Democracy? Oh, Come On.

Besides his thinking below being dangerous, does anyone know for how long Mekel's been abroad? I seem to recall Begin sending him out, or was it Shamir, after Mekel had to leave the IBA?

American Jews largely support Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's realignment plan, and those who don't will be told to keep quiet so that the global Jewish community can maintain a united front, says Consul-General in New York Arye Mekel.

In an interview with The Jerusalem Post in his office on Tuesday, Mekel said that American Jews who oppose Olmert's plans must respect Israeli democracy and the Israeli people's choice of a centrist government.

"Most American Jews accept this premise," said Mekel, "that in these issues of peace and security and defense and so on, it's up to the government of Israel to make these decisions. And with all due respect to our brethren in the US, it's not up to them to second guess Israeli democracy and the Israeli voter's choice."

Mekel said he had been spreading this message to many American Jewish groups lately and that to a large extent, the response had been positive. Even the Orthodox Union, which could offer the greatest American opposition to the plan, had agreed not to broadcast its disagreement to the greater Jewish community, he said.