How times have changed

By some coincidence, just yesterday I was reading this article about the capture and trial of Adolf Eichmann in 1961:

In a democracy like Israel, individuals, however horrible the crimes of which they are accused are entitled to a fair trial.

In 2007, when this was written, it wasn't true of Israel, and it's not true of the United States either.

So much for "sabah al-khair", "sabah an-noor"

From an FBI interrogation manual dated January 15, 2009.

(Thanks to Wired, via Mondoweiss.)

When did Russian replace Arabic as an official language of Israel?

According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the official languages of Israel are Hebrew and Arabic. So why does the website of Israel in the Gardens in San Francisco have text in English, Hebrew, and ... Russian?

Joe Wilson, where were you?

Well, the real Joe Wilson was at his feet with the rest of them, but others have listed ample opportunities for some Congressman to do what Rep. Wilson did in 2009. It took someone in the gallery to do it.

Canadian prime minister insists on balance

Stephen Harper at the G8 summit:

"I would like to see reference to elements that were also in President Obama's speech.
Such as, for instance, the fact that one of the states must be a Jewish state.
The fact that the Palestinian state must be de-militarized.
I think it's important that any statement on this be balanced, as was President Obama's."

Jeffrey Goldberg on "blood libel"

Jeffrey Goldberg on April 2, 2011, on Richard Goldstone:

Unfortunately, it is somewhat difficult to retract a blood libel, once it has been broadcast across the world.

Jeffrey Goldberg on January 12, 2011, on "Why Sarah Palin's Use of 'Blood Libel' Is a Great Thing":

Sarah Palin has called the post-Tucson campaign of vilification against her and her fellow travelers a "blood libel." On the one hand, this is unfortunate, as Jonah Goldberg points out, because it threatens to redefine the phrase, plus, what is happening to her is not precisely the byproduct of a blood libel. ...

I mean it sincerely when I say I hope Sarah Palin, who regularly expresses love for Jews and Israel, takes the time to learn about the history of the blood libel, and shares what she has learned with her many admirers.

"Americans for Peace Now" spin on the Palestine Papers

That's one way to look at it:

Al Jazeera released the Palestine Papers last month. These leaked documents reveal that the Palestinian Authority's negotiating position is closer to the Israeli position than most people knew. The papers prove that Israel has a good-faith partner for peace.