Kristof Pleads Guilty to Double Standards
October 6, 2011 11:51 by Pesach Benson
Nicholas Kristof
NY Times columnist Nicholas Kristof pleads guilty to unfairly holding Israel to a higher standard. After saying that Palestinians in the West Bank should be allowed to vote in Israeli elections, Kristof explains:
That’s what democracy means: people have the right to vote on the government that controls their lives. Some of my Israeli friends will think I’m unfair and harsh, applying double standards by focusing on Israeli shortcomings while paying less attention to those of other countries in the region. Fair enough: I plead guilty. I apply higher standards to a close American ally like Israel that is a huge recipient of American aid.
Friends don’t let friends drive drunk — or drive a diplomatic course that leaves their nation veering away from any hope of peace.
Indeed. Since friends don’t let friends drive drunk — or write NYT columns veering from sanity, would it be no less an act of friendship on my part to fisk Kristof by pointing out the myth of of Israeli intransigence, the White House’s mis-steps, and a very misguided Bill Clinton?
That leaves us with Kristof’s mea culpa.
Generally speaking, a plea of guilt is an acknowledgment of wrongdoing. For it to be meaningful, it is normally accompanied by a commitment to change and/or a punishment.
In this case, we’re talking about a prominent columnist at a widely-read newspaper saying he unfairly holds Israel to a higher standard. Although Kristof has also written about Syrians literally dying for democracy, Saudi women who have no right to vote, and Iranians who had an election stolen from them, is it any consolation that their far worse problems get short-shrifted by the Kristof mentality?
So now that Kristof has admitted he unfairly holds Israel to a higher standard while paying less attention to problems in other countries, what’s he going to do about it?
UPDATE Oct 6, 1:15 pm: Clearly, Greg Sheridan’s column applies just as much to Kristof as it does to Sheridan’s intended target, Australian FM Kevin Rudd:
A few days ago Rudd issued a statement criticising Israel’s approval of 1100 new housing units in Gilo, an area of Jerusalem. This statement was a mistake in its own terms, but it also reflects Rudd’s basic strategic misjudgment. That judgment is that what the situation needs most of all is increased international pressure on Israel.
It is perfectly legitimate to make reasonable demands of Israel. But I have not seen, from the Australian government or from most Western commentators, commensurate demands on the Palestinian Authority. For the past two years it has been the PA, not the Israelis, that has refused direct negotiations. Shouldn’t Rudd have called on the PA to engage in direct negotiations? Or how about some passing reference to continued anti-Jewish incitement among many Palestinian groups?
hattrick3
2:17 pm
Oct 06, 2011
I don’t think Kristof thinks he needs to do something about his double standard. He is saying it is ok to have a different standard for countries that receive US foreign aid.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Brenley
1:30 pm
Dec 13, 2011
Always refrneshig to hear a rational answer.
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E
6:09 pm
Oct 06, 2011
Funny enough, the Palestinians receive US/global aid as well, so by his accounts, he should be holding the Palestinians to higher standard as well. Oh what’s that? Caught you in a poorly-worded defensive position? Egg meet face.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
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The Caped Crusader
6:09 pm
Oct 06, 2011
Of course, the ironic thing is that Israel doesn’t receive aid, it is ‘given’ loans for military purchases, which keep many jobs going in America. And of course, the interest on those loans means the US government gets a nice slice of the pie too, not to mention making many Israelis lives a misery by constantly interfering in who Israel elects, democratically, not to mention various government policy.
It’s naturally quite reasonable that in exchange for blackmail money, Americans have the right to perpetuate the conflict by repeating PLO propaganda claims against Israel, thus ensuring that absolutely no pressure be placed on the terrorist dictators. But what are friends for?
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
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hattrick3
6:32 pm
Oct 06, 2011
E, this is an excellent point. Israel receives something like $4B in US aid
out of its $195B GDP. The Palestinians received roughly $225M in aid in 2010,
and their GDP was $4B (2009). So US aid to the PA is 18% of their GDP, but
US aid to Israel is 2% of Israel’s GDP. So US “leverage” over the Palestinians
is actually about 9x more significant than our leverage over Israel. Seems
actually like Kristof’s logic works in reverse from the way he is stating it.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
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sav'ta shel Cohen
11:05 am
Oct 07, 2011
We all know that this is not the first example of the Gillard/Rudd comedy act voicing anti-Israeli sentiments. This government is either really anti-Israeli or it is playing politics to keep ever growing numbers of Arabs happy. And smug Mr Kristof is talking such shtuyot be mitz agvaniyot! He “pleads guilty” but he is proud of it and arrogantly defends himself! When did being as stupid as a shoe become the criteria for being a journalist at the NY Times??? The Times really seems to have its fair share of them these days!
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Bert Gold
4:34 am
Oct 10, 2011
Here is a comment on Kristof’s column that the NYTimes refused to post. Yes, I contacted the Ombudsman, to no avail. You can tell me what you think of it:
I’ve always considered Kristof antisemitic, or at least favoring the arab side. In this piece he proves that he does (favor the arab side). Read his last few paragraphs. As for the antisemitic part, you would have to understand that his prescription would end the only Jewish State on Earth. And, with it, the hopes of all Jewish people that they could seek refuge should an awful new genocide against Jews occur. Jews, after all, have been on the receiving end of genocidal threats throughout most of recorded history. But, Kristof manages to conveniently forget that; or at the very least, lose his empathy for Jews in favor of his ‘soft-spot’ for the arab underdogs with 22 extant States.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
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Arn Yeroshalmi
6:31 pm
Oct 11, 2011
I have no time for the likes of Kristof. What a way to earn a living as a barking attack dog.
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Tante Laeh
9:24 pm
Oct 11, 2011
By that measure all the illegals in the USA should vote in our elections. Kristof who is actually the child of an Armenian Death March survivor who has worked to end genocide is pulling the hanging cord around the neck of Israel.
Next time he comes to visit his family I will spit on him.
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