Where Hatred Trumps Bread--What does the Palestinian nation offer the world?

Wall St Journal ^ | 6-30-03 | CYNTHIA OZICK

[SJackson]

Slouches toward Bethlehem to be born?

When, some years ago, Golda Meir contentiously remarked, "There are no Palestinians," she was historically correct and evolutionally mistaken. She was right because the people who had only recently begun to take on the name "Palestinian" were ethnically and civilizationally Arab, part of what the Arabs themselves were pleased to call, with the poetic resonance of indivisibility, "the Arab Nation." Palestine, moreover, had its origin as a term of malice, the Roman invaders' way of erasing Judea by naming it after the Philistines who warred against the Jews. And like the Palestinians today, who deny the ancient reality of the Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount, the emperor Hadrian also had the distinction of reassigning the history of Jerusalem; he dubbed it Aelia Capitolina, in honor of Jupiter.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[sitetest]

Horrifying but fascinating. Like a particularly brutal accident alongside the road.

Thanks for your pings.

[isthisnickcool]

Palestinian? Anyone know a single word in the Palestinian language? Just one?

The "Palestinians" have their own culture? So do the Crips and the Bloods....

[Ann Archy]

The culture of death.

[alloysteel]

There is no "Palestinian nation", nor shall there ever be. These people are foot soldiers for the sand Mafia. Despised by other Arabs, unfit for even a Third World citizenship, they have no unifying concept except their unending enmity for Israel, Jews, Zion and all things Hebraic. Basically criminal, they will make no effort to improve their lot, even given exceptional aid and assistance in the form of money and technical support.

[alloysteel]

There is no "Palestinian nation", nor shall there ever be. These people are foot soldiers for the sand Mafia. Despised by other Arabs, unfit for even a Third World citizenship, they have no unifying concept except their unending enmity for Israel, Jews, Zion and all things Hebraic. Basically criminal, they will make no effort to improve their lot, even given exceptional aid and assistance in the form of money and technical support.

[tkathy]

The death cult from hell. Money for murder, bribing others to do your killing, is the same as murder. More cowardly, and equal to murder in the eyes of God.

[alloysteel]

Oops. Sorry abut the double post.

[Becki]

The "Palestinians" have their own culture? So do the Crips and the Bloods....

Excellent analogy.

Becki

[Courier]

Thread after thread. Post after post.

Everyone who looks at the matter without hatred of Jews coursing through their veins, comes to the same conclusion about these Palestinians.

There are some comments concurring with the article.

But the comment stop short. The keyboard doesn't click to conclusion.

Which conclusion?

That George W Bush, is the best friend these beasts ever had. That he will give them a terrorist State, in the heart of Israel. A dagger at Israel's throat.

But you can't tell the truth on FreeRepublic. You're accused of being a "Bush Basher". Freepers don't understand why they let you post here.

You violate the two commandments of the FreeRepublic religion, worship Bush and hate the Clintons.

I remember the good ole days when I used to lurk and read vicious comments about the Clintons if they only smiled at Palestinians. Hillary kissed Arafat's wife and the posts were incessant, vicious, and damn funny.

Bush kisses their ass, sides with them against Israel, criticizes Israel for defending herself and almost all the Freepers go silent.

[alloysteel]

Bush is not necessarily smootching the Palestinians' collective butt, as implied.

Rather, it is like when he went to the Taliban, in Afghanistan, and asked them to turn over Osama bin Ladin.

But the Taliban, bearded men with burning eyes, thought they were preserving a principle, and refused to comply.

Saddam Hussein was asked to open up his storehouses and laboratories to UN inspectors.

But the Ba'athist regime chose to dissemble, prevaricate, and obstruct, and while it was not a flat refusal, it was clear that no progress was being made, and there was compelling evidence that Saddam was concealing SOMETHING.

Likewise, the Palestinian Authority may believe they are preserving some principle, and will spurn the most generous offer that Bush could make. Does anybody remember the really long deal that was offered to Arafat during the regime of the "Former Occupant of the Oval Office, 1993-2001"? If Arafat turned that one down, then the PA may be almost depended upon to turn anything down. But unlike the "Former Occupant of the Oval Office, 1993-2001", Bush means exactly what he says. Take the deal, and keep it, or we send your military arm through the same meat grinder as the Taliban and the Republican Guard.

[rmlew]

the Arabs invaded in the 7th centure (640CE) not the 17th.

[lainde]

bttt

[lainde]

bttt

[lainde]

Excellent article...Thanks for posting!

[abu afak]

Probably the Best article I have ever read on the Irsael-Arab Conflict.
(And I've read Thousands)
I have posted it on many boards .. glad it's already been done here and Thanks to SJackson.

Both well informed and Incredibly well written.

""Cynthia Ozick

"Author/Illustrator Bio:

Cynthia Ozick is the author of three collections of essays--Art & Ardor, Metaphor & Memory, and Fame & Folly--
three collections of short stories, and Five novels, the most recent of which is The Puttermesser Papers.

She is the recipient of numerous awards, including Four O. Henry first prizes, a Guggenheim fellowship, and the Rea Award for the Short Story. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/authordetail.cfm?authorID=1250

That's her 'down' there with 'only' 4 ... between Erskine Caldwell and John Steinbeck.

http://www.randomhouse.com/anchor/ohenry/winners/three.html

[tet68]

The "Palestinians" have their own culture? So do the Crips and the Bloods....

Just different "do rags" .

[sarasmom]

And what does Israel do?
Dither and debate.Advance, then retreat.
Refuse to take decisive actions and claim the USA must end their seemingly eternal problems for them.
Israel does not seem to back its own leaders, much less ours.
But of course, it as all the fault of George W. Bush./sarcasm//

[McGavin999]

The Arab despots created this mess with the willing help of the UN. Amazing that the only thing the UN has been successful at is the creation of a destructive force.

The only thing that I am truely sure of is that intellectuals aren't.