By Jeremy R. Hammond
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Foreign Policy Journal
February 14, 2009
From an ADL letter:
Israel’s defense of its people from the unending terrorism of Hamas’ rocket attacks is its right and its duty – a course of action that has received more support from world leaders and US editorial pages than we have come to expect.
Yet, at the same time, we are witnessing a backlash of anti-Semitism that is so shameless it’s hard to believe it’s happening in America. We’ve seen such ugliness in Europe and expect it from the Arab countries, but not here in the US.
Massive anti-Israel demonstrations have been held in dozens of cities throughout the country at which protestors actually equate Israel’s self-defense to the behavior of the Nazis and compare the situation in Gaza to a “Holocaust”. So many lines have been crossed that one woman at a protest in Florida saw nothing wrong with calling for Jews to “go back to the oven”.
These blatantly anti-Semitic and deeply offensive expressions follow on the heels of the Internet-powered scapegoating of Jews as the evil force – “just another Jew money-changer thief” – behind the collapse of the global economy.
We were shocked to find high-profile, mainstream websites like YouTube and the finance-related chat sites at Yahoo, AOL, and Google (add the Foreign Policy Journal here – my addition) infected with the same vile anti-Semitic conspiracy theories that had previously been posted only at the extremist fringes of the Internet.
You folks just don’t get it. Read the Koran, no, really read it, or better yet read Ibn Warraq’s “Why I am not a Muslim”, and maybe, just maybe, you’d realize that if the Jews are wiped out by Iran and cease to exist, you’ll be next.
— [Writer chooses to remain anonymous]
Editor’s Reply:
I agree with the view of the Anti-Defamation League, shared by Mr. –, that anti-Semitism, such as “calling for Jews to ‘go back to the oven'”, is despicable. Why Mr. — chooses to equate Foreign Policy Journal with such hateful sentiment is beyond my comprehension, and he offers no evidence in his letter to justify this assertion that FPJ shares such anti-Semitic views.
Where I strongly disagree with the ADL is that Israel’s war on Gaza was “defense of its people from the unending terrorism of Hamas’ rocket attacks”. This is sheer nonsense. Equating overwhelming use of force against a civilian population with “self-defense” is moral and intellectual cowardice. To describe Israel’s use of force as “disproportionate” is a grievous understatement. Israel’s actions constitute serious war crimes.
If Israel was serious about stopping rocket attacks, it would have abided by the June 19 cease-fire, which dramatically reduced the number of rocket attacks, with Hamas actively working to prevent other militant groups from engaging in such actions, including with arrests. Instead, Israel violated the cease-fire repeatedly from the beginning, including by firing at unarmed Gazans attempting to reach their own land. Israel escalated provocative actions against Hamas and other groups in the West Bank, and refused to honor its agreement under the terms of the truce to lift the siege of Gaza. Finally, on November 4, Israel launched a ground incursion into and airstrike on Gaza, killing 6. This action effectively ended the cease-fire, and what followed until Israel launched “Operation Cast Lead” on December 27 was repeated Israeli attacks on Gaza resulting in retaliatory rocket fire from militant groups there, including limited strikes by Hamas, which had until November 4 strictly observed the cease-fire that Israel had perpetually violated.
One of Israel’s first actions in its war was to bomb police stations, including a police cadet graduation ceremony. Even since the end of major military operations on January 18, Israel has targeted police stations, effectively destroying Hamas’ ability to prevent other groups from firing rockets in response to the 22-day bombardment of Gaza that resulted in 1,300 deaths, mostly civilian, and continued Israeli attacks on Gaza since.
Israel’s actions, if we may assume that its leaders are rational actors, are designed precisely to bring about rocket fire into Israel so that it can continue to isolate Hamas, which has repeatedly announced since its 2005 electoral victory its willingness to accept a Palestinian state alongside Israel along the pre-1967 borders. The real threat Hamas poses to Israel is its increasing popularity amongst Palestinians, increasing political standing and moderate views, and willingness to negotiate a diplomatic settlement along the lines of the international consensus and U.N. resolution 242.
The ADL also describes criticism of Israel as “anti-Semitic”; again, a view apparently shared by Mr. –. This is pure nonsense, a morally and intellectually devoid argument warranting no further reply.
