'HOW DARE THEY, ALREADY!'

 

Jewish head 'rebukes' U.S.
for daring to criticize Israel

 

Foxman rebukes US official for criticizing Israel
The Jerusalem Post  Sunday, November 4, 2001 / 18 Heshvan 5762 02:25

By MELISSA RADLER

NEW YORK—In unusually harsh words directed at the U.S. State Department's Middle East policy, Anti-Defamation League national director Abraham Foxman publicly lambasted Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs William Burns at an ADL national conference, saying that comments made by Burns on Thursday made him "queasy."

Foxman's criticism came just moments after Burns cast partial blame on Israel for the ongoing intifada. Burns was a guest speaker at the ADL's national commission meeting, entitled "Attack on America: Terrorism and Israel's Role."

While stating that the Palestinians "must live up to the agreements they made and they must be held to account when they do not," and calling attention to "disturbing patterns of bigotry and racism in much of the region's press." Burns also held Israel accountable for "stereotyping Palestinians over the past year, dehumanization through media, checkpoints, closures, and other actions that have no direct security justification."

He also criticized Israel's settlement activity, which he said "destroys Palestinian hope and trust, and drives more Palestinians into the hands of extremists."

Stating that the State Department's goal in the Middle East is "to lead Arabs and Israelis back from the brink," Burns said that its peace initiatives are backed by the "moderate majorities in the Middle East."

In a response that drew a round of applause from the audience, Foxman took the podium and said, "When you talk about the moderate Arab majority, it makes me queasy. I'm not sure where those moderate Arab majorities are. There is no silent majority. There's intimidation, fear, extremism."

Foxman continued, "There isn't even agreement that violence must stop. There isn't a cycle of violence. We know where the violence is. I'd like to say hear the U.S. government stand on the podium, and say, 'Stop it already.'"

Other guests at the three-day conference, the location of which was switched from San Francisco to New York in an expression of solidarity following the September 11 attacks, included Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit, former FBI director Louis Freeh, New York Governor George Pataki, and terrorism expert Boaz Ganor.

 

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