Six Israeli universities are challenging Defense Minister Ehud Barak over a quota that the military has imposed on the numbers of Palestinian students who can attend the schools: 60 a year, because any more threatens Israel's security. I remember how elite education lifted the Jews of my father's and my generations. I remember how upset Jews in the U.S. got over quotas. When are we going to demand of Israel the same minority rights we have enjoyed here? This isn't even in the U.S. press, it's in the British Independent.
-
-
- Israelis sling racial epithets to mark 45 years of a … 0
- Bill Kristol celebrates Republican Party purge of ‘oldfashioned Arabists’ Scowcroft, … 25
- Nabi Saleh’s Bassem Tamimi convicted by Israeli courts based on … 8
- The Messiah’s Donkey: Settlers fire on Palestinian villagers as the … 59
- Joe Pitts and ‘The Family’ 5
- The Interior Minister’s call to expel African immigrants, in context 2
- This is the gang that is going to save the … 6
- Neocons in Washington Post: Military strike on Iran would ‘calm … 23
-
- Congressman Joe Pitts: ‘It is incumbent on Ariel Sharon and … 4500
- BDS victory: South Africa strips Ahava’s ‘made in Israel’ label 698
- ‘New York Review of Books’ calls it ‘apartheid’ and prepares … 556
- Neverending Nakba: Israel breaks lull, attacks Gazan farmers 404
- Protests on behalf of prisoners sweep the West Bank 284
- Thaer Halahleh, dying, tells the daughter he’s never seen why … 234
- International attention must be paid to the Palestinian nonviolent movement 210
- Nobel Prize laureate J. M. Coetzee appears to boycott International … 185
-
- On the sidewalk in Hamburg– ‘Hier wohnte’ 285
- Aharon Appelfeld’s rage at the German language (and Arendt’s need … 101
- WaPo’s Walter Pincus says US is ‘going above and beyond … 85
- Walzer says Jews were on the left because the left … 75
- Killing Without Consequence: New campaign challenges Israeli impunity 73
- International attention must be paid to the Palestinian nonviolent movement 71
- More ‘magnet than a mallet’: RAND Corporation warns against striking … 68
- Feeling the hate in Long Island 68
-
Recent Comments
click link to see last 100 comments- The Messiah’s Donkey: Settlers fire on Palestinian villagers as the Israeli military watches (59)
- tree: Feel free to look at 1:28 on the far left corner. It then spread towards Yitzhar. I see no fire in the far left...
- OlegR: That does not mean that people who tried to set it on fire and gotten hurt in the process should be portrayed...
- OlegR: Annie i do have a life you know. Well this expectantly turned into the usual brawl. Regarding the incident i...
- Aharon Appelfeld’s rage at the German language (and Arendt’s need for it) (101)
- Klaus Bloemker: - “Most every Christian in the world is Christian because it was the religion of his or her...
- Klaus Bloemker: -”Christianity is not something you’re born into.” That’s right. But Jews are...
- German Lefty: “OlegR is never going to think of you as a Jew in the same sense as he thinks of someone with the...
- Bill Kristol celebrates Republican Party purge of ‘oldfashioned Arabists’ Scowcroft, Baker and Bush I (25)
- seanmcbride: Here is FailedMessiah.com on this story: BEGIN ARTICLE TITLE Haredi Leader Calls Non-Jews “Murderers,...
- Hostage: I’m sick and tired of hearing how this sort of debate “arms the anti-semites”. To my mind, it’s the likes of...
- Neocons in Washington Post: Military strike on Iran would ‘calm nerves in the region’ (23)
- John Smithson: farsnews.com link is bad – can you update it?
- Feeling the hate in Long Island (68)
- evets: A bad side of coleslaw might be all it takes. I’m feeling the heartburn.
- The Messiah’s Donkey: Settlers fire on Palestinian villagers as the Israeli military watches (59)
Our Writers
- Philip Weiss
- Annie Robbins
- Today in Palestine
- Adam Horowitz
- Matthew Taylor
- Kate
- Alex Kane
- Philip Weiss and Adam Horowitz
Blogroll
Most American Jews support multiculturalism
and diversity in this country, but not at
all within Israel.
