Sunday, April 09, 2006

Screwball Siegman

Since I've met the man and discussed political issues with him (in the lobby of the then Laromme, now the Inbal) the headline above, believe me is appropriate.

If you don't trust me, read this:-

The possibility of an Israeli–Palestinian agreement that enjoys comparable—indeed, perhaps even greater—legitimacy than Arafat could have conferred on it may have been revived by Hamas's entry into Palestinian political life.


and

On the other hand, an Israeli and Western policy of engagement and negotiation with Hamas could encourage fundamental changes in Hamas's policies, and eventually in its ideology. One great advantage of a strategy of engagement with Hamas over a strategy of isolating and undermining it is that Israel would be able to move from a policy of engagement to one of confrontation if it becomes clear that engagement has failed.


The whole long article is here.

3 comments:

Soccer Dad said...

I'd have to say his most embarrassing article had to have been Being Hafiz al-Assad. Assad of course went to his grave without making peace with Israel rendering the article obsolete shortly after it was published.

Have you ever seen Siegman's CV? He has a bachelor's degree. This is a guy who holds a bachelors degree from the New School. It's hard to know exactly what his credentials are. (Apparently some Arabs are suspicious of him because he wears a Yamulke.)

That someone like this is considered an expert on anything is a tribute to the effectiveness of "the Lobby" isn't it?

(reproduced from my comments on another blog.)

YMedad said...

David - he wears no Yarmulke that I am aware of. And his only degree is a BS.

Soccer Dad said...

I had read about the Yarmulke, but since I've never met him, I'll defer to you on that. He apparently has frum relatives (brother, nephews).
I'd agree with the letters of his degree.