In denial

In the State Department briefing of March 25, which can be viewed here, at the 18:50 mark, a journalist asks the State Department Spokesperson about Israeli violations.

QUESTION: -- on the Israeli behavior. I mean, we have seen increased incessant violations of Palestinian camps and cities and so on. Today, this morning, as a matter of fact, the Israeli forces went into the Polytechnic University and beat up a guy, arrested him. They beat up a number of professors and so on, unprovoked. We have seen this pattern in the last few days. Are you talking with the Israelis about – as far as scaling back this very aggressive behavior in the last week or so? http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2014/03/223927.htm

The Palestinian anews agency reported that, "The Israeli force grabbed 23-year-old Jaber Rujub, from the nearby city of Dora and a student in Palestine Polytechnic University in Hebron, while he was standing outside the university campus."
 http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=24702

Can the reporter please enlighten me as to where he read about the Israeli forces going into the University and beating up professors?

The Huffington Post has an article about an interview between Josh Zepps and Steven Schama in which I got upset when the author opined, "The bible is not a history book. The Bible is kind of a magnificent piece of imaginative poetry."


I must admit I was further irate when I heard Mr. Zepps ask, "Could I put it this way that you are implying that Orthodox right-wing Jews are un-Jewish? "
The author's response was that they were "in denial about what the complicated reality of Judaism, as well as Jewish culture, has been."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/25/simon-schama-orthodox-jews_n_5028488.html?utm_hp_ref=religion


I might suggest that some people other than right-wing Jews are in denial.


While the JPost writes  Report: US agrees to free Pollard for extended Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, YnetNews quotes Jen Psaki. "There are no plans to release Jonathan Pollard at the moment,” said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Wednesday. “Jonathan Pollard was convicted of espionage against the United States – a very serious crime. He was sentenced to life and is currently serving his sentence.” http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4503562,00.html
So while the U.S. spokesperson feels that a person convicted of a serious crime should serve his sentence, the U.S. has no problem pressuring Israel to release prisoners convicted of serious crimes before they have served their sentences.