Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tzipi Livni, got a first-hand education about what it means to dwell alone among the nations. Over there at Annapolis, during Condi's Big Bash, not a single delegate agreed to shake her hand. Immediately thereafter, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert released 400-plus terrorists from Israeli prisons.


This may all be marked as coincidence, but I choose to believe that following the insult,

A first-hand education about what it means to dwell alone among the nations.

the meeting between Livni and Olmert went something like this:


LIVNI: "What can we do to make them shake our hands?"


OLMERT: "How about I give away Jerusalem?"


LIVNI: "Save that for later, when we need them to let us enter through the front door instead of the servant's entrance."


OLMERT: "Plan B, then. I'll release 400 terrorists."


LIVNI: "Now you're talking."


In case you missed the story that never made it into the mainstream press, yes, Livni worked the room, networking, but she could find no dance partner. Also, the Israeli delegation had to duck into Condi's party through a side or back entrance, like Dunkin' Donuts, while the other celebrants got the Starbucks treatment. I say "celebrants" because, after all, this was all about carving up Israel for a proper Thanksgiving feast.


What's more, the 40-plus delegations got there to the party in limos, while the Israelis more or less stuck their thumbs out and hitched or went chasing after school buses. Some had to resort to bikes and roller skates. Condoleezza Rice - who is all about civil rights and equal rights - did not object, as far as we know, to this act of segregation, intolerance, bigotry and apartheid.


LIVNI to CONDI: "Will you shake my hand?"


CONDI: "Not while people are watching. How did you get in here in the first place? Here, distribute some of these fish cakes. Make yourself useful."


There's a rumor - and this did make it into the mainstream media - that someone from lash-them-and-hang-them-high Saudi Arabia applauded after Olmert made his speech. Now, however, we're learning that this prince (and aren't they all!) didn't actually bring his hands together, which brings to mind J. D. Salinger's sound of "one hand clapping."


OLMERT: "How can we make our dear friends the Saudis get up and cheer after I give a wonderful speech omitting Israel as a Jewish State?"


LIVNI: "How about giving up Judea and Samaria entirely?"


OLMERT: "You mean the West Bank?"


LIVNI: "Of course."


OLMERT: "That's already on the table."


LIVNI: "I forgot. But the main issue remains - how to get someone, anyone to shake my hand? We gave them Sinai, Hebron, Gaza, and we release more terrorists every Monday

Still they don't love us?

 and Thursday, and still - still they don't love us? There must be more we can do, more we can give."


OLMERT: "I'm working on it, Tzipi."


LIVNI: "More painful concessions, I hope."


OLMERT: "You bet. But I can't give them all of Israel, can I, just for a handshake?"


LIVNI: "Why not?"


OLMERT: "Where will we go when Israel is all gone and there's nothing left to give?"


LIVNI: "Condi's next party."
Jack Engelhard's latest novel, the newsroom thriller The Bathsheba Deadline, is now ready in paperback and available from Amazon.com and other outlets. Engelhard wrote the international bestselling novel Indecent Proposal, which was translated into more than 22 languages and turned into a Paramount motion picture starring Robert Redford and Demi Moore.