April 19, 2002

4:09 PM

*tiptoe in*
*carefully and gingerly point out Douglas Rushkoff's Mideast blog entries as objective, detached viewpoint on the whole ugly mess*
*tiptoe out, thanking cris for the link, and apologizing for the Mideast link, but hey, it's good*
posted by solistrato (7 comments total)

I actually like what he has to say.
posted by donkeyschlong at 4:13 PM on April 19, 2002

I also like his stuff. If only his unassuming style weren't so rare among war pundits and other big-name self-publishers, however.

Here's hoping he never abandons it.
posted by mattpfeff at 4:28 PM on April 19, 2002

Hrm, he says right there that he dosn't want it to become a mideast blog.
posted by delmoi at 4:59 PM on April 19, 2002

There is an interesting viewpoint by a Palestinian, Hasan Mansour, in the comments to this post. Worth reading, I think.
posted by rodii at 5:01 PM on April 19, 2002

I think the author is the effects of subconscious collusion, which can be described as desires, and actual human desires.

The Arab leaders, themselves, hate Israel. They may indirectly benefit from Israel, and act in consort to help it, but I don't think they do it intentionally.

In other words, they are not "egar to normalize relations" with Israel because they know it operates as a hate magnet, but rather because Israel could kick their asses.
posted by delmoi at 5:13 PM on April 19, 2002

I read the blog stuff and liked it. But note: the writer indicates that the Palestinians are a part of Jordan in the sense that Jordan "onwed" the land that is the West Bank. In fact, some years ago, overtures were made to Jordan's kind to get the West Bank back...the Israelis would turn it over to Jordan. Jordan said thanks but no thanks. They have sufficient Palestinians it seems.
What might be done: make a deal with Jordan. Here is the West Bank. Now you tell the Palestinians to declare statehood there. One Arab helping another and avoiding dealing with the "zinoinst entity."
posted by Postroad at 5:34 PM on April 19, 2002

Is it OK if I say Zinoinist from now on? It's kind of funny.
posted by jackiemcghee at 10:31 PM on April 19, 2002