Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Celebrating 60 years of Israeli accomplishment
Ray Charles once said, “Even though I’m not Jewish.. Israel is one of the few causes I feel good about supporting.”
Regardless of your religion or creed, you should also feel good about supporting the state of Israel. You will be in good company. The Facebook group “The Top Ten Reasons why I support Israel” has 30,500 members.
Besides the humorous reasons (No. 8 Natalie Portman Hershlag), the rest are based on the culture and innovation of the Israeli people.
For example, the group points out that Israelis developed the cell phone with Motorola. Four Israeli men invented ICQ which became AOL Instant Messaging in 1996. Windows NT was also developed in Israel.
This innovation applies to the medical field as well. Israelis invented a camera that is ingestible and pill sized in order to diagnose disorders of the stomach and gut.
They developed a machine to examine for breast cancer without the use a radiation.
Israel has the highest concentration of engineers, doctors, and people with Ph.Ds.
Israel leads the “green movement” by planning the establishment of the first renewable energy field. The plan entails enough solar panels to eventually power the beach city of Eilat.
David Lehrer, the director at the Arava Institute, told an Israeli paper, “I think that if there is any country in the world whose interest it would be in weaning itself away from fossil fuels it’s Israel.
“Not only do we have the motivation, we have the natural and human resources to do so.
“The technology for renewable energy most prevalent in the world has been developed by Israel or Israelis”.
Besides being incredibly educated and creative, the Israelis are affable even to their enemies and welcoming to other faiths. The best example of this happened in 2004.
A number of large earthquakes rocked Iran. Israel offered aid, but the Iranian government would not accept it because they would have to recognize Israel as a country. They accepted aid from every country except Israel.
By sharing Jerusalem peacefully with Christians and Muslims, Israelis show tolerance.
Anyone may approach the Western Wall and put a prayer in its cracks.
Non-Muslims are forbidden from entering Mecca and the Dome on the Rock.
In addition, Israel has an Arab High Court Judge, Arab ambassadors, Arab Knesset members and an Arab has even run for Prime Minister. If they choose, Arabs may even address the Knesset in Arabic instead of Hebrew.
According to the CIA World Factbook, 52 countries are predominantly Islamic.
If people have a problem with the Jews in Israel, then they have a multitude of other places that should absorb them with open arms.
Only one country in the entire world has Jews as the majority, with really no other place for them to go.
Many lives were lost in the Holocaust because the British prevented many Jews from entering the land that became Israel in 1948.
Holocaust Remembrance Day will be acknowledged worldwide this Friday. The Israelis declared their Independence in May 1948.
The date is called “Yom Ha’aztmaut” and its anniversary falls next Thursday. Hopefully the celebrations will happen without disruption despite threats from Hamas.
Concerts have been planned across the U.S. featuring Jewish artists such as Regina Spektor and Yael Naim.
Let us not forget that Martin Luther King Jr. was pro-Israeli. He said, “When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews. You are talking anti-Semitism.” His example is truly one to follow.
Yom Huledot Sameach Yisrael — Happy Birthday Israel!
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Justin Akers:
Comment on 30-Apr-08 at 7:10 am
Amen. I think it is also worth pointing out that the reason Israelis have been so successful in the sciences and engineering, and in many other fields as well, is because, as studies have shown, they have higher IQs, on average, than any other people on earth.
Israel is one of the greatest countries in the world and I look forward to the day when their excellent Air Force bombs Iranian nuclear facilities to smithereens, something the U.S. Air Force should have done long ago.
Jeffrey Levine:
Comment on 30-Apr-08 at 12:02 pm
Excellent article. It always amazes me when certain people liken the actions of the Jews to the actions of the Nazis. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The world needs to acknowledge the accomplishments of the Jews in Israel and give thanks that there is one country around where the Jewish intellect can flourish. And a second thank you goes out to the citiznry of the USA for providing Israel with 60 years of support both financially and militarily. There would be no Israel without the support of the US!
BS:
Comment on 30-Apr-08 at 8:53 pm
Everyone can see Justin’s comment giving praise to a writer, right? It’s not just me?
I think hell just froze over.
Ahmed Gasem:
Comment on 30-Apr-08 at 9:47 pm
I quote Ms. Daitch as saying:
“By sharing Jerusalem peacefully with Christians and Muslims, Israelis show tolerance.”
I further quote the first Israeli prime minister, a founding father, as saying the following :
“We must use terror, assassination, intimidation, land confiscation, and the cutting of all social services to rid the Galilee of its Arab population.” Said by Israeli Priminister in 1948, David Ben Gurion.
