In his speech, Bush said that Israel was responsible for the “daily humiliation of the Palestinian people."
A ZOA statement noted that the Webster's dictionary defines "humiliate" as: "To reduce to a lower position in one's eyes, or in the eyes of others," pointing out that
Israeli anti-terror security measures, such as checking travelers for bombs at security checkpoints, do not "reduce them to a lower position" any more than U.S. airline security checks of airplane passengers do.
"People who want to pass through security checkpoints, whether at Dulles Airport or in Judea and Samaria, should be checked for bombs,” said ZOA National President Morton Klein. “That's not 'humiliating’, it's a reasonable and ordinary part of our post-9/11 world. Anything less would risk the lives of innocent people, whether in Israel or America."
President Bush used the same phrase accusing Israel of "humiliation" during a
speech he delivered in England on November 19, 2003.
"Is someone among the president's advisers deliberately trying to get him to use this phrase again and again, until it becomes part of the permanent popular lexicon, so that the idea of Israel as an oppressor becomes a fixture in the public mind?” Klein asked.
The ZOA president added that such talk undermines U.S. defense against terrorism on its own soil, while at the same time treating Israel unfairly.
A ZOA statement noted that the Webster's dictionary defines "humiliate" as: "To reduce to a lower position in one's eyes, or in the eyes of others," pointing out that
Israeli anti-terror security measures, such as checking travelers for bombs at security checkpoints, do not "reduce them to a lower position" any more than U.S. airline security checks of airplane passengers do.
"People who want to pass through security checkpoints, whether at Dulles Airport or in Judea and Samaria, should be checked for bombs,” said ZOA National President Morton Klein. “That's not 'humiliating’, it's a reasonable and ordinary part of our post-9/11 world. Anything less would risk the lives of innocent people, whether in Israel or America."
President Bush used the same phrase accusing Israel of "humiliation" during a
speech he delivered in England on November 19, 2003.
"Is someone among the president's advisers deliberately trying to get him to use this phrase again and again, until it becomes part of the permanent popular lexicon, so that the idea of Israel as an oppressor becomes a fixture in the public mind?” Klein asked.
The ZOA president added that such talk undermines U.S. defense against terrorism on its own soil, while at the same time treating Israel unfairly.