57 Arab and Muslim countries versus one tiny Jewish one. We've seen that story before, I think. It's called Goliath v. David.The Palestinians want to establish a capital in east Jerusalem, captured and annexed by Israel in 1967. Most of the world, including the U.S., does not recognize the annexation. The U.S. and others keep their embassies in Tel Aviv.On Sunday, Romney said flat out that Jerusalem is Israel's capital and strongly suggested he would move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem if he were president, supporting two key Israeli demands.Saeb Erekat, an Abbas aide, said Romney's comments about Jerusalem were "absolutely unacceptable," adding that "such statements and policy will push the region toward extremists."Erekat noted that Romney's positions on Jerusalem go against long-standing U.S. policy."At the end of the day, the U.S. has interests in this region, it has embassies in 57 Arab and Muslim countries," he said. "I don't think they will sacrifice everything for such statements, mere disturbing statements that will strengthen extremists in the region."
Update: The WaPo whines, "But he didn't mention the occcuppayshunnnn."
You have to admit, the brassy way in which Abbas mouths gangster movie clichés, along the lines of, "Me, I don't like violence, but my associate Bugsy here, well, he's something else, I don't know if I can control him," and gets important people who influence the fates of great nations and civilizations to take him seriously, is darkly fascinating.
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