Peace Now: “The public has been brainwashed by the government”

Courtesy of The Jerusalem Post:
Fifty-four percent of respondents said the government should be building in Judea and Samaria and only 39% support a further moratorium. The poll also found that if an election were held today, Labor would fall to six Knesset seats from the current 13…
Peace Now reacted by lamenting that “the public has been brainwashed by the government and the settlers and has not internalized the price Israel is paying for the settlements.”
“They have bought the stories about the freeze harming average Israelis instead of helping Israel diplomatically,” Peace Now director-general Yariv Oppenheimer said.

Oppenheimer’s statement here is a case study in arrogant frustration.

Peace Now has been buying ad space and protesting and writing columns and editorials and working with their well-funded J-Street partners forever and a day – and yet, they can’t get more than 39% of Israelis to support a moratorium, and Labor is losing ground. How can this be?

Choice A: Israelis are stupid.
Choice B: Reasonable people can disagree.
Choice C: Israelis are being fooled by the opposition.

Well, can’t come out and say A, right?
And it can’t be Choice B, either - Peace Now is obviously in the right.
So the answer must be C – the public has been brainwashed by the government, etc. Because Netanyahu is really that smooth, of course… or maybe it’s Avigdor Lieberman, with his smooth talking ways…

Really.

I couldn't help wondering who was ghostwriting for Peace Now, so I Googled Mr. Oppenheimer's key turn of phrase, “the public has been brainwashed by the government.”

Lo and behold, I found the muse for this powerful observation: Pbdude420 (longboarder and “herb connoisseur”) said it first, addressing someone who is “sick to death of the red hot chili peppers,” on August 22, 2007, on the website of the Vans Warped Tour 2010.

Mr. Secretary General, you need a new speechwriter. At least, one who doesn’t spill your best lines before you get to use them.