The Tribune’s arrogance toward Israel is matched only by its imbalanced coverage of Mideast issues. Apart from the sheer disrespect toward the only democratically elected leader in that region, your Nov. 16 editorial (“Bibi has earned the cold shoulder”) is reprehensible for its factual inaccuracies and omissions.
Forget the recent visit of an intentionally ill-prepared and short-staffed Palestinian delegation to Washington to begin negotiations with Israel. Forget that France perpetually supplies arms and know-how to the Middle East’s rogue nations and terrorist sponsors. That Egypt, which receives $2 billion annually in U.S. aid, unilaterally rebuffed a U.S. invitation to participate in the Qatari economic summit–an integral part of the Madrid peace process framework. And certainly forget the Palestinian covenant’s continued call for the destruction of the State of Israel.
Your attempt to place the burden of President Clinton’s failure to solidify a UN coalition in support of U.S. policy toward Iraq on the shoulders of Israel is grossly irresponsible. Perhaps some genuine introspection might lead you to conclude that contempt for U.S. policy is, among other reasons, a result of the U.S.’s outstanding $1 billion debt to the UN.
The Tribune’s consistent attempt to paint Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as principally responsible for the outcome of the peace process borders on the obscene. To ignore the notion of partnership is insulting to Israel’s peace “partners” and excuses their failure to uphold their commitments under the Oslo accords.
As Prime Minister Netanyahu is the only democratically elected leader and Israel is the United States’ closest ally in the Middle East, perhaps Tribune editors should opt for less insult and more insight.
