many of them propped up by the US, and ordinary Arabs. The latter obviously do care about the Palestinians.
Anyway, for those interested in facts (this doesn’t include you, RW), the link below is a refutation of what the great expert Richard Witty has to tell us about the attitudes of ordinary Arabs. Of course the great expert could have clicked on the Angry Arab link in the post above, which in turn could have taken him to the FAIR website which in turn would take him to the James Zogby piece below, which in turn has been referenced by other websites discussing the Karsh propaganda, but the great expert doesn’t need to pollute his beautiful mind with anything that might upset him.
link
“Are you in some kind of competition with yourself to make each post you type dumber than the last?”
Maybe Witty is trying to give us an upchuckment.
The NY times is scraping the bottom of the barrel again. What’s new? Since readership has declined with the times newsprint, does anyone know if readership has been declining because of their complete bias and dishonesty in reporting on the middle east?
It must make some dent, as these pitiful stories continue to emanate year after year. Today, I read the times to see how they manipulate the coverage.
karsh is a well fed parrot. the NYT has accepted its narrow role in the media, an amen call and response for its loyal 1M or so readers who have no interest in anyone challenging their prejudices lest they spin off into a fit of uncontrolled psychosis, and as a liberal foil of sorts within the spectrum of talking head media touchpoints.
Karsh also writes:
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First question that comes to mind: and how about Israel caring for them and their statehood after 1967? But it is more sinister. Why does he put the care for refugees on the receiving states? Gaza is where the people from Jaffa fled, mister. Those are the people literally driven into the sea. Israel is depriving them of their rights to this very day.
How come Karsh keeps Israel out of the description? (“the Palestine problem” — huh?).
And anyway, two months ago some people, including Muslims, did try to take some care to these people. Nine got killed by Israel.
Right, and for the 9 dead Israel now allows potato chips into Gaza.
I’m sure Karsh gets paid well to deflect blame.
Gee, I seem to recall that all the Arab states were against partition.
“Efraim Karsh”
Perhaps he should have his name changed to “effing koresh”?
Anyway, he’s being impolite by keeping the hangman waiting.
With the case of Sabra and Shatila, what could the Arab world have done? Military intervention? Would Israel have allowed the Arabs to help? We see what Israel does to countries that try to help – see flotilla incident.
C’mon, this is nonsense. It’s like asking why the Arab world isn’t doing more to help the Iraqis with their war-torn country.
As in: “What does Israel do for the American jews?”
Here’s some better-sourced data on this issue: link to haaretz.com