Also:
“Let us not ignore the truth among ourselves … politically we are the aggressors and they defend themselves… The country is theirs, because they inhabit it, whereas we want to come here and settle down, and in their view we want to take away from them their country.”
– David Ben Gurion, quoted on pp 91-2 of Chomsky’s Fateful Triangle, which appears in Simha Flapan’s “Zionism and the Palestinians pp 141-2 citing a 1938 speech.
Thank you.
Justin Akers:
Comment on 01-May-08 at 1:49 am
Thanks for your contribution Ahmed. You sure do know your Chomsky.
“Before Israel dies, it must be humiliated and degraded. Allah willing, before they die, they will experience humiliation and degradation every day.”
-Dr. Mahmud Al-Zahar, Hamas leader in Gaza, Washington Times, February 4, 2006
Shayna Daitch:
Comment on 01-May-08 at 5:37 am
Mr. Gasem,
One must always keep in mind that a country’s leaders do not always adequately convey the feelings of the people. That is my response to the Ben Gurion quotes.
You have not given any other evidence, thus my claim that Israelis are tolerant still stands. It would have been very easy for them to not allow Muslims in the Old Quarter after the Six Day War. They could have knocked down the Dome on the Rock, but they did not. My friend Yonathan, an Israeli citizen, thinks that the Dome is the most beautiful thing in Israel. Too bad he will never see the inside.
I grew up in the most tolerant of homes and my neighbors were Pakistani. I used to go to mosque with them several times a week. I have nothing against Muslims and actually respect the beauty of the Qu’ran. I have qualms with radical Islamists, specifically those who use the so called “sword verses” as a means to justify the killings of non-Muslims (i.e. Bin Laden, Al-Sadr, Anjum Chaudri, etc.)
The Qu’ran clearly states that you are not not to ever harm “people of the book” i.e., Jews and Christians. Permission is given to besiege and kill idolaters, but they must be given a chance to repent for “Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
Essentially, the entire world needs to be on guard. All of the outlandish statements from Hamas and Iran lead me to one conclusion: it is the pre-meditated genocide of the Jewish people. How else can you interpret “Israel must be wiped off the map” or “Every Jew must be pushed in to the sea?”
It doesn’t help their cause that Hamas just had a “documentary” on television that said Jews sent their old and disabled to die in the Holocaust. They said that the Jews planned it in order to gain world sympathy. Wasn’t their old stance that Holocaust was a myth? Could they be confused by all the lies they spread? http://youtube.com/watch?v=7WG02QqRYf0
I am also bothered that many Arabs call Israeli Independence Day “Al-Nakba” or “The Disaster.” Whatan awful frame.
I did not intend to turn negative. I wanted this to be a positive column.
“The end of Israel is the goal of our struggle, and it allows for neither compromise nor mediation… We don’t want peace. We want war, victory.” -Yasser Arafat, 1972
Are you with the eccentric leader or do you think that there is a better end?
Regards,
Shayna Daitch
Psalm 133
Hinay ma tov uma na’im
Shevet achim gam yachad
How good and pleasant it is
For brothers & sisters to sit together
Ahmed Gasem:
Comment on 01-May-08 at 2:41 pm
Ms. Daitch,
Thank you for your insightful comments. Your first statement is to the effect that leaders do not always convey the feelings of their people. Why, then may I ask, are you quoting leaders of Palestine and Iran? They do not represent the people by your assumption. Right?
I disagree with this notion that leaders do not represent their people. I think founding fathers are especially good representations of the ideals and principles of their country. For instance, would you not say that the constitution of our great country, the United States of America, is an accurate depiction of what this country stands for? It indeed was written by our founding fathers. So it safe to assume that these fathers’ thoughts and ideas helped to define what this country stands for. Likewise, I would think that the ideals of first prime minister of “Israel” are fair depictions of what his country symbolizes.
My second thought is a question. Do the ends justify the means? I will further explain by an analogy. Let us say a Mr. Jones cares much for some downtrodden orphans. Mr. Jones then proceeds to occupy his neighbors’ land. He did this with good intention though. He builds an orphanage on that land. He helps many orphans in the process. Nonetheless, he did force many families out of their homes. Is what Mr. Jones did justifiable? Was it okay for him to take the land wrongfully even with good intentions? Again, did the ends justify the means?
You speak of how Muslims should honor the “People of the Book.” I grant you that, and we did for hundreds of years when we were in rule. I only wish we as Muslims are given this same treatment.
