RICH GALEN: Rude, Crude, and Unacceptable.

Related, from Jay Nordlinger:

It would be helpful to peace in the Middle East if Israel’s enemies could be absolutely sure that Israel is not going anywhere: that it is here to stay. Remember the old gay slogan? “We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it”? Israel’s enemies need to know something like that about Israel. But as long as they have the feeling that the world — you know: “the world,” as in the New York Times, the U.N., and Bono — is not really committed to the existence of Israel, they will push for Israel’s destruction.

They have never resigned themselves to Israel’s existence; they have never resigned themselves to co-existence. People like Helen Thomas make it easier for them not to resign themselves. People like Thomas give them hope — making them think, “Ah, maybe we can actually get rid of them. Not just extract a better deal, but get rid of them altogether!”

Under George W. Bush and other presidents, the United States gave the impression that we would back Israel, come what may. That was a quite useful thing for Israel’s enemies to know. It was more important for them to know it than for Israel to know it. The current U.S. administration does not give that impression.

Indeed.