Yes, I paid more attention to this today and I would have to say there were maybe 10 hostile interactions and 100 or more positive ones. Just by my unofficial observation. Very encouraging.
Dear Pat, with all due respect you still have your rosy glasses on. Haven't you noticed that even before Marxist faculty joined forces with the Islamists (30+ years ago), the latter were not particular keen about negotiations. Remember Khartoum's three "No"? Now when the most "practical" sector of the population -- faculty lodge and their faithful followers -- added "settler colonialism" to the mix, the possibility of negotiated solution is slim but not none. Right now most of the Arabs and Muslims and Marxist that support them do not think about coexistence of two states. They are openly saying that only one state is legit and it is NOT Israel. Only when the majority of the Muslim population would realize that Israel is too strong to be defeated, they will stop listening to the Red-Green alliance and probably put forward a rational leader.
Despite the catch cry “free Palestine” that is not, and has never been, the top priority. It was never about a free sovereign Palestinian state, it was never about preventing Palestinian death, it is and was always about the ending of the Jewish state. That is the top, maybe only, priority.
“Because these ‘reasonable’ people say, Well, yes, there are some crazies on our side. But Israel does deserve condemnation.”
I think even this may be too generous. I’ve never seen one person on that side of the issue ever admit this. The closest I’ve seen is someone like AOC saying overt Jew-hatred is a bad look, but never that it’s inherently wrong, indefensible and immoral. If they’re against it, which they are near-unanimously not, it’s only for strategic reasons.
I've been trying to think of how many similar "wrong side of history" stories there are: the apologists for Stalin, Mao & Castro; Harvard students who wrote numerous editorials in support of the Khmer Rouge, etc. As it says in Ecclesiastes: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
as amir pars said in confessions-of-a-former-antisemite;
"It was never about Palestinians, or Muslims. Far more Muslims have been killed by Assad, by Saddam, in Pakistan and Yemen and China, than have in Israel and I - like all the Leftists and Muslims in the streets of London protesting against Israel - couldn’t care less. They’re just an instrument to sanitize our antisemitism with."
Yes, the toxic polarization is the sickness. The world and their "othering" like it's a sports event and which jersey are you going to where to the game. Sadly as you know a lot of the protestors have never read a book on the history of the Land of Judea and are simply jumping on some extreme left neo nazi woke bus that helps no one. Feminists suddenly having selective empathy, liberals calling for hate and destruction of the Jews, and the uneducated eating up the misinformation like it's candy. In the mean time I mourn with you over the Israelis who didn't make it out and joy for the hostages that did.
I am not Jewish but do have distant Jewish heritage which I am proud of but am not a blind supporter of Israel and I think Netanyahu has been a disaster overall for the country, the region and the US. Your comment about Palestinians not being secure by using violence was actually a position of an advisor to the PLO called Eqbal Ahmad. Ahmad is actually revered by a lot of Arab radicals as he said Israel will only hunker down in defense of its citizens when they feel threatened. Arabs lost any chance of defeating Israel realistically after 1973. He advised Palestinians to fight for their rights peacefully.
Ahmad was a Pakistani who had fought against India and had lived in Algeria thru its struggle with France. In fact he differentiated Israelis and French Algerians as the latter always had a place to retreat to. Israelis he said were never settler-colonisers as his friend Franz Fanon had stated as they were indigenous and had no place to move to. Existential war - a fight to the death was the only alternative.
I try to make this point to my pro Palestinian friends as well. Supporting the violent struggle of Hamas in any way is condemning Arab women and children to a horrible violent future. So that is how it’s played out.
How can Netanyahu have been a disaster for the region and the United States? The region is disastrous on its own, regardless of who the prime minister of Israel is. And the prime minister of Israel cannot be “a disaster” for a wealthy global superpower like the United States—at most he can be a splinter in a lion’s paw. Finally, Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history. If he were truly “a disaster” for Israel, that would not be the case.
He was the PM on October 7. He moved troops from defending southern Israel to the West Bank and disregarded all warnings on potential Hamas military activity. He recently refused the proposal to allow US and allied troops to move into Gaza once a cease fire was agreed. Hamas would be removed and Gaza would move to reconstruction with help from the Gulf States. Instead Netanyahu continues to believe there is only a military solution to the problem.
The disaster that was October 7 is Netanyahu’s to own. He has no viable day after strategy once any ceasefire is made.
I agree with him. The only solution is military. No country—not even the US—is as interested in Israel’s security as Israel is. The Gulf States cannot be trusted to prevent terrorists from running the Strip and continuing to use it as a base from which they will try to destroy Israel by killing as many Israelis as possible. The Palestinians must—after nearly one hundred years—understand that Israel will not be moved. If the West would let Israel actually win a war, maybe the Palestinians would finally understand and start trying to create a productive and functional society.
I certainly have a soft spot for small mammals, especially marsupials! Perhaps I should have specified that I was thinking of the Warner Bros. version!
If this conflict was about Arab self determination in Greater Israel, it would have been over in 1948. The solution will need to be 20 years of de-radicalisation of the population, just like in Germany after ww2.
The education of the children must be governed not by unrwa but by those who are capable of teaching them how to build a flourishing state instead of only tearing down someone else’s.
Agreed. Also noted that the honks in support and 'thumbs up' at the weekly hostage rally outnumber the uninformed idiots who scream 'genocide'.
Yes, I paid more attention to this today and I would have to say there were maybe 10 hostile interactions and 100 or more positive ones. Just by my unofficial observation. Very encouraging.
