Israel's 'cloud of demographics'

[Scurrilous]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1215/p06s01-wome.html

<snip>

"JERUSALEM – Even now, nearly four months after it was first published, an article by a dovish Israeli politician continues to irritate and appall his ideological opponents. But its main point - the need for Israel to cede land - is now being voiced by more hawkish Israelis as well.

Avraham Burg, a former Speaker of the Israeli parliament and a leading defender of the idea that Israel and a Palestinian state can coexist in peace, wrote in an Israeli newspaper in August that the "Jewish people did not survive for two millennia in order to pioneer new weaponry, computer-security programs, or antimissile missiles. We were supposed to be a light unto the nations. In this we have failed."

These may be harsh words, but no one paid them much notice. Then Mr. Burg's article started to appear in translation abroad - in the US, Europe, and elsewhere - and that's when his critics started to push back.

Early this month, Cabinet Minister Uzi Landau blamed Burg and other Israeli critics of government policy for contributing to "the Jew-hatred sweeping all of Europe."

[bluesoul]

1. Burg spoke the truth

And the truth hurts some people...

[Gimel]

2. How often I've seen this

Internal discussion gets twisted for the use of anti-Israel rhetoric.

[bluesoul]

3. Truth is

anti-Israeli rhetoric?

Maybe because, like Jack Nicholson said in "A few good men", "You can't handle the truth"...

[meti57b]

4. ... and the truth is,

That internal discussion gets twisted for the use of anti-Israel rhetoric.

Perhaps like Jack Nicholson said in "A few good men", ..."You can't handle the truth".

[Gimel]

5. Often is not specific to this

I did not mention Nicholson, you did. I am mentioning this because so often something that Sharon says to his cabinet, or that a legislator says in discussion is extracted and given super-significance.

What is said here is rather mild to what I see trumpeted so often. Mr. Blair, or Mr Chirac should have such fans.

On edit: corrected typo