Vladimir Putin has invited the leaders of Hamas to Russia to discuss the situation. Russia, he pointed out, has never considered Hamas a terrorist organization. Those of us with any knowledge of Russia and the Jews are wholly unsurprised at this. Russia gaveus the Pale of the Settlement (is that where the phrase “Beyond the pale” comes from? and that execrable hoax, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which was written in Russia for the explicit purpose of libeling Jews.
So. This is not a surprise at all, just as I am not surprised that anti-Semitism in Russia is up again. (Or should that be “still”?)
MADRID, Spain (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday invited leaders of Hamas to Moscow, saying his country – unlike most of the West – does not see the Palestianian group as a terrorist organization.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in Gaza group members would be “delighted” to visit Russia if officially invited. Israel reacted coolly.
Hamas’ surprise Jan. 25 election victory sent shock waves around the world. The group’s founding manifesto calls for the destruction of Israel, and it has refused to move away from that position since the election.
Alexander Kalugin, Russia’s special envoy for the Middle East, said in Moscow that Russia would use the meeting to ask the militant group to recognize Israel’s right to exist. Putin, ending a two-day visit to Spain. urged the world not to turn its back on Hamas.
“Hamas came to power … as a result of democratic, legitimate elections and we must respect the choice of the Palestinian people,” he told a press conference. “We have to look for solutions for the Palestinian people, for the international community, and also for Israel.”
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said a dialogue with Hamas can be established only if it abandons terrorism and recognizes Israel.
Although Hamas has claimed responsibility for violent attacks including suicide bombings in Israel, Putin refused to label it a terrorist organization.
“We have never considered Hamas a terrorist organization,” he said.
No, because Hamas hasn’t targeted Russians. Oh, wait. Actually, they kinda have. They just haven’t been found out yet.
As far as I’m concerned, Vladimir Putin is merely continuing Russia’s centuries-long habit of anti-Semitism. Again, unsurprised. I know someone with more information on Russian anti-Semitism, but it will be up to him to chime in. Write it. I’ll link.
Dammit I’m so sick of people repeating on and on about legitimate elections.
There is no freedom of speech. There is no freedom of the press.
–>
The legitimacy of the election is severely, if not completely undermined.
According to wikipedia (which is now accepted in some courtrooms as valid), the Pale of Settlement was established by Catherine the Great of Russia (not so great to me) in 1791. There is debate whether this is the “pale” referred to as some define it as a political enclosure of questioned origin.
That being said, someone needs to tell 43 that his “friend” “Pootie” needs to be publicly slapped because it is obvious that he (“Pootie”) has regressed to his opportunistic KGB antisemitic past. But I don’t see 43 or his State Department doing it…
putin is pushing russian nationalism and a return to a more soviet era, quite a few of the statues torn down under yeltsin have been put back, the hymn is soviet style again but at the same time putin is trying to lure emigrated russian jews back to russia
he’s succeeded to some extent making chabad the official representatives of judaism and suppressing any competitive jewish agencies and groups, e.g. the expulsion of moscow’s chief rabbi, rabbi goldwasser, and in turn chabad’s rabbis have touted how wonderfull russia is
putin backed organizations have also made a dent in the russian jewish community abroad, a putin backed group is running in the WJC elections, as Russian Jews for Israel, putin backed groups have also bought the russian forward and the novoye russkoye slovo among others
this however may put a dent in luring russian jews back ‘home’
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L10764102.htm
we’ll see
as for russian anti-semitism, look into who some of the most prominent figures in the duma are, e.g. the deputy speaker
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Zhirinovsky
In English, “pale” originally meant a wooden fence (cf. “palisade”), then the space enclosed by a fence, and then an area under a certain political jurisdiction, such as the English-controlled areas of Ireland, Scotland, and France during medieval times. Thus, “beyond the pale” means “outside the fence” or “outside the jurisdiction.” I don’t think the origin of phrase relates to Tsarist Russia and its Jewish population.
Putin resents American power, and opportunistically seeks allies among those who share his resentment, whether they be in China, Iran, Syria, or Germany. By breaking with the US over Hamas he shows he’s independent of American influence, and hopes to gain favor in the Arab/Muslim world. But he should learn from our experience with the Afghan War of the 1980s: he who plays with jihadi fire ends up getting burned.
Personally, I think he’s less anti-Semitic than many Russians, which may not be saying much. Ideologically, he seems to believe in the power of the Russian State, and little else. But the KGB during his era was full of paranoia and vitriol about the evils of Zionism; I wonder if some of it stuck.
I think Derek has got it.
From Etymology Online
pale (n.) c.1330, “fence of pointed stakes,” from L. palus “stake,” related to pangere “to fix or fasten” (see pact). Fig. sense of “limit, boundary, restriction” is from c.1400. Barely surviving in beyond the pale and similar phrases. Meaning “the part of Ireland under English rule” is from 1547.
I don’t know why they think this is so obscure, though. The word “paling” for a fence of pointed stakes (or the individual stakes) is clearly related and still in use.