Time out - The Jewish Standard

Some people are already upset about the naming of George Mitchell as special envoy for Middle East peace. Writing in the Philadelphia Bulletin and FrontPage magazine, David Bedein (of the Israel Resource News Agency, Center for Near East Policy Research Ltd, Beit Agron Int’l Press Center, Jerusalem) referred readers to “The Mitchell Report on the Al-Aqsa Intifadeh” (http://www.mideastweb.org/mitchell_report.htm).

He says that the report is so biased in favor of the Palestinians that it “drove a nail into the coffin of any credibility that George Mitchell can ever have as a Middle East envoy.”

For Bedein’s article, go to http://frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=7E652C4D-2AAF-4D28-8660-0F1619D7D7E3.

On the other hand, there seems to be more-than-cautious approval of the appointment around the Jewish world.

According to a JTA brief, “Israel welcomed Mitchell’s appointment. Its U.S. ambassador, Sallai Meridor, congratulated Mitchell in a statement and said Israel holds him ‘in high regard and looks forward to working with him on taking the next steps towards realizing a future of peace and security for Israel and her neighbors.'”

Also, the brief continued, “Dovish groups … lauded the choice,” and David Harris, the executive director of “the more centrist American Jewish Committee …. told The Jewish Week before Mitchell’s announcement was official that the former U.S. senator from Maine could be a ‘good and logical choice’ if he is given a mandate focusing mostly on crisis management.”

Of course, more than “crisis management” is needed.

Let’s give the new administration some breathing space. (That’s all we can do, anyway.) Let’s encourage and be on the side of the peace-makers. That’s good pr, at the very least – and besides, maybe this time we can “give peace a chance.”

I’m off for the week, visiting the famous Doroboro and her husband Hugh. I won’t be blogging, unless something really compelling comes along. I hope it’s a good week for all.

Cheers! And Shabbat shalom.

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