I used the words intellectual leadership in a post today. That leadership has to be American, to defeat the lobby. Here's Ilene Cohen's latest inspiring email:
The three articles following, by Gideon Levy, Uri Avnery,
and Tony Karon, offer superb presentations of the meaning of what
we've been hearing, about the Gaza war and the "talking soldiers"--that
it's been going on for years, as government policy, within the IDF, and
within the population more broadly. The "it" are the
occupation/apartheid/wars and the dehumanization of the Palestinian
population in order to keep the colonial project alive.
Gideon Levy: "Change will not come without a major change in mindset.
Until we recognize the Palestinians as human beings, just as we are,
nothing will change. But then, the occupation would collapse, God
forbid. In the meantime, prepare for the next war and the horrific
testimonies about the most moral army in the world."
Uri Avnery: "[F]rom time to time an unexpected flash of light shows what is really going on.That
happened this week, when one of the pre-military preparatory schools,
set up to educate future officers, convened a meeting of alumni, most
of them on active service or in the reserves, and encouraged them to
speak freely about their experiences. . . . [Avnery concludes:] This
war must be ended. The river must be channeled into a different bed, so
that its waters will make the earth fertile - before we become
irreversibly bestialized in our own eyes, and in the eyes of the world."
Tony Karon: " . . . Israeli officials admitted last week that they were
hoping to 'rebrand' Israel’s image abroad, . . . There is only so much
that 'rebranding' can achieve when it is the product, rather than its
packaging, that is at the root of the problem. . . . What Mr Olmert and
others are really saying [about a future of South African-style
apartheid for Israel], without realising it, is that Israel is already
in an apartheid situation – and that if it doesn’t end that situation
soon, the world will notice and begin to respond accordingly."
That's the reality, occupation, settlement building in Palestine,
including East Jerusalem, apartheid laws, apartheid roads, incursions,
wars of aggression not of defense, and so on.
There are mountains of report, article, books--facts--to back it up. On the other side, we have the talking-point defense of Israel,
based on nothing but the notion that the Israelis are always in the
right, facts be damned.
[Avnery concludes:] This war must be ended. The river must be channeled into a different bed, so that its waters will make the earth fertile – before we become irreversibly bestialized in our own eyes, and in the eyes of the world."
It's not the river of individual Jews who, in Diaspora, have contributed to this world in science, medicine, literature, art, architecture, music and the like, it's a group of insane Jewish ideologues who, like an estuary that overflows its banks, have polluted the river.
Gentiles must force the issue, even at the risk of being branded the horrible of horribles, "anti-semites."
Carter and Mearsheimer, now Freeman, and a handful of past and and present congressmen and women have born the burden too long by themselves.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072830.html
IDF soldiers ordered to shoot at Gaza rescuers, note says
By Amira Hass, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Amira Hass, Israel news
Last update – 08:45 22/03/2009
GAZA STRIP – "Rules of Engagement: Open fire also upon rescue," was handwritten in Hebrew on a sheet of paper found in one of the Palestinian homes the Israel Defense Forces took over during Operation Cast Lead. A reservist officer who did not take part in the Gaza offensive believes that the note is part of orders a low-level commander wrote before giving his soldiers their daily briefing.
One of the main themes in news reports during the Gaza operation, and which appears in many testimonies, is that IDF soldiers shot at Palestinian and Red Cross rescuers, making it impossible to evacuate the wounded and dead. As a result, an unknown number of Palestinians bled to death as others cowered in their homes for days without medical treatment, waiting to be rescued.
The bodies of the dead lay outside the homes or on roadsides for days, sometimes as long as two weeks. Haaretz has reported a number of such cases, some of them as they happened. The document found in the house provides written proof that IDF commanders ordered their troops to shoot at rescuers.
@Vera,
"It's not the river of individual Jews who, in Diaspora, have contributed to this world in science, medicine, literature, art, architecture, music and the like, it's a group of insane Jewish ideologues who, like an estuary that overflows its banks, have polluted the river."
