US Ambassador Under Fire for Comments on Anti-Semitism*
EmailThe US Ambassador to Belgium, Howard Gutman, finds himself under fire this morning for comments he made about the roots of some Muslim anti-Semitism, comments from which the White House distanced itself.
Yedioth Ahronoth, an Israeli newspaper, reported Friday that Gutman told a Jewish conference on anti-Semitism organized by the European Jewish Union that — as the newspaper described it — “a distinction should be made between traditional anti-Semitism, which should be condemned and Muslim hatred for Jews, which stems from the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.”
According to the prepared remarks of his speech, Gutman distinguished between “anti-Semitism, of hatred and violence against Jews, from a small sector of the population who hate others who may be different or perceived to be different, largely for the sake of hating” from what he perceived to be a different phenomenon tied to Israeli policies.
“What I do see as growing, as gaining much more attention in the newspapers and among politicians and communities, is a different phenomena,” Gutman said. “It is the phenomena that led Jacques Brotchi to quit his position on the university committee a couple of months ago and that led to the massive attention last week when the Jewish female student was beaten up. It is the problem within Europe of tension, hatred and sometimes even violence between some members of Muslim communities or Arab immigrant groups and Jews. It is a tension and perhaps hatred largely born of and reflecting the tension between Israel, the Palestinian Territories and neighboring Arab states in the Middle East over the continuing Israeli-Palestinian problem.”
In July, prominent Belgian neurosurgeon and politician Dr. Jacques Brotchi resigned from the board of the Board of the University of Brussels Foundation “because I deeply deplored the absence of a strong and appropriate reaction from the university authorities to a succession of anti-Semitic incidents.” The “Jewish female student” to whom Gutman refers is a 13-year-old girl beaten up by five classmates of Moroccan origin who reportedly told her, “Shut up, you dirty Jew, and return to your country.”
While underlining that “no Jewish student – and no Muslim student or student of any heritage or religion – should ever feel intimidated on a University campus for their heritage or religion leading to academic leaders quitting in protest,” Gutman said that this phenomenon “is in my opinion different in many respects than the classic bigotry…It is more complex and requiring much more thought and analysis. This second form of what is labeled ‘growing anti-Semitism’ produces strange phenomena and results.”
Gutman said that “throughout the Muslim communities that I visit, and indeed throughout Europe, there is significant anger and resentment and, yes, perhaps sometimes hatred and indeed sometimes and all too growing intimidation and violence directed at Jews generally as a result of the continuing tensions between Israel and the Palestinian territories and other Arab neighbors in the Middle East…every new settlement announced in Israel, every rocket shot over a border or suicide bomber on a bus, and every retaliatory military strike exacerbates the problem and provides a setback here in Europe for those fighting hatred and bigotry here in Europe.”
You can read the full prepared remarks HERE.
The Israeli newspaper described others at the event as being “visibly stunned by Gutman’s words, and the next speaker offered a scathing rebuttal to the envoy’s remarks.”
Asked to respond to the report, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said, “We condemn anti-semitism in all its forms and believe there is never any justification for prejudice against the Jewish people or Israel.”
Gutman, a major fundraiser for President Obama’s 2008 campaign, issued a statement saying, “I strongly condemn anti-Semitism in all its forms. I deeply regret if my comments were taken the wrong way. My own personal history and that of my family is testimony to the salience of this issue and my continued commitment to combatting anti-Semitism.”
But opponents of the president, particularly those oppose to his handling of issues pertaining to Israel, pounced.
GOP presidential frontrunner Newt Gingrich, tweeted that: “Pres Obama should fire his ambassador to Brussels for being so wrong about anti-semitism: http://t.co/e8miZBs1”
On Sunday afternoon, another leading GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney issued a statement saying, “President Obama must fire his ambassador to Belgium for rationalizing and downplaying anti-Semitism and linking it to Israeli policy toward the Palestinians. The ambassador’s comments demonstrate the Obama administration’s failure to understand the worldwide campaign to delegitimize Israel and its appalling penchant for undermining our close ally.”
William Kristol, chairman of the Emergency Committee for Israel, took the opportunity to charge that this is part of a larger problem for the president.
