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Last update - 02:57 18/01/2008 The march of cynics By Meron Benvenisti Tags: Palestinians, Israel, IDF  The prize for the most sharply cynical remark goes to President George W. Bush, who said in Ramallah of the Israel Defense Forces crossing points: "You'll be happy to hear that my motorcade of a mere 45 cars was able to make it through without being stopped." No doubt, he was speaking ironically, but even if he added that he wasn't "so exactly sure that's what happens to the average person," he should be reminded of the saying that one doesn't mention rope in a hanged man's home. Okay, so there's a lack of political and human understanding here, but isn't there even a drop of sensitivity and empathy? This cynical remark made only the slightest impression on those who heard it. After all, the people who met with Bush are not the ones who are exposed to the humiliations that thousands go through at the barriers every day, and they even receive VIP treatment. Why should they express dissatisfaction with a spontaneous bit of nonsense when they feel no need to react to a stupid thing that someone in Bush's retinue formulated for the president? "Swiss cheese isn't going to work when it comes to the outline of a state. And I mean that," declared Bush. Right after that he said the drawing up of the future border will reflect the current reality. But it is the reality of the settlement blocs that has created the "Swiss cheese." And really, what's the point of fussing over trivia when the very fact of the event is the embodiment of cynicism? The president of the United States visits a bunch of Palestinians who deck themselves in lofty titles, as though they represented a sovereign authority, and discusses a peace with them that will lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state within a year. These leaders owe their existence to the protection of the Israeli occupation - which of course they condemn and about which they managed to wring from the president a comment on the "need to end it." And they owe their survival to unprecedented financial aid. Advertisement With appalling cynicism, they have pretensions to conducting negotiations to end the conflict when they do not represent even one-quarter of the Palestinian population - the part that lives in the West Bank. They are discussing "the core issues" of the conflict when the core of their efforts is to get that huge sum of money that was promised them at the Paris conference. That money will come to them only if they concentrate on the appearance of negotiations. Those billions will allow them to go on supporting their inflated bureaucracy and their system of charitable handouts that covers most of the Palestinian population in the West Bank. But it is impossible to come complaining to a bunch of losers who are trying to survive. The leader of the only superpower is using them to improve his own position. Clearly, when he doesn't need them anymore and finds that he has no use for them, he will toss them to their fate without a moment's hesitation. Bush and Abu Mazen (PA President Mahmoud Abbas), for whom cynicism is their means of survival, are joined by the greatest cynic of all, who has made cynicism into an art. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert can give Bush and Abbas lessons on how to spin a story that exploits the hopes of naive people and relies on the feeling that if important people are busy with something, it is a sign that this something is important. Olmert's cynicism is astonishing. He says bombastic things about how he was "elected with a broad diplomatic agenda, wants to bring about an agreement and intends to realize his vision." He is conducting negotiations in the prior knowledge that he is not capable of moving them ahead and completing them, never mind implementing them. He is intentionally blurring the difference between a theoretical "shelf agreement" and an agreement for which there is a commitment to implement it. Since he will never arrive at the first, there is no need to worry about the implementation of the second. Olmert is wringing every last drop out of people's desire for peace and will unashamedly exploit the weakness of the Palestinians, who are having to conduct peace negotiations, ostensibly, when scores of them are being killed by the Israeli army. All means are justified to survive politically - all three cynics need each other in order to survive. