For example, just when I begin to feel somewhat sympathetic to a point being made, you get characters like "LD" posting things like "fuck Israel." Not "fuck Israel's policies," mind you, but "fuck Israel." This puts pro-Israelis such as myself on the defensive, making us dig in our heels even more, and not ready to discuss — let alone admit — any Israeli atrocities. And I don't want to single out LD here — several other frequent posters do it as well.

If the Jewish anti-Zionist movement wants to appeal to other Jews — especially those Jews who have a more recent memory and experience of anti-Jewish discrimination and intolerance — then this whole "fuck Israel" mantra has to stop. Criticism is always welcome and necessary, but when you damn an entire nation wholesale, your criticism won't go where you want it to, i.e., to Jewish ears.

In order for your anti-Zionist movement to succeed, you all need the support of Jews, like Phil suggests. The way some of you are going about it is wrong. Don't threaten or disparage all of Israel, because many liberal (and most conservative) Jews will see it as a threat against them, and they will never listen to what you have to say.

Because of the continued presence of inflammatory opinions here and elsewhere that purport to represent the anti-Zionist perspective, Phil, the halcyon days you dream of are quite a distance away. You will not get the necessary critical mass of Jews to identify with the anti-Zionist enterprise; I just don't see it happening, and some of what I read on these posts evidences why.

1. Why does a "journalist" need "permission" to go after the lobby?

2. Why does Obama need to come out forcefully against West Bank colonies, to trigger this "permission?"

The real issues, "how the lobby works, who's behind it," are the real issues, with or without this "permission" you speak about, and any journalist worthy of the label should go after their stories, come whence they may, cost what they will. The existence of the need for "permission," is the strength of lobby, boiled down to its crusty residue. No such need for permission exits. Perhaps Fleshler is right, it is all an illusion created with smoke and mirrors.

Will it end the obfuscation/smearing? I'll believe that when Dershowitz and Foxman are silenced, and some major Jewish Conference makes a big and public deal out of apologizing to Walt & Mearsheimer for every smear, slight, and unfair criticism, as well as the career and economic harm inflicted, that arose not only from those shouting Anti-Semite, and Bigot, but those whose silence enabled those smears to be heard.

I hope arsehole supreme Kenney gets at least a whiff of it…

Rewriting Summers' Record of Failure
Fighting Hegemonic Blocking on Campus — Ousting Summers at Harvard
False Analogy: Zionism versus Apartheid

Greg Mankiw's Blog: Larry Summers as Treasury Secretary?
Why is Rubin Advising Obama?
Citygroup: Palling Around with Clowns

"[...] you get characters like "LD" posting things like "fuck Israel." Not "fuck Israel's policies," mind you, but "fuck Israel." This puts pro-Israelis such as myself on the defensive, making us dig in our heels even more, and not ready to discuss — let alone admit — any Israeli atrocities."

Do you quite realise just what kind of language is used on pro-Israel sites and blogs to describe the Palestinians and those who support them? But we are supposed to be nicer to the Zionists, because then you'll listen to us? What a load of cock-doodle-doo!

Best and Brightest 2008
Zionist Control: Sovereign Wealth Funds?

BTW, the real issue may be the Summers-Emanuel connection.

Saving America in 100 Words

You are absolutely correct; I don't disagree with you. I'm sure it's even worse on those sites than you suggest, but that's not my point.

Your anti-Zionist movement needs sympathetic Jews, or Jews who will become sympathetic, more than they or the movement needs you. You have to better than the rhetoric on the other side in order to (a) attract the other side and/or (b) attract those in the middle.

And to repeat Gert's point, have you seen the bullshit that you find in pro-Israel blogs and even on the comments section of pro-Israel newspapers?

The thing with pro-Israelis like yourself is that you're not open to changing your mind, despite what you like to tell us (all you need to do is look at the trolling comments by Suzanne/Julian/Berel and co). This blog is for fence-sitters who are open minded and will feel like saying 'Fuck Israel' when they realise they've been duped for so long.