Moral: read articles thoroughly before citing.

Over on Kesher Talk "Alcibiades" links to this piece by Zeev Avrahami, a freelance journalist who writes for the Israeli paper Ha'aretz (a good source of regional news, incidentally - far more balanced than American "friends of Israel" generally are). Alcy cites it because he supports the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. While I agree that Israel has right on its side (the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers in Israel is a terrorist act under international law, no question) I feel that they've played into the hands of their opponents by their ludicrous and pointless over-reaction.

Anyway, I liked this quote from Mr Avrahami's piece:

Like an experienced shepherd, Sharon sensed exactly which way the herd wanted to go. After his election, he led Israel into confrontation with the Palestinians -- the Second Intifada. He also forced Israelis to take the next step, that of turning their backs on their Palestinian neighbors. For my generation, this represented a huge defeat, and we felt betrayed when the younger generation agreed to Sharon's policy. It is this betrayal -- and this complete rejection of the idea of peace with the Palestinians -- which fills me with sadness when I follow the news today.

How refreshing to see a well-informed Israeli nailing the lie (forever being trotted out by Israel's supporters) that Israel has always wanted peace and it's the Palestinians who are the rejectionists. You know that's bollocks. I know that's bollocks. But it's lovely to see a blog which exists mostly to support Israel's foreign policy citing with admiration a patriotic Israeli who says it's bollocks. Link to Avrahami's article, copy it, throw it in the face of anyone who blethers on about the Palestinians "never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity". (Ha, ha.)

Claerly Alcy didn't read that far, as he introduces the link with "The last several years, since Arafat launched the second intifada...." even though Avrahami is clear that it was Sharon who "launched" that confrontation.

How long, do you think, before we see posts from the American right describing Zeev Avrahami as an anti-Semite, or (my favourite) a "self-hating Jew"? You know, like Noam Chomsky (apparently both of those things) who has been making exactly the same point about Israeli rejectionism for years.