Thomas Friedman did not publish columns belligerent towards the State of Israel?

Yishai Goldflam
CAMERA/Snapshots
05 April '11

The Israeli Hebrew daily Yediot Achronot published a very bizarre item today. The last paragraph of a news item about the New York Times' denial that it refused to print Richard Goldstone's retraction states:

Yediot Achronot would like to clarify that contrary to what was reported yesterday, journalist Thomas Friedman did not publish columns belligerent towards the State of Israel. We apologize for the error.

Perhaps Yediot was compelled to publish this sentence following some sort of threat by the New York Times. This apology does not reflect well on Yediot in light of the fact that the earlier statement that Friedman published columns hostile towards Israel is 100 percent accurate.

On Oct. 19, 2011, Friedman wrote ("Just Knock It Off"):

. . . when America asks Israel to do something that in no way touches on its vital security but would actually enhance it, there is only one right answer: “Yes.” It is a measure of how spoiled Israel has become that after billions and billions of dollars in U.S. aid and 300,000 settlers already ensconced in the West Bank, Israel feels no compunction about spurning an American request for a longer settlement freeze . . .


Yes, I know, Netanyahu says that if he did that then the far right-wingers in his cabinet would walk out. He knows he can’t make peace with some of the lunatics in his cabinet, but he tells the U.S. that he only wants to blow up his cabinet once — for a deal. But we will never get to that stage if he doesn’t blow it up now and construct a centrist coalition that can negotiate a deal.

On Nov. 13, 2010, Friedman wrote ("I believe I can fly,"):

If you jump off the top of an 80-story building, for 79 floors you can think you’re flying. It’s the sudden stop at the end that tells you you’re not. It’s striking to me how many leaders and nations are behaving today as though they think they can fly — and ignoring that sudden stop at the end that’s sure to come. . . .


Well, first there’s Israel’s prime minister, Bibi Netanyahu, who has been telling everyone how committed he is to peace with the Palestinians while refusing to halt settlement building as a prerequisite for negotiations. At a time when Israel already has 300,000 settlers in the West Bank, Bibi says he can’t possibly take another pause in building . . .


Netanyahu toys with President Obama, makes Israel look like it wants land more than peace and risks never forging a West Bank deal . . .


That’s the sudden stop at the end — unless the next war comes first. But, for now, Bibi seems to think he can fly.

(Read full "Thomas Friedman did not publish columns ...")

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