Israel is actively colonising the Palestinians and trying to ethnic cleanse them yet again. The student quota issue is eye-catching, but it's trivial compared to the rest of Zionism has done – and perhaps plans to do – to the Palestinian arabs.
Actually, the reason they're protesting is because they are afraid of the international academic boycott that is starting to have some impact in Britain. They don't want to be boycotted more than they give a fig about Palestinian Israeli students.
Sorry, but the Israeli academy has been corrupted by the exclusivity of Israeli state laws that keep all Palestinians as second class citizens due to their non-Jewish status. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but the Israeli academy which has yet to issue any kind of organized statement in support of educational rights for Palestinians, even inside the Occupied Territories, is not motivated by "liberal" progress values of the enlightenment but by fear of sanctions from outside. Which they know will come if they don't get off their butts politically and start doing something for the Palestinians that are being oppressed in their name.
I think the intent is for Palestinian students to have to go abroad to study, and hopefully not come back. A bigger issue is the closing of primary schools for long periods of time due to curfews. What better way is there to keep a people down than to keep them ignorant?
Re. Todd: "What better way is there to keep a people down than to keep them ignorant?"
Hence the reaction to Mister Klein. And before him, the pioneers, e.g., W & M, and the few congressmen who've dared to speak out over the years, e.g., Findley.
Some would defend Israel's policies by saying, how can you compare tiny Israel tight in the nasty nest of Arabs to the USA, but power today is not merely geographical. Add up the power in terms of money, military, and US goverment backing–who do you have astride the practical world?
The world at this juncture is in the pocket of Adelson et al. China is the backup–who will gain the teeming Chinese to their side?
Its an horrendous policy for Israel to undertake.
There now, that wasn't so hard, was it Richard?
Good for Richard Witty.
Unfortunately that obviously wasn't him, otto, but it will be hilarious, truly wondrous, if he can self-calculate enough to take credit for undoubtedly the most astute and clear-thinking comment ever made under his name in the history of Mondoweiss.
Denying Palestinians human rights (livelihood, education, food, water, shelter) is indeed a horrendous decision for Israel to make. And keep making.
Now entering its 7th decade, it's "The Greatest Snow in Shoah Business", The Extermination of Palestine.
See what folks are saying about The Extermination of Palestine:
"Stunning… you'll wonder why you never saw this movie" (Chicago Tribune)
"Finally an account that puts all the blame squarely where it belongs: Yassir Arafat" (Washington Post)
"Five stars of David! Strictly kosher!" (USA TODAY)
"Moving…" (Roger Ebert)
"…proves that the 'Final Solution' isn't nearly as morally objectionable when it's done properly in the service of American values." (NYT columnist Thomas Friedman)
"A good example of benign ethnic cleansing" (Joe Klein)
"I did what?" (American taxpayer)
"Is it good for the Jews?" (Richard Witty)
Isn't there also Jews only real estate convenants throughout Israel? The JNF has written into its charter that land it bought can only be used by Jews. Are those convenants still in affect during resale? If so, wouldn't this a particularly sore point for many Jews who ancestors experienced housing discrimination in this country well into the 20th century?
It certainly was me.
You guys don't have a clue.
Richard,
I never doubted that the post in question was yours.
MM,
I'm surprised at your scepticism about Richard's post. I seem to recall that I've seen you post over at Realistic Dove, and you must be aware that Richard wears a different hat when he posts there. Over here at Mondoweiss, Richard rarely criticizes the "Israel, right or wrong" crowd of organized American Jewry (that sounds like an oxymoron – perhaps I should say "Israel, right or right" crowd). He DOES criticize SOME Israeli actions, seldom here at Mondoweiss, but certainly over at Realistic Dove, where he feels much more comfortable in an atmosphere of "we can discuss these issues now, as the 'goyisher posse' isn't here." I get a real kick out of how the hand-wringers over there refer to the commenters here; they sort of try to lump us all together with Stormfront and David Duke. They do so at their own peril, as their inability to perceive the differences between the White Supremicist groups and non-Jewish Americans who seek peace and justice in the Middle East through the removal of pressure from special interest groups that control the Hill, White House, and MSM against American interests will ultimately lead the latter group to come to the conclusions that the former group reached long ago.
