Jonathan, all
I join the greetings to your person, your family and your land. Hope you
can live as safe as possible. Initially I did not want to enter this
discussion, but I feel I have to jump in. Just to warn all those that are
apparently going to a useless "us vs. them" confrontation. Take care, this
is a risky path.
We all know that the majority of Americans are pro-Israel, while the
majority of Europeans are not. Indeed, this is partly an oversimplification,
as we have on both sides many groups supporting all the different possible
positions, but it indeed indicates a tendency. [Sorry if I'm not mentioning
the Australian friends, but I really don't know who *they* -another
oversimplification- support]. Anyway, as I'm positive about the intelligence
of the individuals on both the sides of the Atlantic Ocean, I find it
obvious that the respective positions are too heavily culturally filtered.
And this is of no help. So, forgive me if I give law credit to
pro-Palestinian Europeans as well as to pro-Israel Americans. Please, let's
try to switch off our social filters... as possible.
Few thoughts.
Firstly, the reason for I've decided to jump in. A term: anti-Semitism.
I find it stupid and offensive toward the intelligence of Europeans (or
whoever else) stating that supporting Arafat or criticizing Sharon is
anti-Semitism. Criticizing Israeli's politics is criticizing a social
behavior, it's not racism. It reminds me a passage we all should know well:
" ... part of the paralysis probably came from the fact that the criminals
were black. ... when whites denounced blacks for robbing and raping and
killing they left themselves open to the charge of racism.... it is not
immoral to speak against a person because of his cultural characteristics if
those cultural characteristics are immoral. Blacks have no right to violate
social codes and call it racism when someone tries to stop them, if those
codes are not racist codes... "
(Lila, chapter 24)
Not only it's stupid and offensive, it's also absurd. Anti-Semitism is
popular among Neonazi groups. The current anti-Israel manifestants are at
the contrary mostly left extremists. You will find them also among the most
extreme antiglobal protesters. Their hate toward Israel is not
anti-Semitism, it is anti-Americanism. It is based upon their ideology, it
is not racism.
[Please note I'm not supporting antiglobalism or anti-Americanism, I'm just
stating it has nothing to do with anti-Semitism. Nor I'm denying that
anti-Semitism exists and we should be careful about it.]
For the same reason, it is equally stupid and offensive towards the
intelligence of Americans (or whoever else is supporting Sharon) stating
that Sharon is the new Hitler, or that Americans are fascists as they
support Israel.
Let me stick to the present, still having in mind the useful history lesson
provided by Jonathan.
1) The worst crime against Palestinians has been and is perpetrated by those
who work to convince some stupid young Arab that he has to die and kill in
the name of God. They buy these lives, funding the families. My sentiments
tell me it's hard to realize these are human beings like me... sentiments
aside, according to the rational framework provided by the MOQ, it's easy to
see their blind immoral focus on the social level. They have no regard for
individual beings, be them Palestinian or Israeli. They can't see the
difference between an Israeli soldier and an Israeli kid waiting for the
school bus.
2) I agree with Jonathan that the Arabs have missed a lot of occasions. But
I find it incomplete a point, Jon: "With a few horrific terrorist attacks
from Palestinian extremists and the assassination of an Israeli prime
minister, the momentum of Oslo was lost, never to return." You forget to
point out that prime minister Rabin was killed by an Israeli
fundamentalist.... Hamm, indeed even Israel lost some occasions? How many,
Jon? I think Sharon was not particularly sad that night (hope I'm wrong).
Probably Saddam and Bin Laden too. I mean, extremists of both sides
sometimes find themselves ironically and tragically in agreement.
3) If I had to choose, I agree that potentially Israel is morally higher. It
can become a real democracy more easily than an Islamic nation... the fact
that a million of Arabs live and work there is a good point. Well, they are
the 15% of the total population, right? Just, tell me: do they have the same
rights as the Hebrew Israelis? Or they are b-side citizens? This is my
impression, hope I'm wrong again.
4) But I don't want to choose. Or I'd prefer to choose both. Jonathan
agrees: "I wish it was in our hands to find a smarter, higher quality way
to proceed, but I have no magic solutions.... I believe that probably the
majority of Israelis and Palestinians can imagine a mutually acceptable
final scenario of living together in coexistence, but we don't seem to be
able to find the path to get there".
I also have no magic solutions, of course. But as Jon himself recalls our
pragmatism, I offer this pragmatic consideration: the only good chance is to
divide the Palestinians. Isolate the extremists from the moderate. Sharon
says Arafat is the leader of the terrorists. If it is true, then he has been
able to swindle almost all European and American premiers, all the UN
secretaries, the Nobel academy, and many Israeli premiers... but Sharon, of
course. More likely, Arafat is just a weak leader, unable to control his own
people. But, tell me, who else? Eliminate him, and you finally will end the
job of those who executed Rabin: you will get two opposite extremisms, and
just a dead end way.
That's why, despite the simple fact that Arafat is not exactly a likeable
guy, Bush and many European leaders asks for his survival. And asks for the
retirement of the Israeli's army. It's an illusion to think that this is the
best way to stop the suicide bombers.
Hoping in a better future,
Marco
----Messaggio Originale-----
Da: RISKYBIZ9@aol.com
A: moq_discuss@moq.org
Data invio: giovedì 11 aprile 2002 4.16
Oggetto: Re: MD israel, palestine and the US
Hi Jonathan and Platt,
Jonathan, my thoughts and prayers go out to you and your countrymen (and
country-women and children, since they are targets in this war of terror.)
Along with Platt, I want to assure you that despite the massive wave of
anti-Israel opinion in Europe, the Middle east, the American media and this
forum, that Israel still has the support of the American people. Most
Americans see that you are the victims of heinous terrorists that both
target
and hide behind civilians. Furthermore, we see that Israel represents
liberal
democracy and freedom and that it uses its overwhelming superiority in a
judicious way.
The antisemitism in Europe and much of the world disgusts and frightens me.
How we (meaning humanity) cannot have learned from the horrors of the Nazis
is beyond my comprehension. The important thing is for those of us that do
see the pattern repeating to stand firmly against the terror. Do not lower
your defenses. They will destroy you (or watch you be destroyed) if you let
them.
Roger
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