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A Pro-Palestinian State Ad. Signed: Ron Lauder, Tycoon. Here's The Story…
An offending pro-Palestinian state ad was recently placed in Arutz Sheva and elsewhere, by Ron Lauder, a
controversial, politically active American tycoon:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Lauder
http://forward.com/articles/1627/shoah-suit-puts-scrutiny-on-lauderes-art-collect/
Lauder is the son of an assimilated and wealthy American business family.
His mother was cosmetics tycoon Estee Lauder, daughter of a French Catholic
mother and a Hungarian Jewish father. The Lauder matriarch's approach to Judaism was "ecumenical", as she wrote in her autobiography, in that
she belonged to "both the Catholic Sisters and Temple Emanu-El".
Lauder has twice intervened aggressively in
Israeli diplomatic affairs: He pushed for an Israeli Golan Heights pullback during Netanyahu's previous term, and he was one of the fathers of the Gush Katif
destruction plan.
During Netanyahu's first premiership, Lauder personally spearheaded an initiative for Israeli retreat from the Golan Heights, home to thousands of Israelis: ("Israel will
withdraw from the Syrian lands taken in 1967..."
http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=6061 - this undertaking representing Lauder's
"personal view" of what Israel should do:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/saguy-backs-claim-netanyahu-was-ready-to-give-up-golan-1.126101
http://www.danielpipes.org/311/the-road-to-damascus-what-netanyahu-almost-gave-away
The disastrous Gush Katif destruction plan, too, was first announced at a
conference in Herzlia funded by Lauder:
http://www.larouchepub.com/eiw/public/2005/2005_40-49/2005_40-49/2005-40/pdf/69_39_int.pdf
In 2004, in Herzlia, Lauder gushed about his "great sense of pride to stand here" in view of the fact that "It was on this platform that
[Sharon] spoke of far-reaching ideas and visions" including -- as Lauder
chose to characterize it -- Sharon's "historical" announcement of the
disengagement plan. http://www.herzliyaconference.org/eng/?CategoryID=207&ArticleID=1351
A few months ago, Netanyahu loyalist Isi Liebler lamented Lauder's recent public criticism of Israel. According to
Liebler, Lauder accused Israel of being "insufficiently flexible" towards the
Palestinians. Lauder opined that Israel needs to be "more forthcoming" toward the
Palestinians http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=254850. Liebler noted wryly that since then, Lauder had been "lionized by former left-wing
opponents".
Liebler complained that all are "in awe of the $4 - $5 million"
that Ron Lauder contributes annually to the WJC and therefore, "nobody" is
willing to "confront" Lauder.
And indeed, after being criticized for accepting Ron Lauder's Palestinian state advertisement a few days ago, Arutz Sheva candidly admitted on 24 June that "we cannot ...reject ...Mr. Lauder".
Some of us may regret that even the great Arutz Sheva is not willing to
confront Lauder. But Arutz Sheva did at least denounce the view,
championed by Lauder, that "the way to achieve peace is through the establishment of a Palestinian state". This is significantly more than counterpart media
groups have been willing to do. And Arutz Sheva did re-assert clearly and forthrightly
that "Arutz Sheva is against a Palestinian State in Judea and Samaria".
The Arutz Sheva clarification is here: http://mattotarim1.blogspot.co.il/2012/06/7.html.
We recommend that readers gratefully accept Arutz Sheva's offer to post any messages from anyone who wishes to explain to advertiser Ron Lauder, her or his position against Palestinian state. Send YOUR article or opinion piece on Palestinian state NOW, to: Uzi@a7.org, Deot@a7.org and of course, mattot.arim@gmail.com.