Another thing I'm interested in Richard, is your views of the settlements in the OPT. At times you speak out against the expansion of these settlements, but in the next breath you're praising any and all "Jewish community", regardless of whose land they are communing on. Do you admit that the territories are occupied, or will you insist on using the inaccurate word "disputed"?
Thank you
PM
If you've read my posts at Realistic Dove, you've also read that I categorize posters here into three main camps (with exceptions):
1. Left – Leaning towards what they understand as an anti-colonial attitude. A bit gullible in believing what their version of experts selectively report. (For example, Juan Cole is highly regarded by Phil, but my limited exposure to his reporting – distinct from his analysis – is too often in gross error. My primary example relates to my first experience of his reporting which was the first week of the 2006 Lebanon conflict, in which he repeated for a week that the abduction occurred in Lebanon, not Israel.)
2. Right – The David Duke's and "libertarians" of the world. Also primarily "anti" when it comes to Jews and Israel. They describe themselves as principled "pro" anti-taxes and anti-regulation and other "pro" principles.
3. Left-right – The paranoid intersection that historically invented fascism in the world. An odd mix of old money aristocratic interests (Italian and Swiss bankers attempting to purge the "intrusive" Jewish bankers from Europe.) and populist left.
There's always some truths in bigger lies, as there is some truth in some statements of the most convinced and rationalized words of neo-Torah settlers.
In all political efforts longer than a short period, it takes gearing up to undertake them. Among activists committed to an effort, there is rarely comprehensive reflection on what or how people are doing what they are doing.
There is strategic reflection of how. "Am I getting votes? Am I getting blog hits? Is US policy changing (a good objective)"
But, am I offending others? Am I debasing other principles that I believe in firmly in what or how I am approaching the issue in question?
Am I a hypocrite?
Paul,
The phenomena of Jews arguing among themselves, a very wide range of political proposals, is common.
WHEN a discussion becomes actually offending (beyond offensive) towards Jews as Jews, our ranks change.
And, most Jews that still identify as Jews identify a war or offense at Israel as an attack on them personally in some regard (not as residual and not with the "diaspora" adjective as locked phrase – a single word. What am I? – "A diaspora-Jew").
Intelligent people can retain the tension of "we are being attacked" and "we don't want to harm excessively in our defense".
Unwilling to demonize.
Less intelligent people divide the world into enemies and friends.
Willing to demonize.
The magical power of number 71.
The security of the fourth strongest military country in the world is threatened by the hapless student who will be allocated number 71 application form to study at Israeli University.
This is the basis of the quota:
By some miracle of numerology, he will either acquire post factum, or was pre-destined from the day he was born, to turn into the bloodthirsty killer.
This angel of death, who, in the future as yet unbeknown to him, but known to Shin Bet, will slaughter the people of Israel in the orgy of murder and mayhem.
Got to get him an invitation to Rev. Hagee convention pronto.
Richard,
I have noticed on the basis of anecdodal samples: Jews being "ofended" by goys who "cross the line",and speak "offensively" about Israel or Jews.. I don't think this is programmed into their genes,though,Richard.
Its a product of social conditioning,hearing the constant drumbeat of zionist mantras in the Hebrew school and synogogue…does do a number on one's ability to think critically.
But Richard you still don't grasp the fact that your hyper vigilence has the effect of bringing forward the very same thing you seek to oppose..antisemitism. Something like,"Oh No, he's doing the Jews are only protecting themselves thing,again"..
Give it up Richard. The only thing special about Jews is that they are Human like the rest of us. They are not and never were a people chosen to bring God's word or light to the misguided…
And also, and this hurts,I know; there are true aspects to every stereotype..
denying the truths that gave rise to stereotypical thinking about Jews, only reinforces the false aspects….
Just as there are positive aspects of Jewsih culture and faith, there are also negative aspects….like all other ethnic/national/religous systems of belief..
Criticism doesn't offend.