Mr. — writes “You folks”; I would like to emphasize that FPJ is wholly owned and operated by a single individual–me. The views and opinions expressed in my own writing are not necessarily those of other contributing writers, and vice-versa. Mr. — offers no hint that his criticism is intended to apply to any contributing writers to FPJ. And, as with my own writings, I can think of none to which his criticism would apply. I should hardly need to point out that the views of a woman at a protest in Florida do not reflect the views and opinions of FPJ. Mr. –‘s insinuation to the contrary is a cowardly and libelous effort to distract from the actual facts about Israel’s crimes against the Palestinians.
Though I am not familiar with Mr. Warraq’s book, I have read the Koran, and would also, as Mr. — does, encourage others to read it. I think people who have misconceptions about Islam would be surprised at what they find in its pages. Mr. — doesn’t expound upon his reasons for encouraging the reading of the Koran, and we’re left to speculate, but the insinuation is obvious enough. I can only say that I think if FPJ readers followed up on his suggestion, they would recognize that his insinuation about its contents is wholly unfounded. My guess is odds are two to one Mr. — hasn’t read it himself.
Mr. — concludes his letter to the editor with a hypothetical statement about “the Jews” being “wiped out by Iran”, an imaginary scenario in which genocide occurs. This is a familiar enough talking point in anti-Iranian propaganda, despite being wholly unfounded. There is no evidence Iran has a nuclear weapons program, and Iran has not threatened Israel with any kind of military aggression. This scenario, presented not as hypothetical but as a real threat, is a pure fabrication on the part of Mr. — and whatever other propagandist sources he gets his information from in addition to the Orwellian-named “Anti-Defamation League”, which specializes in defamation of critics of Israel by dishonest means not unlike Mr. –‘s.
— Jeremy R. Hammond, Editor of Foreign Policy Journal
Jeremy R. Hammond is the editor and principle writer for Foreign Policy Journal, an online publication dedicated to providing news, critical analysis, and commentary on U.S. foreign policy, particularly with regard to the “war on terrorism” and events in the Middle East, from outside of the standard framework offered by government officials and the mainstream corporate media. He has also written for numerous other online publications. You can contact him here.
see
Jewish Activists Protest World Zionist Organization
Israel Issues False Propaganda to Cover Up War Crimes By Jeremy R. Hammond (video)
Racism Against Jews Is Not Acceptable
Myth of Iran wiping Israel off the map dispelled (interview with Ahmadinejad)
Ahmadinejad DID NOT threaten to “wipe Israel off the map.”
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Sign this open letter to President Obama asking him to lift the blockade of Gaza and to talk with ALL the parties in the conflict. Click the pic below. Thank you.
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Click the picture to sign a petition calling on Obama to “break with past policies of unconditional support for Israel’s illegal military occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip, and change U.S. policy toward Israel/Palestine to support human rights, international law, and equality.”
Dandelion Salad 
Were they really homemade?
Firing Phosphorous ‘bombs’ using them as a military weapon other than illuminating, has I believe, been defined as illegal.
Anyone who has seen how phosphorous burns know it’s not to be done anywhere near exposed flesh. It’s an all-consuming reaction; I think it burns under water!
Time for War crimes tribunals in the Hague. Phosphorous was apparently not the only ‘experimental weapon’ the israelis used against civilians. What more has been revealed about these ‘dense inert metal explosives’? Limbs blown off at the waist from the shockwave alone?? I wouldn’t put it past them…
One last question: Why is it considered a terrorist act to fire homemade rockets that don’t kill anyone, but firing phosphorus bombs and DIME explosives into a school filled with women and children is supposed to be “defending oneself”?
Just thought I’d ask.
Very good question, Mary. One that I’d like to hear the answer to.
This is a good one with Terri Gross:
http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=5290373&m=5290378
A tale of a national disaster foretold: Botch, Debt, and Oil.
OK Cancel that last David Duke one, can’t be reposting that! Interesting to see one brand of insane racists conflicting with another brand of insane cultists… only in amerigaah!
