False Dichotomies

It’s official - we have crossed the line from reasoned criticism of Israeli government policy to overt anti-Semitism. Check out this link and see if you can work out how we’ve been distorted. Clue: it’s the bit about burning New Testaments (middle column - towards the top)…

“Time for a moment of clarity. The right of Israel to protect its citizens is inalienable. This includes the right to build large walls to keep out terrorists. It doesn’t matter how ugly to the eye the wall is, how much it reminds onlookers of cold war era Berlin, all that matters is whether or not it does the job of protecting Israeli lives. There is, of course, a rub. Article 49 (1949) of the Fourth Geneva convention unequivocally states: “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.” In other words, the only right that Israel has to protect its citizens that live in occupied territories is to move them back into sovereign, internationally recognised Israel. Israel has every right to build what it wants on its own territory, but not on the territory of others.” Read on at Comment is Free. 

“The family is very proud of what Muhammad did. He always wanted to be a martyr.” You’d be forgiven for thinking that the word martyr is Arabic for lawyer or doctor, judging from the context it’s used in above.

With all the rhetoric, accusations and hyperbole flying around in the wake of yesterday’s bombing in Eilat, perhaps the most chilling quote is that of the older brother of suicide bomber Muhammad Faisal Saksak.” Read on at Comment is Free.

“Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has approved the moving of the separation barrier at least five kilometers eastward from the Green Line in the area of Modi’in Ilit, in order to take in the settlements of Nili and Na’aleh, according to security sources and a brief submitted by the state to the High Court of Justice.

The new route will create two Palestinian enclaves containing about 20,000 people. Nili and Na’aleh together have some 1,500 residents.” Read on here.

“Raleb Majadele has finally been approved as the first Israeli-Arab minister in Israel’s history.

This is undoubtedly an important breakthrough, although it will be received cynically in some quarters. Those who do not believe that a Jewish state can guarantee equality for all its citizens will portray the appointment as a fig leaf that disguises Israel’s innate racism. Those of a more optimistic bent, however, will use it as a time to take stock.” Read on at Comment is Free.

Khartoumi on The Seth:

“I have come to the conclusion that what you are really about, Seth, is the stirring up of debates by promoting views you know will light the blue-touch paper under contributors. You have no real interest in this issue - nor, by extension, the issue of the Israeli state annexing (yet again) another Palestinian village outside of Jerusalem. In fact, you are simply being “controversial” in the rather tired way teenagers pose as this or that - it’s a sort of ego extension… unfortunately at the expense of others (as it so often is).”

“Another day, another ridiculously early start. Up, out and down to the bus station by quarter to seven, where we met the rest of the Negev Unplugged faithful. The purpose of this trip was to travel to the Negev Desert, spend time with the native Bedouins, learn about their plight, and come back home feeling warm and fuzzy that we’d shown our solidarity with them in a most hands-on fashion. Thus it was a bit of a shame that I came away from the tour with a most bitter taste in my mouth - partly due to the Bedouins themselves, but mainly down to the pathetic whitewashing by the non-governmental organisation that organised the trip.” Read on at Comment is Free. 

“MK Ghaleb Majadele (Labor) will become Israel’s first Muslim minister today, and he is excited about it.

“For me, this is a historic day in which the Israeli government decides to complete the missing representation of the Arab public around the cabinet table,” he told Haaretz. “I hope that within two weeks, the prime minister will complete the round of appointments and I will receive a government portfolio.” Read on here.

“The Council for Peace and Security on Saturday expressed opposition to the “The Future Vision of the Palestinian Arabs in Israel” document presented by the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, saying it “rejects Israel’s existence as a Jewish democratic state.”

Council President Major General (Res.) Dani Rothschild said this weekend that the document compromises the basic values of Israel.” Read on here.
 

“A new forum calling for peace talks with Syria will meet Sunday evening in Tel Aviv.

Forum participants will include former chief of staff Amnon Lipkin Shahak, former Shin Bet chief, Ya’akov Perry, former directors at the Foreign Ministry, David Kimche and Alon Liel, as well as authors, academics and intellectuals.

The group, The National Movement for Peace with Syria, will be registered as a non-profit organization in the coming days.” Read on here.