Let’s say you are a member of parliament of a nation with many enemies. Let’s say you regularly make trips to those enemy nations. Let’s also say that you call on the enemies of the nation whose parliament you are a member to bring down destruction on that nation. And finally, let’s say you advise the internal enemies of your nation never to make peace with the nation for whom you serve.
Would that make you guilty of treason?
Would that give the world a reason to think that perhaps you are working against the nation that elected you and sent you to parliament?
Well, in every other nation, yes. But here is where the Exception Clause comes into play. Because the nation is Israel, the member of parliament is an Arab born in Israel, and the world simply closes its eyes to the treachery because, of course, his grievance is that he is an Arab born in Israel.
Arab Knesset Member Azmi Bishara (Balad) warned Hamas against making any substantial concessions to win the international community’s support.
Bishara’s comments were made during an interview with Jordanian newspaper al-Ra’i prior to the publication of his intention to resign from the Knesset.
“Fatah’s willingness to make concessions during the 1970s and in the framework of the Oslo Accords and the Madrid Conference just so it could remain in power under the (Israeli) occupation hurt the movement,†he said.
Bishara has fled to Jordan, and word has it he is set to resign from the Israeli Knesset soon. Of course, he’s now denying it. But he is going to be charged with visiting enemy states (from where he spoke against Israel, if I recall correctly).
The MK’s reported upcoming resignation could be connected to suspicions that Bishara had violated a 2001 law forbidding political officials from traveling to enemy states after he visited both Lebanon and Syria in 2006.
When Bishara is charged with working with Israel’s enemies, watch for the world to excuse it on the grounds that Israel “colonized” his family’s land or something. Because Israel can never do right by most of the world. Probably has something to do with all those damned Jews in it. You see, if it were only the state of Palestine, the world would like it so much better… because they cared so much about the nation called the Mandate of Palestine prior to Israel’s birth.
Yes, that last paragraph was simply chock-full of sarcasm. Why do you ask?
When I started reading this, I thought you were talking about Nancy Pelosi going to Syria! Nearly all the same statements apply…
Oh, bullshit. The only statement that applies to Pelosi is that she’s a member of a parliament of a nation with many enemies. She has NEVER sided with our enemies, and she has never called on our enemies to destroy us. I hate it when people try to say that she does, because that’s a flat-out lie.
True, Meryl. A legislator’s clueless asurpation of powers reserved to the Executive Branch is not treason. Besides Nancy looks stunning in a burka.
You know, Bob, that was a scarf, plain and simple, and she wore it only when she went inside a mosque.
If you come to my synagogue, you are expected to wear a kippa, and if you stay for services, you are expected to rise when we rise, and sit when we sit. It is a sign of respect for a holy place and my religion, even though it is not your holy place or your religion.
I’ll slam Pelosi on every other aspect of that trip, but I will not slam her for wearing a scarf out of respect while visiting a mosque–even if that mosque was built over a church.
On a re-read, I do see that only 1 directly applies and maybe 2 if you leave out “frequent”. I’ll read more carefully next time. But I still thing her Syrian visit was at least felonious if not treasonous.
Two doesn’t apply as she only just started this little shadow presidency diplomacy thing.
Did she violate the Logan Act? I think so, but I’m not a lawyer. Felonious, yes, treasonous, no.
While I have respect for your religion, Meryl, and many others, I refuse to respect a religion that is responsible for genocide, acts of terrorism, and constant attacks on Israel. I’m sorry, the “religion of peace” simply isn’t worthy of any respect whatsoever.
Pelosi is certainly guilty of being naive, and she is very much a political animal, but unlike James Baker, I don’t believe she wakes up every day with a heartfelt desire to undermine the State of Israel and see it disappear from the map.
Bad judgement? Definitely. Bad intentions? I don’t think so.
You’re right Mamzer. She does not intend to cause a disaster, she is just too stupid to recognize the consequences of her acts.
Israel isn’t all that exceptional in this case. In Northern Ireland, members of Sinn Fein are regularly elected to British Parliament (though they don’t participate in any votes). In some ways it’s worse to see Gerry Adams hold office — Bishara is only a terrorist sympathizer, but Adams is an actual terrorist. But both men were duly elected, and should be allowed to hold office unless convicted of something blatantly treasonous.
P.S. Kudos to Meryl for calling bullshit on the “Pelosi is just like Bishara!” comment.
You mean that in Israel, they can actually hold treasonous politicians accountable for their words and actions? That is so cool! We should be able to do that here in the USA too.
If we could, we should start with the most obvious case – and it’s not Nancy Pelosi. Jay Rockefeller would be a better start for his decision to tip-off the Syrian Government (our enemy) to the impending invasion of their ally Saddam’s Iraq (another enemy).