You just knew that something embarrassing was going to come out of the AIPAC meeting in Washington–aside, of course, from the warm reception accorded Dick Cheney–and here it is. Obama is absolutely right: Palestinians are suffering more than Israelis. Anyone who denies this simple fact, or reads some ulterior motive into Obama’s statement, is playing into the worst sort of xenophobic stereotypes. If I were Nicholas Kristoff, I’d offer to take Rabbi Steven Silver of Redondo Beach, Ca., on a tour of Gaza. There’s no surfing in the Mediterranean, but the deprivation is just awesome, dude!
P.S.: Speaking of which, I’m headed over to the middle east for a few weeks–part work, part family holiday (I know, I know, don’t ask)–and so my blogging may be sporadic, depending on the quality of the high-speed at various oases.