Agreed – all signs point to coverage in that particular publication is not as unbiased as I had previously thought.

Also GeM, there were two executions in the US last week. And the public perception of each couldn’t have been different…

I am coming to realize many things in the US just don’t make sense. A prisoner was executed during the week even though there were massive holes in the prosecution’s case. And then a last-minute appeal delayed the whole thing by a couple of hours, adding to the cruelty.

Georgia, US is officially my least favorite place on earth.

Saying that the issue is “complicated” would be an incredible understatement on my part, but it is hard to think of a more apt descriptor. Before taking this too far on my own, I would refer you to The Economist‘s article last week on this subject (though I am sure that you have already read it).

In the US, there is a strong lobby (with power centered particularly in New York City and South Florida) in favor of Israel. They contribute vast amounts of money to political campaigns; especially for the Republican party. It is dodgy, and I do not suggest that it is in any way correct. In fact, it is more or less tantamount to a foreign government providing funds for US domestic politics; this is illegal, but it occurs. This lobby has something sadly strong on its side: the fear of anti-Semitism. The US government was chastened heavily for not taking reports about the Holocaust seriously. Since that time, the US has done everything that it possibly can to support Israel as some sort of penance. If a decision that is contrary to this policy of unilateral support is taken, it is rapidly decried as anti-Semitic. Again, not right, but it happens.
From the Israeli side, it is even more entangled. I do not have any personal experience of this, but we had a couple of friends take a two week visit to Israel and Palestine in the Spring and their reports were very enlightening. To most Israelis, the existence or non-existence of Palestine is immaterial. They are, as they see it, a country surrounded by enemies. Many are pragmatic about this. As in America, though, it is the fringe elements that get most of the press. The Zionists (dangerous word, I know) and the settlers are extremely conservative. Giving ground to Palestinians is equivalent to blasphemy. The stories our friends had about the settlers were shocking. Their hatred of Palestinians was so unrelenting, you wonder how there ever could be reconciliation. Worse yet, they are raising their children to be even more extreme. On the flip side of this coin, you have the Palestinian technocrats. They are also pragmatic. The nicest hotel our friends stayed in was in Gaza; they said it was like being in any city in Europe.

What can we take from all of this? This is a debate that has been going on for decades; it cannot be solved simply. Granting statehood to the Palestinians is the “right” thing to do; so also is ensuring Israel’s security. One cannot simply “unmake” Israel; it is there. US foreign policy is inconsistent in many ways; it must be so, unfortunately, for the sake of political expediency. Ideals are important as a bell-weather, but in international diplomacy, they must be treated as guidelines rather than imperatives.

Born NZ – studied South Island, then West Island then the Motherland – teaching a significant number of engineers how to socialize in the process. Generally spent too much & saved too little thanks to a desire to travel the world in a series of amazing adventures. Grew-’fro,cut ‘fro,grew-’fro (cut ‘fro?). Likes beer, hangin’ with the fam & company who appreciates both these important life-elements.

Don’t worry – composing my own right now

Born in NZ. Studied in NZ, then Aussie, then England. Generally spent too much and saved too little. Likes beer.

How’s that?