What They Say and What We Hear
Part I: “Humiliation” and “Dignity” in Ramallah
The London Times wrote, “To the people of Ramallah, the siege (of Arafat’s HQ) is just another humiliation. Raad Abu Ali Mustafa, a teacher… said: ‘Putting aside my own views about Mr. Arafat, I think this is an attack on my dignity, because Arafat is representing the Palestinian people and he was elected democratically.'”
Part I: “Humiliation” and “Dignity” in Ramallah
The London Times wrote, “To the people of Ramallah, the siege (of Arafat’s HQ) is just another humiliation. Raad Abu Ali Mustafa, a teacher… said: ‘Putting aside my own views about Mr. Arafat, I think this is an attack on my dignity, because Arafat is representing the Palestinian people and he was elected democratically.'”
Sorry, Mr. Mustafa. If you claim Arafat represents you, you can’t put aside your own views. And if Arafat represents you, your dignity is under assault from him, not from Israel. Let’s put aside instead the fact that Arafat’s election was not democratic and his ill-gotten term ended in 1999, and focus on your dignity as your leader gives sanctuary to at least 19 men who have made a career out of killing Jews.
In our view, Mr. Mustafa, your dignity suffers when your leadership blows Israeli children to bits in a pizza parlor in your name. Your dignity was diminished when fellow Palestinians bludgeoned two little boys in a cave and mutilated young Israeli soldiers in the Ramallah police station in your name. Your dignity, Mr. Mustafa, is diminished by the Israeli widows and orphans and parents who have buried children killed by fellow Palestinians acting in your name. Your dignity is destroyed by the burning of Joseph’s Tomb by Palestinians acting in your name.
So in the end, Mr. Mustafa is right; this is about dignity. The Government of Israel will not permit its citizens to face the ultimate indignity – cheap death. Mr. Mustafa has to know that if his “leaders” don’t respect Jewish dignity, Palestinians, including he, will pay, perhaps with their dignity and perhaps with more. So far, in our view, he is still well off.
Part II: Our Saudi Allies
The Saudis are furious with our Attorney General because Saudi (and Yemeni and Pakistani) men, ages 16-45, will have to be registered with American authorities upon entering the U.S. – as all nationals of Libya, Syria, Sudan, Iran and Iraq have already been doing. The Saudis charge that this means the American government doesn’t see them as allies in the war against terrorists and their supporters.
How silly.
The Saudi government claims the fact that nearly all the 9-ll hijackers were Saudi is a “fluke” and that the Saudi government is our friend. OK. Then the Saudis should be pleased with this opportunity to have the United States help THEM catch terrorists who are hiding among them, planning and executing their missions from behind the cover of the peaceful, pro-American, anti-terrorist, moderate Saudi government. We are sure the Saudi government feels about terrorists hiding among themselves the same way we feel about terrorists hiding among them. So no problem – right?