March 18, 2011, 10:18 AM
| Comments (26) | | |
 |
| |  |
Over the past several years, a growing number of patriotic Israelis have begun to despair. We can't stand up to the whole world, they say. At the end of the day, we will have to give in and surrender most of the land or all of the land we took control over in the 1967 Six Day War. The world won't accept anything less.
These statements have grown more strident in the wake of the slaughter of the Fogel family last Friday night in Itamar. For example, on Thursday Ha'aretz columnist Ari Shavit called Israeli communities built beyond the 1949 armistice line the local equivalent of Japan's nuclear reactors. Like the reactors, he wrote, they seemed like a good idea at the time. But they have become our undoing.
The international community's response to the Palestinian atrocity in Itamar is pointed to as proof that Israel must surrender. Instead of considering what the savage murder of an Israeli family tells us about the nature of Palestinian society, the world media have turned the massacre of the Fogel family into a story about "settlements."
Take The Los Angeles Times for example. From the Times' perspective, the Fogels were not Israeli civilians. They were "Jewish settlers." They weren't murdered in their home. They were killed in their "tightly guarded compound."
And, in the end, the Times effectively justified the murder of the Fogel children when it helpfully added, "Most of the international community... views Israel's settlements as illegal."
The Times report was actually comparatively sympathetic. At least it mentioned the murders. Most European papers began their coverage with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's announcement that the government would permit Israelis to build 400 homes in Judea and Samaria.
As for the governments of the world, most were far swifter and more aggressive in their condemnation of Netanyahu's announcement of the building permits than they were in their condemnation of the murders.
Then there is the US Jewish community.
According to New York's Jewish Week, there is a new consensus in the American Jewish community that imposing an economic boycott on Israeli communities outside the 1949 armistice lines is a legitimate position. The paper interviewed Martin Raffel, the head of the new Israel Action Network, a multimillion-dollar effort by the Jewish Federations of North America and other major Jewish groups to counter the delegitimization of Israel.
Raffel called the boycott movement misguided, rather than wrong. Then he justified it by arguing, "Being misguided in one's policies doesn't mean one necessarily has become part of the ranks of the delegitimizers."
If that wasn't enough, Ron Kampeas, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency's Washington bureau chief, wrote Tuesday that we shouldn't rush to conclude that Palestinians carried out the attack.
Kampeas wrote, "We do not yet know who committed the awful butchery in Itamar over the weekend."
WITH AMERICAN Jews taking a lead role in delegitimizing Israel; with the international media ignoring the massacre of the Fogel family and attacking Israel for its response to the event they didn't cover; and with the US government united with the nations of the world in condemning the government's decision to allow Israelis who are Jewish to build on land they own, the despair of a growing chorus of Israelis is understandable.
But while understandable, the notion that Israel has no choice but to surrender Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem to the Palestinians is wrong and dangerous.
Like his fellow defeatists, Shavit argues that Jewish communities in these areas are the cause of international moves to delegitimize Israel. If they were gone, so the argument goes, then neither the Palestinians nor the international community would have a problem with Israel.
The first problem with this view is that it confuses the focus of Palestinian and international attacks on Israel with the rationale behind those attacks. This is a mistake Israelis have made repeatedly since the establishment of the Fatahled PA in 1994.
Immediately after the PA was set up and IDF forces transferred security control over Palestinian cities and towns in Judea and Samaria to Yasser Arafat's armies, Palestinian terrorists began attacking Israeli motorists driving through PA-controlled areas with rocks, pipe bombs and bullets.
Then-prime minister and defense minister Yitzhak Rabin blamed the attacks on "friction." If the Palestinians didn't have contact with Israeli motorists, then they wouldn't attack them. So Israel built the bypass roads around the Palestinian towns and cities to prevent friction.
For its efforts, the Palestinians and the international community accused Israel of building "Jews-only, apartheid roads." Moreover, Palestinian terrorists left their towns and cities and stoned, bombed and shot at Israeli motorists on the bypass roads.
Then there was Gaza. When in 2001 Palestinians first began shelling the Israeli communities in Gaza and the Western Negev with mortars and rockets, we were told they were attacking because of Israel's presence in Gaza. When the IDF took action to defend the country from mortar and rocket attacks, Israel was accused of committing war crimes.
The likes of Shavit said then that if Israel left Gaza, the Palestinian attacks would stop. They said that if they didn't stop and the IDF was forced to take action, the world would support Israel.
Shavit himself engaged in shocking demonization of the Israelis living in Gaza. In May 2004 he wrote that they were undeserving of IDF protection and that no soldier should defend them because they weren't real Israelis.