For all the wonders of Google, i suspect my program’s not been published, or I don’t have the proper search (yet), but I can say from scanning, this thing make my stomach convulse.
“Falwell was the pioneer in tying American Christian Evangelism to the extreme Israeli right”.
[edited]
This insanity is absolutely an insanity. Children are suffering burns untellable for this insanity. This whole thing is absurd, and ‘faith’ has run amok.
There is no ‘endtimes’ that anyone here has anything to do with, if anyone actually believes this they are psychopathic warcriminals, and are gonna nuke iran over ‘bible stories’.
But I’ll keep looking for my NPR story…
Thanks for all the comments, Natureboy and Mary.
I did take out the video link to the Duke one, Natureboy.
This is a more recent Moyers one you may already have:
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/10052007/profile.html
Thanks for the links, Natureboy, will check them out.
Here’s another one from Moyers about the CUFI: https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2008/03/10/bill-moyers-journal-the-gops-nominee-christians-united-for-israel-cufi/
Not yet, but did find this interesting Tom Ashbrook program on the ‘unholy alliance’:
http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2002/05/the-christian-right-and-israel/
Is it known if Reagan and both Botches were genuine dispensationalists? I remember the first time hearing about republican end-times creationists was back in the raygun daze…
Certainly crazed born-again protestant Zionists and Jewish militarists have joined forces in some strange ‘unholy alliance’, as explained very well on these pages. The consequences have been a disaster for both th victims, and the daft, arrogant, anti-intellectual culture of the americon oppressor and it’s slimy ‘51st state’. Very sad also for the initial refugee idealism of the 1946 escapees from broken Europe of the jews.
I heard a while back an excellent documentary on NPR about exactly how the Christian Coalition, Pat Robertson et. al. set their sights on the counter culture back then (and dismembered the ‘new left’ which lasted for a whole 2 or 3 years) hence the following 40 years of ‘What’s the Matter With Kansas’ red-state mega-churched mania in the heartland which voted in these nightmarish amerigoon administrations, hence all of our horrible wars and ultra-rightist economic turmoil born of greed, brain-dead nationalistic hypnosis and love of guns, etc.
I’d like to hear that NPR program again, to clarify exactly who, and what took apart the progressive progress we’d made in a few short years way back in my infant years, neutralized dissent against militarism, racism and economic exploitation, cornered all the cash and squandered it, and killed the promise of american culture, counter-culture, and installed a vapid generation greed-based anti-creativity in general.
See if it’s podcasted on NPR, and put the link here if you find it.
Thank you Mr. Hammond, for clarifying my earlier comment. I missed most of this thread due to just not having time to get back to it, and I’m sorry to have missed this lively discussion.
I agree with the comment about our elected officials acting on Israel’s behalf because of those juicy campaign donations, but the lobby goes much, much further than that. They engage in an extensive campaign “disseminating” pro-Zionist propaganda to both the politicians and their constituents, and so you must also not forget the powerful mishmash of mixing politics with so-called religion in this instance. The Christian Right supports the Zionist cause, that being, that the Jews are ordained by God to possess the land of Palestine and have the right to drive all others from this land. Sure, it’s balderdash, but there is a sizable chunk of the population, including our politicians, who believe in it.
This belief cannot be underestimated in its power to influence Washington. The separation of Church (or synagogue) and state has become nothing more than a myth. This is the driving force behind the US government’s willingness to supply Israel with state of the art weaponry and also makes it turn a blind eye to the suffering of the Palestinian people. The self-righteous have lost their humanity to a Bible story.
If he hadn’t evaded the question and answered it, he’d have no choice but to address the issue starting by confirming the existence of nukes in Israel, which is no longer a debatable subject and which he can’t and wouldn’t deny as that would be rediculous. If he, be it directly or indirectly, confirmed Israel’s possession of nukes, that would weaken his argument against Iran’s going after nukes as well – what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, and why Israel and not Iran!! Moreover, the ultimate ideal goal and notion of having and keeping the Middle East a nukes-free zone would have to be completely scrapped from now on, as that would have to include forcing Israel to give up its confirmed nuclear arsenal, which Israel, with its paranoid mentality and historical, never-ending complex of being under constant threat of being annihilated, would never do. Therefor, You can be certain that this subject, and for a long time to come, will continue to be danced around and evaded.
