I also agree that the way the Palestinians are treated is mostly wrong. The Jews in Israel should know better. In my opinion, we should learn from the past, not repeat it. We should not treat others the way we have been treated. Christians were treated poorly at one point, then essentially went on a rampage to treat people worse. It makes no sense.

Helen Thomas was recently on Joy Behar but the video code doesn’t seem to working. Watch it here.

There are also some points on the Iraq War.

SHARE MORE

In any case, as I’ve aged I’ve come to understand the reality behind the debate. When my husband served in the Navy, he was in Israel. I’ve been to Israel as well, but it’s different as a typical tourist. And I was too young to remember anything anyway. So, Eric saw the way the Palestinians were treated, as a sub-species. He related it to being black in the forties in the US. (My family finds even his comparison antisemitic. But he married me, so…)

While I abhor Islam, that’s beside this point. I can’t agree with the idea that all the Israelis should up and leave because resident’s parents were told to live there (because no one else wanted them). But I don’t think it’s right to treat the Palestinians in a nasty, nor can you can’t ask them to leave. They were there first. In general, we must rise above treating people how we’ve been treated by someone else. It’s unfair and makes no sense in the long run.

I do not have a solution or any idea that would ease these issues except for all to abandon religion. And that’s isn’t going to happen any time soon.

SHARE MORE

While considering the current state of affairs in the middle east, I do support Israel to a point. But, above everything else, I support peace.

You may or not be aware, but I had my Bat Mitzvah in Israel (I never actually learned Hebrew). However meaningless of a ceremony it is for women, as far as the tradition is concerned, it was still a lovely time. Besides, I didn’t make my friends sit through a boring ceremony later on, only a casual party. I know how to give the people what they want. ;) But I digress.

While this chart is a bit old, it surely shows a lot of money that America gives to Israel. I’ve always tried to understand why Christian conservatives support Israel. I pondered that perhaps it’s due to them wanting the Jews to all go live in Israel so America can become the “Christian country” they so long for. (No room for atheists, eh?) Haven’t we learned that every country reigned by religious rule is riddled with war? I’d love to see a day when no countries operate with religion as part of its laws.

SHARE MORE

I just don’t get it. I partially feel as if this is all coming from a big misunderstanding but the intolerance and racism – nonetheless – is inexcusable. Did I miss the speech where Obama said he was giving Israel to someone else (as if he could)? Or the speech where Obama said he was going to bring about peace by giving into anyone?

One could easily note ‘racism isn’t only for white Christians’. If Jews are ‘white’, as I’ve been told my entire life, then so is everyone else in that region. Maybe by being in America for so many generations, you become white? No, that doesn’t make any sense. But I can’t see how you can just draw the line wherever you please.

Right in the middle of the video, a man utters “The Jewish people have always been very accommodating to people of all faiths”. How can he say that with a straight face? Where do I begin to rip that statement into shreds? Growing up, I was always told that Israel never does anything wrong and its always everyone else’s fault. Just recalling this, irks me quite a bit. It almost feels as if I’ve been lied to my whole life. I realize there may be more terrorists in the Islamic faith but Israel and Judaism is not fault-free by any means.

I’d find this “persecution” bit quite laughable if it weren’t so insulting. I don’t know if its the Jew or the atheist in me that is put off more.

I don’t care enough about Christmas to wage a war. And it’s not anymore noteworthy than anything I’ve (or anyone else has) celebrated.

[click to enlarge]

SHARE MORE

I don’t believe in western morality, i.e. don’t kill civilians or children, don’t destroy holy sites, don’t fight during holiday seasons, don’t bomb cemeteries, don’t shoot until they shoot first because it is immoral.

The only way to fight a moral war is the Jewish way: Destroy their holy sites. Kill men, women and children (and cattle).

Ugh. Though, there are some American Jews who do agree with this brutal line of thinking (unfortunately, I can tell you from personal experience). However, this is surely not a common rationalization among rabbis or regular ol’ Jews.

H/t

SHARE MORE

I support Israel in the sense that I want everyone to get along. And I care, I really do. However, I don’t understand this blind allegiance to the nation-state. Here, Jon Stewart refers to it as the “…möbius strip of issues. There’s only one side.”

Just by Stewart stating this, he’s labeled such things as “Anti-Israel” (as seen in this Google search). When Americans criticize their own country, many will consistently argue that its patriotic, no matter what the Evangelical nutjobs say. According to many in the far right, though, American cannot even be criticized and apparently not Israel either. So, that’s the line their drawing? OK, how about this? No one country should be deemed as untouchable? We should be free to criticize, which is only an attempt to make an improvement or two.

Something about this blind allegiance that states everything Israel does is wonderful, anything else any other country in the area does is despicable seems a little close-minded- not to allow a stitch of criticism. That is not to say that Islamic countries have not cause their harms because they sure have! Yet, I’m not going to start a debate on who does what to whom how many times and when. I will state; however, that Israel is not perfect, just like no one is. And they’ve potentially done something not commendable in any way: used human beings (including children) as shields. What? Really? No, only in Islam. According to the BBC:

United Nations investigators have accused the Israeli army of using an 11-year-old boy as a human shield during its recent Gaza offensive.

Their report says troops ordered the boy to walk in front of them for several hours under fire, entering buildings and opening suspect packages.

It’s only under investigation as of now. Nonetheless, I’m offended that anyone in any culture would ever think using children or fully grown adults as shields. I’m not even sure how this makes me feel. I’m confounded, to say the least.

Israel denies these allegations:

Israel has denied the charges, saying morals are “paramount” in its army.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN criticised the report as “unable or perhaps unwilling” to address attacks against its civilians by Palestinian militants.

The lead investigator, Sri Lankan lawyer Radhika Coomaraswamy, said the incident with the boy in the Gaza neighbourhood of Tel al-Hawa on 15 January was a violation of Israeli and international law.

The very last paragraph sends chills down my spine:

The dead including some 440 children, 110 women, and dozens of elderly people. Israel has blamed Hamas for using civilians as human shields, which Hamas has denied.

If this report turns out to be true, then dare I say, Israel isn’t much better than most Americans would have you believe.

SHARE MORE