Dear Pat, with all due respect you still have your rosy glasses on. Haven't you noticed that even before Marxist faculty joined forces with the Islamists (30+ years ago), the latter were not particular keen about negotiations. Remember Khartoum's three "No"? Now when the most "practical" sector of the population -- faculty lodge and their faithful followers -- added "settler colonialism" to the mix, the possibility of negotiated solution is slim but not none. Right now most of the Arabs and Muslims and Marxist that support them do not think about coexistence of two states. They are openly saying that only one state is legit and it is NOT Israel. Only when the majority of the Muslim population would realize that Israel is too strong to be defeated, they will stop listening to the Red-Green alliance and probably put forward a rational leader.
Thanks Shlomo. Yes, you are correct. And your last line is precisely what we need to advance.
“You have more freedom to express your stupid opinions than anyone in history.” - Love it. So accurate.
Despite the catch cry “free Palestine” that is not, and has never been, the top priority. It was never about a free sovereign Palestinian state, it was never about preventing Palestinian death, it is and was always about the ending of the Jewish state. That is the top, maybe only, priority.
“Because these ‘reasonable’ people say, Well, yes, there are some crazies on our side. But Israel does deserve condemnation.”
I think even this may be too generous. I’ve never seen one person on that side of the issue ever admit this. The closest I’ve seen is someone like AOC saying overt Jew-hatred is a bad look, but never that it’s inherently wrong, indefensible and immoral. If they’re against it, which they are near-unanimously not, it’s only for strategic reasons.
You are sadly correct. Perhaps I was being too generous.
Exactly! These deranged Jew haters continue to make the case for a secure Jewish state better than any Zionist ever could.
Thanks for an excellent and well written article. Shared.
I've been trying to think of how many similar "wrong side of history" stories there are: the apologists for Stalin, Mao & Castro; Harvard students who wrote numerous editorials in support of the Khmer Rouge, etc. As it says in Ecclesiastes: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
Nailed it.
So well articulated, Pat! Thank you!
So well said.
as amir pars said in confessions-of-a-former-antisemite;
"It was never about Palestinians, or Muslims. Far more Muslims have been killed by Assad, by Saddam, in Pakistan and Yemen and China, than have in Israel and I - like all the Leftists and Muslims in the streets of London protesting against Israel - couldn’t care less. They’re just an instrument to sanitize our antisemitism with."
Yes, the toxic polarization is the sickness. The world and their "othering" like it's a sports event and which jersey are you going to where to the game. Sadly as you know a lot of the protestors have never read a book on the history of the Land of Judea and are simply jumping on some extreme left neo nazi woke bus that helps no one. Feminists suddenly having selective empathy, liberals calling for hate and destruction of the Jews, and the uneducated eating up the misinformation like it's candy. In the mean time I mourn with you over the Israelis who didn't make it out and joy for the hostages that did.
💯❣️
I am not Jewish but do have distant Jewish heritage which I am proud of but am not a blind supporter of Israel and I think Netanyahu has been a disaster overall for the country, the region and the US. Your comment about Palestinians not being secure by using violence was actually a position of an advisor to the PLO called Eqbal Ahmad. Ahmad is actually revered by a lot of Arab radicals as he said Israel will only hunker down in defense of its citizens when they feel threatened. Arabs lost any chance of defeating Israel realistically after 1973. He advised Palestinians to fight for their rights peacefully.
Ahmad was a Pakistani who had fought against India and had lived in Algeria thru its struggle with France. In fact he differentiated Israelis and French Algerians as the latter always had a place to retreat to. Israelis he said were never settler-colonisers as his friend Franz Fanon had stated as they were indigenous and had no place to move to. Existential war - a fight to the death was the only alternative.
I try to make this point to my pro Palestinian friends as well. Supporting the violent struggle of Hamas in any way is condemning Arab women and children to a horrible violent future. So that is how it’s played out.
How can Netanyahu have been a disaster for the region and the United States? The region is disastrous on its own, regardless of who the prime minister of Israel is. And the prime minister of Israel cannot be “a disaster” for a wealthy global superpower like the United States—at most he can be a splinter in a lion’s paw. Finally, Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history. If he were truly “a disaster” for Israel, that would not be the case.
He was the PM on October 7. He moved troops from defending southern Israel to the West Bank and disregarded all warnings on potential Hamas military activity. He recently refused the proposal to allow US and allied troops to move into Gaza once a cease fire was agreed. Hamas would be removed and Gaza would move to reconstruction with help from the Gulf States. Instead Netanyahu continues to believe there is only a military solution to the problem.
The disaster that was October 7 is Netanyahu’s to own. He has no viable day after strategy once any ceasefire is made.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/for-years-netanyahu-propped-up-hamas-now-its-blown-up-in-our-faces/amp/
I agree with him. The only solution is military. No country—not even the US—is as interested in Israel’s security as Israel is. The Gulf States cannot be trusted to prevent terrorists from running the Strip and continuing to use it as a base from which they will try to destroy Israel by killing as many Israelis as possible. The Palestinians must—after nearly one hundred years—understand that Israel will not be moved. If the West would let Israel actually win a war, maybe the Palestinians would finally understand and start trying to create a productive and functional society.
You are being unfair to Tasmanian Devils. The are slightly bigger than house cats, and less ferocious than raccoons. Also very cute.
I certainly have a soft spot for small mammals, especially marsupials! Perhaps I should have specified that I was thinking of the Warner Bros. version!
Haha. I just visited Tasmania and saw a Tasmanian Devil Sanctuary. Marsupials really are cute animals.
If this conflict was about Arab self determination in Greater Israel, it would have been over in 1948. The solution will need to be 20 years of de-radicalisation of the population, just like in Germany after ww2.
The education of the children must be governed not by unrwa but by those who are capable of teaching them how to build a flourishing state instead of only tearing down someone else’s.