Thanks Walid. You explained that very well.
At Obama’s press conference, the irrepressable Helen Thomas asked whether he knew of any state with nuclear weapons, in the Middle East; he refused to acknowledge that he knew that Israel had nuclear weapons. Then the topic turns to Iran…
It’s common knowledge that Israel has nukes, I have no idea why he evaded the question.
See: https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/us-now-sees-iran-as-pursuing-nuclear-bomb%C2%A0-us-intel-confirms-iran-not-developing-nukes-obamas-press-conference/
I wish to second what Natureboy said about this forum, as I’ve become, as well, addicted to the intelligent, courageous and enlightened debates and the multitude of opinions voiced on this forum. We all should be able to call a spade a spade, and to tell the emperor the truth when he has no clothes on, figuratively speaking . We used to fear reprisal and repercussions if we stood up and spoke out against tyranny, or what we believed to be outright wrong. This was epitomized best by the witch-hunt and anti-communist hysteria, in the 50s, that became known as McCarthyism. But why go so far back, show me how many of our congressmen dare to stand up and speak out against Israel and its actions – well, near none, as far as I know. The last vote taken in our congress regarding Israel’s massive and disproportionate bombardment of Gaza, which drew unprecedented, world-wide condemnation, and correct me if I’m wrong, was totally and absolutely unanimous in its, yet again, stomach-turning, unwavering support for Israel , which is mind-boggling to me, and to many around the world. We all know why, and I call it shameful and sheer political cowardice when our far-from-dignified congressmen pander, so cheaply, to the aggressors and turn a blind eye to the plight of the victims. Our congressmen’s overwhelming support for Israel is not in anyway due to their belief in Israel’s cause or that they really sympathize with Israel or think that Israel is right – it’s driven, solely and selfishly, by their desire for the Israeli lobbyists’ support in Washington, which is more powerful than any other, during elections and re-elections, in addition, of course, to their fear of Israel’s henchmen’s wrath – considered political suicide in Washington – if they even thought of criticizing Israel for anything . It sees to me that Israel has much more clout in Washington that the U.S. has in Telaviv, to the point that it compromises our political independence and goes against our real vital interests in the world. Can anyone imagine any scenario whatsoever in which Israel commits a horrendous crime – maybe drop a nuclear bomb on Gaza or Iran – which can cause the U.S., for the first time ever, to condemn Israel – I don’t think so. It’s no laughing matter that the strongest country in the world is practically run by a tiny rogue country, and the world is watching this joke perpetuated, and we aren’t even embarrassed about it. Someone really needs to bring this issue of national political independence out to the open and address this very wrong situation. Anyway, Thank you DS for your courage, intellect and honesty, and I’ll definitely continue to be a loyal follower of your honorable forum.
And I thank you, Walid for all of your intelligent comments. They are always appreciated even if I don’t always reply to each and every one. Postings the news here takes up most of my time. Fortunately, many of the regular readers carry on the conversation very well without my input.
I believe Kucinich and Paul didn’t vote for the bill and there were a few others who voted present, but yes, most voted in favor of Israel’s actions. We could use more Kucinichs and Pauls in Congress (at least on this topic).
see: https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/towards-an-even-handed-foreign-policy-in-the-us-congress-rep-dennis-kucinich-leads-a-new-trend/
Thank you, Jeremy for the correction, and for your work.
Perhaps in the end ‘tit for tat’ is destined to be blurred, and Gandhi was right:
Each act of violence begets the retaliatory reaction in train (regardless of instigator).
Natureboy, you asked, “Mary, are you saying no rockets were fired by Hamas during the ceasfire prior to Dec. 20th?”
Mary did not say that. She said, “It doesn’t take a lot of mental effort to recall that the attack on Dec. 27th came from Israel, and that Israel was the party who broke the ceasefire.”
Mary is correct. Israel, not Hamas, violated the cease-fire (perpetually). I noted details above. Hamas fired no rockets until after Israel’s Nov. 4 invasion and aerial attack on Gaza, and there was a limited response to that attack. From that point forward, Israel repeatedly attacked Gaza, with repeated retaliation until every tit-for-tat was blurred and became a tat-for-tit, both sides claiming “retaliatory” strikes to the others’. But it is uncontroversial that Israel first violated the cease-fire.