Demonization though is habitual, and usually originates from prejudice, even if its just the prejudice of picking whom to criticize.
So, for example, about the Iraq War. It is VERY clear that there were multiple influences that drove the decision to invade Iraq. And, that they were Bush's decisions.
Yet, rather than criticize ourselves for our oil use, or criticize ourselves for electing a republican idiot(s) (if you include Congress) in the first place, or criticizing ourselves for not organizing sufficiently to make sure that competing arguments against the war saw the light of day, ideologues to divert responsibility, to blame.
Its not an inquiry. Charitably, Phil is conducting an inquiry (probably not exactly in fact, he's certainly already made his conclusions and is proceeding to propagate them).
The dependance on oil seems to me to be the common corrupting influence, whereas anything around Israel is changeable.
Even AFTER all elements of the Israeli/Palestinian conflicts are successfully resolved, the US will STILL be going to war in the middle east for oil.
Richard related postscript:
"My primary example relates to my first experience of his reporting which was the first week of the 2006 Lebanon conflict, in which he repeated for a week that the abduction occurred in Lebanon, not Israel.)"
Abducted? Was there a peace treaty signed between Hezbollah and Israel? I think not.
So to cross the border and capture Israeli soldiers for future possible prisoner exchanges…is simply too much to swallow? We have to- in true Orwellian fashion -change the verb to "abducted"? Were they taken by aliens?
Isn't this taking the concept of "the other", a bit too far, as well as being a transparent attempt at gaining sympathy for the poor IDF.
And, as there are and have been alternatives that would reduce the 70% of oil that we import, to 0% imports needed, THAT is the negligence, the crime.
There still is a fluid world market for oil, a commodity, and there is no occassion in which the US would import none and export none.
First of all, Richard, I apologize. If you actually criticized Israeli policy here, then you did a good thing. I have seen your posts at Zionistic Dove and they are on the whole much better than your posts here. There, you seem to have a better notion of what to criticize.
Second, when a person criticizes Israel, he or she is not criticizing all Jews. Even when a person is talking about a stereotype of Jewish people, that is not a criticism of all Jews–but of the characteristics themselves. It is you that chooses to make that victimizing interpretation, likely based on your personality and your social conditioning.
Third, your division of posters here is extremely limiting to your understanding of the backlash against zionist influence in the United States. Are you really interested in understanding the phenomenon? Or are you mostly concerned with securing the realm? You'll have to decide that for yourself I guess.
Paul,
I think you make an excellent and vital point that speaks to Richard's behavior in another recent thread, where he implies that right-wing American terrorists and opponents of the Zionist Lobby might be grouped together as "patriots".
Richard and other zionists do seem strangely disinterested in the consequences of crying "anti-Semitism" and labelling everybody closet neo-nazis. They claim to want extraordinary sensitivity toward "their people", yet their political actions are desensitizing in the extreme.
The only explanation I can come up with is psychological: the need to preserve victimhood. And that just brings us back to Herzl–zionism requires anti-semitism.
Very astute, MM. Rings true.
Richard Witty: Please explain your post, which you subsequently owned when someone posted it was not you. Inquiring minds need to know.
"If you've read my posts at Realistic Dove, you've also read that I categorize posters here into three main camps (with exceptions):
1. Left – Leaning towards what they understand as an anti-colonial attitude. A bit gullible in believing what their version of experts selectively report. (For example, Juan Cole is highly regarded by Phil, but my limited exposure to his reporting – distinct from his analysis – is too often in gross error. My primary example relates to my first experience of his reporting which was the first week of the 2006 Lebanon conflict, in which he repeated for a week that the abduction occurred in Lebanon, not Israel.)
2. Right – The David Duke's and "libertarians" of the world. Also primarily "anti" when it comes to Jews and Israel. They describe themselves as principled "pro" anti-taxes and anti-regulation and other "pro" principles.
3. Left-right – The paranoid intersection that historically invented fascism in the world. An odd mix of old money aristocratic interests (Italian and Swiss bankers attempting to purge the "intrusive" Jewish bankers from Europe.) and populist left."–Richard Witty
1.) Left: Take two Israeli soldiers, get a cluster bombing of thousands of civilians in Lebanon. The children are still dying from this to this day.
