Mitt Romney's 'racist' remarks against Palestinians: Will they actually help him?

Romney earns the ire of Palestinians by suggesting that they are mired in poverty because of their cultural inferiority to Israel

Mitt Romney delivers a speech outside the Old City in Jerusalem on July 29: During his speech Romney upset Palestinians by saying that he recognizes "the power of culture and a few other thin
(Image credit: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

At a fundraiser in Jerusalem on Monday, Republican presidential aspirant Mitt Romney took a moment to praise Israel's wealth and "economic vitality," contrasting it with the relative poverty of the Palestinians next door. What really infuriated Palestinians, though, was his explanation for the economic disparity: "Culture makes all the difference," along with "the hand of providence." Saeb Erekat, a senior adviser to President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, said Romney is being "racist" and uninformed by ignoring the widely recognized impact of Israel's prolonged economic restrictions on Gaza and the West Bank. Still, his remarks were welcomed by the Jewish-American donors — notably casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson — who collectively gave Romney more than $1 million at the event, and as Dan Amira notes at New York, "American voters don't have an overly fond opinion of Palestinians." Could infuriating Palestinians actually help Romney win in November?

Yes. Romney is saying the right things: "We live in a time when being pro-Israel has become a key test of a candidate's presidential fitness, and rightly so," says Bret Stephens at The Wall Street Journal. Romney just passed that test in Israel, showing uncharacteristic "conviction and sincerity" in his admiration for all that Israel has accomplished. What got Romney in trouble with Palestinians — that "Israeli success, in his mind, is earned — and so is Palestinian failure" — will only help him in the U.S. Personally, "I'm beginning to warm to Mitt."

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