I agree with this point; however, your sentence structure could be interpreted to mean that there are no Diaspora Jews among the insane Jewish ideologues. I don't think that this is what you are trying to say, as it's obvious that some Diaspora Jews are the most insane of the ideologues. Taking this line of thought further, we must admit that many or most (not all) of the contributors to productive humanity that you mention above have ALLOWED the insane ideologues to speak for Jewry as a whole. I understand that the ideologues use fear (US anti-semitism lurks!!) and coercion (career stagnation, "self-hating Jew" stigma, etc.) to keep the sheep in the flock, but until more diaspora Jews speak out against the insane ideologues, there will be little or no progress on this issue.
Enter Phil Weiss, Adma Horowitz, Glenn Greenwald, Norman Finkelstein, etc. ….
There is hope.
PM
@Vera,
"It's not the river of individual Jews who, in Diaspora, have contributed to this world in science, medicine, literature, art, architecture, music and the like, it's a group of insane Jewish ideologues who, like an estuary that overflows its banks, have polluted the river."
I agree with this point; however, your sentence structure could be interpreted to mean that there are no Diaspora Jews among the insane Jewish ideologues. I don't think that this is what you are trying to say, as it's obvious that some Diaspora Jews are the most insane of the ideologues. Taking this line of thought further, we must admit that many or most (not all) of the contributors to productive humanity that you mention above have ALLOWED the insane ideologues to speak for Jewry as a whole. I understand that the ideologues use fear (US anti-semitism lurks!!) and coercion (career stagnation, "self-hating Jew" stigma, etc.) to keep the sheep in the flock, but until more diaspora Jews speak out against the insane ideologues, there will be little or no progress on this issue.
Enter Phil Weiss, Adma Horowitz, Glenn Greenwald, Norman Finkelstein, etc. ….
There is hope.
PM
@Vera,
"It's not the river of individual Jews who, in Diaspora, have contributed to this world in science, medicine, literature, art, architecture, music and the like, it's a group of insane Jewish ideologues who, like an estuary that overflows its banks, have polluted the river."
I agree with this point; however, your sentence structure could be interpreted to mean that there are no Diaspora Jews among the insane Jewish ideologues. I don't think that this is what you are trying to say, as it's obvious that some Diaspora Jews are the most insane of the ideologues. Taking this line of thought further, we must admit that many or most (not all) of the contributors to productive humanity that you mention above have ALLOWED the insane ideologues to speak for Jewry as a whole. I understand that the ideologues use fear (US anti-semitism lurks!!) and coercion (career stagnation, "self-hating Jew" stigma, etc.) to keep the sheep in the flock, but until more diaspora Jews speak out against the insane ideologues, there will be little or no progress on this issue.
Enter Phil Weiss, Adma Horowitz, Glenn Greenwald, Norman Finkelstein, etc. ….
There is hope.
PM
well, it's nice to have what in British Army slang is known as an "awkward squad", for sure.
Paul,
Your point is well taken. I know only too well the sting of fellow Jews, including my closest relatives. Old Herbert Spencer rightly observed that "Men believe to be true what they prefer to be true." And Jews are no exception, no matter how lofty their credentials.
Vera,
Thanks for the response. Sorry for the triple posting. I'm in East Asia, and I've noticed that Arie Brand, who comments from Australia, has also had the problem that I have. I post a comment successfully, but I don't see it in the thread. I re-post it, again successfully, and it happens again. Hours later all comments appear.
Asian internet bloggin lag.
PM
Vera,
I just re-read your response and let it sink in, and I'm chuckling about the way your wisdom comes out with a side-order of wit. The tongue in cheek "lofty credentials" comment while proposing what is an anathema to many: Jews are humans too. Nothing more, nothing less. I am sorry that you have felt the sting of relatives and fellow Jews who disdain your beliefs; your continued free-thinking in the face of such is testament to your character.
PM
Yes, yes, and thanks to you both for sharing.
Uri Avneri is a little late.
Israel has long since slipped into the state of total bestiality.
It has to be destroyed. There is no hope of rehabilitating a society so thoroughly Nazified. Try to imagine the israelis living in peace alongside anyone. You can't. It's impossible.
Brutalization and murder have become their entire reason for being.