Happy Birthday Israel!

9th May 2008
Posted in: Middle East
Written by: James Grieves

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7 Responses

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  1. Lovely. Interesting to see no cynical news cuttings from Hamas or Hezbollah’s anniversaries…

    I would like to congratulate Israel for being the most successful democracy in the Middle East. It is hugely impressive that a state, surrounded by enemies from its conception and still faced with several powerful groups that want to raze it from the face of the earth by any means can continue with a relatively liberal and pluralistic government, given its situation. I salute its indefatigability!

    Yom Huledet Same’ach!

  2. This Israel-bashing could not be less appropriate. It’s about time we woke up to the reality of a two-state solution instead of trying to force that as far off the agenda as possible. Both sides are equally to blame, and both sides suffer from it. Please grow up and engage in progressive debate, not vitriol.

  3. Bashing? What ever do you mean? Did the content of that video give you a poor impression of the IDF or something?

    The two state solution is an impossibility owing to the weakness of the present leader and the strength of the Israeli right’s defence of the West Bank settlements. Blame is something I can’t really be bothered with getting into. Suffering is something which unquestionably is something Palestinians endure more than Israelis.

    And Ben: remind me next time Hamas or Hezbollah have an anniversary and I’ll see what I can do, ok? They don’t get the same media cavalcade as a certain “nation” I could mention so they’re easy things to miss.

  4. Neither is defensible. I don’t like what happened 60 years ago, and I suspect that I would have had something to say about it then. But 65 years ago Hitler occupied a fair few countries, so let’s be glad of long-sightedness and move on. We are where we are, and this sort of trash helps nobody.

    Why not seek to consider a workable solution, instead of just heaping more fuel on an already large fire? The state of Israel exists - a Palestinian state should also exist. Let’s get into that discussion, not the one that begins with the promotion of vitriol like this and ends with less desireable behaviour from Israel.

    In this situation, I think it is worth considering that both Israel and the Palestinians are in very difficult positions. I can begin to understand why each acts as they do, as the first step to solving the problem. I condone neither.

  5. Neither is defensible. I don’t like what happened 60 years ago, and I suspect that I would have had something to say about it then. But 65 years ago Hitler occupied a fair few countries, so let’s be glad of long-sightedness and move on. We are where we are, and this sort of trash helps nobody.

    How dominant is Nazism in Germany at the moment, Ali?

    How dominant is Zionism in Israel?

    Your comparison, not mine.

    Why not seek to consider a workable solution, instead of just heaping more fuel on an already large fire? The state of Israel exists - a Palestinian state should also exist.

    That would require a de-settlement of the West Bank. Which will not occur.

    Let’s get into that discussion, not the one that begins with the promotion of vitriol like this and ends with less desireable behaviour from Israel.

    This is vitriol? I barely said a word. Simply wished them a happy birthday and posted a video. What did you think of it, by the way?

    In this situation, I think it is worth considering that both Israel and the Palestinians are in very difficult positions. I can begin to understand why each acts as they do, as the first step to solving the problem. I condone neither.

    I am not talking about motivations here. Simply reality.

    Unless you argue that that video is not part of reality?

  6. It’s almost futile engaging in discussion here; I think we come from two very different positions on the issue. You are an absolutist and I am not. The best thing for outsiders to do is to suggest moderation as the guide for future progress. You seem committed to extremism, one-sidedness and regression.

  7. You are an absolutist and I am not.

    Incorrect.

    The best thing for outsiders to do is to suggest moderation as the guide for future progress.

    Well in that case may I take this opportunity to request the IDF stop shelling civilian areas with their tanks, then?

    You seem committed to extremism, one-sidedness and regression.

    How preposterous. My actual solution is something I have not outlined yet and it certainly does not constitute terrorism. Indeed I imagine that it would shock you with just how wonderfully progressive it is. As for my siding I am opposed to Islamic terrorism but I find that Israeli terrorism requires further condemnation than it receives at present. Much of the press gave not a mention to the blood which drenches the “Israeli” “Defence” Force’s hands, whereas none of them fail to mention how Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorists. And of those three groups can you tell me which has killed the most innocent by-standers?

    I do not consent to the perverse balancing act forced upon writers addressing this issue where every mention of one side’s atrocities {or, more commonly,Israel’s atrocities} requires balance with something awful that some Islamists did. Terrorism is terrorism. I don’t know if you watched the video but they drove tanks into a town and then shelled it. How is that any better than firing rockets at settlements?

    I do not consent to the perverse insistence that writers perform a balancing act of adding that there are also some very nasty arabs as well whenever they talk about Israel’s crimes. It was Israel’s birthday, so I posted a video relevant to Israel. I hardly consider that to be an act of regression.

    Furthermore I think that the two state solution is a lovely idea. It really would be progress. But there is something else important to bear in mind about it. It will never happen. At present the number of West Bank settlements is set to increase. The one attempt to remove a single settlement was a debacle which ensured no further efforts shall be made by the present spineless leader and the next one looks set to be an old school rightist who would not dream of demolishing any of the illegal abodes.

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