The State of Engel
With Condoleezza Rice pressing for a cease-fire and a particularly high weekly toll in civilian casualties, we asked Congressman Eliot Engel -- one of the more vocal politicians urging strong support for Israel's actions on "the frontline of terror" -- whether his attitude had evolved at all since the beginning of hostilities.
Here was Engel's emailed reponse to our question:
"I believe there should be a cease-fire but only after it can be guaranteed that Hezbollah will not be able to threaten Israel from South Lebanon. The international forces should be deployed to keep Hezbollah out of Southern Lebanon."
Sounds like a yes, sort of.
--Jason Horowitz
Translation: FOAD you Arab scum, for I am Engel the Ubermensch from Riverdale!
I think Engel agrees more with the Yesha Rabbinical Council:
Yesha Rabbinical Council: During time of war, enemy has no innocents
The Yesha Rabbinical Council announced in response to an IDF attack in Kfar Qanna that "according to Jewish law, during a time of battle and war, there is no such term as 'innocents' of the enemy."
All of the discussions on Christian morality are weakening the spirit of the army and the nation and are costing us in the blood of our soldiers and civilians," the statement said.
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I think Jason has it wrong here. Not even Israel's strongest supporters were ever urging a lasting occupation of Lebanon. So Engel calling for cleaning out Hez Bollah from southern Lebanon, *then* calling for a cease-fire and an international peace-keeping force is pretty much in keeping with... his previous position. They are one and the same.
Engel's position was neatly presented when he was quoted in an article in the WP:
Rep. Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.) said that language urging restraint to protect civilian life would have been interpreted as a slap at Israel -- and that at a time when world opinion is predictably against the Jewish state, the United States must stand firmly on Israel's side.
"I am very sensitive to Lebanon's budding democracy. I'm very sensitive to the delicate balancing act we're in, and I grieve for civilian casualties," Engel said. But he added: "I don't want to be an honest broker. I want to be a friend and ally of the only democratic government in the Middle East that is besieged by its enemies."
Engel is not "from Riverdale" in any real sense. This inconsequential legislator is basically a resident of Maryland, where he lives with his wife and children. He maintains only a nominal "home" in his district, visiting Riverdale and Westchester when he has to. If you don't believe me, just ask yourself the following question: How can a husband, wife and children could all reside in a tiny apartment in Riverdale?