July 13, 2006

Defining Chutzpah

Given the adoption of so many Yiddish expressions by English speakers it always surprises me how many people have never heard the word "chutzpah." Among those that have heard it many don't know what it means. Well here's a worked example. Israel, that standing war crime and the most aggressive state on earth, the state that kills Palestinian civilians on an almost daily basis, clearly targets children and bombs its neighbours at will with no restraint or formal condemnation. Where was I? Ah yes, Israel. Israel has accused Lebanon of an "act of war." So now we know what Chutzpah means.

But let's be fair on Israel. Perhaps an act of war is a hostile act against an army capable of responding militarily rather than a defenceless civilian population. In that case Israel never commits acts of war.

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