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Rush Limbaugh has his . . . well, here is mine. This is my record of news stories and issues that interest me. You can also find more headlines at the site where I serve as editor: The Common Voice.

Friday, September 17, 2004

Last Word From Israel

Jay Nordlinger's Impromptus on National Review Online

Some of the interesting tidbits:
We travel up north, to the "finger" of Israel, and, in fact, to the "fingernail" — Metullah, a beautiful little town of 1,600 in the crosshairs of Hezbollah guns. Yes, we are on the Lebanese border. There's the spot from which Prof. Edward Said threw rocks! We are told, in fact, that conscientious Shiites bring their children here, to throw rocks at Israeli farmers. That is how they spend their vacation. Who needs Disneyland?
I found this section interestings because I just recently spoke with a Lebanese reporter. I didn't realize that the Lebanese do not harbor as much animous for Israel as they do for Syria. The more I learn about the Middle East the more I see Syria as a cancer. Any people they touch are harmed - whether it be Lebanese, Israeli or Palestinian.
For years, workers in the Israeli orchards were Lebanese. According to one resident I meet, Israelis and these Lebanese had good relations, respecting one another, benefiting from one another, participating in one another's celebrations, and so on. But the death grip of Hezbollah meant that Lebanese could not cross to work in Metullah anymore.
I'll end with two last observations from the article:
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to end with some general things. Throughout my week in Israel, I've often found myself angry — mainly at this country's pariah status. That the world should hate this country says something very, very bad about the world.
And...
This is how I think of Israel: a determination to live, in spite of the worst. A refusal to surrender to death. A refusal to succumb to evil. A decision to live. To keep living. To choose life, not death. To go on.
Thanks, Jay - I enjoyed your reports.

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