Caroline Glick melts down with European diplomats

The following lecture by Caroline Glick meted out to Danish Ambassador Jesper Vahr at the Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference last Thursday is simultaneously so over the top and so typical of apologists for Israel that it deserves wide attention.

Glick, the deputy managing editor of the Jerusalem Post, is a popular right wing public figure in Israel and abroad. Her fans can’t get enough of her, note the uploader of the video (below) thinks she’s “brilliant” and you can hear audience members cheering her on as she berates Ambassador Vahr in this clip. She got a lot of airtime in The New Yorker last month.

As a longtime Glick-watcher I have developed a deep appreciation for her mobile facial expressions and body language. There’s never any doubt how much disdain she has for her adversaries. Whether it’s a good tactic for dealing with diplomats, though– well, judge for yourself.

After Ambassador Jesper Vahr explains why Europe holds Israel to a different standard than Syria, Palestine or other countries in the Middle East– Israel claims to be a western democracy, it relies on support from the west– Glick squirms in her seat barely able to contain herself. When it’s her turn, she lifts herself off her seat as she launches the first assault:

She strokes the arm of her chair, barely controlling her angst:

 I think that this patronizing attitude towards us that we should be happy that you have a separate standard for-for Israel is-is, uh, is really- I’m sorry- is a statement of contempt for our intelligence.

(audience applause)

The chair arm gets a slight reprieve at the sound of applause from the audience (her fans love her) but the rubbing soon intensifies into a deep massage.

“Um-I-ah-I-I-I-I consider it to be an obsession, I consider Europe’s keen interest in the Middle East, specifically Israel, to be an obsession and it’s an obsession that Jews have seen from Europeans from the time of Jesus, and ah, and we know what it is.

So it’s European anti-Semitism driving the criticism of the occupation! Now Glick’s face takes on a grave expression, lest one risk appearing not to take European history seriously:

Then flipping her hand back and forth, she dismisses any illusion of a “common, common culture” between Europe and Israel, before launching into her own take on international law. Israel respects international law whereas Europe “makes it up”. How? Well, rebuilding Gaza after last summer’s slaughter is against international law and tantamount to supporting terrorism.

And there is a binding UN resolution, chapter 7 from 2001 — 1373, that bars every single UN member nation from funding or otherwise supporting in any way terrorist organizations, and you guys you’re funneling billions of Euros into rebuilding terrorist controlled Gaza.

(loud applause)

This is in contravention of binding international law that you signed on to.

This diatribe, during a conference for diplomats no less, has been lauded in the press by fans of Israel. Numerous sites have shown the video with nothing but praise for Glick as she snarls, berates, whines and otherwise “rips him [Vahr] apart.” This is typical Glick, There’s nothing unique about her delivery that day. This is a face of Israel that clearly many people are proud of. And a voice put forward at important conferences.

See the fixed downward glance, the hardened jawline, above?

What follow are screenshots of her amazingly mobile face just seconds apart as Glick discusses sanctions against the illegal settlement expansion, or in her words “there’s imaginary international law, imaginary international law that says you are required to, required to sanction Jewish projects from Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria”:

She reaches her high C: “There is no such binding law. You guys are funding settlements in Western Sahara. You’re funding them directly.”

It is interesting that this kind of performance has now become a mainstay of Israel’s international diplomacy: the accusatory whine.

Now comes her diagnosis of Europe’s antisemitism as a form of obsessive compulsive disorder:

So this is not a double standard, this is a singular standard for Israel. It’s not about international law, it’s about an obsessive compulsive need to constantly pick at the Jewish state. And no I don’t want to be proud that you’re looking at us in a different standard from our neighbors because you’re not looking at them as human beings. What you’re saying is they are objects.

Is there any awareness on her part that the U.S. and Europe have let Israel slide on the settlements and occupation for nearly 50 years. Are we to keep shoveling money at the Israelis and shut up?

Now here comes the big reveal. It’s Israel that actually cares about the lives of Palestinians.

The only actor in this entire region, is the people they are trying to annihilate. And the only people who are supposed to be judged by our actions, and always poorly, are the people who are doing everything possible, more than Europe – right – more than the United States more than anybody in order to protect the lives of the Palestinians.

So with all due respect, and I would love it if I could have more respect for Europe, but your treatment of Israel, your singular standard, your obsessive compulsive need to constantly pick..

If I had a dollar for every screen shot I’ve taken of Glick’s arias– I mean speeches– over the years, I could take my sisters out to a fancy diner, or two. I just trashed a whole file of them a couple weeks ago, wondering what on earth I would ever do with them. But I can’t help it, I am back to my old habits.

These screen shots are taken from video shot at the Europe-Israel panel during the Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference in Jerusalem last Thursday.