Defamation
"Sen. Mitchell is fair. He's been meticulously even-handed," said Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League. "But the fact is, American policy in the Middle East hasn't been 'even handed' -- it has been supportive of Israel when it felt Israel needed critical U.S. support. So I'm concerned," Foxman continued. "I'm not sure the situation requires that kind of approach in the Middle East."
Thus the Jewish Week.
In all seriousness, why is an organization that opposes defamation, that prides itself in "combating anti-Semitism and bigotry of all kinds," in the business of defaming even-handedness? The League was founded by B'nai Brith in 1913
to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. Its ultimate purpose is to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike and to put an end forever to unjust and unfair discrimination against and ridicule of any sect or body of citizens.
Under Abe Foxman, the ADL opposed a Congressional resolution denouncing the Turkish genocide against the Armenians on the ground that it "will not foster reconciliation between Turks and Armenians." And opposing the Mitchell appointmentis supposed to foster reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians? Or is reconciliation bad for the Jews? How about judgment? Good taste? Doesn't anyone at the ADL care a smidgen for irony?
White Phosphorus is always in bad taste.
January 22, 2009 11:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
You have to ask?
January 23, 2009 12:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
On a positive note, the appointment of Senator Mitchell has been, on the whole, well-received by much of the organized American Jewish community, and in Israel.
http://www.forward.com/articles/15021/
January 23, 2009 8:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Here's the improbable paragraph before the one quoted from Jewish Week:
That's right: Mitchell's reputation as an honest broker could spark unhappiness.
And, later:
As Abraham Lincoln might say, you can please some of the people some of the time.
January 23, 2009 3:07 PM | Reply | Permalink