Furthermore, please site me these versus that state we may kill idolaters. Please do so in context though. Site the verse, chapter it is located, and two versus before and after the citation. I will let the Quran speak for itself.
I also ask you to please not judge my religion based on what any random figure says. You point out documentaries and quotes of figures in the world that do not represent me, my religion, or the Muslim nation as a whole. So be wary of who you thinks represents Muslims. I do not judge you by the most radical of your religious figures. I beg the same of you.
Finally, the people of Palestine are fighting for their land. This is beyond religion. The Christians of Palestine fight as vehemently as the Muslims do. This is a matter of occupation. I spoke of political figures and you automatically pulled religion into the equation. I’ll let you explain why you did that.
Wishing the best for all,
Ahmed Gasem
Justin Akers:
Comment on 01-May-08 at 4:44 pm
Ahmed, at least one of the quotes you attribute to Ben Gurion above is a fabricated quote that has been (falsely) attributed to various Israelis. Here is a link on the fabricated quote at honestreporting.uk:
http://www.honestreporting.co.uk/articles/critiques/Sourcing_Quotes_the__Pilger_Way.asp
As for the other quote, I suspect it is also fabricated, or at the very least falsely attributed. Also, the very wording of your attribution is suspicious in itself:
“David Ben Gurion, quoted on pp 91-2 of Chomsky’s Fateful Triangle, which appears in Simha Flapan’s “Zionism and the Palestinians pp 141-2 citing a 1938 speech.”
So, if I am counting correctly, this is a quote of a quote of a quote of a quote. Not exactly a model of scholarship, Ahmed.
Finally, I’d like to quote you once more, this time from your most recent post, where you write,
“I also ask you to please not judge my religion based on what any random figure says.”
What I can’t figure out is why it’s fair, or reasonable, for you to use a (fabricated) 1948 quote from a random figure (is Ben-Gurion any less “random” than Yasser Arafat?) to judge the country of Israel?
Of course, the real issue here is that your quotes are bogus, and your high-minded rhetoric doesn’t cover up your flawed scholarship.
Justin Akers:
Comment on 01-May-08 at 4:55 pm
Let me also add that I am not certain both quotes are fabricated–I know the first one is, and I suspect the second one is either fabricated or misattributed, since Muslim groups have fabricated, or misattributed, a number of such quotes.
Ahmed Gasem:
Comment on 01-May-08 at 5:17 pm
My dear friend Justin,
I will leave you with a bit of advice. Attack the subject not the author when discussing opinions. Finally, you seem too emotionaly attached to your ideas to have a fruitful dialogue. Thus, I end this conversation.
As such I bid you farewell,
Ahmed
Nour Habib:
Comment on 01-May-08 at 10:39 pm
Mr. Akers,
If you wish to believe that the quotes Mr. Gasem used are fabricated, that is your decision. But there is plenty of evidence that discredits Ms. Daitch’s claim that Israel is tolerant. I assume you cannot say that the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre, in which more than a thousand Palestinian civilians, including children, were killed, is “a quote of a quote of a quote of a quote.” And the fact that the man who masterminded it, Ariel Sharon, went on to become prime minister of the nation does not really speak loads for it.
Justin Akers:
Comment on 02-May-08 at 2:28 am
Mr. Gasem, I didn’t “attack the author,” I pointed out that one of your anti-Israel quotes was a fabrication. And yes, I admit, I am “emotionally attached” to truth.
Ms. Habib: I do not “wish to believe” that (at least) one of Mr. Gasem’s anti-Israel quotes was fabricated–I know for a fact it is fabricated. My wishes have got nothing to do with it.
The Sabra massacre was not “masterminded” by Ariel Sharon. The Kahan Commission did claim that Sharon bore some responsibility for the events (but he most certainly did not mastermind the events, nor did Israel give the Lebanese who masterminded the massacre any orders to kill civilians), and Sharon resigned as defense minister as a result of the commission.
However, in regard to the Sabra and Shatila massacre, the important thing that needs to be remembered is that it was Lebanese Christians who carried out the massacre. And neither Ariel Sharon, nor any Israeli, masterminded it. Again, Nour, you are merely wrong, and like Ahmed, your “argument” against the state of Israel is based on distorted information–and I am being polite when I say distorted information, because I think a more accurate description would be anti-Semitic lies and propaganda.
Shayna Daitch:
Comment on 02-May-08 at 2:58 am
Justin, good eye on the fake Ben Gurion quote. I was in disbelief that he would have said such a thing.