“Pardon us for retaining our belief that Muslim anti-Semitism in the Middle East predates 1967, and even 1948 — and in any case is the fault of the anti-Semites, not of the Jews,” said Kristol. “Ambassador Gutman’s comments were not way out of line with Obama’s worldview. Nonetheless, we expect he will be recalled because the Obama administration won’t want to expend political capital defending him. He should be recalled, of course. But what the events of recent days emphasize is that the problem is not with one ambassador or with one cabinet secretary. The problem is President Obama.”
Republican Jewish Coalition executive director Matthew Brooks called the comments “outrageous.”
“The linkage in the ambassador’s remarks, blaming Israel for anti-Semitism, is a short step from the linkage that President Obama has expressed several times himself, that Israel is to blame for the unrest and instability in the Middle East,” Brooks said.
-Jake Tapper
*This post has been updated with the text from Gutman’s prepared remarks.
Best Commencement Speeches of 2012 
Joe Biden Recalls Death of Wife, Daughter
Did Bill Kristol just call Obama an anti-semite?
Posted by: O.S. | December 4, 2011, 9:38 am 9:38 am
It all comes down to this: is anti zionism the same as anti semitism. The answer,i think, is no.
But the answer does not matter. The question is legit.
The Israeli’s would have us believe otherwise, but they are stifling free thought.
Posted by: Tom | December 4, 2011, 9:56 am 9:56 am
condemn him for speaking the truth? there is no malice in truth! only the ignorant, blind and self-righteous will be offended by his comment. it is the truth, and if it was addressed as such the problem could begin an honest step towards being repaired. the political smoke and mirrors is a way to distract from the real issue, the palestinian people are fighting for their lives, just as native americans did. but in war, the few, powerful, and largely invisible get rich and conflict is great for sympathy and ratings.
Posted by: julie | December 4, 2011, 9:57 am 9:57 am
What is controversial about that?
That wasn’t in any way, racist, it simply states the current situation in the world, and particularly in the middle east.
Take that a step farther, to say that Muslims don’t like any other religion in their midst, Jewish or Christian, or Hindu, or Buddhist. None.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | December 4, 2011, 10:17 am 10:17 am
Can’t believe he messed up so bad and said this out loud! Keeping his opinions unspoken, and those of his bosses and peers, is critical. He may have severly damaged the incredible efforts in motion to put Israel in it’s place! You can’t let bigotry out like this as it has to be much more subtle. Let’s hope putting Israel in it’s place is not in the manner Iran seems intent on taking. Thanks Mr. Gutman for giving us some honest insight into this Administrations intentions.
Posted by: Kalabi | December 4, 2011, 10:58 am 10:58 am
He is talking the truth and it is time to get over this politically correct mentality that continues to distort the facts which is leading everyone to a dangerous path. It doesnt surprise me that Obama and his weak administration kowtowing as usual to the truth.
Posted by: Larry | December 4, 2011, 11:01 am 11:01 am
truth? why is it the truth? Palestinians killing Israelis is allrite to do?
Israel has done more to help out the Palestinians than any Muslim country ever has to them. wake up.
Posted by: michael fischer | December 4, 2011, 11:28 am 11:28 am
Has anyone noticed that Arabs are also Semites?
Posted by: john locke | December 4, 2011, 11:39 am 11:39 am
The Palestinians will never come to the table and always feel they will someday be able to eradicate Israel as long as appeasers exist like this clown. He has it all wrong. Anti-Zionism is just the latest form of Anti-Semitism. Israel has several times endorsed peace plans that have been blown up by Arafat, the PLO, Hamas and the Palestinians. Hamas, Hezbollah and a large contingent of Arabs stil want to destroy Israel and kill all Jews. They talk about relocating or dislodging Jews from their homes, just as the fascists did in the 1930s. And just as in the 1930s, dislodging them from their homes is just a step on the road to massacre. The historical lessons are clear. It’s an exact replay of the dynamics of the 1930s. And it will never happen again!
Posted by: hopesprings52 | December 4, 2011, 11:46 am 11:46 am
Most Israelis are anti-Semite themselves. Because most people think a Semite is only an Israeli person. Which is not really the truth. A ‘Semite’ includes Arabs and a bunch of other races. So to be ‘anti-Semite’ it means you are against one of the races who are Semites. Since Israelis hate the Arabs and anyone else in the region who isn’t Jewish then the Israeli’s are anti-Semite themselves.
Oh and btw…being a ‘Jew’ isn’t a race of humans…they are a religious group.
