I really liked Thomas Freidman. It’s really too bad if he changed that much.

I sure can’t comment on him because I haven’t read his columns in the N.Y. Times. All I know is his book ‘From Beirut to Jerusalum’, which I read +/-10 years ago. I loved the book. It is the first book I read that changed my perception of Isreal and the occupied territories, of the whole middle east conflict.

Too bad … another lost soul!

most countries would welcome small amounts of zionists for the obvious economic benefits.

I’m finding your comments more and more offensive. Pls. review my comment rules and if you can’t follow them don’t comment here. Any more of this crap and you’ll be moderated or banned.

It doesn’t have anything to diversify itself with.

Ridiculous. Clearly you’re not an economic planner and know nothing about business development.

The ultra orthodox and the Arabs are mostly under the poverty. What could the state do? How can they make the men to stop studying Torah all the time and stop the women from having a dozen kids.

The same tired argument has been offered here by other pro-Israel apologists. And the same arguments are raised in the U.S. to justify our inability to end poverty in this country. It’s always the fault of the impoverished that they are poor. But you’ve added the ignorant and racist insult that Israeli Arabs are poor because men can’t keep their pricks in their pants & women won’t use birth control. That’s not very original, but it does take one’s breath away. There are hundreds of reasons why Israeli Arabs are poor. Large families isn’t exactly a deft explanation considering the institutitonal racism that confronts Israeli Arabs in every aspect of their personal & public lives.

As for the TSE being so protected from the international economic storm: you’re dead wrong. The exchange has been as hammered as every other major exchange. The rose colored glasses thing you’ve been affecting isn’t very persuasive. Try truth & candor for a change instead of cant & cheerleading in talking about Israel.

! The mind boggles.

It doesn’t have anything to diversify itself with.

“Tell that to the 33% of Israelis who live below the poverty line.”

You are forgetting that it’s the middle east. The ultra orthodox and the Arabs are mostly under the poverty. What could the state do? How can they make the men to stop studying Torah all the time and stop the women from having a dozen kids.

“The Tel Aviv stock exchange lost a huge amt. of its overall value last week.”

Yea, you are leaving out the numbers. Compare it the US markets this year. Key word: “relatively”.

having such a high standard of living is amazing.

Tell that to the 33% of Israelis who live below the poverty line and the similar number of children who live in poverty. You’ve been reading too much of Bibi’s tough love economics propaganda.

it has relatively been unaffected by the credit crunch.

The Tel Aviv stock exchange lost a huge amt. of its overall value last week. Lev Leviev’s African Israel Corp., one of the nation’s biggest companies, is now worth 20% of what is was worth last January. “Not affected by the credit crunch?” Hardly. This is foolish boosterism. Every country in the world is going to be affected by the economic meltdown. Anyone who tells you “my country is relatively unaffected” is either a liar, a con artist, or deluded. If I were charitable I’d say you represent the latter.