2.) So libertarians are wedded to the David Dukes of this world? And to be against big government and endless taxes (on those who are caught between official poverty and corporate welfare?)
3.) Left-Right. Please take a gander at who holds the highest offices in the Federal Reserve System, and from whence they came. Not many Swiss or Italians there? Liquidity as counterfeiting? No wonder Iran's new non-dollar system? Populist Left? They don't like the bailout of Wall Street by clerks with families? As distinguished from what, the usual elites? The old one or the new one?–Phil posts about this aspect regularly.
Exactly who is more paranoid? Which class of people? Tell the difference between the umbrella isms?
I like the Arabs. They graciously sell us oil, except(1973-1974) when we were boycotted for our stupidity of needlessly supporting Israel at great expense and no consequent benefit.
If you don't like oil imports, don't buy any. But quit telling me what I can and can't buy…unless you are OK with being the personification of Big Brother. And quit making up fairy tales about how this venture in Iraq is for oil. There's no tangible evidence whatsoever that we fought the war in Iraq for the purpose of obtaining oil. No oil company execs were promoting the war, just Zionists. There's no tangible cause for invading Iraq, and subsequent effect of acquiring oil. Where's the oil we obtained as a consequence of this war? Oil prices have gone up dramatically to American consumers so does how does that evidence the war for oil concept? The war for oil concept is 100% bullshit manufactured for the gullible by Witty and his fellow Big Brother Zios who are willing to stoop to any mindless lie necessary to cover their own trechery.
The Zionists have been telling us for the last 5 years we need to attack Iran. I suppose if it ever happens they will retread the war for oil lie as American consumers watch the price of gasoline hit $12 per gallon.
Chuck, you are right. Witty throws out his crap about oil being the impetus for war on Iraq and it's totally bogus. Witty never backs up what he says–just vague generalitzations. The war on Iraq has done nothing but increase gas at the pump. It's lie the early 1970's all over again. When will the ignorant gentile Americans learn?
MM,
"If you actually criticized Israeli policy here, then you did a good thing. "
I rarely do here. The idiocy expressed here is anti-Zionist (generalized to all flavors). (Somehow, none state that they are "anti-American" even though the US has acted as a suppressive empire certainly since Carter.)
"Second, when a person criticizes Israel, he or she is not criticizing all Jews. Even when a person is talking about a stereotype of Jewish people, that is not a criticism of all Jews–but of the characteristics themselves. It is you that chooses to make that victimizing interpretation, likely based on your personality and your social conditioning."
I personally don't construe criticism of Israel's specific policies or behaviors as anti-semitism. I personally disinguish for the purposes of my own judgement, which are habitual, and which are independant of action.
An element that left doesn't even consider when evaluating "am I anti-semitic", is whether they support or oppose Jews as a community, or in the case of Zionism as a community of communities (a nation).
They consider, "do I hate someone like Phil Weiss?" when they ask "am I anti-semitic?". "No, of course not. I don't care if they are Jewish so long as that never enters any element of their political life or opinion."
I consider my support of Israel in my political opinion. And, at periods when Israel or Israeli civilians are really in some jeopardy, that comes out much more.
When Israel is not in some jeopardy, other political issues hold far far more sway. Israel's status is secondary in my political math anyway, but its far secondary when my friends and family aren't under attack.
And, I personally do not call individuals anti-semitic, except in aggregious circumstances. I do criticize specific inferences and comments. And, I do weigh them against the principles by which I would define a statement as prejudiced, ignorant, or malevolent.
Count the number of times my name has been named as "racist", to the number of times that I've used any implication of the term "anti-semitic".
You want to not be hypocritical, then restrain yourself, AND criticize others that falsely condemn.
"Third, your division of posters here is extremely limiting to your understanding of the backlash against zionist influence in the United States. Are you really interested in understanding the phenomenon? Or are you mostly concerned with securing the realm? You'll have to decide that for yourself I guess."
