I'll start with the good news.
1. It seems it is possible to report
on events in Jerusalem with fairness. I just watched the Monday night edition
of the PBS Newshour with a report by
Martin Seemungal that struck me as balanced. Yes, Palestinian Arabs (leaders and man-on-the-street) are allowed to tell
fibs – but the viewer is allowed to come to their own conclusion.
2. The east Jerusalem wall.
There is no wall. Just three large cement blocks placed hig·gle·dy-pig·gle·dy
to keep Jabel Mukaber Arabs from effortlessly hurling firebombs into the
backyards of their Jewish neighbors in east Talpiot. Just about everyone with an agenda lied on this story wrong.
3. Have jet will travel. Disregarding
the damage to the environment, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will be landing
shortly in Israel for meetings with Premier Netanyahu and PLO leader Abbas.
Since the UN and Ban are reflexively hostile to Israel this is one of those
events that you kind of want to be behind you even before it begins. I don't blame Ban.
He knows arithmetic. There is one Jewish state and ...something like 57 Muslim states.
Israel has a couple of allies (one less
after the Canadian elections yesterday) and the Arabs and Muslim have friends
galore.
Ban made a video to pave the way for his "surprise" trip in which he insinuated that the Palestinian Arabs should get back to aggressive civil disobedience (you know, given their legitimate frustration) but to abjure knifing and shooting Jews. It doesn't play well. You don't want Jews looking like victims, do you? Presumably, Ban will tell the Pals no beheadings as requested by ISIS.
Rock-throwing? Oh, why not? Let off a
little steam. Just try not to kill the driver when shattering her windshield.
He will also recite the mantra that were there the
illusion of momentum of a "peace process" the "cycle of violence"
could be broken.
Don't let the door slam you in the ass on the way out, Mr.
Ban.
4. Now for the "Which European Country is Most Hostile to Israel Contest?"
France maybe? They are pushing a Security Council resolution calling for a multi-national force on the Temple Mount. You know, like the one that is doing such a grand job keeping Hezbollah out of southern Lebanon. Besides Israel, Jordan and the Obama administration are opposed.
Ah, but maybe Sweden? Sweden's tripped over
itself to recognize Palestine. Now, besides funding a slew of anti-Israel NGO's
in the West Bank, allowing anti-Israel diatribes on local Arabic radio, I hear
that Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has announced plans to stop serving
Israel – supposedly because the route is unprofitable and because of
instability in the region. But me suspects it is yet one more instance of trying to
force Israel back to the 1949 Armistice Lines by embracing the old Arab boycott strategy
in stages.
Well, I am retaliating but not buying a 2016 Volvo! Take that.
