Congressional leaders slam efforts to demonize Israel

[King_David]

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=215290


Congressional leaders slam efforts to demonize Israel
By HILARY LEILA KRIEGER, JPOST CORRESPONDENT
04/05/2011 20:52

WASHINGTON – A leading US Congressman blasted demonization of Israel and anti- Semitism in the Arab world Tuesday, and stressed that action against incitement must be part of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

“If this is a new era of openness in the Middle East, then the work of defending Israel from ideological attacks becomes even more pressing,” House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer told the Anti-Defamation League’s leadership conference.

“That’s because, if this is a new era of openness, it matters more than ever that the Arab people have a view of Israel unclouded by bigotry.”

But he said that effort would be a hefty undertaking given “the lingering effect of generations of anti-Semitic propaganda and incitement of hatred,” often peddled by Middle East leaders who have used the issue to deflect attention from their own shortcomings.

He said that effort was particularly important in the Palestinian Authority, which he has taken to task for problematic material in its textbooks.

[bemildred]

1. What is this stuff about a "new era of openness"?

I suppose he is talking about the downfall of the dictators in Tunisia, Egypt, etc., but it seems an odd way to characterize it.

[LeftishBrit]

3. Perhaps it's borrowing from commentaries on the changes in Eastern Europe 20-odd years ago

which often referred to "openness/ 'glasnost'"?

[Alamuti Lotus]

2. considering his own bigoted, deadly demonization of Iraq and Iran, that's rich