Is Simon Wiesenthal Spinning In His Grave?

David Bedein writes about the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which in 1989 warned against the creation of a Palestinian state. Apparently the Wiesenthal Center is no longer opposed to the idea:

However, in a surprising development, the head of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Rabbi Marvin Hier, announced in the April 11 issue of the Jewish Press, published in New York, that he endorsed the establishment of the Palestinian state that he had warned against not too long ago.

When asked about the veracity of his statement, Rabbi Hier responded emphatically that he supports a Palestinian state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.

The Bulletin asked Rabbi Hier how he could support an independent Palestinian entity like this, considering the fact that his book had correctly warned that such an entity would use all areas under its control as a launching pad, from where it would attack Israel, and considering the fact that his center's book was proven to be correct. Witness the daily lethal attacks on Sderot and the 45 farming communities in the Western Negev.

Rabbi Hier was also asked how the Simon Wiesenthal Center, whose Center for the Study of Tolerance was committed to the fight against intolerance, could support the creation of an entity whose incitement against the state and people of Israel continues unabated, whose educational system was still inculcating the next generation of Palestinian children to continue the war to liberate all of Palestine, whose leadership harbored terrorist organizations such as the Al Aksa Brigades -defined by U.S. law as an illegal terror organization whose constitution did not allow for the juridical status of any religion other than Islam, and where allegations of widespread persecution of Christians at the hands of the Palestinian Authority are rampant.

Rabbi Hier explained to the Bulletin that his endorsement of a Palestinian entity was "entirely dependent" on the creation of a viable Palestinian entity which would recognize Israel as a Jewish state, which would be committed to peace and reconciliation, and which is "right now not in the offing," according to Rabbi Hier.

In light of Rabbi Hier's statement in this regard, the Bulletin asked Rabbi Hier if he would ask President Bush to reconsider his directive to create a Palestinian state within six months. The Bulletin also asked Rabbi Hier whether he would ask President Bush to desist from arming an entity still at war with; and if he would ask President Bush to insist on the cancellation of the Palestinian anti-Semitic curriculum and the nullification of the new Palestinian constitution, which is based on the intolerant Islamic Sharia law.

Rabbi Hier received these questions and, according to a senior staff official, is still considering these queries from the Bulletin. [emphasis added]

Why is it that the eagerness of Jewish leaders to rush out to publicly announce their readiness to recognize and accept a Palestinian state is in reverse proportion to the Palestinian readiness to recognize--let alone accept--a Jewish state of Israel?

For once, can't we just wait for the other side to do something--anything--that implies some readiness for real peace before we jump on this bandwagon?

Technorati Tag: Israel and Marvin Hier and Wiesenthal.