(Continued from p.2)
For those who like black humor, Shimon is an inexhaustible source.
In Bucharest on December 5, 2001 for a meeting of foreign ministers of the 55-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Peres declared that Israel does not view Muslims or Palestinians as the enemy. "Our enemy is terror," he said.
Apparently the responsibility for terror does not lie with its perpetrators; terror just wafts on the breeze, carried by invisible microbes.
Meeting on January 16 with a delegation from the U.S. House of Representatives, Peres promotes the Palestinian case: "We do not wish to be the occupiers of the Palestinians. We did not leave the house of bond- age in Egypt in order to build a house of mastery in Israel."
Almost all the Arabs in Judea and Samaria are under Arafat's rule. To whom does Peres then refer? Israeli Arabs in the Galilee?
In talking to the Congressional delegation, Peres had an opportunity to emphasize the serious nature of Arafat's attempt to smuggle tons of weapons on the Karine A arms freighter. Instead, Peres makes a crude joke of the incident: "This is not a love boat, but rather a ship of fools."
Finally, asked by Elizabeth Farnsworth on a PBS interview "Do you feel like your dreams are just going up in smoke right now?" Peres replied: "It's very hard to burn dreams--you can burn realities. No, not at all."
Certainly no reality can burn through the dense fog pervading the brain of Israel's Foreign Minister. The man is a disgrace to his office, to Israel, and to the Jewish people.
"It is natural for man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it."
--Patrick Henry
The Vice President engaged on a media offensive on Sunday January 27th, his purpose to defuse criticism with respect to his refusal to make public the names on his energy commission. It so happens that we support the vice president and all efforts to create energy independence in America.
However, his appearance was fresh on the heels of a suicide bombing in Jerusalem, and his various television hosts pressed him for his views on Arafat. The Vice President, who has been cosseted from terrorism by armed guards and a secret hideout, was a major disappointment. He did acknowledge his belief that Arafat lied about the Karine A, but backed away from what had been widely rumored to be his advice to break relations with the Palestinian Authority. He refused to brand Arafat a terrorist, stating only that he was one prior to the Oslo accords. Where, we wonder was Dick Cheney during the uninterrupted PLO terrorism against civilians post-Oslo? Furthermore, he continually referred to "Palestine" in reference to the areas controlled by Arafat, and to the violence on "both sides."
We've said it before and it bears repeating again. Palestine, historically, is the land mass that includes present day Jordan, Judea and Samaria, and pre 1967 Israel. Palestine was the designation for a Jewish home-land in all those areas and the early name for Israel before independence. Israel's first symphony orchestra, founded by Serge Koussevitsky, was named the Palestine Symphony Orchestra. Jewish relief, immigration and social institutions all had Palestine in their titles. Zionist leaders, including Herzl, Weizmann and Jabotinsky, spoke of the redemption of Palestine. To refer to the Arab areas as Palestine is dangerous and incorrect and potentially fuels the Arab irredentist claim to all of "Palestine."
Furthermore, our vice president should know better than to refer to cycles of violence. There is Arab terrorism and Israeli counter-terrorism. Period.
When President Bush named Dick Cheney as his vice presidential candidate, Cheney was widely hailed as the one who would lend seriousness and experience to the ticket. In fact, President Bush has shown himself to be the leader possessing true gravitas. To our great disappointment, the Vice President remains the man who was secretary of defense when Israel was forced to take hits from Iraq and was prevented from defending itself.
(Continued on p.11)
Outpost - 10 - February 2002