But then the Palestinians and the international community threw Shavit and his friends yet another curveball. After Israel expelled every last so-called settler and removed every last soldier from Gaza in August 2005, Palestinian rocket attacks increased tenfold. The first Katyusha was fired at Ashkelon seven months after Israel withdrew. Hamas won the elections and Gaza became an Iranian proxy. Now it has missiles capable of reaching Tel Aviv.
As for the international community, not only did it continue blaming Israel for Palestinian terrorism, it refused to accept that Israel had ended its so-called occupation of Gaza. It has condemned every step Israel has taken to defend itself from Palestinian aggression since the withdrawal as a war crime.
The lesson of these experiences is that Israeli towns and villages in Judea and Samaria are not castigated as "illegitimate" because there is anything inherently illegitimate about them. Like the bypass roads and the Israeli presence in Gaza, they are singled out because those interested in attacking Israel militarily or politically think are an easy target.
The Arabs, the UN, the Obama administration, the EU, anti-Israel American and Israeli Jews, university professors and the legions of self-proclaimed human rights organizations in Israel and throughout the world allege these Israeli communities are illegitimate because by doing so they weaken Israel as a whole.
If Israel is convinced that it has no choice but to bow to these people's demands, they will not be appeased. They will simply move on to the next easy target. Israeli Jewish communities in the Galilee and the Negev, Jaffa and Lod will be deemed illegitimate.
In a bid to pretend that the communities in Judea and Samaria are somehow different from communities in the Galilee, proponents of surrender point to the non-binding 2004 International Court of Justice opinion that the communities in Judea and Samaria are illegal.
But Israelis who accept the non-binding opinion as a binding ruling for Judea and Samaria ignore that the opinion also asserted that Israel has no right to self defense.
The same people who think that so-called settlements are illegal also believe that opposition leader Tzipi Livni is a war criminal. The same people who think the so-called settlements are illegal would condemn as a war crime any attempt to enforce the law against irredentist Israeli Arabs.
Israel's bitter experience proves incontrovertibly that bowing to international pressure just invites more pressure.
SO WHAT can Israel do?
The first thing we must do is recognize that legitimacy is indivisible. In the eyes of Israel's enemies there is no difference between Itamar and Ma'aleh Adumim on the one hand and Ramle and Tel Aviv on the other hand. And so we must make no distinction between them.
Just as law abiding citizens are permitted to build homes in Ramle and Tel Aviv, so they must be permitted to build in Itamar and Ma'aleh Adumim. If Israel's assertion of its sovereignty is legitimate in Tel Aviv, then it is legitimate in Judea and Samaria. We cannot accept that one has a different status from the other.
Likewise, it is an act of economic warfare to boycott Israeli products, whether they are made in Haifa or Mishor Adumim. Anyone who says it is permissible to boycott Mishor Adumim is engaging in economic warfare against Haifa.
Once we understand that Israel's legitimacy is indivisible, we need to take actions that will put the Palestinians and their international supporters on the defensive. There are any number of moves Israel can make in this vein.
For example, following the Palestinian massacre of the Fogel family, Netanyahu highlighted the fact that the PA routinely glorifies terrorist murderers and pays them and their families handsome pensions for their illegal acts of war. He also highlighted the genocidal anti-Jewish incitement endemic in Palestinian society.
While all of this is useful, talk is cheap. It is time to make the Palestinians pay a price for their depravity and to put their international supporters on the defensive.
Specifically, Netanyahu should ask the US to cut off all US economic and military assistance to the PA. Two PA intelligence officers were arrested as part of the Fogel murder investigation.
The US is training and equipping the Palestinian intelligence services. This should stop.
Two days after the massacre in Itamar, the PA dedicated a public square in El-Bireh to terror commander Dalal Mughrabi. Mughrabi commanded the 1978 bus attack on the coastal highway in which 37 Israelis - including 12 children - were murdered. The PA previously named a street, a dormitory, a summer camp and a sports tournament after her. Several popular songs have been written to glorify her crimes.
The US is underwriting the PA's budget. This should stop.
Were the government to go after international aid to the PA, not only would it begin a debate in the US and perhaps Europe about the nature of Fatah specifically and Palestinian society generally, it would force the Palestinians' myriad supporters to justify their support for a society that is defined by its goal of annihilating Israel.
It is hard to stand up to the massive pressure being brought to bear against Israel every day. But it is possible.
And whether defying our foes is hard or easy, it is our only chance at survival. Either all of Israel is legitimate, or none of it is.
Originally published in The Jerusalem Post.
| Comments (26) | | |
|
Since most of the world condemns Israel no matter what it does, it seems to me that there is no reason not to annex Judea and Samaria. The demographic problem would be solved if the paleaostinians are expelled to Jordan. Too bad!
'the next easy target'
The peace process advanced to it's final stages today with the barbed wire fences surrounding the remaining Jewish ghetto's of Haifa and Tel Aviv today.
