The notion that Pope Benedict can “bring the peace” should be the start of a joke, not an op-ed.
And, indeed, Allen mocks himself, his faith, Judaism, and Islam with his explanation for why Benedict may succeed in this area.
The Pope's fanaticism - regarding condoms and HIV - is an advantage, Allen argues, since many Jews and Muslims are fanatical, too.
Aside from the premise, several other flaws mar the piece. First, it begins with a myth – that Ariel Sharon’s visit to the Temple Mount “set off the second intifada.”
Second, in describing the current moment, Allen attributes the sense of despair pervading Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s supposed lack of “commitment to Palestinian statehood.”
Third, Allen is self-righteous and self-indulgent when he writes that “Arab Christians have promoted a pluralistic vision of society, standing between resurgent Islamic fundamentalism and ultranationalist strains in Judaism.”
But to conclude, in answer to the question that is the title of the piece: No.
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