Scott Johnson
Power Line
6/20/2012
…Having paid a high price for her own freedom — a price she continues to pay with concerns about her safety — [Ayaan Hirsi Ali] spoke with great warmth of Israel. She expressed appreciation for the vitality of its civic culture, its tolerance, its devotion to equal rights and its promotion of equal opportunity for all. She is one brave lady…
…Responding to my question about her observations of Israel, Ayaan mentioned the sensitivity of Israelis to the opinion of the world community. She admired the moral concerns underlying the desire for approval, but expressed concern by the same token that Israelis stand up for themselves. This concern derives from the sympathetic insight of a true friend.
On a related note, Ayaan also expressed eloquent disgust at the oil-funded campaign of delegitimization waged against Israel by autocrats exploiting the freedoms of the West against “the only functioning democracy in the region.” She has a deep understanding of the game that is afoot.
Both in her remarks this morning and in the video below, Ayaan expressed optimism about the outcome of the Arab revolutions underway in Egypt, Syria, and elsewhere. She believes that Pandora’s box has been opened in the Arab world, but she gives it a positive twist while distinguishing between the short term and the long term effects of the revolutions…
Read the entire article and watch the interview at Power Line.