The capo Jewish representatives were order to comply with the latest painful concessions of 100,000 remaining Jews to be deported to Turkey,Syria,Lebanon and Iraq,25,000 each for manual labor for the cause of peace.
The quisling cabal, Benjamin Netanyahu,Livni and Ehud Barak responded that it would take a few days to round up that many Jews and requested more time.
you wrote;
'Netanyahu should ask the US to cut off all US economic and military assistance to the PA'
'This should stop'.
If Israel will not end the U.S. training of Islamic terrorists to more efficently kill Jews then Israel no longer deserve to be a nation,but a ghetto to be rounded up for the trains and planes.
You're dead because you've become weak and cowardly wimps and that includes you with
your pathetic 'This should stop'
(Notice your weak request - evidence that Israel has become conditioned to assist in her own demise with faint,passive requests)
How pathetic ,you and Israel are too fearful to act and always 'ask' never demand ,but you will beat and imprison fellow Jews to to impress the evil cadre you continue to grovel before.
This is why Obama ignored the spineless capo Jew Netanyahu when he asked for Pollard's release and why the jihadists will become expert SS killers of Jews under the Military training of America Babylon.
He knows the cowards only have the spine to attack the Zionist Builders, the faithful remnant of Israel.
We are damned if we do and damned if we don't. Appeasement doesn't work and neither do apologies. Israel, and by extension the Jews are here to stay. It's about time we made this unequivocally clear to the world through action not useless dialogue. Thank you again for a job well done.
Israel should not take a backward step
Every step she takes back results in more pressure. I agree that Israel should be more direct
I listened at lunchtime to Ehud Barak interviewed on Sky in the UK. It was an extensive 15 minute piece. The subject was Libya, but Barak had every opportunity to make some of the points you raise, but he made none
Bear in mind that I am a Christian Zionist, who has followed and supported Israel for around 20 years. I found Barak difficult to understand. He didn't mention the murdered children. He talked blandly about looking for a "peace partner"
The Israeli Government has really got to get this sorted out. It needs a clear communications strategy that relentlessly and clearly makes the point about terror, and its consequences
Someone forgot to tell me about the "consensus" of American Jews. There are new groups, such as StandWithUs and Friends of Israel Initiative, which don't accept the line that American Jews should just roll over and play dead.
The problem, in my view, is that Israeli politicians don't provide sympathetic American Jews with enough rhetorical support. If Netanyahu and Co. won't argue strongly in favor of Israel's interests, it's harder for us to make the case.
I don't live in Israel although I support her. I am saddened that some Israelis seem to be so demoralised.
Not living in Israel perhaps I have no right to argue this, but I believe that one thing is sure. After the massacre at Itamar Israel should not concede another inch of land, nor any of her sovereignty in other matters to Arabs whose only aim is to obliterate her. She should learn the lessons of Gaza, that no matter what she does the world will not love her and if she continues to accede to Arab demands then she will be wiped out.
Israel should adopt a gloves off approach to Arab terror, no matter what the world says and I agree with Richard that she should annex Judea and Samaria
Either all of Israel is legitimate, or none of it is.
A risky challenge, if Israel is meant to be understood as all the land from the sea to the river.
It also answers my question from a while back: what is the actual desired outcome of the conflict for the Israeli far right, of whom you are an eloquent and stimulating representative. The answer - de facto annexation of "Judea, Samaria and Gaza" through the application of Israeli law - is shocking, but worthy of respect for its brutal honesty.
Leaving aside the likely nullification of such a move through international law (as was the case with the Jerusalem Law) and the moral issue of destroying the Palestinian national identity... would it even be politically viable in Israel? Do the majority of Israelis, or even Israeli Jews, support such an annexation?
Absolutely, annex Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Remove the threat.
If Egypt rescinds the treaty, take back the Sinai. Immediately.
But recognize and accept that under Obama, ending aid to the PA will require the ending of aid to Israel.
Recognize the real dangers; the moral cowardice of many Jews, exposed by their advocacy of appeasement and surrender, the theological nature of Islam, and a nuclear attack upon Israel.
Nothing however is going to change until the majority of Jews change their enabling of persecution. Telling the world to go pound sand is the first step in regaining the offensive against Islamic aggression.
Once Israel's attitude changes, everything will change.
Then many new policies can be implemented;
Ending acceptance of American aid which hobbles Israel.
Directly link war upon Israel with a cost for Islam...the real enemy in the M.E.
Then establish a new policy of retaliation against Islamic holy sites.
Bomb an Israeli restaurant, lose a mosque.
In response to the killing of Israeli children; for every Israeli child killed...11 male Palestinian children, 6 months or younger will be 'adopted' and raised as Jewish.
Directly link, for the Muslim, a very unpleasant consequence; that targeting Jewish children... targets Muslim children, in a manner that strikes at the very heart of Islam.
