PURELY COMMENTARY for openers
Of Pain And Suffering
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amlet bemoaned suffering the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” Many of us, it would seem, could easily share his feelings as we note the references to bodily discomfort we make in our daily conversations. If you know of an incident where someone has done you wrong, you have Sy Manello experienced dealing with a Editorial back stabber. When hearAssistant ing of bad news, you may respond, “Oh, my aching back.” Admit it; you do feel good knowing that you are a “sight for sore eyes.” However, if you overstay a welcome, you may become a pain in the neck (or a bit lower down).
You never want your actions to reflect badly — giving you a black eye. It is truly a kick in the teeth to learn that someone in the family has become a royal pain. That might even put your nose out of joint. No one likes to pay through the nose, but be careful not to put your foot in your mouth when complaining when those who are in control are within earshot. They may turn a deaf ear or give you a slap on the wrist. Are you a practical joker? Then you may have to twist someone’s arm to go along with your gag until the one being fooled realizes that you are pulling his leg. Such antics are usually a result of
growing pains and not meant to really give someone a pain. Not invited to the latest open house given by your cousin’s brother’s latest girlfriend? Well, just take it on the chin; not all such omissions are deliberate slights. If all this talk of discomfort has left you weak in the knees, please know that I share your pain and will just limp along until my next brainstorm.
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Israel Retains High Favorability in U.S.
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ccording to the February annual Gallup poll of country favorability, 71% of Americans accord Israel a “very favorable” and “mostly favorable” rating. This matches Israel’s average favorability since 2013, compared to 58% in 2002, Yoram Ettinger 71% in 2012, JNS 69% in 2019 and 75% in February 2021. Israel’s all-time high favorability was in February 1991 (79%) in the aftermath of the JanuaryFebruary Iraqi Scud missiles striking Tel Aviv. Israel is ranked seventh among countries rated by
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MAY 5 • 2022
Gallup, trailing Canada, Britain, France, Japan, Germany and India. However, none of these countries has been targeted — as has Israel — for daily criticism by the U.S. State Department (which fiercely opposed Israel’s establishment in 1948), the United Nations, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, CNN, MSNBC and many of the political and social-science departments on North American campuses. While Israel is considered favorably by 71% of Americans, the Palestinian Authority earned a meager 27% favorability rating, at the bottom of the favorability scale along with Cuba, 40%; Pakistan, 21%; China, 20% (an
all-time low); Libya, 19%; Iraq, 16%; Iran, 13%; Afghanistan, 12%; Russia, 12%; and North Korea, 10%. Furthermore, Israel has retained a high level of favorability among all three major U.S. political groups: 63% of (mostly moderate) Democrats, 71% of Independents and 81% of Republicans. At the same time, the Palestinian Authority received a 38% favorability rating among Democrats, 29% among Independents and 14%
among Republicans. The 2022 Gallup poll reflects the unique bottom-up phenomenon of the U.S. attitude toward Israel, which is largely determined by the U.S. constituency’s traditional affinity toward the Jewish state, contrary to the top-down phenomenon of U.S. policy toward other foreign countries, which is generally determined by the White House and the State Department. continued on page 10