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Pride of Shas Shas MK: Gays are causing Israeli society to self-destruct. In bad taste Local Jewish group protests 'Holocaust float' at Rio Carnival.   1.   Olmert is right on track. Not so, the others 10:45  |  Natallie Durson 18/01/08   2.   NO HUMAN EMPATHY FROM BUSH 11:02  |  indrajaya 18/01/08   3.   2008 the gamesman ship year for strawmen 11:53  |  v hardman 18/01/08   4.   Out of the three only Olmert is the stooge! 13:00  |  Steven 18/01/08   5.   Both sides essentially set the stage for a violent solution 13:17  |  Sensible 18/01/08   6.   Honesty 14:08  |  j10 18/01/08   7.   Photo OP for Bush 14:43  |  ARTH 18/01/08   8.   All Means Are Justified To Continue An Occupation 14:44  |  Yaakov Sullivan 18/01/08   9.   Mr Benvenisti. 15:13  |  David Nigel Braham 18/01/08   10.   #2 15:50  |  Neal 18/01/08   11.   In this case there are four, Meron included of course 15:51  |  Taszilo 18/01/08   12.   All of them are stooges 15:56  |  Theodor 18/01/08   13.   It`s called corruption.. 16:14  |  The Northern Wind 18/01/08   14.   . idiots rather than stooges 16:24  |  ravi 18/01/08   15.   Wow!!! If I have not read Meron Benvenisti`s other pieces 16:39  |  Boris 18/01/08   16.   Original three stooges worked at making comedy. They succeeded... 16:44  |  bat yam 18/01/08   17.   Benvenisti: we`re doing it this way `cause your way failed 16:53  |  matt 18/01/08   18.   Do NOT divide Land 16:54  |  B 18/01/08   19.   AT the end of the day 17:00  |  Yossi 18/01/08   20.   Bravo Benvenisti! 17:03  |  Dorothy 18/01/08   21.   #11 i disagree can you say that annapolis was serious? 18:21  |  v hardman 18/01/08   22.   All Show and No Substance 19:08  |  ARTH 18/01/08   23.   Great comparison,Mr. Benvenisti 20:34  |  Gary 18/01/08   24.   virtual living 20:42  |  Paul 18/01/08   25.   Bush was speaking as a Southerner 21:09  |  Michael 18/01/08   26.   all three are democratically elected, mind you 21:26  |  z 18/01/08   27.   ravi let hin who is without sin cast the first stone 21:45  |  guru nanak 18/01/08   28.   #14,Ravi, It`s not about apartheid 22:24  |  Gary 18/01/08   29.   #4, Maine Ends Farther North Of Minnesota 22:42  |  Gary 18/01/08   30.   even stooges can accomplish good deeds 22:54  |  roberto 18/01/08   31.   The looming American recession. 23:20  |  Maureen Ann 18/01/08   32.   to David Nigel Braham #9 23:21  |  zeev 18/01/08   33.   Oust Peres Presidency with Olmert Gov`t and Deport Terror PLO-PA 23:24  |  Joseph E . 18/01/08   34.   to B #18 23:44  |  zeev 18/01/08   35.   The biggest MONSTERS are Arab. 00:27  |  Hidden Author 19/01/08   36.   The peace of the grave 01:01  |  Joseph E . post 1 19/01/08   37.   It`s Jihad stupid 01:02  |  Joseph E . post 2 19/01/08   38.   Rabbi Menachem Froman from the settlement Tkoa. 01:03  |  Joseph E . Post 3 19/01/08   39.   Same as Peres so is Olmert , 01:12  |  Joseph E . 19/01/08   40.   Arab biggest MONSTERS, but Peres and Olmert are biggest IDIOTS 01:16  |  Joseph E . 19/01/08   41.   Murine An, Murine An, where were you during Haj my deer? 01:38  |  Jalal Shahid 19/01/08   42.   Dorothy 02:22  |  Danite 19/01/08   43.   Weak 02:33  |  Williams 19/01/08   44.   z # 26 all three are democratically elected, mind you, so was ham 03:06  |  American in NY 19/01/08   45.   Bush costume party 03:48  |  John Fellows 19/01/08   46.   Theocracy Will Rule In Jerusalem ! 04:03  |  Gary 19/01/08   47.   to Joseph E #38 04:25  |  zeev 19/01/08   48.   The BIG difference! 04:35  |  Webster 19/01/08   49.   to Gary #46 04:41  |  zeev 19/01/08   50.   #41. Floating flotsam! 04:52  |  Maureen Ann 19/01/08   51.   Three Stooges 05:17  |  Johnf 19/01/08   52.   #47 zeev 08:39  |  Joseph E . 19/01/08   53.   enough is enough is enough 13:08  |  Dov Ber 19/01/08   54.   Danite-Benvenisti, One State-Two State 14:19  |  Dorothy 19/01/08   55.   Danite- Where does he indicate that? 14:36  |  Dorothy 19/01/08   56.   if 1 is to believe reports, jews; or an admixture 15:04  |  bozhidar balkas 19/01/08   57.   to Joseph E #52 - (1) 15:17  |  zeev 19/01/08   58.   to Joseph E #52 - (2) 15:18  |  zeev 19/01/08   59.   #57/8 zeev and the unfriendly neighbours 15:56  |  v hardman 19/01/08   60.   Zeev number 32. 16:26  |  David Nigel Braham 19/01/08   61.   indrajaya #2 17:34  |  S 19/01/08   62.   # 27 Didn`t Jesus say that? 18:46  |  Petra 19/01/08   63.   # 31 Before you gloat Maureen Ann 18:48  |  Petra 19/01/08   64.   Meron Benvenisti 19:40  |  Amelia from Ramat.. 19/01/08   65.   # 58 Zeev @ Beer-Sheva / Israel 21:01  |  Joseph E . post 1 19/01/08   66.   # 58 Zeev @ Beer-Sheva / Israel 21:02  |  Joseph E . post 2 19/01/08   67.   # 1 Olmert is right .. 21:18  |  Bamber G 19/01/08   68.   to v hardman #59 21:59  |  zeev 19/01/08   69.   to Joseph E #65 - (1) black on white 23:26  |  zeev 19/01/08   70.   #68 zeev has an argument with the balfour declaration and san rem 23:40  |  v hardman 19/01/08   71.   to Joseph E #65 - (2/2) 23:52  |  zeev 19/01/08   72.   Humiliation at crossing? How about death? 01:03  |  Denton 20/01/08   73.   #63 Petra. I am happy to inform you... 01:48  |  Maureen Ann 20/01/08   74.   Dorothy 02:07  |  Danite 20/01/08   75.   indrajaya # 2 02:07  |  American in NY 20/01/08   76.   zeev # 47 That was too funny! 02:09  |  American in NY 20/01/08   77.   v hardman # 59 haven t you heard 02:14  |  American in NY 20/01/08   78.   Stooges ? The Biggest are Haaretz`s Self-Hating Jews 02:21  |  Tod Zuckerman 20/01/08   79.   open this gate, tear down this wall 03:41  |  Andreas 14974 20/01/08   80.   Danite-Benvenisti, One State Advocacy Or Warning? 03:49  |  Dorothy 20/01/08   81.   Danite-Benvenisti, One State Advocacy Or Warning? 03:50  |  Dorothy 20/01/08   82.   Bush`s Humor 04:10  |  Mark Kienan 20/01/08   83.   to Joseph E #66 04:53  |  zeev 20/01/08   84.   to Joseph E #65 - (1) black on white 05:00  |  zeev 20/01/08   85.   23.52 - to Joseph E #65 - (2/2) 05:00  |  zeev 20/01/08   86.   come on now 05:17  |  amazed american 20/01/08   87.   Benvenisti is a stooge himself ... 05:48  |  felix 20/01/08   88.   Bush`s lack of empathy 05:51  |  Wiktor 20/01/08   89.   # 82 ,83, 84 Zeev @ Beer Sheva / Israel 08:11  |  Joseph E . post 1 20/01/08   90.   # 82 ,83, 84 Zeev @ Beer Sheva / Israel 08:12  |  Joseph E . post 2 20/01/08   91.   to Joseph E #89 18:09  |  zeev 20/01/08   92.   to Joseph E #90 18:59  |  zeev 20/01/08   93.   The game of occupation. 20:09  |  Dutch 20/01/08   94.   The march of cynics 21:30  |  Thierry MONTAGU 20/01/08   95.   Nice connection made, Mark Kienan 01:28  |  newageblues 21/01/08   96.   zeev , want the true position od Tim R? 23:09  |  American in NY 21/01/08   97.   58# Zeev, thing never end it always end s usless 13:35  |  Akram Zekaria 27/01/08   98.   TO Z no true 22:13  |  MuslimWoman 30/01/08

Today Online Ahmadinejad tells West: Accept Israel's 'imminent collapse' Responses: 213 Winograd: Final ground op 'did not achieve military goals' Responses: 53 Amira Hass: Finally, there's a popular uprising in Gaza Responses: 64 UN envoy: Gaza women feel coerced into covering heads Responses: 80 High Court okays cutting fuel and power to Gaza Responses: 78 Rosner's Domain Jewish vote in Florida: 58% for Clinton (WTR) The campaign for Darfur has achieved all its goals - but one Guest: A concept for modern Zionism. Lieberman: Why McCain's the man for Israel-lovers Poll: Is there a "constant virulent campaign" against Obama? More Headlines 22:10 Kadima rallies around Olmert, urges Barak to stay in gov't 22:01 Winograd: Final ground op 'did not achieve military goals', but approving it was essential step 18:59 ANALYSIS: IDF has already learnt lessons of Second Lebanon War 20:50 Hezbollah: War report will corner Olmert, make him lose credibility 22:40 ANALYSIS: Winograd Lebanon War report says 'we are all guilty' 22:03 German cabinet will visit Israel to mark Jewish state's 60th year 19:28 Egyptian police kill two Africans during bid to cross into Israel 17:13 High Court okays reducing fuel and power supply to Gaza Strip 20:36 John Edwards drops out of Democratic presidential race 20:07 Israel to send thousands of vaccines to Gaza after border breach 15:32 Schools closed, rescue personnel on alert in snowy Jerusalem 12:41 Ahmadinejad tells West: Accept Israel's 'imminent collapse' Previous Editions Select Day 29 jan 28 jan 27 jan 25 jan 24 jan 23 jan 22 jan 21 jan 20 jan 18 jan 17 jan 16 jan

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