Better late than never, the Obama administration had sharp words for the Palestinians. Normally, the Administration uses these words with Israel when it announces building plans in its capital, Jerusalem, but for once the Palestinians get slapped on the hand:
“Regarding a claim by a senior Palestinian official of the Western Wall is an Islamic Waqf, we strongly condemn these comments and fully reject them as factually incorrect, insensitive and highly provocative,” State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Tuesday. “We have repeatedly raised with the Palestinian Authority leadership the need to consistently combat all forms of de-legitimization of Israel, including denying historic Jewish connections to the land.”
Crowley is the guy who had a problem answering the question, “Does the US consider Israel a Jewish state” a few weeks ago, when after a few moments of verbal acrobatics, he finally relented under tough questioning from a reporter and acknowledged that Israel is a Jewish state. Phew.
What is really odd is how this Western Wall story has not been picked up by the media.
From the Obama administration’s perspective, the ‘Jewish state’ and Western Wall controversies are unwelcome sideshows. It has compelling reasons to try to defuse them so the current round of talks can resume. Crowley’s comments don’t strike me as some sort of stirring defense of Israel.
When Israel announces that they’re building a new bus stop in Jerusalem, Obama is quick to comment personally no matter where he is or what he’s doing. When the PA says that the Western Wall is Muslim, the White House has no comment and a week later the State Department’s spokesman stands up for their Israeli “allies”, not that anybody will notice or report on it because of Wikileaks dominating the news cycle.
Maybe the media is finally starting to realize how irresponsible it is not to mention downright wrong to give voice to absurd, and anti-Semitic self-serving and clearly incorrect remarks. I only hope this lack of aiding promulgation and proliferation of hate-monger’s lies continues.
Not for nothing, but isn’t denial of the truth the reason the PLO refuses to allow archeologists to examine further the site of our Temple? Rhetorical question.
I guess the media is just waiting for the White House’s take on the Rachel Tomb Mosque.