Sunday, August 1, 2004
Sorry about the pic, I just couldn't resist. Someday I'll probably need to do that. Anyway, it's simultaneously comforting and disturbing to see that it's not just American diplomats that seem to lose a screw (or maybe some of their scruples?) while doing foreign service. At least the Israeli variety doesn't go on the Saudi payroll when they retire, of course. I've seen Pinkas any number of times on American TV, several times facing off against Palestinian spokesman al-Rahman (I believe that was his name). While I know it's an incredibly difficult job, unlike Peres who calls him the "best and most talented public relations man in the world," I would actually say he could have used a few lessons in getting a concise and effective TV message out - especially in view of the fact that he was facing off against the same predictable Palestinian responses time and again. You'd think you'd have your rap pretty tight, but Pinkas never quite did. 
"During my tenure as consul general in New York there have been four foreign ministers: Shimon Peres, Shlomo Ben-Ami, Benjamin Netanyahu and Silvan Shalom," Pinkas wrote. "The typist naturally wants to continue writing 'my teachers,' but who among you would believe such hypocrisy? What have I learned from the current foreign minister?
"Since the beginning of 2003, you and I have had the privilege of serving a shining Churchillian diplomat and a perfect gentleman. His list of accomplishments (Israel's inclusion in the European Union, relations with all the Arab states, diplomatic operations at the United Nations, negotiations with UEFA over the holding of soccer games in Israel, rehabilitation of relations with France) I will enumerate and detail on a later occasion. Give him respect. Why, he appreciates you and all your work," Pinkas wrote to ministry employees.
The Foreign Ministry said in response Pinkas was a political appointee and added it is "interesting that he had not brought up any such concerns prior to his announcement that he was leaving his post."...
