Doubting Thomas

The missing middle

Thomas, in his column today, "The Revolt of Israel's Center" extrapolates from the actions of the few to purport :

This is a dangerous time because the settlers, who do not really respect the authority of the Israeli state, will try anything.

But what really bothers me about the column was the end. After he praises Israel for taking on its "extremist settlers" he concludes:

It's time the Arab-Muslim world talked to its Islamo-fascists, suicide "martyrs" and hate-spewing preachers the same way.

Let's go back to his previous column, "If it's a Muslim problem, it needs a Muslim solution". In that column he wrote:

Many people said Palestinian suicide bombing was the spontaneous reaction of frustrated Palestinian youth. But when Palestinians decided that it was in their interest to have a cease-fire with Israel, those bombings stopped cold. The village said enough was enough.

Forgetting for a moment how many attempted bombings or actual rocket attacks there have been since the ceasefire started, has the village really said, "enough is enough?"
Look who the PA is now honoring:

Creating heroes and role models plays an important socialization function in every society. Palestinian Media Watch has documented the Palestinian Authority (PA) policy of turning terrorist-murderers into heroes and role models for adults and children.

A particularly important Palestinian Authority heroine is Wafa Idris, who in January 2002 became the first Palestinian woman suicide terrorist. Although the PA issued condemnations in English at the time of the bombing, it has since turned Idris into a valued heroine in Palestinian society. The Union of Palestinian Women presented Idris' murderous act as a role model for Palestinian feminism, a parade for young girls was held in her honor, summer camps for children, university courses, and Fatah programs have been named for her, and a concert honoring Idris has been broadcast numerous times on PA TV.

This week yet another PA program was named in her honor, the "Shahida (Martyr for Allah) Wafa Idris course for Fatah women cadres."

It's not the village here that's important, it's people like Thomas, who should know better. Instead of criticizing the mainstream extremism of the PA and the Palestinians, Thomas prefers to pretend it doesn't exist.
Well until Westerners - especially politicians, diplomats, academics and journalists - stop whitewashing Arab extremism it will continue to flourish. My suspicion is that Israel's security wall and counter terrorism activities have done a lot more to reduce the violence against Israel than has Thomas's "village." If Thomas really wanted to be helpful he'd write a column about the new Palestinian center. Alas given the current circumstances I don't think there's any material to write such a column. In the meantime he ought to realize that Israel's actions have little effect on peace in the Middle East and encourage the only change that would help.
Crossposted on Israpundit and Doubting Thomas

Half the story

Hey. Psssst. Have I got a deal for you. One word. Pla .... I mean ... Gaza.
Today Thomas tells us how swimmingly things are going in Gaza. He thinks that "Investing in Gaza" is a surefire winner.

Mediacrity is on Thomas for his "learning disability," something I've brought up a time or two or three:

"Will the U.N. confirm the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as it did from Lebanon, creating an internationally recognized border. . . (Even terrorists today are deterred by the legality of the Israel-Lebanon border.)"

Hello? Tom buddy, have the library run a database search before you spout off such nonsense in the future. They might have turned up some clips about Israeli soldiers being kidnapped in Shebaa Farms, stories in your own paper about Hezbollah infiltrations of the border, and references to an Israeli protest to the Security Council only last week.

Boker Tov Boulder goes no easier on Thomas, Friedman isn't just learning disable, he's deaf, dumb and blind..

No leader or party can ignore how much people want this calm to hold - even Hamas. As Ghazi Hamad, editor of the Hamas newspaper Al Risalat, said to me, "One reason Hamas agreed to the cease-fire was to give people a chance to breathe and rest."

Yes, Hamas wants the calm to hold, long enough for the people to "breathe and rest" ... before the next Intifadeh begins.

Yes according to Gen Aharon Ze'evi Farkash, Hamas indeed wants quiet. And also wishes to take advantage of the calm to build its terror infrastructure:

Ze'evi believes Hamas is interested in prolonging the present calm, because its leaders are attentive to the Palestinian street, which is tired of the intifada.

He added that the terror organizations' strategic goal is to manufacture and launch Qassam rockets from the West Bank toward Israel and to operate suicide bombers. At present Israel is managing to thwart these goals, but the terror groups are taking advantage of the relative calm to continue building the terror infrastructures, he said.

That's the problem with Thomas; often all you get from his half the story. The half that he wants you to know. The other half can't be important if Thomas didn't mention it.
Crossposted on Israpundit and Doubting Thomas.