Every has-been has to give his two cents on what Israel should do.

An American friend of mine who lives in a town in Samaria told me a story. He was in Jerusalem and saw someone who looked awfully familiar. Upon approaching, he noticed that it was none other than the actor, Alan Alda—the star of the "M*A*S*H" sitcom. He noticed he was with his wife but was otherwise alone, nobody badgering him for autographs. My friend came up and asked him, “How does it feel to be someplace where nobody cares who you are?”

Alda’s anonymity is at the other extreme of Elton John's experience during a visit around 20 years ago. Not too many world music acts come to Israel, so when they do, the locals get excited. I recall a helicopter being employed to get a piano into his penthouse hotel room. In the end, there was no need for it. Rocket Man arrived at his hotel and was mobbed by locals. His security was able to get him out, and he went straight back to his private jet and left the country. It became a minor diplomatic kerfuffle, with Israel leaning on the British ambassador to convince the famous singer to return. And he did: he went straight from the airport to his gig and back again, without spending a night in Tel Aviv.

Rahm Emanuel is trying to pretend that he has that presidential aura. He has returned to Israel and has come to tell the country, “as a friend,” that he knows how she should proceed. I do recall that just after his boss, Barack Obama, entered the White House, Chief of Staff Emanuel gave an interview in which he described Bibi Netanyahu as not being “[his] cup of tea.” In the past, such a comment about a world leader by an administration official would have led to a firing, but Obama felt no different. Israelis took great umbrage when a picture was released of Obama speaking to Netanyahu by phone. The president had his feet up on the........

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