Opinion Forum

Israel-Palestine Videos

January 6th, 2009

The conflict in Gaza has widened the divide between people who support Israel and those who support the Palestinians. Others who try to remain in the middle are finding that where survival is concerned, there is no viable middle ground.

Based on objective history and current reality, I find it impossible to accept moral equivalence arguments which hold that both sides are equally at fault and should just stop the violence. Plainly put, Israel is fighting terrorism against an enemy that has stated many, many times that its goal is to destroy the state of Israel and sweep the Jews into the sea. That goal has widespread support in the Arab world. Israel will either defend itself until a victory of some sort has been won, or it will cease to exist. Aside from political issues, it is the moral responsibility of the United States and other democratic nations to support Israel in this struggle. After all, any nation in the same position would also fight to survive.

The Urban Grind has provided two videos that are important for you to see, no matter what your position may be. You are free to attack the sources of the videos and argue on specific points. But for just a few minutes, watch the videos with a clear mind and an open heart. The links are here and here.

Articles written by Tom Carter
Tags: Israel, Palestine, terrorism
Categories: News, Politics | Comments (5) | Home

5 Responses to “Israel-Palestine Videos”

Kevin | January 6th, 2009 at 11:53 pm

Tom,

Please tell me that you didn’t know that the late Rabbi Meir Kahane – whom Zelda quotes repeatedly in that second post – was a racist shunned by virtually the entirety of the Israeli leadership in his lifetime and whose political party (the Kach) was banned in Israel because of it’s racist ideology. In fact, Kahane’s Kach was the impetus for the still-existing Israeli ban on racist political parties.

I can very confidently state that many/most of the Israeli soldiers risking their lives in Gaza at this very moment reject Kahane and what he stood for. Kahane was to moderate, humane Judiasm as Osama bin Laden is to moderate, humane Islam and they know it.

I watched the first video with as clear a mind and as open a heart as I could muster given how it was framed and by whom (I’d already read the second post before going back to gamely watch the first).

My sole response to it is to pose a question to you:

What do you know about the Irgun and their activities in Palestine during the same mid-20th Century period frequently referenced in the video? Irgun is a shorthand somewhat slang term. You may more readily recognize the entity from which the term arose – the Etzel.

I chose not to watch the second video.

As for Zelda… There are only two kinds of people who use racists to bolster an inherently race-based argument – the profoundly ignorant and fellow racists.

Needless to say, as a Jew I took little genuine offense at being labeled an “anti-semite” in that second post by an apparent gentile speaking so approvingly of the likes of Kahane. I mean… yeah, it’s patently offensive. But maturity has taught me to consider the source and temper accordingly. And besides, I’ve been called a racist (i.e., an anti-semite) by worse.

Tom | January 7th, 2009 at 5:48 am

Kevin, I do know who Meir Kahane was. Zelda quoting him simply means that she thinks some of what he said was right. It doesn’t necessarily mean that she subscribes to the whole body of his thought. The fact that the Israeli government shunned him, along with most Israelis and most American Jews, is also a telling point.

I also know what the Irgun was. Comparing the very few terrorist incidents for which it has rightly been condemned with the thousands of islamist terrorist attacks against Israel and Jews is facile. The most famous incident involving the Irgun was the bombing of the King David hotel. Read an objective history of that incident. They made a concerted effort to avoid casualties, which is exactly the opposite of what islamist terrorists try to do.

As for the videos provided by Zelda and recommended by me, they provide a disturbing picture of reality in the Middle East. You really should have watched the second video. Seeing very young Palestinian children being trained to hate and kill Jews should chill the soul of anyone.

Kevin | January 7th, 2009 at 2:07 pm

Yes Tom, I could see the still of the little Palestinian boy with the bandana wrapped around his head in the video screen. It was self-evident what the video was going to cover. Been there, done that.

I have consistently repudiated Hamas and it’s bloodthirsty ideology. That’s never been a point of disagreement between us, nor is it now.

I’ll leave with this observation:

I can’t conceive of any scenario under which it would be morally neutral, much less acceptable, to approvingly cite Adolph Hitler’s racial views as any part of an argument on race.

There are only two kinds of people who cite racists on the issue of race…

Tom | January 7th, 2009 at 2:49 pm

The little Palestinian boy in the still-shot beginning of the video has a bandana around his head, true. You didn’t mention that he’s also dressed up in combat fatigues, has a toy M-16 strapped across his chest, and appears to be crying. Trivial details, I guess. Watching the whole video gives you a detailed look at the indoctrination and training of these kids, plus video of Palestinian terrorists fighting among kids and using non-combatants for cover. You should watch it.

doris | January 8th, 2009 at 8:23 am

Have you ever seen a video of children being trained by the Arian Nation? The hatred is unbelievable and very frightening,this is happening in the good ole U.S.A.Hatred knows no bounds and insane people use children everywhere,it’s a shame.I don’t know who’s right ,but I know it needs to stop,whichever side you are on,you think you are right and righteous,but the truth is ,no one wins when children learn to hate and kill.