Crazy - meshuggah - but true. The Hasidic Jew in pious black
struts a Palestinian flag on his lapel. He has 15 more at home,
beside stacks of Jewish texts. He totes around a Hebrew prayer book
and his citizenship application for the State of Palestine.
Make way for Chaim Tzvi Freimann, yeshiva graduate, Torah
scholar, adviser to the Palestinian team that concludes a fifth
round of peace talks with the Israelis today in Washington. Freimann
shuffles around the lobby of the Grand Hotel, greeting Palestinian
comrades in arms.
"Shalom!" effuses Hanan Ashrawi, the Palestinian spokeswoman.
She keeps a few cubits away from Freimann. "I can't shake his hand.
They don't shake hands with women."
...