[New York Times, 20Dec06] Thomas L. Friedman - I'd like to offer my updated rules of Middle East reporting: What people tell you in private in the Middle East is irrelevant. All that matters is what they will defend in public in their own language. Anything said to you in English, in private, doesn't count. In the Mideast, officials say what they really believe in public and tell you what you want to hear in private. In the Middle East, when one side is weak, it will tell you, "I'm weak, how can I compromise?" And when it's strong, it will tell you, "I'm strong, why should I compromise?" The Israeli-Arab conflict is not just about borders. Israel's mere existence is a daily humiliation to Muslims, who can't understand how, if they have the superior religion, Israel can be so powerful.
2006-12-26 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive