Sen. Chuck Schumer obviously doesn’t know recent history. It was Pres. George W. Bush who pushed the Palestinians to vote before they were ready, thus delivering Hamas. Even Liz Cheney got that much right.
It was bad enough when Schumer slammed Pres. Obama on his Middle East policy. But on this subject, it’s hard to believe he could be so brazen, but that’s politics today on the Middle East. Think Progress has the transcript:
SCHUMER: The Palestinian people still don’t believe in the Jewish state, in a two-state solution. More do than before, but a majority still do not. Their fundamental view is, the Europeans treated the Jews badly and gave them our land — this is Palestinian thinking [...] They don’t believe in the Torah, in David [...] You have to force them to say Israel is here to stay. The boycott of Gaza to me has another purpose — obviously the first purpose is to prevent Hamas from getting weapons by which they will use to hurt Israel — but the second is actually to show the Palestinians that when there’s some moderation and cooperation, they can have an economic advancement. When there’s total war against Israel, which Hamas wages, they’re going to get nowhere. And to me, since the Palestinians in Gaza elected Hamas, while certainly there should be humanitarian aid and people not starving to death, to strangle them economically until they see that’s not the way to go, makes sense.
This is your Democratic Party hierarchy, folks. Chuck Schumer, one of the people who also stuck his fingers in labors’ eye after Tuesday’s election results of Blanche Lincoln by saying: “Fighting Wall Street with one hand, unions with the other.” Now he wades into Middle East policy again.
Who does he think he is? Pres. Obama doesn’t need this right now.
Good God.
Now *that* says it all.
Just great!…Poor Obama the man can’t seem to catch a break. I bet when he was running against Hillary during the primaries he kept thinking…”This will be easy once I’m President.”
As for Sen. Chuck Schumer, this guy really needs to at least pretend he cares about appearing neutral over Palestinians and Israel.
First, this is not about Palestinians and Israel. It’s about Hamas and Israel. Sen. Schumer supports Israel over Hamas.
Second, why does he need to appear neutral?
“Neutral,” are you kidding me? How anyone can use the word “neutral” and Sen. Schumer in the same sentence re: Israel defies debate.
You need to review the quote. Schumer says “since the Palestinians in Gaza elected Hamas…”
Who isn’t on Israel’s side over Hamas? I don’t know anyone. That said, they were ELECTED. See Bush-Cheney.
I can’t even argue this it’s so obvious.
Did you not read my comment? I wrote: “Second, why does he need to appear neutral?”
Who cares if the senior senator from NY supports Israel over Hamas? Why does Sen. Schumer have to be neutral?
This is not about Schumer being neutral – this is about Schumer lying and being a hate filled racists.
Nonsense, this is most certainly about Palestinians – it about collective punishment for a people who don’t do what Israel wants. This is all about economic warfare, ethnic cleansing and simple racism.
See mwfolsom’s response.
Honestly, I really thought it was obvious.
Is this a race to see which lawmaker can be the most pro-Isreal?Senator Chuck Schumer seems to be in the lead with Congressman Anthony Weiner right behind him. I am a big supporter of Isreal but there even putting the most pro-Isreal supporters to shame !! The republicans and democrats are racing to see which can be the most pro-Isreal and its seems to be both are tied !!
Yesterday Weiner was the hero of the left for fighting for the public option.
I wish our democratic politicians wouldn’t take turns being the good guys and bad guys, and just be the good guys all the time.
schumer’s crack that “they dont believe in the torah” is reallly stupid. yes many dont believe in the torah, bible etc.. when i read the article he said this to the orthodox union- a grp i know well. very. this grp of jews are out sync with most jews on key issues ie church and state, they prohibit women from standing on the pulpit, vehemently anti gay rights and tend to lean more republican than reform or conservative jewry.reform and conserv allow owmen rabbis, cantors, reading from the torah on sabbath, gay ordination, and reform allows gay marriage. the ortho union drives me bonkers- and nyc they hold a powerful sway for pols.
ortho union has been a terrible enemy of hillary bc she smooched arafat’s wife in 2000. they still smear her- but for more than the smooch- i think for being such a independant woman.
since the Palestinians in Gaza elected Hamas…
THANK YOU.
I thought we were all about to drown in denseness.
I seriously think that we should start drug testing Senators and Congressmens! I was soooo flaborghasted when I read this early that I had to take a Nap and an asprin from the migrain. SPEECHLESS!!
Thanks again for posting a diary on this one, d. Stunning, I agree.
“They don’t believe in the Torah, in David…” Relying on a document many historians believe contains large amounts of fiction and unsupportable legend is a dangerous strategy, if that is what Schumer is doing. There is great controversy over whether, e.g., the Kingdom of David really existed, or was a fanciful creation of later years. Laura Miller has written a decent summary of the issues at http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2001/02/07/solomon/index.html but using the book The Bible Unearthed (by Israel Finkelstein) as a taking off point will lead interested readers to question what many have long accepted. (I’ve read the book, and it is difficult but rewarding and fascinating.)