The next time war comes, finish it. First targets; every Islamic holy site in the enemy's country.
The only way to stop a future nuclear attack upon Israel is to institute a new 'Samson' policy and publicize it.
If Israel is ever attacked with WMD, by anyone...the heart of Islam will die, and Mecca, Medina, Qom, the Dome of the Rock, Iran and Saudi Arabia will cease to exist...and so will the oil fields of the M.E. Since the world wants to destroy Israel, let them understand the cost will be beyond calculation.
Netanyahu's just discovered PA's "genocidal incitement." An amazing feat of clear-sightedness and courage! Why couldn't he say it loud and clear before innocent children were butchered in Itamar? This indicisive, malleable and not very brave or principled man must go if Israel is to survive at all. Alas, too few among the top political brass of this country can honestly say "Our hands have not shed this blood."
No surprise that the cowardly Netanyahu and Barak team hide the truth from fellow Jews that it was their ongoing agenda of permitting U.S military training of Palestinians on how to more efficently kill Jews that led to the deaths of the Fogel family.
The same family who were driven out of Gush Katif by P.M. Ariel Sharon to please President Bush.
Always pleasing worthless friends,that's Israel's only worthless agenda.
It does not pay but it does costs much Jewish blood and yet you still do it you stiff necked fools.
Israel, where being a good Jew has become dangerous because you are a target of the state.
The criminally compliant Israeli media gladly help their partners in crime in hiding the truth of why the killers of the Fogel family were so good at what they did.
It is amazing how the Jewish people have once again been immobilized into a trance like state to once again go along with the final solution planned for them by their own leaders who are just following orders.
Every portion of every inch given by Israel to those who want her destroyed is taken as proof that Israel is weak and completely unwilling to defend herself. Her perceived weakness is preyed upon and despised. She becomes an object of ridicule. Israel, no more conceding of inches of anything. No more curtailed incursions into anywhere that fail to do the job. Stand in the land that is yours and from this moment on refuse to surrender a single thing. Take back the territory that your so-called 'peace partners' are using as platforms from which to attack you. Don't aplogise for doing it. Remove from the land every single person who wants you gone. You have every God-given right to be where you are. You are supposed to be there. You are going to be there forever. Time to get your heads around that glorious bit of truth and live it. Your enemies, on the other hand, are living on borrowed time.
I think it's very clear what needs to be done but Israel doesn't have the stomach for it!!! these people don't understand anything but force ( you know: "the religion of peace " ) check the "old testament under the " Amalekites"
Dear Caroline,
It's not all or nothing. In 1968 it was about developing defensible borders. It is still about that today. Israel won the Six Day War but is still fighting for peace. It doesn't matter if you take the Alon Plan or Dore Gold's Critical Security Needs. Any agreement will have to include substantive security guarantees that are not only acceptable to the Prime Minister and his ruling party but to a seriously and rightfully cynical Israeli public. It makes sense to reach a two state agreement to give the Palestinians a state of their own but at least equally important is to define borders that take Israel out of the business of ruling over the lives of 2.5 million West Bank Palestinians.
As for Itamar it was a gruesome act of terror and is an unspeakable crime in the eyes of every human being.
The following article explains why the West is, with lies, vilifying Israel.
"Why the West Is, with Lies, Vilifying Israel - Excerpts from Articles by Matthias Küntzel and Ruth Wisse"
http://danielbielak.blogspot.com/2011/03/why-west-is-vilifying-israel-excerpts.html
----
The leaders of the government of Israel must mindfully, clearly, firmly, tell the factual, currently 94-year, history of the situation to the television news media of Western countries, and directly to the leaders of the governments of Western countries, and to the television news media of Israel.
In the following article, I have written a brief summary of the history of the situation.
"Israel - A Brief Summary of the History of The Situation"
http://danielbielak.blogspot.com/2011/03/israel-brief-summary-of-history-of_17.html
----
The following is addressed to my fellow Jewish people. We must, with right speech, stand up for ourselves and for each other.
The following are two comments that I posted on the blog Daphne Anson (http://daphneanson.blogspot.com), which is a good blog by a non-Jewish person who is defending Israel and the Jewish people against the tsunami of malicious lies being propagated against Israel by the members of the academic, and journalistic, and political, and religious Christian clerical, classes of Western (culturally Christian-European (Christian and post-Christian)) countries. The following comments that I posted on the blog Daphne Anson are comments that I posted on a post (called "Delegitimising Israel by Delegitimising Scripture" (http://daphneanson.blogspot.com/2011/03/delegitimising-israel-by-delegitimising.html)) about the activities of the members of the BBC. I, here, have slightly modified (I, here, have corrected) the first comment that I posted. I posted the second comment recently, and, at the time of my writing this comment, the second comment has not been posted by the author of the blog.
