There is a scene in The West Wing (a show I have belatedly grown to absolutely love for its sharp, intelligent and witty dialogue) where Charlie, President Bartlet’s assistant, gives him a gift: it’s a map of the Holy Land, from 1709. Bartlet, admiring the artwork and history behind it, wishes to display the map outside his office. He is told, emphatically, not to do so by his staff.
“It doesn’t recognise Israel”, says Toby. A perplexed Bartlet points out that it was drawn in 1709. “Israel wouldn’t happen for another 250 years,” he adds.
Toby agrees, but still says no to the map. “Some people are going to find it offensive.”
Bartlet asks why. “It doesn’t recognise Israel,” Toby repeats.
It’s an interesting scene. The dialogue is brief, but it says so much.
And it’s sort of strange that I first saw this in the same week our new PM Kevin Rudd made the fortuitous decision to mark and honour Israel’s 60-year occupation of Palestine — sorry, “statehood”. But this weekend, The Sydney Morning Herald’s Alan Ramsey considered the other side of the story.
5 comments ↓
The isreal lobby must be deligted that after so much effort, so many arm twisting, the best it can do is to compel statments of support.
It has lost the argument for zionism and no serious people support its policies anymore.
Its only out of fear of the influence of the lobby that force politicans to support Isreal.
Thats very different from even 10 years ago.
It just proves that even great PR is no substitute for truth.
A naive question: what is Australia’s history with regard to ‘honouring’ other nations’ independence anniversaries? (The article said that this is the first time it has happened with Israel–but is the action unprecedented?)
Geoffrey,
That’s not a naive question, it’s an interesting point. As far as I know, the Australian Government does not generally honour the anniversary of another country’s independence — at least not in recent years, and a quick search brought nothing up.
But it says so much.
Such as?
It demonstrates the lack of rational thought amongst those who staunchly support Israel without regard to Palestine.
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