The 20 year-old son of Israeli writer David Grossman was killed in Lebanon just two days before the ceasefire. I’d never read his famous 1987 book The Yellow Wind about the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. So I got it out of the library today. At one point Grossman writes this about the Israeli self-image:
I pondered then about how much one must be suspicious of people who testify about themselves morning and night that they are merciful.
Clearly he stole this from something I said 17 years later:
…when people get righteously worked up about how wonderful they are, and their enemy’s lack of gratitude, you really need to keep an eye on them.
SEE ALSO: Jim Henley —
People who say their problem is that they are too nice are never, never right.