----Beginning of The First Comment----
The racism involved in this activity by these culturally Christian-European (Christian and post-Christian) people is obscene and vile.
Who the hell cares about what is said in the texts of the traditional religion of the Jewish people?
The point is that Israel is the country of the Jewish people.
Just like Japan is the country of the Japanese people. And just like Italy is the country of the Italian people. And just like Thailand is the country of the Thai people. And just like Ireland is the country of the Irish people. And, for two thousand years, the Jewish people have been homeless and persecuted - persecuted BY CHRISTIAN EUROPEANS, and by Muslim Middle-Easterners - both of whom are peoples who utterly usurped the traditional religion, and cultural narrative, and even the cultural identity, of the Jewish people.
What the hell is wrong with these evil, imbecilic, self-worshipping, obscenely, perversely, dishonest, malicious culturally Christian-European (Christian and post-Christian) people among whom the Jewish people have been born in this world?
Israel exists. Israel is a nation. Who the hell do these vicious, imbecilic, sanctimoniously genocidal, racist culturally Christian-European (Christian and post-Christian) people think they are?
The time is over for Jewish people to be acting, immorally, like timid, cowering, traitorously appeasing, slaves.
Jewish people had better start to act like normal human beings, and, therein, by speaking the truth, charge the obscene, lying, Western and Muslim attackers of the Jewish people, or the Muslim world and the Western world will, again, commit genocide against the Jewish people, and the world will be thrown into an age of darkness and evil.
-- Daniel Bielak
http://danielbielak.blogspot.com
----Beginning of The Second Comment----
Thank you, Daphne.
Thank you for your appreciation, and thank you for your understanding, and thank you for adding my blog to your blogroll.
What you wrote about the BBC is exactly right.
I just want to clarify about the following that I wrote:
I wrote:
"...Who the hell cares about what is said in the texts of the traditional religion of the Jewish people?..."
I meant that which I wrote as it would be expressed by writing that sentence with a period, instead of by writing it with a question mark.
I meant, by that which I wrote, the following.
What the texts of the traditional religion of the Jewish people say about the country of the Jewish people have nothing to do with the right of the Jewish people to have, and to live in, and to govern themselves in, and to defend themselves in, their own country, in the same way that other national groups - other peoples - have, and live in, and govern themselves in, and are able to defend themselves in, their own countries.
Are culturally Christian-European (Christian and post-Christian) people scouring the texts of the traditional religions of other peoples in order to delegitimize the nations of those peoples? No, of course, they are not doing so.
The texts of the traditional religion of the Jewish people are not anyone's, other than the Jewish people's, business.
Also, as part of that, the traditional religion of the Jewish people, unlike Christianity, and unlike Islam - which are both derivations of, and modifications of, the traditional religion of the Jewish people, and which utterly usurped the traditional religion of the Jewish people - is not an imperialist, nor supremacist, religion.
The traditional religion of the Jewish people, like the ancient traditional religions of other peoples, is a culturally chauvinistic religion, but the traditional religion of the Jewish people, unlike Christianity, and unlike Islam, is not an imperialistic, nor supremacist, religion.
Most importantly, the traditional religion of the Jewish people, unlike Islam, is not a totalitarian, imperialist, supremacist, theocratic political ideology and system of government.
There are approximately 2 billion Christians in the world.
There are approximately 1.5 billion Muslims in the world.
There are approximately 14 million Jewish people in the world.
There are 56 Muslim states in the world.
There are several officially Christian states in the world.
There are over 20 Muslim Arab states in the world.
There are several European states in the world.
There are many national states in the world.
There is only on Jewish state in the world - Israel, which is one of the smallest countries in the world, and which is a liberal democratic country.
There is now a huge, genocidally anti-Jewish, totalitarian, imperialist, Islamic supremacist political movement in the world - which is a political movement that is a revival of authoritative Islam, with the addition, to authoritative Islam, of traditional culturally Christian-European malicious conspiracy-theory ideology about the Jewish people.
What are culturally Christian-European (Christian and post-Christian) people such as the members of the BBC doing in response to this huge, genocidally anti-Jewish, totalitarian, imperialist, Islamic supremacist political movement? They are, with lies, attacking the besieged - intendedly genocidally besieged - country of the Jewish people, and they are, with lies, glorifying, and, as part of that, obfuscating the actions of the adherents of, and, therein, obfuscating the nature of, and, therein, obfuscating the existence of, and, thereby, enabling, the huge, genocidally anti-Jewish, totalitarian, imperialist, Islamic supremacist political movement. Such culturally Christian-European (Christian and post-Christian) people are blameworthy.
Esteban,
I recommend the following articles.
