Trump Puts Fact Ahead of Fiction in Israel  Jonah Goldberg

Posted: Dec 08, 2017

The most exhausting thing about the Middle East -- except

for the bloodshed, poverty, tyranny, etc. -- is that it refuses

to conform to how it's described in the West.

It's like journalists, diplomats and politicians want to

announce a football game,but the players keep insisting on

playing rugby. The field looks similar. The scoring isn't all

that different. It's just a differentgame. But don't tell the

gang in the booth. They get furious when you point out

that the facts don't line up with thecommentary.

Consider President Trump's momentous (though for now

mostly symbolic) announcement that the United States will

recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Before you can

debate whether this was a good move, you must

acknowledge one glaring fact that the chatterers want to

ignore or downplay:It's true. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.

The Knesset, Israel's parliament, convenes there. Israelis call

it their capital for the same reason they claim twoplus two

equals four. It's just true.

READ MORE