A Stupid Thing To Write

I happened to be reading an article at the Guardian about the lack of sympathy in England for ex-pats that had moved to Dubai for the luxury living (and avoiding paying UK taxes) when I came across this bit:

The whole social contract of Dubai involves a wilful blindness to the proximity of suffering and violence. After all, Gaza is geographically close.

Close? According to Google, the straight-line (air) distance between Dubai and Gaza is approximately
1,300–1,500 miles (2,100–2,400 km) and significantly longer if driving. That's approximately the same distance as from London to Moscow; or, for Americans, the distance from Los Angeles to Nashville (or going the other direction, the distance from New York City to Denver).