New Yorker Rashid Khalidi on the Times Op-Ed page. Yes the Times op-ed page:
The majority of the 1.5 million people crammed into the roughly 140
square miles of the Gaza Strip belong to families that came from towns
and villages outside Gaza like Ashkelon and Beersheba. They were driven
to Gaza by the Israeli Army in 1948.
square miles of the Gaza Strip belong to families that came from towns
and villages outside Gaza like Ashkelon and Beersheba. They were driven
to Gaza by the Israeli Army in 1948.
This would have been unthinkable during the Lebanon war, no?
Khalidi earned his op-ed by his scholarship and restrained temper.
In interview, he does not deny the narrative of the other.
He expresses his perspective as his perspective.
He does NOT apologize for Hamas' misjudgements and violence.
And, he informs rather than browbeats.
To the extent his comments fall to the level of browbeating, they are ignored.
A hundred repititions of "Israelis suck" do not convince. A single reference of "most of the Gazan refugees' families originally resided in Ashkelon and Beersheba" does.
In Jimmy Carter's op-ed piece in the Washington Post this morning. A single reference to "1000 trucks passed the checkpoints in 2004, a maximum of 150 passed during cease-fire" is MORE INFORMATIVE than repitition of "racist Israel is starving Gaza".
People can act from information. They can't believe rhetoric. They know that they've been lied to in the past.
Is it just me or does Richard Witty now strike the tone of an official spokesman for "The Jews"?
To the extent his comments fall to the level of browbeating, they are ignored.
Got a problem with the active voice, Rich?
A hundred repititions of "Israelis suck" do not convince.
But a hundred repetitions of "Enough is enough" and "shelling civilians" on the other hand…
What a clown.
"A hundred repititions (sic) of "Israelis suck" do not convince."
What about a hundred repetitions of "never again"?
If you understand the content of what "never again" means, then that is a respectable sentiment.
"Enough is enough", is a rational response to what was/is occurring in Gaza/Israel and Lebanon/Israel.
The important thing for a dissenter to note is that his/her message is not getting across, and to respectfully inquire into why.
Even if a giant knot, people's concerns are understandable, and therefore reconcilable if the individuals are willing.