Orientalist Numerology. There is this piece by Bernard Lewis in the Wall Street Journal. At least he spared us his numerological analysis about the end of time. But he is so clueless, so out of touch: "There are signs of change in some Arab circles, of a willingness to accept Israel and even to see the possibility of a positive Israeli contribution to the public life of the region. But such opinions are only furtively expressed. Sometimes, those who dare to express them are jailed or worse." Do you notice that he still repeats Israeli propaganda claims from the 1960s and 1970s without realizing that even that propaganda was updated? They get jailed or worse for calling for peace with Israel? Arab leaders--all of them you brilliant numerologist--call for peace with Israel now. Unless Bernard Lewis meant to say that Arab leaders call for peace with Israel, and they they order themselves arrested and tortured or...worse. And Bernard Lewis is very original: he said that the return of the refugees mean 'the destruction of Israel." He forgot to add that Israel means the destruction of Palestine. Does Lewis think that we shall end our support for the right of the refugees to return AND be compensated because it may disturb him? (thanks Regan)