Friday, March 6, 2009

Joined at the Hip

The United States of Israel was on full display in the World section of the March 5 Australian.

There was the photograph of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton standing with Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni behind identical speaking platforms bearing the words State of Israel, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

There was the headline, US promises 'unshakeable' support, followed by Hillary's predictably fawning effusions: Washington's support for Israel was "unshakeable"... 'Whatever we do [with Iran] will be done thoughtfully in consultation with our friends and Israel, most particularly Israel... There is no doubt that any nation, including Israel, cannot stand idly by while its territory and people are subjected to rocket attack... We will work with the government of Israel that represents the democratic will of Israel'."

And there was the ritual visit to Yad Vashem, Jerusalem's Holocaust memorial, "where she wrote in the guestbook that the memorial represented 'the triumph of the Jewish people over murder and destruction and a reminder to all people that the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten'." (John Lyons)

And occupied Palestine? Well there was something in there somewhere about "the inevitability of working toward a two-state solution" being "inescapable," but before you get too carried away, Lyons' report was accompanied by colleague Abraham Rabinovich's Jordan could be part of two-state solution, touting the notion that because Palestinian nationalism was too hot to handle ("a dangerous volcano"), it'd be real peachy if Jordan could be roped in to "ensure order" in those fragments of the West Bank surplus to Israel's requirements.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

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HERALD SUN /Edition 1 - FIRSTFRI 06 MAR 2009, Page 033

Murdoch backs Israel's NATO bid

By Carly Crawford

New York
NEWS Corporation boss Rupert Murdoch denounced militia attacks on Israel as he accepted an award from America's Jewish community.
After a warm introduction from Aussie A-list actor Hugh Jackman, Mr Murdoch lent his voice to Israel's long-running campaign to join the NATO alliance.
He said the Jewish state should be welcomed into the fold to step up the fight against terrorism.
``In the end, the Israeli people are fighting the same enemy we are: cold-blooded killers who reject peace, who reject freedom, and who rule by the suicide vest, the car bomb, and the human shield,'' he said.
Mr Murdoch was speaking at an American Jewish Committee dinner where he was presented with its National Human Relations award.
The 77-year-old media baron sat flanked by wife Wendy Deng and Jackman, who joked that Mr Murdoch had helped him win the mantle of ``world's sexist man'' by sharing health tips.
``He gave me the name of his trainer, his herbalist and his beautician,'' Jackman said. ``He's got more energy than my eight-year-old.''

Caption: Energised: Hugh Jackman and Rupert Murdoch.
Illus: Photo
IllusBy: CRAIG RUTTLE
Section: NEWS

Anonymous said...

Rupert's clueless, of course. His son James has more of a handle on reality. According to Alastair Campbell's diaries, at a 10 Downing St dinner with Blair, "Murdoch was at one point putting the traditional very right-wing view on Israel and the ME peace process and James said that he was 'talking f-nonsense'. Murdoch said he didn't see what the Palestinians' problem was and James said that it was that they were kicked out of their f-homes and had nowhere to f-live'."

Anonymous said...

I f*#king love this blog ! Come home from work, crack open a beer, turn on the computer and log on to MERC. Makes my night every new post I read, dont stop MERC you are one hell of a scripe.

Anonymous said...

*scribe* But you are right, Alex.