BTW, as someone who was raised as a Christian, I believe the Christian Gospels are largely a fiction, to the extent they provide a biography of Christ’s life. Many prominent theologians agree (read up on the Jesus Seminar.)
I sure can’t understand why Palestinians would be expected to believe the Torah. It’s not their religion.
Actually, it is.
The insult to injury here is that Schumer is factually wrong.
The Torah is the five books of Moses. Together with the Nevi’im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings), they constitute the Old Testament, which Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all share as part of their belief system.
This has been your religious studies lesson for the evening:)
Schumer’s macaca moment, plain and simple, though no one expects he’ll pay a price.
How is Israel’s policy toward Gaza any different from our policy toward North Korea?
That’s just ridiculous. North Korea is arguably the most opaque country on planet earth. It’s not like they’re inviting humanitarian assistance. Come on.
…and what your question has to do with Schumer’s comments I haven’t a clue.
Yes, North Korea is opaque. But it is also under crushing US sanctions. The people are starving. If everybody is so concerned about the poor, innocent suffering people, then why isn’t there a movement to lift sanctions on NK? The people of North Korea are starving. Why all this concern for the Palestinians, but not the North Koreans?
This is just not a comparison that holds up at all, psychodrew. It begins with equating N. Korea with the Palestinians in Gaza.
Are you honestly comparing the Palestinians in a yet undefined, not agreed upon, non-state at this point to North Korea? It’s preposterous.
A place where Dear Leader is starving all who aren’t military, who recently sank a ship carrying over 40 S. Koreans?
The N. Koreans have nukes. Do the Palestinians in Gaza?
Israel’s role against the Palestinians also doesn’t equate with our aiding the South Koreans against a marauding N. Korean govt.
Your emotion on this issue, which I understand and is common with a lot of people, is clouding your debate points.
North Korea is selling nuclear weapons and rocket technology to any an all comers to bring in hard currency. To compare them to the Palestinians is simple nonsense.
Exactly. I just don’t get that one at all.
Taylor:
Agreed – psychodrew knows perfectly well its nonsense but the folks working in Israel’s PR machine understand the game of Disinformation – this strikes me as a variant of # 4 – “Use a straw man”- in Sweeney’s Twenty-Five Rules of Disinformation (see: http://www.whale.to/m/disin.html). Actually it should be the false equivalence variant of the straw man technique. Create a straw man that you know your opponent supports and has some superficial elements in common with the idea you are trying to protect then claim its equivalent.
Looks to me like liberalastheycome has moved on and psychodrew has been assigned to replace him or her.
Psychodrew is a very smart individual. I have a lot of respect for his views. He’s lived in China and I’ve found his input on that country invaluable.
That said, I believe you have something when you say he knows perfectly well what’s happening. I think he’s as sad as the rest of us about this nonsense spewing from the Democratic hierarchy.
Emotions run high on this subject. I’ve just learned to separate mine from analysis, but that’s because it’s what I do.
Ive just put up a diary on news in Israel on livni’s latest moves as she continues to lead in the polls. Everyone is watching her.
Schumer and others are waging a PR battle on Israel’s behalf. Notice how he conflates Abu Mazen and Fatah with Hamas, even if only by implication. He says the Palestinians don’t want a two state solution- which Palestinians has he talked to? He’s able to channel them now? Abu Mazen most certainly wants a two state solution- and quickly! It’s Likud that doesn’t. That Schumer is able to propagandize in such a disingenuous manner is sickening.
Also, it’s one thing to engage in economic warfare with another sovereign state- say, China, but it’s quite another to slowly strangle people you are occupying under international law. As a result, this is not economic warfare in any legal sense although Schumer’s clearly trying to provide cover for Israel based upon the revelations in the McClatchy article Taylor posted yesterday. This is collective punishment by an occupying power in violation of international law.
It’s interesting that the people who believe Israel should never be criticized, make NO distinction between Israeli leaders or political parties and that’s why people like Schumer are actually steering Israel towards the edge of a cliff.
“Also, it’s one thing to engage in economic warfare with another sovereign state- say, China, but it’s quite another to slowly strangle people you are occupying under international law. As a result, this is not economic warfare in any legal sense although Schumer’s clearly trying to provide cover for Israel based upon the revelations in the McClatchy article Taylor posted yesterday. This is collective punishment by an occupying power in violation of international law.”
Hey Fu*k Schumer, can you say Warsaw Ghetto?
Schumer is just another tired old Zionist still trying to peddle that threadbare suit of anti-Semitism. Peace
It’s a good article. I appreciate the comments. The only question I have is this “It was Pres. George W. Bush who pushed the Palestinians to vote before they were ready, thus delivering Hamas.” What does that mean exactly? Why does the US get to decide when Palestinians are “ready” to vote for their own leaders. What does this mean? Judging from our track record, maybe the US isn’t “ready” for elections and democracy. Who gets to decide for us?