Posted by: Ufos8mycow | December 4, 2011, 11:58 am 11:58 am
Larry wrote “truth? why is it the truth? Palestinians killing Israelis is allrite to do?
Israel has done more to help out the Palestinians than any Muslim country ever has to them. wake up.”
If you look at what the Israeli’s have been doing for decades you might start to understand what they are doing to the Palestinians. Take a look at a map of water sources in that region and you will notice that all of these Israeli settlements are the exact same as the water sources. The Israeli’s have been taking every source of fresh water away from the Palestinians for decades.
I suppose they want them to beg for water or die of thirst.
Posted by: Ufos8mycow | December 4, 2011, 12:02 pm 12:02 pm
I don’t see what this man said as terrible.. I am jewish and believe in right to free speech.
Posted by: mike cohen | December 4, 2011, 12:12 pm 12:12 pm
I don’t see anything wrong with what this gentleman said.. I am jewish and believe in the right of free speech.. thank you.
Posted by: mike cohen | December 4, 2011, 12:13 pm 12:13 pm
He is a typical gullible secular liberal Jew that will buy the Arab propaganda that all the Muslim terrorists around the world in every country that are killing Innocent Muslims and non Muslim’s are motivated by the Israeli and Palestinian dispute this belief is reticules and the purest form of anti Semites
Posted by: muti | December 4, 2011, 12:30 pm 12:30 pm
This anti-semitic regime of o Obama is disgusting..Now Clinton, the sexual harrasment enabler, under fire for her comments
OBAMA________VS______AMERICA
Posted by: Yep I said that | December 4, 2011, 12:32 pm 12:32 pm
Israeli ministers reacted angrily on Sunday after local media quoted U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as saying she feared for the future of Israel’s democracy and the rights of women in the Jewish state.
How ignorant is this enabler?
OBAMA________VS_____AMERICA
Posted by: Yep I said that | December 4, 2011, 12:35 pm 12:35 pm
so, the lesson is, if you are not pro-israel, then you are an anti-jew!
congrats, gay-jew media conspiracy. you’ve convinced all those that don’t bother to read past the headline!
Posted by: yofa | December 4, 2011, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
What he said makes sense: categorically disliking an entire people simply for their race or ethnicity or religion is different from being angry at the people in general of a country you believe is attacking you.
Another non-news item offered-up here in bold print…..
Posted by: Sk_s | December 4, 2011, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm
I dont know how I feel about the theory, but you should be able to at least discuss, the possibility that creating the state of Israel, by force, way back when, was a cause of much antisemitsm today. we should be able to ask that question, to investigate it, to discuss it. If that is foolish, then say why. But to fire someone for wanting to have that dialouge seems wrong.
Posted by: herewegoagain | December 4, 2011, 1:18 pm 1:18 pm
“Gutman, a major fundraiser for President Obama’s 2008 campaign,” enough said.
Posted by: Lizzie | December 4, 2011, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
Unfortunately this warped thinking that all the Muslim hate that’s directed against Israel is a result of Israels population is absurd, because most of these Muslim terrorists are killing more Muslims then Israelis so this is just a good excuse which sadly a big part of this administration buys into this Muslim propaganda
Posted by: joe | December 4, 2011, 1:56 pm 1:56 pm
He should be fired immediately, if Obama wants any person to believe that he is not anti Israel like allot of extreme liberals here in the united states.
Posted by: chaim | December 4, 2011, 2:10 pm 2:10 pm
Ambassador Gutman should be recalled for conflicting two very important issues. First, anti-Semitism is anti-Semitism. There are shades or variants. Second, the Israeli government policy of occupation is indefensible. Trying to subsume one in the other merely creates confusion. Every decent human being should be able to agree on two things: 1. Anti-Semitism is wrong regardless of how it raises its ugly head. Indiscriminate attacks on innocent Jewish men, women and children are unconditionally and totally wrong! 2. Israeli occupation, humiliation and devaluation of Palestinians, indiscriminate killings of innocent Palestinian men, women and children, and Israeli’s refusal to negotiate in good faith, even from a position of strength, are totally wrong. Failure to understand the distinctions and subsume one in the other will only contribute to more lives being lost on both sides.
At the very minimum, Ambassador Gutman should know the difference. Fire Gutman or recall him. If he is a career diplomat, give him a desk job and send him back to school!
Posted by: RespectOthersAlways | December 4, 2011, 2:16 pm 2:16 pm
”And they just keep building like rat colonies.’
