Thursday, June 09, 2005

Is it raining or spitting?

The Israeli-in-the-street is still trying to understand whom he is disengaging from, and whether "disengagement" in any useful sense is actually possible.

On 13 May, Palestinian Authority TV broadcast a religious sermon that blamed antisemitism throughout history on the Jews themselves. Delivered by a bearded Palestinian mullah (on the payroll of the PA), dressed in white robes, it was broadcast on the Palestinian Authority's official television station. It has to be seen to be believed, so click here, you need to see this for yourself.

I can't help feeling sorry for any intelligent men in the audience there, having to sit cross-legged at this mullah's feet and listen to his diatribe - supposedly as the fulfilment of a religious duty.

Can one "engage" with this? Can one "disengage" from it?

The comment of the proverbial Jew upon being spat in the face at is: "It seems to be raining". Well... isn't it?

But heavens this is all so gauche. For real spitting, I mean really elegant spitting the way only the upper classes can do it, read this interesting article by Shlomo Avner, former Israel ambassador to the Court of St. James, describing a royal dinner party at Hampton Court. I don't find the events he describes as quite as surprising and shocking as he did, and I do think he may have over-reacted, but the inside information is fascinating none-the-less.

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