Israel Matzav

State Department tries to dictate Israel's friends, backs anti-Semitism envoy

When my oldest son (son #1, child #2) was about 14, and we were visiting the alter haim (old home), Mrs. Carl infuriated him by trying to arrange a 'play date' for him with his old friends from Kindergarten, most of whom he had not seen in years. He said that he was old enough to decide for himself whom he would visit and when. Mrs. Carl apologized and backed off.

I thought of that story when I saw this story in which we are told that the US State Department is not apologizing for remarks made last month by its 'anti-Semitism envoy,' Hannah Rosenthal, in which Rosenthal tried to force Israel's ambassador to the United States Michael Oren to go on a play date with the morons at J Street.

The U.S. State Department expressed its "complete support" for its anti-Semitism envoy and encouraged "broad dialogue" toward Israeli-Palestinian peace.

A statement Monday from the State Department said it would not add comment to a controversy that erupted in the last weeks of December when Hannah Rosenthal criticized Michael Oren, the Israeli ambassador, for snubbing the dovish lobbying group J Street.

However, the statement went on, "Special Envoy Rosenthal has the complete support of the department. As a matter of longstanding policy the United States has supported a peaceful solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. To that end the U.S. government encourages broad dialogue among responsible partners for peace."

...

Separately, Rosenthal's predecessor, Gregg Rickman, has slammed her for her remarks about Oren.

"Ms. Rosenthal's criticisms of Ambassador Oren strike a chord particularly because this is not her policy portfolio to advocate," said Rickman, who served in the Bush adminsitration, in an opinion piece on The Cutting Edge News Web site. "She is supposed to fight anti-Semitism, not defend J-Street, an organization on whose Advisory Board she formally sat before her appointment to the State Department."

Indeed. The Obama nanny state goes international. What could go wrong?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:58 PM