Small children can be so inventive at times that when
they lack the material to construct something they fantasize about, they make
do with whatever they find around them.
They start the construction of the thing, and hold the
parts together with chewing gum and sellotape, also known as Scotch tape. If
the children are lucky, they might have access to the sturdier masking tape,
which they use instead of the sellotape. They might also have access to flour,
which they mix with water to make glue, and use that instead of chewing gum.
When you see children being this inventive and this
dedicated to making something using practically nothing, you want to help them
by getting them the kind of toys they can use to construct the projects of
their fantasy. This is normal human response, and no adult can avoid reacting
in that manner. But can it happen at times that when you see someone behave as
do the children, you get filled with contempt for that person? Can it happen
that you'll be motivated to confront that person and tell them, they are such a
disgusting creature, they diminish the value of the human race simply by virtue
of their existence?
Yes, it is possible for someone to feel that way at
times. In fact, you'll be provoked into harboring this kind of sentiment when
you read the article that came under the title: “An Arab-Israeli talk-fest for
peace,” written by Clifford D. May, and published on February 19, 2019 in The
Washington Times.
It has been a decade and a half since the Arabs put on
the table a project that would have every Arab country recognize Israel and
establish normal relations with it in return for ending the occupation of
Palestine. As per habit, however, the Jews tried to pocket what they were
offered without reciprocating. They thought that in time, the Arabs will give
up on the reciprocation part of the deal, and give the Jews the recognition
they crave without getting the end of occupation. But the Arabs were not fooled.
The Israelis responded by urging the mob
of Judeo-American pundits to imagine all sorts of things — using literary
chewing gum and sellotape if they must — to tell about Arab diplomats who said
privately that they would love to meet with their Israeli counterparts. Better
yet, say the Arabs actually met with the Israelis, but that they wish to keep
such meetings a secret. The intent was to fool the rank-and-file Jews in
America into believing that Israeli diplomacy was working. The ultimate
objective was for the Jews to have it both ways. That is, they wanted to have
their Palestinian cake, and eat the Arab recognition of Israel too.
You can imagine that after more than a decade of
feeding the rank-and-file this kind of garbage, even the most ardent Zionist
among them got tired being lied to by slick pundits. So the Jews of Israel
asked the Trump administration to mount one giant pimping job, and invite the
Arabs and the Europeans to gather in Warsaw, and make it look like Madam
America of the Towering Whorehouse had brought about a new day in
Judeo-American diplomacy.
Unfortunately for the schemers, the Warsaw romp turned
into a fiasco. And this is when people of the Clifford May ilk got back into
the business of doing what they were doing previously. It was to cobble
together — using literary chewing gum and sellotape —
stories of success and semi-success in Warsaw. And that's what the Clifford May
article is about.
In it, May is pursuing three themes. In
the first part, he made it sound like the Arabs and the Israelis had become
partners. In the second part, he reassured the hardcore Jewish fanatics that
partners or not, Israel will not end the occupation of Palestine. Besides, he
went on to suggest that while the Iranians may care about the leaders of Gaza,
the Arab World no longer cares about the Palestinians. In the third part,
Clifford May complained about the Europeans deserting the cause of the West.
But he seemed to suggest that this was their loss. Here are the three parts,
expressed in condensed form:
The first part: “In Warsaw the Trump
administration convened a conference on the Middle East. Envoys arrived from 60
countries, including 10 Arab nations. The one head of state was Netanyahu, who
was pleased to get together with his neighbors. They didn't seem displeased to
get with him. The Arab/Sunni diplomats gathered are probably not enthusiastic
about Jews occupying Palestine. But Israelis have become the strategic partner
of the Sunni Arabs by default”.
The second part: “In theory, increasing
Arab-Israeli rapprochement should make it easier to find a resolution to the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In practice, don't bet on it. Bahraini and Saudi
Foreign Ministers said that Iran was undercutting the Palestinian Authority.
UAE Foreign Minister said every nation has the right to defend itself. Omani
Foreign Minister said people in the Middle East have suffered a lot because
they have stuck to the past; now we say this is a new era for the future”.
The third part: “Our West European friends are
ambivalent. The European Union's chief diplomat declined to attend the
conference. The German foreign ministry's official attended a celebration of
Iran's Revolution. Germany, France and Britain have been attempting to devise a
financial mechanism to avoid or undermine US sanctions on Tehran”.