The Israeli-Palestinian Version of "Back to the Future": George Mitchell Rides Again

The Jewish Voice and Opinion ^ | February 2009 | Susan Rosenbluth

[gscc]

While Israel officially rolled out the welcome mat for President Barack Obama’s new special envoy to the Middle East, former Sen George J. Mitchell, supporters of Judea and Samaria did not hide their concern.

It was epitomized by former Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller, who has been extremely critical of the Jewish state and is usually considered one of the State Department’s "Arabists." Mr. Miller saw Mr. Mitchell’s appointment as "a strong suggestion that Obama is going to free himself of the exclusive relationship that the US has had with Israel."

[arthurus]

Israel is going to have to figure out how to live on its own now. I bet the US cuts of military aid to Israel and maybe economic aid as well

[hinckley buzzard]

There is no question that Obammy is intent on betraying Israel. the only question is how deep the knife is going to go.

If the Wonder Boy follows form we can expect an "unofficial" spontaneous yet strangely coordinated campaign to disparage Israel and Jews in general. Virtually every dictator has felt it necessary to scapegoat the Jews and I see no reason to believe this thug will be any different.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you'd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

[justiceseeker93]

Thanks for the post. Lengthy article with quotes from some people whose opinions one seldom gets to see or hear in the media.

Is it too politically incorrect to say that Mitchell is of Arab ancestry and was reared in an Arab ethnic milieu (in Maine)? For some strange reason, I haven't seen that salient fact mentioned in any coverage of his role as O's envoy the Middle East "peace" process.

[justiceseeker93]

Ping!!!

Please see my post # 5.

[Cicero]

Is it too politically incorrect to say that Mitchell is of Arab ancestry and was reared in an Arab ethnic milieu (in Maine)? For some strange reason, I haven't seen that salient fact mentioned in any coverage of his role as O's envoy the Middle East "peace" process.

I had never heard anything about that. Do you have a good source? I googled it, and did find this much in Wikipedia:

"Mitchell's father, George John Mitchell, was of Irish descent and was a janitor at Colby College and his mother, Mary Saad, was Arab and textile worker who emigrated to the United States from Bkassine, Lebanon at the age of eighteen. Because of his origin, he defined himself as Arab-American."

[SJackson]

I don’t think it’s relevant. Better to focus on his positions, which are essentially if we talk to them, and apologize for America’s transgretions, everything will work out just fine. The fact that he has a Christian Arab background isn’t relevant.

[justiceseeker93]

Well, now you know the truth. At least Wikipedia had the guts to allow something to be posted over the 'Net. Furthermore, Mitchell's father, although of Irish descent, was orphaned at a very young age and was himself raised in an Arab-American household, Jr. attended a Maronite church in which Arabic was frequently spoken. As a senator, he was a guest speaker at least once at an Arab ethnic society in the US. So aside from the genetic perspective, Mitchell's background is Arab-American, contrary to a lot of hype about his Irish heritage when he was Clinton's envoy to Northern Ireland. As for sources, there is a mention of this in a New York Times front page piece piece by Steven Roberts (Cokie's husband, I believe) from Nov. 30, 1988.

Generally speaking, Dems have a penchant for "keeping their skeletons in the closet" a lot better than Republicans do.

[justiceseeker93]

I don't think it's relevant.

I disagree. I think most people of Arab ethnicity, even if they are Christians (except for those Christians who were brutalized by Islamist exremists in the past few decades) tend to side with the Pali positions in the Israel-Palestine dispute.

[SJackson]

That’s true, still his Arab heritage isn’t the issue. Many Christian Arabs support Israel. Joe Farah comes to mind. Much better to address the positions.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks justiceseeker93.

[justiceseeker93]

...still his Arab heritage isn't the issue.

It wouldn't be if he were Joe Farrah. Since he's George Mitchell, it is. I'd be confident the Mossad is acutely aware of it and its importance in the development of Mitchell's ideas on the Istael-Palestinian dispute.