"Israel - A Brief Summary of the History of The Situation"
http://danielbielak.blogspot.com/2011/03/israel-brief-summary-of-history-of_17.html
"Why the West Is, with Lies, Vilifying Israel - Excerpts from Articles by Matthias Küntzel and Ruth Wisse"
http://danielbielak.blogspot.com/2011/03/why-west-is-vilifying-israel-excerpts.html
Since you, with your comment, have demonstrated that you are driven by identity politics, as are, in this era, almost all people who identify themselves as being politically "Left", I'll list the following aspects of my identity.
My ethnic background - my ethnicity - is Jewish (Jewish-Russian(Ukrainian)-Polish: Ashkenazi Jewish; the term Ashkenazi Jewish means West-European Jewish or East-European Jewish; the word Ashkenazi refers to a place in Germany (which was a place named Ashkenaz) where some of the Jewish (Yehoudi) people migrated, in exile, from Judea (Yehouda), to, and settled in).
The practice that I strive to follow is Theravada Buddhism.
The political views that I hold are those of Classical Liberalism.
Yes, as you say, the attacks did not stop when Israel left Gaza. Concessions have not and do not work.
Any person who does not see that the only result that will satisfy the enemies of Israel is the total destruction of Israel, is being wilfully blind. If they hold a position of responsibility, should be called to account for what amounts to treason.
As to the "international community".
If Israel would simply make its case in an effective manner. If it would simply and clearly communicate with the people of the countries of the "international community", I think Israelis would be amazed at how receptive to the truth they would find the ordinary people of those countries.
Stop being limited by the terms of your enemies.
Get your message out!
'It makes sense to reach a two state agreement to give the Palestinians a state of their own'
Larry Snider
Lets reward them,(Palestinian's) for all their hard fought bloody effort's to make peace with Israel is what he is saying.
Evil needs to be rewarded ,they deserves a state of their own.
This miserable,very tolerant fool would have found a way to bless the Nazi's also.
That's what the miserable Larry's of the world are saying.
The we have the lip service from the godless,perverted, immoral Jew,Larry.
"As for Itamar it was a gruesome act of terror and is an unspeakable crime in the eyes of every human being."
_____________________________________
It's amazing to see the story of Sampson unfold once again.
This time Israel is Sampson.
After so many years of playing around with the peace whore,Israel has lost it's mind and
strength.
The real world has taken a back seat to the sweet nothing's whispered in the ear
of the now deranged lover Israel.
Living in a fantasy world of lies and delusion,Israel is unaware that her strength is gone and that her best loved whore America has turned on her.
All that is left for the naive fool who trusted a slut instead of God is the final chapter,the Sampson Option.
Unfortunately, Israel has got itself into a position whereby it is constantly on the back foot, always explaining its actions and, as in any state of play, a wholly defensive position carries psychological disadvantages. Israel needs to be in positive attack mode and show the world its acheivements.
Adam wrote:
"The problem, in my view, is that Israeli politicians don't provide sympathetic American Jews with enough rhetorical support"
I can't help but agree with this statement. I'm British, not American, but Israel's supporters in the UK do struggle against a tide of media bias. As Melanie Phillips said in an interview on Israeli TV, the British are only told one side of the story - what are they supposed to believe of the Israel/Palestinian conflict if the Palestinian side has its hasbara machine whirring away whilst Israel's is completely silent?
As for the boycott, we counter this with a 'Buycott' - that is, supporters of Israel in the UK make an absolute point of buying as many Israeli goods as possible.
Yisrael, there are millions of Americans that support you. Our voice is often drowned out by the anti-Semites in our media and government, but our Elohim shall prevail. Remember most of all that our land was promised by YHWH Almighty (Bereshit) The promise is etched in rock.
The ontologically and teleologically indisputable Creator of the Universe has this vermin in "derision"(Teh.2.) The One who promised Avrahim, Yitzak, and Yacov has never slept...so let the vermin pile on. Their offspring will be "dashed against the rocks."(Teh.137.) Shema,Yisrael...
Well Caroline , the timing of the next anti-israel wave is nearing with the global recognition of the so-called Palestine State . Can you please list the pro-active counter moves we as jews and Israelis should take ? I think towards the USA Netanyahu should speak out his mind clearly against Obama the grand shipwrecker and the futility of the Gaza withdrawal which will NOT be emulated by any more territorial concessions in Judea-Samaria ; also Israel should renounce the US military aid; finally all the zone C of the Oslo agreements should be annexed to Israel.Those pro-active steps are designed to be a stern warning to our so-called " friends " in the west , who would like Israel to march to its suicide with a nice " peace now " sticker on our clothes.Since I do not think the west will diverge from its course against Israel, the next step is the elimination of the hamas direction group in Gaza, and of the palestinian authority in Judea-Samaria ; the motives are clear ; perpetual attacks against Israel from Gaza and anti-israel incitement from their authority. All the finacial lifelines of the palestinian authority are to be severed once for all.
"Fukutsu seishin! That is what the Japanese are saying in their current adversity. "Never give up."
The Muslims were breaking the law by denying others their right to free speech. Do these left wing professors have no shame in supporting the right of those suppressing the rights of a person such as Michael Oren to speak; he is not only a politician but a distinguished historian, the author of the Six Day War in Israel and also of the early history of the interaction of the US with the Middle East of jihad prior to and during the Barbary wars. Nothing in the First Amendment gives the students, motivated by the Muslim Brotherhood the right to stifle criticism of Arab jihad against the Jews and the rights of other students to listen to that criticism. If the Musllim students broke the law and its penalty is not enforced, they will break it again and again. If they can't do the time, they should avoid the crime, not whine.
The settlers have a perfect right to build housing on land over which Israel has been granted exclusive political rights and therefore sovereignty. They were given such rights by the WWI Allies at San Remo who adopted the Policy of the earlier Balfour Declaration. The agreement of the Allies at San Remo was adopted by the League of Nations at San Remo making it International Law, and then further validated by the League of Nations in the British Mandate. Because the US had never became a member of the League, it adopted the agreement separately in a joint resolution. Later, in 1924, England and the US executed a treaty, the Anglo American Convention, incorporatating completely the terms of the Mandate or trust that had been set up to implement the terms of the Balfour Policy. That gave the International Law the dignity also of the domestic law of the US and of England.
Article 80 of the UN Charter preserved the grant of the League of Nations. When England abandoned its trusteeship in 1948, the beneficial rights of exclusive political rights over Palestine devolved to the beneficiaries.
The Arabs have no claim whatsoever to the political rights in Palestine. They were given political rights over 99% of the land of the Ottomans captured by the Allies in WWI. The patitition of Palestine in 1948 following the UNSCOP hearings was a recommendation, not a grant. It could not have been a grant; that would have been inconsistent with the original grant. The Jews accepted the recommendation that would have provided political rights to a part of Palestine to the Arabs. Ben Gurion said in the UNSCOP hearings he was willing to give up part of the rights to which the Jews were entitled in return for peace, so long as he had enough to make a workable independent state. The Arabs were guaranteed the preservation of their civil and relligious rights in the Balfour Declaration and in the transfer of sovereignty to England by the Ottomans in the Treaty of Sevres, Article 95 in trust for the Jews.Their political rights could not be preserved because they never had any to preserve. They had always been ruled from afar -- by the Turks from Constantinople from 1520 to 1920, by the British from 1920 to 1948, by the Hamemite Tribe from Ammand from 1948 to 1967, and they continued to be ruled by the Jews from Jerusalem following 1967. Only the Jews had ever exercised sovereignby over the land in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. That is why they had been granted exclusive rights to that land, in view of the historic interest in it, under the view that when the diaspora Jews returned, they would have a majority of population in the entire country -- they had had a majority in Jerusalem as early as 1845.
Great article but the actions you propose are unlikely to bring about the shift that is necessary. Israel is being boxed into a corner which will ultimately result in a dire struggle for its very existence; arguably we are already in the early stages of this war, for that's what it is.
The problem is that the 'free' world and the Arabs believe ultimately that Israel will continue to negotiate away its sovereignty in a desperate effort to achieve a peaceful settlement. The World believes that it is easier to wring concessions from democratic Israel than it is from the autocratic, terrorist and despot led Arab world. The realists amongst us know that peace is never going to be achieved whilst the Arabs think they can get more, and more and more.
Israel needs to send a clear message to the world that signifies a sea change in its position. Diplomacy is a failed process and it’s counterproductive. Some serious straight talking is long overdue, too much time has been lost pandering to the so called sensitivities of the Arab world and the mob rule of the Arab street that Arab leaders deliberately cultivate. There is a long list of pre-requisites that Israel can reasonably demand of the Arab world before it entertains any further dialogue with them. We all know what they are so I'm not going to repeat them but a simple and unequivocal acknowledgement of Israel's legitimacy and right to exist in peace and security would be a start. Make Arab leaders actually state this to their people and we'd really be making some progress. Israel needs to stand up and tell the world enough is enough, you can demonise us all you like, challenge our legitimacy, question the legitimacy of settlements, but we're not going away and the quicker the Arab world, US, EU, UN come to terms with that the better. If you want us (Israel) to talk peace these are our conditions. They are non negotiable. Israel has to set the agenda and has to be absolutely uncompromising in its resolve. If you like they need to start playing the Arab game. If America has problems with Arab intransigence and sensitivities its time they understood that Israel can be equally intransigent and sensitive. At the moment everyone thinks its the Arabs that have to be placated its time they realised they've got it wrong.
