Israel and the LA Times

The LA Times had two stories today that caught my eye.

The first, in the California section, reported that the Beverly Hills mayor, a Persian Jewish refugee of the Islamic Revolution, was going to introduce a measure to divest city pension funds from companies doing business in Iran. This wasn't surprising; L.A. did it two weeks ago; Iranian divestment is the new eco-friendly. What I found odd was that the Times described the proposal as a response to "Iran's widely perceived role in sponsoring terrorism."

I didn't realize there was any debate there. Unless Hezbollah and Hamas aren't terrorist organizations.

Segue: The second article of interest was an op-ed by Mousa Abu Marzook, a piece that many Jews, particularly those on the right, will see as proof that the Times and its Jewish op-ed editor are anti-Israel. That’s because Abu Marzook is Hamas' political deputy, and in his column he lays out the Islamic Resistance Movement's goals for Palestine.

(Quick Palestinian primer: Hamas is the "radical" Muslim political wing that does not accept Israel's legitimacy; Fatah represents the secular pragmatists, the descendants of Arafat, who were violently expelled last month from Gaza.)

Damascus, Syria — HAMAS' RESCUE of a BBC journalist from his captors in Gaza last week was surely cause for rejoicing. But I want to be clear about one thing: We did not deliver up Alan Johnston as some obsequious boon to Western powers.

It was done as part of our effort to secure Gaza from the lawlessness of militias and violence, no matter what the source. Gaza will be calm and under the rule of law — a place where all journalists, foreigners and guests of the Palestinian people will be treated with dignity.