Persia will rise again, …’and settle their arrogant hash.
Posted by: Alex Smith | December 4, 2011, 2:17 pm 2:17 pm
This is not coincidence. Gutman and Panetta both blaming Israel in the same week are voicing the administration’s stance, that Israel is, and always has been, the problem. They are probably doing this at the direction of the White House to curry favor with Obama’s core base, which hate Israel (and in many cases, Jews in general). Mouthpiece Deb Wasserman-Shultz has tried to spin, but ultimatly, she needs to either get on board with the Israel bashing, or face getting thrown under the bus along with Israel. What this admin needs is its own Leni Riefenstahl. They thought Shultz could fill that role.
Posted by: DCNeil | December 4, 2011, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm
Obama is a typical liberal he doesn’t have the guts to defend Israel against the world that is obsessed with blaming all their problems on Israel and the Jews.
Posted by: muti | December 4, 2011, 2:30 pm 2:30 pm
I think it is important to distinguish between anti-semitism and Muslim-Jewish conflict. The Palestinians are semitic people, afterall. Calling Palestinians “anti-semitic” is like calling Ethiopians “white supremacists” for having a border conflict with Eritreans.
Posted by: blip | December 4, 2011, 2:31 pm 2:31 pm
Obama will still get the support of American Jews. Why? Because they love liberalism more than their own people.
Posted by: bluesdoc70 | December 4, 2011, 2:31 pm 2:31 pm
RespectOthersAlways could you give me one example in the last 20 years where Israel killed Muslims deliberately?? why don’t u mention all the thousands of innocent woman and children that where killed by Palestinian terrorists? is Jewish blood cheap for you?? why dodnt you mention the countless times israel offered to returl all the territory thay won in a defensive war and the plaetinians rejected it?? ut a big fat liar and ur distorting history like all the other liberals that hate israel.
Posted by: chaim | December 4, 2011, 2:35 pm 2:35 pm
“Now Clinton, the sexual harrasment enabler, under fire for her comments.”
If Hillary Clinton is a “sexual harassment enabler”…. what does that say about the ENTIRE Republican Party who was going to nominate Herman Cain (a lackluster cheater) and has now embraced Newt Gingrich (a very skilled cheater)?
It seems like you are the biggest enablers of all. (I mean, you enabled Bush to drive the country into the ditch…. and are now crying for a second chance to implement the EXACT SAME policies).
Posted by: blip | December 4, 2011, 2:37 pm 2:37 pm
Obama will not get the orthodox Jewish vote and the Jewish vote that cares about Israel he will always get the liberal secular Jewish vote they don’t care about Israel their religion is liberalism.
Posted by: joe | December 4, 2011, 2:39 pm 2:39 pm
Amb. Gutman’s speech signifies that it is OK to hate Jews, that it is likely Israel is an illegitimate country, that it is OK to ban Jews in Muslim countries, and that anti-antisemitism is acceptable to this administration if it is coupled with dislike of Israel.
Panetta then follows with a speech about how the Jews are holding up peace talks and implies that the Jews are solely at fault for no peace in the middle east.Aggravating the Muslims, as it were.
What we are seeing here is a full throttle left wing attempt to slander Jews and Israelis. It has been a component of leftist thought overseas for years. Now it has been adopted by this administration.
And Obama says that Israel has no better friend then he? Taquia,
Posted by: pat | December 4, 2011, 2:42 pm 2:42 pm
Obama says that Israel has no better friend then he?
POSTED BY: PAT | DECEMBER 4, 2011, 2:42 PM 2:42 PM
Not only Obama said that, so did the chairman of the National Jewish Congress – but what would he or his organization know.
Posted by: Dave | December 4, 2011, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm
The Jews have a right under contemporary law to be in Israel. They may have been sentimental to select that location, but their property rights are secured under the laws of the present and the last 100 years.
They bought their land. And when they were attacked, they fought back, won more, and gave back the most of it.
The Jews have behaved honorably, welcoming Jewish refugees from other countries, and treating their own Muslim citizens as citizens. The comparison between the way Israel is run and the way the lands controlled by such exemplary Muslim regimes as Hamas and Iran and Hezbollah is illuminating.
Posted by: valerie | December 4, 2011, 3:34 pm 3:34 pm
israel can not handle the truth… the problem will grow until they do.