As far as the response of firing rockets (mostly from other groups, including al Aqsa Martyr’s Brigades, an offshoot of Fatah, Hamas’ rival), you seem to regard them as both criminal and unproductive. I would certainly agree with you if that is the case.
I also want to thank everyone for their comments.
Sorry, I meant Afghanistan, same difference…
I love this new fire-sale flat-panel-thingy, had me sitting here all Sunday watching tha news (when there was so much insolvent work to be done) Bill Maher is back, and for whatever his opinions of 911, he just had thu guts to say we won’t prevail in pakistan on King. Today was a good day for TV personalities, sometimes the cable bill pays off…
Whatever works– I was dismayed that the embed-code led back to CNN, but so be it, they paid Fareed (and we through commercials), let them get the exposure, it’s one of his best pieces. He and Dr. Gupta sometimes speak truth about the region, but that’s rare, and subject my unwise interpretation, so post at one’s own will.
Fareed Zacharia is hot tonight:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/02/15/gps.israel.palestine.cnn?iref=videosearch
Thanks for the link, Natureboy. Do you want this link listed or the one on Google?
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Here’s the one for the video on Google as it may play better, I had some trouble viewing the video from the CNN site.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3556191183096062473
It’s the cutest picture of all time…
Insofar as God begat Dandelion Salad and the miracle of ‘Lo on Earth’, I am a believer.
It is all an incredible miracle indeed, and I am in awe.
They say we must find forgiveness for those who sin against the miracle of life on earth, or God’s creations. I will continue to try. Clearly that is the ‘balance’ I also struggle to attain.
Dandelion Salad, on the other hand, is prophetic, and has become so through cognition and intellect alone, faith only in the truth, not apparently in scriptural prophesy of the past.
The moment is constantly defined, it’s a workout to stay abreast.
Thank you for the vigilance and the exorcize.
Thanks to everyone who has commented.
Well… the photo of ‘Jeff’s Kitten’ at right would make anyone your best fan… Sorry I lost my Flickr ID, or I’d be celebrating your celebration of sweet life in pictures. In spite of the content of the news, you’ve kept a matriachal affirmation and celebration of life at the forefront. This is glorious, and transcends the critical matters at hand, making it all easier to bear.
Isn’t that the cutest picture? One of my all time favorites and one of the most viewed on my Flickr page. Your Flickr ID is the same as your yahoo acct, if you don’t have one, make a new one, it’s quite easy.
The key is balance, of which I struggle with continuously. Although I owe my good attitude in life to God because without God I wouldn’t be here or anywhere, as I would be dead (either physically or spiritually). I see beauty in all life, especially in Nature and I thank God every day for reaching another day. Mankind ruined religion. We need to separate mankind’s actions from God’s.
Thank you Lo, and sorry for my long-windedness which appears therein…
But I’m sure the point of the forum is inquisitive self-discovery and intelligent debate, certainly the whole of Dandelion Salad has been an epiphany, an intellectual awakening for me, and one appreciates the opportunity you’ve offered to voice outrage at the intolerable situations.
I welcome and encourage others to join in this unique progressive forum. Insofar as Dandelion Salad is ‘addicted’ to the news, I am addicted to Dandelion Salad!
My mind blossoms with each new post.
We should all work to promote the spreading of this ‘real news’ via invitations to the link of the daily email digest, and implant the ‘widgets’ with the headlines in all websites.
For as long as Dandelion Salad is willing to sacrifice of her time for the benefit of real information, we must all heed, and encourage all to likewise become a part of the ‘Dandelion Salad Community’.
Natureboy, you’re the best! I believe you are my number one fan. Thank you so much. Your encouragement keeps me going at this daily, as some days are more difficult than others especially given the content of the news.
I would like to thank Jeremy Hammond, and all the Featured Writers who allow DS to post their work, it really makes DS more than just another news website/blog. I don’t always agree with their points of view, however, I always learn from each one of them.
It is an excellent response by jeremy, and bears rereading.