I don't have a high opinion of backlash whether anti-Zionist or neo-conservative. The word itself is a descriptor or reaction, of politics by irritation, rather than politics by thought and compassion.
Why would anyone take Witty seriously? First, in one of his bits of nonsense posted above, he conflates libertarians with David Duke: "2. Right – The David Duke's and "libertarians" of the world. Also primarily "anti" when it comes to Jews and Israel."
Having clearly implied libertarians to be anti-semitic, Witty, later in the same posting, describes himself as "Unwilling to demonize."
And if this isn't sufficiently ludicrous, a few posts later he pompously informs us: "And, I personally do not call individuals anti-semitic, except in aggregious circumstances. I do criticize specific inferences and comments." Anyone who would write such a bunch of self-contradictory claptrap and actually believe it must be a sociopath.
" don't have a high opinion of backlash whether anti-Zionist or neo-conservative. The word itself is a descriptor or reaction, of politics by irritation, rather than politics by thought and compassion."
Maybe the backlash is based on rational thought and interests that are different than yours.
What is anti-Semitism? It surely isn't stating that one doesn't like the Jewish influence on the nation. The anti-Muslim statements on this site are far worse than any statements about Jews individually or as a group.
We can argue about the war endlessly, but the fact remains that Israel is a drag on the nation, and there is no reason that America should support Israel as it has done. Israel should have never been an American concern. It's also true that Jews tend to have an attachment to Israel that the vast majority do not have- and that attachment is not healthy for America if those Jews have any influence on U.S. policy.
When Arabs and Muslims come to America as students or immigrants, Zionists within and without the American government freak out for fear of losing control of the discussion.
New Report on Gazan Fulbright Scholars
Conspiracy Against Rights in NYC
Well, at least Witty is honest. In an earlier post on this blog he listed his loyalty priorities. It reminded me of a conservative Mormon's diary prioritizing his five wives. He was bewildered why anyone would have a problem with that. Eyes wide shut. If you have to serve, join the IDF. Otherwise, support taxes to fund it and all its conduct.
Imagine Witty living in Israel. With his same concepts. A settler would've killed him.
Witty wants us to love the concept of community–it's his stand-in for Zionist-Likud Israel. If you want to see a movie about his community, check out Children Of The Corn.
It's more than corny. But true in the sense that Witty, as a member of the Corn, doesn't know it's lethal, or rather, he does know, but that's not a problem for his corny tribe.
Death and apartheid is corny as Kansas. One day, when the USA is actually free, they will show a movie that starts out with a close-up of a Star Of David license plate, as so many have done with the Stars And Bars. Cooter kicks ass.
And if all that is not bad enough, Witty, "aggregious" is not even a word. Try "egregious" next time. LMAO.
Your grasping at straws.
I agree with Phil's appall that McCain regards his promise of success in the election to revolve a great deal about the Jewish vote.
Today on Meet the Press, Leiberman in the same sentence accused Obama of playing the race card, then announced conspicuously that he was the first Jewish American to be a candidate for federal executive office.
The point was to appeal to Florida elderly Jewish voters.
Obama is failing at making the real distinctions. Neither under McCain or Obama would Israel be desparate.
Under McCain, especially with his commitment to continue to lower taxes (except for working people) and continued divestment in public assets, the Jewish and all people of South Florida will really be in the outhouse.
Its no coincidence that his commitment to lower taxes is the same idiocy as "libertarians" of the many odd stripes.
Its called making others pay for current obligations. DEBT.
The largest federal deficit in history this year, and growing, and promising to continue to grow with McCain proposals. The largest trade deficit in history this year, and growing (even with a depleted dollar), and promising to continue to grow with McCain proposals.
New con, SAME as the old con.
If you rub sand in someone's eye, doesn't that eye eventually blink?
Why would a Palestinian, after they get done dancing in tulips, and having celestial light shine upon them, want to study at a Jew infested university. Wilting under the Zionazi jackboot. I mean these are universities that in their perfect world would be a pile of rubble. Gentlemen, please enlighten me has to this contradiction.
SOG, for the same reason Jews flocked to the Ivy League schools and prep schools. But you know that.