Posted by: thomas wakefield | December 4, 2011, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
Word to Israel. ILLEGAL Settlements are MAINLY causing the most of the problems regarding the Israeli / Palestinian relationship . End them NOW and beat those swords into plowshares or expect war(s) forever .
Posted by: getriin | December 4, 2011, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
“The Jews have a right under contemporary law to be in Israel.”———-If you are going to use “contemporary law ” as ab example of Israel’s rights to build settlements you are sadly mistaken . The Israeli settlements are almost all ILLEGAL according to all objective international tribunals. They have the right to be inside the 1967 borders , that is the truth .
Posted by: pffft | December 4, 2011, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm
You have to understand that the Israeils belive they are GOD’s gift to us.
and that we, THE WORLD, should not criticize them.
THEY are “THE CHOSEN” people after all.
Which is pure BS and is probably why their GOD abandoned them in the first place..
They have not learned their lesson YET …
SAD …..
Posted by: Dennis | December 4, 2011, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
The US happily sold Israel the military equipment and gave them the military advice and support that allowed them to win the 1967 War , in a rout to boot , thus the Arab ire that has been directed towards the USA since then . By being a prime enabler for Israeli oppression and expansionism the USA has ” kicked the hornet’s nest” and now we are feeling the sting , now that the Arabs have grown up a bit (i.e. are too big to be bullied by the West ) . Soon we’ll likely be in a war against Iran because Israel is like a little bratty sibling who picks on everyone until someone who can handle them shows up and looks to become a major problem for them, well , then they cry for Big Brother ( aka Uncle Sam ) to come help sorry pitiful Israel . It’s past time for a paradigm shift in US / Israeli relations , and this speech was a welcome signal to anyone with a sense of fairness . Without Big Brother USA to take up for them in all their petty local squabbles maybe Israel will be less reticent to honestly and fairly negotiate with their Arab neighbors.
Posted by: kevintyler | December 4, 2011, 5:02 pm 5:02 pm
Obama’s AG, Eric Holder, can lie about operation Fast & Stupid, he’s not under fire. But our Ambassador to Belgium?
Posted by: s | December 4, 2011, 5:53 pm 5:53 pm
Israel often gets upset when members of the US government speak the truth about Israel, and this instance is no different. Apparently, in the view of the Israeli government, everyone should love them, even those whose homes they have just destroyed to make room for another Israeli settlement and those whose children were killed by Israel because some nut job fired a model rocket over the Israeli border.
Posted by: DanL | December 4, 2011, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm
truth? why is it the truth? Palestinians killing Israelis is allrite to do? Israel has done more to help out
the Palestinians than any Muslim country ever has to them.POSTED BY: MICHAEL FISCHER
******Take off the rosy glasses, we all know what is going on.
Posted by: michael | December 4, 2011, 6:08 pm 6:08 pm
u r a nut job these thousands of rockets are actually deadly, its a miracle hhat thousantd of people where not killed by these sousands of rockets ,and this is not one nut job its thousands of terrorists in the gaza amd remember israel withdrew from gaza they are not under occupation. we in the united states would not tolerate even a day rockets coming in from mexico we would flatten mexico, but when it comes to israel the liberals want restrain and they want more israelis and jews dead
Posted by: mark | December 4, 2011, 6:10 pm 6:10 pm
The Ambassador is correct. Newt Gingrich should keep his mouth closed on this subject because he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
Posted by: velvers | December 4, 2011, 6:17 pm 6:17 pm
If you’ve never been to a Jewish banquet, then you’ve missed all the WASP jokes. Israelis have got to get over this anti- stuff. They are as guitly of condemning anyone who is not jewish, and those they condemn. Time to cut the Foreign Aid – as B Walters once reported, Israel gets four times per person in Aid from USA than any other country. Something is seriously wrong in that.
Posted by: ti-grr | December 4, 2011, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm
we have to double aid to Israel to help their fight against 200 million Muslims that want to eliminate them and throw them in the sea.
Posted by: esti | December 4, 2011, 6:47 pm 6:47 pm
Get real, the guy did not say anything wrong. Some don’t want to hear the truth. There is pain on both sides, just as there is good and bad on both sides. The GOP is just a gang of hypocritics trying to jump on a no issue topic. They tend to forget that they really don’t care for anyone that is not Baptist and white. The only reason they are jumping on this is to try to get political points that might lead a mis-informed Jewish person to contribute money to their campaign.
