Palestinians never miss a chance.

"A man living in a glass home ought not to throw such stones. Cantor's remarks ignored the fact that Americans engaged in genocidal violence and enslavement when establishing the United States of America. He vilifies a Palestinian "culture of resentment and hatred" yet says not a word about his own Richmond neighborhoods that still extol the virtues of Confederate leaders who fought to uphold slavery."  Ahmad Tibi

--------------------------------

It is a truism that Palestinians never miss a chance to miss a chance or to "screw up."  Does Ahmad Tibi believe that those who hold power in Richmond or Virginia will be charmed by his words and be more sympathetic to the Palestinian cause?  I mean those who really hold power.  Does Tibi think that he will "win" some sort of argument and shame americans and in this case Virginians into supporting his people.  If he thinks that, then he is a fool.  Political warfare is not about winning arguments.  It is about persuasion.  Insults do not persuade.  pl

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/oped/2011/dec/22/tdopin02-tibi-world-beginning-to-understand-palest-ar-1560551/

Comments

[Pirouz]

Well, Colonel. they've been pushed so far, you end up with a loud mouth Malcolm X type like this Tibi. There are moderates here in the U.S., but I bet you've never heard of them; not many beyond the diaspora have.

Put in your terms: you're obviously aware of Nathan Bedford Forrest's postwar political efforts. But how many of us have ever heard of a postwar southern leader defending union reconstruction policies?

[turcopolier]

pirouz

"a postwar southern leader defending union reconstruction policies?"

Scalawags? are you calling Tibi a scalawag? If you mean that we should think well of him becasue he continues to resist Israeli occupation then I an without sympathy for him. His problems are his, not ours. If he is just being nasty to vent his frustration, well then to hell with him. pl

[Charles I]

If only they had the, er, political acumen to shoot their way to statehood, they'd have no need to charm.

[turcopolier]

charles I

Right. Canada followed the "charm" route and the US used the "political acumen" path. pl

[Matthew]

Col: Would Cananda have been able to use the "charm" route if the American War of Independence had not already been won?

The British accepted Jan Christiaan Smuts because they had already fought Paul Kruger.

[Jackie]

This is kind of off topic, but does involve the Palestinians. I heard on the news today that a fight broke out among the priests in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem today. It took the Palestinians about an hour to break it up. The good priests were beating each other with brooms. Other than that, I don't know how the cleaning projet went.

[turcopolier]

Jackie

So what? They are as bad as the Palestinians? Hell yes! A lot of them are Palestinians. They fight with each other? Yes. There are eight kinds of clergy from different sects and denominations in that church. The Ottomans cleverly created that situation in a Latin church. I hope they were amused. pl

[Jackie]

turcopolier,
I forgot to add that a Greek priest and an Armenian priest started it. Apparently they fight over territory in the Church, as well.

Thank you for the clarification of the different denominations. The thought of priests beating each other with brooms tickled my funny bone.

[turcopolier]

Jackie

the Greeks are the worst. they still smoulder over the sack of Constantinople by the 4th Crusade. pl

[turcopolier]

Jackie

BTW the fight was at the Church of the nativity. that's in Bethlehem. i know, we all look alike. pl

[Jackie]

turcopolier-
Ah, but we don't all look alike! The good Benedictine priests of Christ the King parish would never be seen close to a broom, let alone start a fight with one.

Sorry about the wrong church though and I do appreciate your comments on the subject.

[Vior swensen]

yes the israelis never miss an opportunity also and then the news blames the palestinians later.

Top Israeli officials surprised everyone today when they revealed that the Palestinian Authority had offered new peace talks without their usual precondition of a settlement freeze, and shocked everybody by revealing that Israel had turned down the offer.

http://news.antiwar.com/2011/12/28/report-israel-rejects-palestinian-offer-for-peace-talks/

[Charles I]

No, as far as I can tell, we were slowly voluntarily released by our Overlords We morphed from Colony to Dominion to Parliamentary Democracy without too much shooting amongst us. After duly serving in various wars which now form a huge part of our national mythos, the Queen kindly allowed us to "repatriate" our Constitution.

Charm requires sophistication we are only slowly acquiring.

[Charles I]

I read about this, the bemused cop quoted said it happened every year, like at any good dysfunctional Christmas family gathering.

[jdledell]

Vior - You are correct that the Palestinians have offered a plan for the last 18 months that Netanyahu refuses to look at. When the Quartet asked each side to provide their proposal on borders and security, the Palestinians provided a plan and the Israelis refused to give the Quartet anything.

Now the Palestinians have said they will go back to negotiations without a settlement freeze if you just give us a face saving gesture like releasing 100 prisoners. They don't have to be high security detainees, just give us something that lets us compete with the gift to Hamas of 1000 prisoners.

By the way, my sources a Al Quds University tell me that the Palestinian plan offers Israel their close to the green line settlements equal to 1.9% of the West Bank in return for some land around Gaza and some desert land north of Dimona. They are willing to discuss letting Israel keep Har Homa, Ma'ale Adumim and Ariel in return for more prime land.

Security in the Jordan Valley would be handled by a joint Israel/Palestinian/Nato force with the Palestinian forces not being allowed to possess anything more than rifles and RPG's for a 20 year period. They key phrase on right of return was uttered that they would negotiate the NUMBER of returnees Israel will allow.

To me it looks like a rather complete Palestinian surrender under what I am told is tremendous US pressure.

[steve]

One would think that the violence and religious discrimination shown by Israel towards Palestinian Christians would at least have aroused some interest among Christian fundamentalists here in the US.

The annual ginned up War Against Christmas here in the US is nothing compared to that.

Yes, I understand that palestinian Christians are primarily orthodox, or Catholic, or some other eastern rite and barely if at all considered Christian by the fundies. But still, one would think it would attract some notice.

But the important point you make, Colonel, is that persuasion is indeed the key. Perhaps some speaking tour/outreach by those Palestinian Christians towards the fundies could have some effect.

[Andrew]

What a silly idea, that the Palestinians have any control over anything. It's like saying to a robbery, rape victim hey can't get you make a deal with the thief, rapist, killer that took over your house. Come on make a deal, what's wrong with you. I mean they burn you with white phosphorous and the world cheers for them, then they make up special laws so if you don't like it, they call you anti-semite. Do the Palestinians have a chance in hell? Why didn't the Jews in the Warsaw ghetto make a deal with the Nazis.

[Charlie Wilson]

I despise Macedonians for Persepolis even though I am born and bred WASP.