A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
Stupid Column of the Week

This week's Stupid Column of the Week goes to Yossi Sarid's column in the Forward, which originally appeared in Haaretz.

Sarid is furious that Israel hosted Italy's deputy prime minister, Gianfranco Fini, who eight years ago said that "Mussolini was the greatest statesman of the 20th century." Fini now expresses strong support for Israel, but while he retracted his pro-Mussolini statements, he has failed to fully condemn or even recognize Italy's fascist past.

Sarid's criticism of the respect paid to Fini is legitimate. His stupidity - or, more likely, his transparent hypocrisy, manifests itself when he writes that he boycotted all sessions involving Fini because "I had no wish to play any part in sanitization ceremonies for fascists, neo-fascists and antisemites of all kinds."

Yet in a 1995 interview, Sarid expressed support for the release of all PLO terrorists from prison. When Sarid was asked if he was concerned about the moral implications of releasing terrorists who may be guilty of "war crimes," Sarid responded that he was not concerned since "there are many world leaders who were guilty of war crimes."

In the Forward, Sarid asked: "Why, of all countries, would Israel, the state of the Jewish people, want to wash the hands of a man like Fini? The reason is clear: Fini supports the Israeli government's policies in the territories; he is a friend of Ariel Sharon; and in a place that has no friends, even Fini will be considered one."

This from the man who for decades, and even today, insists that Israel negotiate with Yassir Arafat. To Sarid, I ask: Why, of all countries, should Israel, the state of the Jewish people, want to wash the hands of a man like Arafat? The reason is clear: Legitimizing Arafat supports the extreme left's policies (of removing all Jews) in the territories; he is a friend of Yossi Sarid; and in a place that has no friends, even Arafat will be considered one.
posted on 11/27/2003