Exodus on TCM

Turner Classic Movies is playing Exodus, and as I write this post Barak Ben Canaan (played by L. J. Cobb) is imploring the Arabs to remain in their homes and work together.

The British mandate ended on May 14, 1948, the state of Israel was proclaimed on the same day, and the following day five Arab states - Egypt, TransJordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq - invaded Israel.

Fast-forward sixty years later, and what have we got?

Arab Ideological Doctrine Syndrome: A Crippling Plague (h/t Larwyn)

If the central issue is pride, not material benefit, and if battling the West and Israel are the prime directives, whether this policy leads to defeat, bankruptcy, tyranny, and general disaster is irrelevant. And despite the existence of courageous dissenters from this doctrine, it still rules the Arab world, something every Arab but few in the West understands. This is why peace, moderation, and pragmatism still cannot win there.

Indeed, PA president Mahmoud Abbas is saying he's opposed to an armed struggle against Israel - for the time being - "because we cannot succeed in it" (h/t Gringo)

but maybe in the future things will be different," he said.

Somebody ought to tell King Abdullah when he's in town talking about how "moderates" are ready to "negotiate".

In the meantime, the UN is criticizing Israel for defending itself, with a mild chiding to the Palestinians for attacking Israel.

Peace process? Only if the Hamas thinks it'll wipe Israel off the face of the Earth.

UPDATE
Attacks Widen: Netivot, Psagot and Jerusalem Under Fire (hat tip Pamela, via Larwyn)
Thinly-veiled fiction at Siggy's.
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