How Can Bush Support a Palestinian State If His Crony Wants 'All Arabs to Disappear'?

Israeli writer Nahum Barnea penned a sharp attack on choleric Sheldon Adelson, third richest man in America, describing him as a bully and heavyweight who is messing disastrously in Israeli politics. (The piece was picked up from Yediot Aharanot by Mojo.) Two data points:

"[Adelson] would like all the Arabs to disappear," another activist for a Jewish organization told me. "It seems that he thinks that the Arabs are gambling chips."

This is shocking. Bush says he is for a Palestinian state. Yet Adelson was Bush's guest of honor, the top name on his list for his speech the other day. OK, it was alphabetical. Still, what does this mean politically? Adelson is regularly covered in the U.S. press because of his backing of the pro-Iraq-war Freedom's Watch, but his true agenda, supporting birthright and Netanyahu and colonies and destroying the possibility of a Palestinian state, is never visited here. Only by Israelis. Why aren't American journalists interviewing Adelson about his aims for the West Bank--as well as everyone else in Bush's prayer circle?

Then this: Adelson got angry with another American Jewish activist, met him in Vegas.

The meeting at Adelson's office, in the Venetian hotel-casino, was a stormy one. Adelson took out a written list of accusations, many of them childish. You hosted (PA prime minister) Salam Fayyad, he said. He is a terrorist with blood on his hands. He is one of the founders of Fatah. Salam Fayyad was never involved in terrorism, his interlocutor said. He is not a member of Fatah. Where did you get these accusations from?

From Steve Emerson, said the billionaire. Emerson is an American Jew who often analyzes terror matters.

It has always seemed to me that the only real motivation of Steven Emerson, the "terror analyst" who regularly appears on cable television, is to rationalize everything Israel does by vilifying Arabs. Finally a little evidence.

Comments

[Joachim Martillo]

If you really want to understand Sheldon Adelson's politics, you have to investigate Miriam Ochshorn just as any analysis of Norman Podhoretz is incomplete without discussing Midge Decter's influence.

[MRW.]

Philip, I was in a Jewish deli here in the southwest. The kind of place where the 70+ hang out and qvell in their polyesters over plates of the best pickles EVER, and whatever they are ordering. A group of grandkids (I discovered) came in to meet up with two tables of oldies and pick up envelopes from one of them. The discussion, as the kids stood and their grandparents sat, turned to Bush in Israel, which was prominently displayed in the papers on the table. Lots of shouting and arguing with the kids saying Bush doesn't represent me, what's he going to do start WWIII and you're OK with that? and we're Americans first Zayda. As they left, one turned near the cash register, where I was, and called back I told you, you need to start reading your Philip Weiss, and like starting now.

[Charles Keating]

I find this comment hopeful.