Rabbi Yonah

I heard Dennis Ross speak in Baltimore recently as part of the Hillel International Conference. He made it clear that Jimmy “sticky fingers” Carter (the president formerly known as Mr. Peanut) had lifted his maps without permission from his previously published book—indirectly accusing Carter and his publishers of plagiarism. He mentioned that he had communicated this to the Carter folks, and was waiting to go public with his criticism.

Well in a the most limp and lifeless way he has “fought” back. In yesterdays NY Times, he takes up the issue of the maps and Carter’s pathetic polemic (discussed in these illustrious pages).

However, Ross is all about setting the previous record straight and not with the reality on the ground. Sure, its important to understand the myths that drive the conflict. But hey, the myths started LONG AGO DENNIS. He writes as if ‘ rejection of Clinton’s proposals was important historically, when in reality it was not. It was just the same’o thing as we have seen for generations.

Anyway. if you want you can read Ross here. And he ends with this brilliant piece “If history tells us anything, it is that for peace-making to work, it must proceed on the basis of fact, not fiction.” Mr. Ross, peacemaking is a state of mind, not a statement of facts. You are simply wrong.