Posted by: Lonewolf | December 4, 2011, 9:05 pm 9:05 pm
The left is celebrating virtuous hate.
Posted by: foggy | December 5, 2011, 10:53 am 10:53 am
Gutman is correct. It’s comparable to saying the entire GOP is racist because they don’t like the current president. What a ridiculous issue, but I’ve come to expect nothing more from this circus of delusional clowns.
Posted by: LeisaS | December 5, 2011, 12:47 pm 12:47 pm
Amb. Gutman is himself Jewish and a descendant of Holocaust survivors. It is absurd to call him an anti-semite or his comments anti-semitism. I think, as an American Jew, he is quite wrong in his analysis…a huge part of Moslem anti-semitism IS religious and ethnic and is NOT related to the Israel-Arab dispute. The proof of that is that there were Arab Palestinian pogroms in what was then Palestine going back to 1917 and other Moslem pogroms throughout history. I think the ambassador should, as a very smart lawyer, done his research before making such an erroneous speech but Howard Gutman is no more an anti-semite or self-hating Jew than Benjamin Natanyahu.
Posted by: elliot stamler | December 5, 2011, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
Not so concerned about the comments themselves made by Ambassador Gutman. Seems uncontroversial enough but because he gave a speech on an incredibly sensitive subject, only the most innocuous comments would fail to draw fire from one side or another.
No, more concerning for me was the time that Jake Tapper spent cross-examining Dave Carney at today’s briefing. I doubt i’m the only one who’s seen a pattern of confrontational questions, both towards the President and Press Secretary Carney in the last year, or more. Almost seems like Jake is trying to outdo Ed Henry, and nobody with an IQ above room temp. does not know that Ed is obviously a right-wing guy who’s only real home is with Fox news.
How about it, Jake ? Why the “gotcha” tactics towards the Obama admin. ? One would really hate to think that the person covering the White House for ABC news is somehow in the tank as a conservative who despises the President. I really do not see a similar demeanor from Chuck Todd, Norah O’Donnell, Wolf Blitzer et al. I really wonder if you understand that you are coming across as a Conservative Hack masquerading as an objective journalist (Mark Halperin’s name just came to mind) who’s true home is working for Andrew Breitbart rather than ABC.
Posted by: Daniel | December 5, 2011, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
What does Newt Gingrich know about Anti-Semitism? What does he know about Israel? What does he know about the Middle East?
Ambassador Howard Gutman’s father was a holocaust survivor from Poland. He himself worked his way up the hard way – something Gingrich pretends to advocate, but has too often avoided (“no Honest Abe he”)- and something that he has avoided at other people’s expense. Ambassador Gutman has built impressive experience and impeccable credentials, and knows what he is talking about on this issue- something that Gingrich for all of his pasty-faced glibness would never be able to get his pudgy hands around. Hopefully, the people who are buying the Newt’s line right now will see through him (and his “unholy Tiffany Connection” with the “Pope Donald”), and do so before the nominating convention- otherwise God help the Republicans- he nearly destroyed them and the nation over 15 years ago, and would do it again.
It is good that the Administration is finally beginning to speak more realistically about the very issues that Israelis themselves have been openly debating for years, but that the U.S, media (including ABC), and the Likud Lobby, have suppressed, or been silent about for far too long. Maybe something good will come of it? Like a real willingness by the parties to return to the negotiating table in order to commit to doing something serious that will finally produce a fair and lasting peace for everyone in the region? Up to now, Netanyahu has shamelessly bullied the U.S. and trampled more than once on the dignity of the Presidency. Pushing him to negotiate in good faith can only give the other side some incentive to do the same, and confidence that we are serious about a fair and lasting peace.
Whether the present Administration has the fortitude to follow through is an open question. It is clear, however, that a Gingrich Administration could never make it happen. Kudos to Ambassador Gutman, Secretary Panetta, and President Obama.
Posted by: elephant man | December 6, 2011, 10:11 pm 10:11 pm
Antisemitism predates the state of Israel. Muslims don’t hate jews because of Israel, they hate Israel because of jews. Gutman has bought into the lie that if Israel was friends with the arabs, then everything would be sweetness and light in the Middle East. His premise is flawed and so is the distinction between his kinds of antisemitism. There is only one kind of antisemitism and the hatred of the state of Israel is the biggest example of it.
Posted by: softer underbelly | December 8, 2011, 1:01 pm 1:01 pm