It is unconscionable that the ADL writer conflates demonstrations against zionist warcrimes with anti-semitism.
There is, however a lot of anti-jewish conspiracy buzz going around, as Jeremy concurs, and that is genuinely insane. It would be an abuse of genuine victims of hate to use the racist ideology of anti-semitism as an indictment of a legal or political demonstration of dissent.
This is the problem with having a state that is at once jewish and hyper-militarized, and at perpetual war with neighbors who are at once overwhelmingly Islamist and displaced. Actions by that state will be assumed to be actions by jews, and resistance to those actions will be assumed to be ‘anti-semitic’.
Certainly the lines between despicable hatreds and justifiable legal positions will be blurred. People on all sides need to decide and define exactly where they stand.
I think a refined definition of ‘anti-semitic’ needs to be adopted. Basically, if you are claiming a genetic or ‘eugenic’ reason for a critique of an ‘ethnicity’, then you are a vile racist.
If you are however taking issue with a cultural affectation based in learned behavior, especially one which causes a national injustice against another nation, then you are making a just indictment which is based in rational intelligence, not racism.
But then rational thought is not something one expects to find in a warzone replete with antiquated cultist religious factions, each claiming conflicting god-given ancient blood-rite dominion over the ‘truth’.
I was thinking the exact same thing yesterday, Natureboy. We do need to redefine Anti-Semitism.
Natureboy, I also am concerned with the increase in anti-Jewish attacks by racists who confuse regular Jews living in other countries with the actions of the Israeli govt/military. I put the link to this post, https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/racism-against-jews-is-not-acceptable/ in the “see” related stories at the end of this post.
I think the internet has provided the average American alternate opinions which we usually do not get on our monolithic, mind-numbing mainstream news media.
When you step out of the box of religious beliefs, Israel’s position becomes clearly the role of the oppressor. We have been pounded over and over again about the Holocaust and dare not say anything about Jews or we might be called, “Anti-Semitic”. I was personally shocked when I did some research on what that means, and I found a couple of books interesting. One was Arthur Koeslter’s book the Thirteenth tribe. It makes sense from a secular point of view, and it’s very troubling that we have had this ridiculous foreign policy based on religion for sixty year.
Mary, are you saying no rockets were fired by Hamas during the ceasfire prior to Dec. 20th? The record appears shaky here…
I found one CNN clip that addresses it:
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KntmpoRXFX4)
Certainly the blockade of Gaza was a terrorist attack all by itself, and Gazan’s must have felt they had nothing much to lose in backing the methods of Hamas.
It seems the ‘operation cast lead’ was planned by Israel up to a year prior, the israelis were likely going to find some red-herring false flag to carry it out anyway, but these rockets seemed to garner a lot of sympathy from the USA, including statements by Obama in Israel’s defense, and our mayor bloomburg going down there to stand with the zionists while they committed atrocities.
Perhaps the real goal of Israel in all this is to lure a retaliation from Hezbollah or Iran for the epic biblical battle. All of it, including all these spintered factions of islam, is so far over my head, except the one revelation from Gandhi that violence always begets the next act of retaliation in train.
Of course the Gazans are the victims, but lobbing these missiles is like throwing stones at a hornet’s nest. David clearly didn’t slay goliath with these missiles. There are other resistance movements that perhaps could have perhaps been more effective, examples perhaps in other overwhelming situations faced in other civil colonial wars, the ANC, the FMLN, MLK’s marches, Gandhi’s methods, but again who am I to say.
I know nothing about this, and certainly despise what the israelis have done, but I can’t imagine these rockets to be helping any sort of peace (not that I know what will), nor can I believe these tactically futile rocket attacks are representing the will or the best interest of Gazans, and only provided false justification for israel’s overwhelming force.
Apparently there was no negotiating with Israel on a new ceasefire, it was their way or the highway, but the rockets seemed to have given them international sympathy in carrying out this seige.
My apologies for my ignorance, I remain so upset about this horrible bombing, and still can’t get over the horror in Iraq, which everyone here already wants to forget. Unfortunately were I an Iraqi or a Gazan, or even an Israeli, I would be incapable of living in such a place, and would need to become a political refugee and flee, even if it meant swimming. What is going on is a complete insanity, and homeland or not, it’s not a place for humans to live.
