Following Sarah Palin’s recent comments that illegal, Jewish settlements should expand in the West Bank (in a clear reference to the Second Coming), a former Australian Liberal Party MP Ross Cameron today challenges her on this:
American policy for the past 40 years has discouraged Israeli settlements in the disputed territories. Palin told Barbara Walters last week: ”I believe that the Jewish settlements should be allowed to be expanded upon, because that population of Israel is, is going to grow. More and more Jewish people will be flocking to Israel in the days and weeks and months ahead.”
I support Israel, but an argument based on population growth alone favours Palestinians (population growth of 2.8 per cent versus Jewish 1.7 per cent, not including the wish to return of 4.5 million Palestinian refugees) so Palin is hurting the cause she is trying to help.
How did the Grand Old Party find its base so infatuated with a likeable political dud?
Good on him. His reasons for opposing settlements may have more to do with the Palestinian demographic “threat”, but at least some conservatives are opposing the dangerous radicalism of Palin.