Middle East Focus: No Love Lost: Obama and The 'Other' Israel. Netanyahu and His Russian Hostage-Takers

Arabia Deserta

No Love Lost: Obama and The 'Other' Israel. Netanyahu and His Russian Hostage-Takers

“This is what is wrong with a Jewish state: What the world has seen over the past 12 months is a re-definition of patriotism. It derives from a central lesson of the Obama campaign, the Obama victory, and, so far, of the Obama presidency: In true love of country, there is no room for hatred. Perhaps this is what is so crushing, so profoundly depressing, about the people who have of late taken to redefining patriotism in Israel……Never, thanks to his government, has the concept of a Jewish state looked worse.

“The undercurrent of racism in this year's election campaign was a clear warning. Overtly anti-Israeli Arab legislation and bills aimed at curbing Arab freedom of expression have soiled the concept of a Jewish state to a nadir that Israel's worst, most energetic enemies have never managed to approach. The outpouring of hatred has since become an equal-opportunity sewer. Radical settlers and immigrants from the former Soviet Union have voiced unabashed, despicable racist attitudes toward a black president of the United States…….” Ha’aretz Israel

Interesting Israeli insight into a little-covered issue of Israeli society: former Russians and Soviets are nothing like the communities of those sweet old retired people in Florida who voted for Obama and Gore. They would most likely pick…..Joe The Plumber over McCain.

“Bouteflika to G-8: the time has xome to seek fundamental solutions to guarantee man’s right to life…” Algerian president Bouteflika.
What? No mention of human rights, basic freedoms, and term limits for presidents and ruling parties?
He sounds like a right to lifer: he is not a Catholic, and the French haven't been that zealous about religious issues for three centuries. He must have picked it up from W during a visit.
Cheers
mhg
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