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.

"Do you condemn the Hamas flotilla that sent weapons to Israel?"

Actual question asked of a protester by the maker of this video at time 1:17 (taken in Chicago, November 14, 2010).

Just got back from a lecture by J Street founder Jeremy Ben-Ami at the Jewish Community Center of the East Bay. After the talk, outside the theater where it was held, there were a lot of copies of the cartoon shown here, strewn about on tables by the entrance and also in the bathrooms.

His talk went through the usual liberal Zionist talking points. He did criticize the Israeli government, calling the so-called settlement freeze more of a "chill", and pointing out that when Netanyahu was prime minister from 1996 to 1999, he never demanded that the PLO recognize Israel as a Jewish state. But he argued against putting any conditions on U.S. military aid to Israel, because pressure on Israel would only strengthen the hard-liners (does this principle apply anywhere else, such as to Israel's enemies?), and said he is "a firm believer in the qualitative military edge for Israel." He showed his sophisticated level of mock ignorance by keeping a straight face while expressing concern "if a nuclear arms race begins in the Middle East, with other countries trying to match Iran." He spoke out again and again about how he and his organization want Israel to remain a Jewish state, and raised the issue of the "demographic threat" as a serious worry. However, at another time he quoted Rabbi Hillel: "Never treat others as we would not want to be treated ourselves."

Written questions were taken, and on my card I wrote this one:

J Street's slogan is "Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace." There are plenty of Americans who have ancestral ties to Israel but are not Jewish. How does J Street reach out to them?

The question was not chosen to be read.

Obama avoids great opportunity to contrast Ahmadinejad with his predecessor

Yesterday, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave a speech at the UN saying, among other things, that "The majority of the American people as well as other nations and politicians agree" that "some segments within the U.S. government orchestrated the attack to reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East in order also to save the Zionist regime."

Then today, Barack Obama was interviewed by Bakman Kalbassi of the BBC's Persian service, and the first question was about his reaction to the Ahmadinejad's speech. Obama:

For him to make a statement like that was inexcusable. And it stands in contrast with the response of the Iranian people when 9/11 happened.

When there were candlelit vigils and I think a natural sense of shared humanity and sympathy was expressed within Iran.

And it just shows once again sort of the the difference between how the Iranian leadership and this regime operates and how I think the vast majority of the Iranian people who are respectful and thoughtful think about these issues.

Nice of him to show his appreciation for "the response of the Iranian people when 9/11 happened", and to point out the contrast with "the Iranian leadership and this regime".

Remember how the Iranian leadership responded when 9/11 happened?
On that day, the New York Times reported:

In Tehran, the Iranian capital, President Mohammad Khatami condemned the attack, expressing "deep sorrow and sympathy" with the victims and all Americans.

"Terrorism is denounced," he said, "and the international community must identify it and take fundamental steps for rooting it out."

Then on September 20, 2001, the Times reported:

Last week, for the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution, there were no chants of "death to America" at weekly Friday prayers around the country, which are controlled by the conservatives.

Ayatollah Khamenei was quoted:

"Islam condemns the massacre of defenseless people, whether Muslim or Christian or others, anywhere and by any means"

And in the same article:

[The United States has sent Iran a message responding to what officials viewed as Tehran's "positive statements" since last week's attacks, American officials quoted by Reuters news agency said.]

Israeli court agrees: it wouldn't be rape if he had been Jewish

Just too many possibilities here.

Protecting Israelis' existence from Noam Chomsky

The New York Times article about Chomsky's being refused entry to the Israeli-occupied West Bank last weekend quotes an opposition member of the Knesset who supports the decision:

"This is a decision of principle between the democratic ideal -- and we all want freedom of speech and movement -- and the need to protect our existence," said Otniel Schneller, of the centrist Kadima party, on Israel Radio. "Let's say he came to lecture at Birzeit. What would he say? That Israel kills Arabs, that Israel is an apartheid state?"

In another three months, Mr. Schneller went on, some Israeli would be standing over her son's grave, the victim of incitement "in the name of free speech." People like Professor Chomsky, he added, do not have to be granted permission to enter.

Mr. Schneller makes a good point that we need to remember: the only reason why people at Birzeit in Ramallah might think that "Israel kills Arabs, that Israel is an apartheid state" is that outside agitators like Chomsky tell them so. Chomsky hasn't been to Israel or its occupied territories since 1997, but his audience members live there year-round. It's not their everyday experience that makes them think Israel kills Arabs or that Israel is an apartheid state; it's only their irrational hatred of Israel that makes them suggestible to incitement.