"The Ironing is Delicious"

Looks like ol' Rav "I made an amulet out of clay" Yosef has gotten himself into an interesting political bind. Maybe more Torah study would help.

A quick Israel news roundup:

- Israel is pissed at Poland's new Education Minister because his party is accused of anti-Semitism. The Israelis are dealing with it by refusing to meet with the dude. Yeah, because I'm sure not having to talk with a bunch of pushy, big-nosed Jews is really going to make this guy sad and re-think his position.

- Jerusalem's Haredi mayor accuses secular Israelis of "racism" against Haredim, demonstrating once again the kind of superior education provided by the best yeshivas secular Israelis can buy.

- Kadima MKs are getting nervous over the Gaza shitstorm and are starting to rethink pulling out of the West Bank. Much as I hate to admit it, there's a germ of a good idea here. Then again, even the left-wingers like Beilin were against unilateral withdrawl from Gaza. It seems like the "no partner, let's just build a wall" idea maybe isn't all it's cracked up to be. Unfortunately, the "let's talk it out" argument doesn't seem terribly strong at the moment, either. (Then again, Hanineh keeps making waves about a 100-year hudna...) I'm starting to think the late Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg had it right.

He simply claims that the divisions between the militant Palestinians and Israelis are so intractable that it will take generations to arrive at a full settlement.

...Hertzberg maintains that reasonable plans such as a two-state solution, territorial concessions, a divided Jerusalem and no right of return put forward by moderates on both sides of the conflict won’t lead to a negotiated solution. This is because the Palestinians can’t control the militant factions that are unwilling to accept the existence of Israel, forcing Israel to control the extremists itself. “We are being treated to some more of ‘the theater of the peace process,’ that is, talk of peace without the slightest hope of attaining it,”

- On the other hand, from Ha'aretz.

- Lastly, Arutz Sheva grossly distorts an already disturbing-enough comment from an Arab MK, turning the story from an important issue of political loyalty and moral responsibility into an absurd, xenophobic, , "let's tar and feather those damn A-rabs" turd-on-a-plate. Congrats, guys. Hey, why not organize a mob? That worked pretty well last time an Arab MK pissed you off. (Confirmed here.)

Some analysis on this last one, along with some post-Disengagement, pre-Convergance musings tomorrow. Later this week, I might abuse treat my small but loyal following to my first D'var Torah (Torah talk), which is presently being written in the confines of my extremely attractive skull.

Oh, and 10 cool-points to whoever can identify the title quote without use of der Google.