The American Spectator

Print Email

Text Size

Another Perspective

(Page 2 of 2)

"The terms are not so loaded here," Israeli Television explained. "It will help, but some will still get through."

The questioning then turned back on the Germans. An Israeli asked how the United Nations could vote to condemn even the building of a security barrier as Israelis died daily. The Germans had no answer.

"You know, there are only three countries that vote with Israel at the U.N.," Israeli Television said. "America, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands."

"I did a documentary about it," he said. "I looked at who the f--- is Micronesia? The F-word featured prominently."

A night later, the group was treated to a dinner talk by a senior lecturer in history and law at Haifa University, Fania Oz-Salzberger. What Israel needs to do, she argued, is talk to America less and to Europe more. America can't be an honest broker, she said, so Europe must take the lead and talk tough to Israel.

The Israeli reaction to this was chilly at my table, and even the Germans did not warm to the notion. Our Iraqi-Jewish German newspaperman was in agreement with others that Europe would be of no use -- or worse -- in the Middle East. "Not just Germany, of course," he said. "France, too, with the new anti-Semitism."

Perhaps more Europeans need to be asked why it would be desirable to maintain neutrality between terrorist murderers and a democracy seeking peace. It is a different type of tough talk than Ms. Oz-Salzberger had in mind, but the Germans here seem receptive.

During dinner on Thursday, noises would pop out of the night that sounded like gunfire or small bombs. Most of the Israelis did not even flinch, but each German's (and this American's) head would jerk up.

"Do not ask me," Israeli Television said. "I don't live here.

"I wondered," he said, "how many of the Germans would chicken out and not come to Israel?" None had.

topics:
Television, Law, Iraq, Israel, United Nations