Another war against Gaza is being increasingly discussed in Israel. And why not? Who would stop them? Washington? Hardly: Israeli chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi said on Tuesday that Israel’s next battle would be waged also on Gaza Strip and would include confrontations in densely-populated areas. During a graduation ceremony of a new batch of…
Showing all posts tagged Zionism
Let the peaceful spirit of the 20th century wash over the Middle East
The famed Israeli peace activist Jeff Halper is making (important) friends in the strangest of places: Anyone who owns a radio probably knows the song “Turn, Turn, Turn” (To everything there is a season) very well. A number of versions of this song have become permanent fixtures on the play lists of most popular music…
Israel is falling apart; most Jews don’t want to know
Finally, the Americans are starting to tire of the Middle East conflict (even if they blame both sides for the impasse, oblivious to the clear power imbalance between Israelis and Palestinians). Here’s Thomas Friedman in the New York Times: Today, the Arabs, Israel and the Palestinians are clearly not feeling enough pain to do anything…
Palestinians are on their own and Washington will never help
Tony Karon in The National on the dawning realisation by the US-backed Palestinian Authority: The sad truth dawning on Ramallah, now, is that there will be no salvation from Washington. Not now, possibly not ever. A sad truth, perhaps, but the kind that can set free those who recognise it. In the shocked aftermath of…
How threatened are Jews by alternative views? (hint: a lot)
Parochial Jews love to feel like victims, despite the fact that they’re largely a successful, connected and wealthy community. Being a victim is terribly effective politically, despite its inherent dishonesty. In that tradition, here’s a recent letter in the Australian Jewish News: Where would we Australian Jews be without our demons? Without (in no particular…
Be careful what you say about Israel, terrible critics
Israel lobby J Street has been attacked by the Left and the Right. Here’s Roberta Seid from hardline Zionist group StandWithUs – some background on its tactics here – explaining that it’s acceptable to criticise Israel but in reality any criticism is clearly aimed at weakening Israel: Of course criticizing Israeli policy is not inherently…
US government says Israel is an intolerant nation
Shock, horror: Israel dismally fails the requirements of a tolerant pluralistic society, according to a new report from the U.S. State Department. Despite boasting religious freedom and protection of all holy sites, Israel falls short in tolerance toward minorities, equal treatment of ethnic groups, openness toward various streams within society, and respect for holy and…
Not everyone in Iran is green
Opposition to the Iranian regime is real and continues to display remarkable tenacity in the face of brutal repression. But, reports Graeme Wood in the Atlantic, there appears still to be massive support for the status-quo: In the center of the street, the Quds Day protesters flowed toward me on foot, in groups representing different…
Love for Israel is for one primary reason (hint: it ain’t morality)
Who says money doesn’t buy slavish support for Israel (via Mondoweiss)? According to the Center for Responsive Politics, pro-Arab organizations have spent $70,000 on lobbying efforts since 1998, while pro-Israel groups have spent $5.8 million within the same period. Excluding trips within the United States, members of Congress travel most frequently to Israel.
Carter urges justice over Gaza
Jimmy Carter in the New York Times writes on the Goldstone report: The Goldstone committee examined closely the cause of deaths of the 1,387 Palestinians who perished, and the degree of damage to the various areas. The conclusion was that the civilian areas were targeted and the devastation was deliberate. Again, the criticism of Israel…