Israel Matzav

The face of delusion

In this morning's JPost, Evelyn Gordon argues that Prime Minister Ehud K. Olmert is the victim of two delusions:

"For the first time, there is a Palestinian leadership … that recognizes that Israel is a Jewish state."

and

His declaration, at that same cabinet meeting, that it was "clear to all" that recognizing Israel as a Jewish state was a condition for attending the Annapolis summit.

Gordon goes on to show that the 'Palestinian' leadership does not recognize Israel as a Jewish state, and why it never will. She also shows how Egypt and Jordan - the two countries with which we have 'peace treaties' - and Saudi Arabia - Olmert's dream attendee at the Annapolis conference mugging - also have never recognized Israel as a Jewish state and likely never will.

Unfortunately, I think Gordon is giving Olmert too much credit. If Gordon is correct, Olmert is a naive fool who does not understand that the 'Palestinians' and their Arab patrons do not and will not recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Olmert is a lot of nasty things, but a naive fool is not one of them. Olmert is a slick, sly, self-promoting, greedy.... He knows well that the 'Palestinians' and their Arab brethren will never recognize a Jewish state in their midst. But he is going ahead with the 'peace process' anyway. Why?

1. To keep his government in power and himself out of jail (all of those 'investigations' will end quickly with indictments and with Olmert's government falling if there is no 'peace process').

2. He wants to keep Aliza happy. I wonder how many of you have ever seen or read the Greek play Lysistrata. Is that what goes on in the Olmert household? Hmm.

3. To keep the parts of the country that are most religiously significant out of the hands of religious Jews. Better to give them to the Arabs.

Read Ms. Gordon's entire article. Even though I think she's too kind to Olmert, she makes many valid points that are important to hear.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:23 PM