I don't believe that Israelis will go quietly, Please G-d, the Holocaust will not be repeated but Israel desperately needs brave and cohesive leadership to avoid reliance on the ultimate deterrent. It's Purim today; someone should get Arab and World leaders to read Megillat Esther. The lessons are all there for those who would challenge Jewish existence.
To Ms. Glick;
While I normally admire your work, I must say I am disappointed in this article. You are usually candid, and aren't afraid to "tell it like it is".
The Los Angeles Times is probably as Liberal & unreliable in its reporting & certainly its editorial side as the infamous N.Y. Times is
(The Pro Palestinian bias in the NY Times is so blatant, that is laughable).
You don't mention that point here..
Ex:
Take The Los Angeles Times for example. From the Times' perspective, the Fogels were not Israeli civilians. They were "Jewish settlers." They weren't murdered in their home. They were killed in their "tightly guarded compound."
And, in the end, the Times effectively justified the murder of the Fogel children when it helpfully added, "Most of the international community... views Israel's settlements as illegal."
The Times report was actually comparatively sympathetic. At least it mentioned the murders. Most European papers began their coverage with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's announcement that the government would permit Israelis to build 400 homes in Judea and Samaria.
As to the Jewish Community, You mentioned the
Israel Action Network.. That Org is a collaboration of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) which will increase resources available to local federations and CRCs, the backbone of any community-based response.
The project will work alongside Israel and key organizational partners in the US and Canada, not only to stand up against anti-Israel initiatives, but also to anticipate and prepare for future challenges and actively promote a fair and balanced picture of the Middle East among key constituencies"
If you feel that their not abiding by their core mission, why don't you write to the head of their org, and register your complaint. I'm sure their stakeholders & key funders would be interested in knowing that their donations aren't being used properly.
You also neglected to mention several Org's (which I am familiar with) who all support Israel, unequivocally.
Zstreet.org, thejidf.org/, afsi.org, defendjerusalem.net/, etc....
Why all this carry over golah Jew(compromise,bend over, look liberal)behavior ?. We Jews are seen these days as a weak bunch. So,WE are the weak link here. NO LAND for Peace- Peace just isnt coming with Islamics and antisemetic Christian countries. NO COMPROMISE .Dont give an inch ! Cleans the leftist, do gooders and enlighten Israeli electorates with facts and realities. No more fifth column NGO's and arab parties. NO LAND for Peace. Replace NETANYAHOOO and Barak with men , not sissys. Retake Gaza , the west bank and hold onto every inch. End the refugee camps with passports to Jordan... This is enough or we'll be landless, dispersed and so pathetic. Seems the lessons of history have NOT been learned by many in our fold and they will cause the rest of us to repeat them again. So sad, this bunch of bent over fairy Jews.
Mr Bielak,
Since you, with your comment, have demonstrated that you are driven by identity politics, as are, in this era, almost all people who identify themselves as being politically "Left", I'll list the following aspects of my identity.
I'd like to think I am not 'driven' by any kind of politics. There are finer things in life. I am undoubtedly quite to the left of Caroline and most of her readership which, in fairness, is not difficult, especially for someone of a gentile European background.
It is for that reason that I do not usually engage in polemic in our hostess's comments section. It would just end in rehashing all the tiresome competing tropes of Israel-Palestine discourse all the way back to Isaac and Ishmael, and I'd simply end up looking like an attention-seeker who bucks consensus to get a rise out of the regulars, which is not my intention. It is a little like entering a private home with mores and customs abhorrent to one's own value system. One still strives to be a gracious guest.
I will bend that principle on this occasion, however, and suggest that identity does matter. I read with exasperation the torturous exegeses of rightful claims going back centuries on both sides. They, essentially, do not matter a whit in the practical sense. There exists a Palestinian nation, by Renan's definition or any other, and it is not Jordanian or Egyptian, or somehow generically Arab. They are what they are. It doesn't matter whether they existed as a cultural unit prior to WWII. They are bound by many decades of struggle, and they're not going anywhere. They are, to use an indelicate term, a fact on the ground. As is Israel, of course, whether any Arab nation likes it, recognises it, or not.
I am deeply skeptical of the de-facto annexation solution Caroline proposes and her readership favours, and I have my doubts as to whether the Israeli public would wear it at all, to say nothing of the international community. But it is a cohesive and honest, if heartless, position, and unlike mass deportations or some other fantasies, it is actually feasible.
On an unrelated note, while I am surprised you did not find your spiritual answers in Judaism, I wish you luck and steady progress in your work on detachment. I would hazard a guess, based on a skimming of the blog, that it is a difficult road for you.
"Either all of Israel is legitimate, or none of it is."
Straight talking Caroline, Israel will prevail.