Actually, That Turns Out Not to Be True
What a bunch of lunatics:
A confused world of vague conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic hatred. But there is at least a politically interesting (if oh-so-predictable) undercurrent in this most recent absurdity. The theory resurfaced in the context of blaming Israel for the poor state of the Palestinian economy:
Last month, PA-controlled newspapers claimed that Israel was using wild pigs to destroy crops and agricultural farms in the West Bank. The papers claimed that settlers and IDF soldiers were seen setting loose many wild pigs near Palestinian villages as part of a campaign designed to destroy the Palestinian economy...
The latest charge was made by Dr. Youssef Abu Safiyeh, chairman of the PA's Environment Authority, who told Palestinian legislators in Ramallah that the PA security forces had recently seized a number of shipments from Israel that included canned juice containing a carcinogenic substance. "These drinks are specifically produced for Palestinian consumers in the Gaza Strip," Abu Safiyeh said.
This is classic secular anti-Semitism both in method and in purpose (albeit with the subtle desecration tie-in of using pigs): if an Arab government can't accomplish something, whether it be success on the international stage or a healthy economy, blame it on the Jews. And the myth of distributing poisoned food and drink has a long and distinguished history among the lies that anti-Semites tell. They can't even come up with new and creative solutions when they're trying to demonize Jews - how are they going to be able to run a state?
[Cross-posted to IsraPundit]
Israel has been flooding the Palestinian market with carcinogenic juice and "suspicious" computers used by its Defense Ministry, the Palestinian Authority claimed Tuesday. Such allegations, which were common under Yasser Arafat's rule, have resurfaced in recent weeks in the Palestinian media.
A confused world of vague conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic hatred. But there is at least a politically interesting (if oh-so-predictable) undercurrent in this most recent absurdity. The theory resurfaced in the context of blaming Israel for the poor state of the Palestinian economy:
Last month, PA-controlled newspapers claimed that Israel was using wild pigs to destroy crops and agricultural farms in the West Bank. The papers claimed that settlers and IDF soldiers were seen setting loose many wild pigs near Palestinian villages as part of a campaign designed to destroy the Palestinian economy...
The latest charge was made by Dr. Youssef Abu Safiyeh, chairman of the PA's Environment Authority, who told Palestinian legislators in Ramallah that the PA security forces had recently seized a number of shipments from Israel that included canned juice containing a carcinogenic substance. "These drinks are specifically produced for Palestinian consumers in the Gaza Strip," Abu Safiyeh said.
This is classic secular anti-Semitism both in method and in purpose (albeit with the subtle desecration tie-in of using pigs): if an Arab government can't accomplish something, whether it be success on the international stage or a healthy economy, blame it on the Jews. And the myth of distributing poisoned food and drink has a long and distinguished history among the lies that anti-Semites tell. They can't even come up with new and creative solutions when they're trying to demonize Jews - how are they going to be able to run a state?
[Cross-posted to IsraPundit]
