Kesher Talk

Is it anti-semitic? I say no: Glenn Reynolds called this cartoon anti-semitic, and chronicles the background story where it was published -- at the Chicago Tribune.

However, I think Glenn overstates the case. It is simply a matter of bias -- bias that says Israel is the main obstacle to peace in the Middle East. Bush has explicitly NOT promised more money, nor does it seem at all probable that he would. While Bush did want to increase our aid outlays to Israel, someone as committed to his own country's survival as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would not sell out national security for a measly increase in U.S. aid. The tradeoff just is not worthwhile. Ariel may see the usefulness in giving Bush a chance with his road map. Or maybe he is just playing to world opinion. Who knows?

What we do know is that a less biased cartoon would show another bureaucrat facing Arafat on the other side of the bridge. This one would be extending the bridge towards Arafat while Arafat backs farther and farther away. In fact, that part of the bridge would not even be built yet. Needless to say, Arafat would be waiting on the other side with suicide bombers and an army of terrorists.

Of course, perhaps the cartoonist is not as dumb as we think... he does show Arafat at the other end of the bridge, and not Abu Mazen...

posted by William @ 6/03/2003 01:20:12 PM