Monday, December 17, 2012

On being critical as an ally

Returning to this interview of Abu Marzook:
As for the Protocols, “The Zionists wrote it, and they said, ‘No, we didn’t.‘ [It’s] linked to Zionists,” he said. 
Informed that the document was, in fact, a forgery, Abu Marzook appeared nonplussed. “Really? This is the first time I know [about this],” he said.
I was telling someone Saturday of how the Palestinians' allies fail to challenge them. Being an ally doesn't mean uncritical support and at times does mean challenging people. There are a great many asymmetries in the conflict, and this is but one, but I pointed to it as an important one that preserves the conflict. (Keep in mind that the Palestinians' allies are often in still more powerful positions compared with Jews or Israel.) How is it that the first Marzook heard that the Protocols were a forgery was in talking with the Forward?