Thanks for the link to the video report, Natureboy. The comment by the uploader, “Shouldn’t media outlets check the facts before running with a story?” I thought was quite telling. The corporate media continuously spews the Israeli propaganda, they do no fact checking, they deceive by omission. It was the same during the Georgian War with S. Ossetia. It took months before they ran stories saying that the Georgians were the first to strike.
It’s sad in this time and age that we still have so many people left who, so easily and conveniently, turn a blind eye to the obvious truth, to their conscience, and bury their heads in a cocoon of fervent denial and unmitigated paranoia and hatred, and close their ears and conscience to despicable acts of genocide, while feverishly and delusionally try to justify, illogically and nonsensically, deviant, sociopatheic behaviour. Simply put, fanatics are fanatics regardless of their country, religion or race, and they are so repulsive in how they see the world is so biased against them (anti-semitic!!!), rather hates them and most likely, in their delusional minds, conspires against them, maybe to wipe them out even, when they (the chosen ones) are so right and justified . Pathological paranoia, as seems to be the case here is no simple condition, and it takes serious long-term therapy to help those inflicted with it, and when a large group of people suffer from it, you end up with blind fanatics and extremists who have boiling unadulterated rage and hate for minds, hearts and conscience – and that is so sad. But when this group of people is armed with the most destructive armament in the world, you are looking at a scary scenario of an apocalyptic horror movie, except for that it is chillingly real, and may God help those who will dare to stand in their way, object or question their behavior, be they who ever they may be!
Whenever the discussion turns towards Israel’s actions against the Palestinian people, the phrase “anti-Semitic” always seems to creep in. It is a great defense mechanism Zionists use when they need to protect their consciences against having to face the truth of their beliefs and/or actions.
It is equally unfair to simply paint Hamas with the same kind of brush. “Death wishing Hamas maniacs” is hardly an intelligent, well thought-out phrase. And to say that Hamas “subejcted innocents to the air-trigger goons of Israel” is just another way of blaming the victim. It doesn’t take a lot of mental effort to recall that the attack on Dec. 27th came from Israel, and that Israel was the party who broke the ceasefire.
Thanks, Shaine and Natureboy for your comments. I thought Jeremy’s response was excellent.
Jews MUST speak out against the atrocities perpetuated by the Israeli govt/military.
What’s even more scary is that zionists are a religious state, their locale determined not by secular needs nor arable land as is the tradition for takeovers of territory, (who would wanna live in the horrible desert…) but by scripture.
Anti-zionism is certainly not antisemitic.
Certainly the latest siege of Gaza purges much sympathy for jews, and zionists should expect as much (not that they much care).
Israel is apparently a nuclear-armed fascist apartheid religious cult installed in a patch of desert the 12 tribes were chased from millennia ago. Their behavior is testament to the idiocy of organized religion mixing with secular politics. You can’t argue reasonably nor legally with a cult convinced they have divine right to their ‘manifest destiny’, especially if their addictive ideology is at the core of the belief system of the rest of the developed Christian world.
The aborigines always seem to lose in colonial installations by well-armed whiteys.
In this case, the Israelis are fighting a war they can never win. It is a disaster for the memory of the holocaust to realize that the victims are just as capable of war-criminal atrocity.
Moral of the story, don’t align, don’t join, don’t ever become a nationalist nor a follower of any ideology, never lose your cognitive discerning critical eye, and look askance at each and every individual who would seek to indoctrinate you within a group, gang or cult of any kind, nationalistic, religious or otherwise.
Until people learn to question authority for real, fascists of all stripes will always prevail.
This applies to the death-wishing Hamas maniacs who unconscionably subjected innocents to the hair-trigger armed goons of israel, as well as to the zionist militaristic maniacs themselves.
One can surely e Anti-Israeli (an illegally seized Zionist state) and not anti-semitic. Israel is a Zionist (political) state ad not a Jewish state. This is underscore by the true orthodox Jews leading the charge against the Zionist state of Israel.
The Israel propaganda machine certainly does let mere facts get in their way.