Here is yet another website declaring the invalidity of that quote and its ties to Ben Gurion.
http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=2&x_outlet=55&x_article=864
It was attributed to Israel Koening in a report that was leaked, but the document does not appear that quote in it. I have spent the last five hours trying to find a copy of the Koenig Report. It was published in full on September 7th, 1976 in the Israeli newspaper Al-Hamishmar. I’m waiting on a copy of it to be sent to me from the Center for Research Libraries in Chicago. I’d like to know what this document actually reads. From the excepts I’ve read, it is not flattering. I am mostly convinced that quote is fabricated.
Furthermore, “The Fateful Triangle” is online for free. One can see that the so-called Ben Gurion quote does not even appear in Chomsky’s text.
http://www.vho.org/aaargh/fran/livres5/fateful.pdf
If Ben Gurion had said that, I would still dismiss it. There are maybe a handful of outrageous statements from Israeli statesmen compared to the never-ending Pandora’s Box of murderous, hate-filled, and recent remarks from Arab leaders.
Ahmed, I like your next argument very much: teleology versus deontology. This is a debate that is never ending! Imagine the scenario where a murderer comes to your door. He asks for your mother with the full intention to kill her. It is against your principles to lie. Do you turn your mother over or do you make the immoral decision to lie? This conflict has good and bad intentions and will lead to a good or bad outcome. Have you read Robert Nozick’s paradox of deontology? I’ll let you have this one.
Specifically, the verse I was referring to is Tabua 9.5 on page 114 of the Abdullah Yusuf Ali translation of the Qur’an. You say to add two verses before and one after. I just read it again and I feel that I did not misrepresent what the holy book reads.
[9.3 And an announcement from Allah and His Messenger, to the people (assembled) on the day of the Great Pilgrimage,- that Allah and His Messenger dissolve (treaty) obligations with the Pagans. If, then, you repent, it were best for you; but if you turn away, you (should) know that you cannot frustrate Allah. And proclaim a grievous penalty to those who reject faith.
9.4 (But the treaties are) not dissolved with those Pagans with whom you have entered into an alliance and who have not subsequently failed you in anything, nor aided any one against you. So fulfill your engagements with them to the end of their term: for Allah loves the Righteous.
9.5 But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
9.6 If one amongst the Pagans ask you for asylum, grant it to him, so that he may hear the Word of Allah; and then escort him to where he can be secure. This is because they are men without knowledge.]
Again, I will stress I like Muslims quite a bit. I love the rights that are granted to women in the Qur’an. I also think that more human rights are protected in the book than any other religion. I have a problem with RADICAL ISLAMISTS and the people that support them. I never made any other argument.
If the state of Israel is eliminated, where should the Israelites go? And what of the Druze and Bedouin? They can’t assimilate into the Arab countries.
Israel completely withdrew from the Gaza strip in 2005. What ensued after can only be called chaos and Hamas emerged as the new ruler. I’m sure Mahmoud Abbas appreciates the Israeli military support and security in the West Bank. Otherwise, it would be anarchy.
Nour, The Sabra and Shatila massacre was an awful occurrence but they were not killed by Israelis. The massacre was enacted by a Christian Lebanese Militia. Israel could have intervened instead of watching so they aren’t 100% innocent.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1779713.stm
I feel like Facebook is the best reflection of how we behave. There are 200 groups called “F*ck Israel” and 0 called “F*ck Palestine.”
I enjoy intelligent discourse. Thank you for giving me so much to think about.
Justin Akers:
Comment on 02-May-08 at 3:06 am
For those who are interested, here is a good “summary” of the Sabra and Shatila massacre (and the link to the entire column– http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=95001818):
“. . . Sabra and Shatila. These were the Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut where, in September 1982, two months after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, Christian Lebanese forces murdered hundreds of Palestinians, many of them women and children, while on a mission to flush out armed Palestinian militias and terrorists. Although the exact degree of Israeli complicity in this action is unclear, there is no doubt–as determined by a special commission set up at the time by the Israeli government itself– that the Israeli army permitted the Christian forces to enter the camps and operate freely there; there is also no doubt that the army should have known what these forces were doing and stopped them immediately. Construed most leniently, this was criminal negligence. Since the army’s commander-in-chief at the time was then-defense minister Ariel Sharon . . .”
So, obviously Sharon did bear some responsibility, but to say he, or Israel, masterminded it, is blatantly false.
Suzanne Hayes:
Comment on 02-May-08 at 3:50 pm
A list of UN Resolutions against “Israel”
This speaks for itself and this is not even all of them…..
1955-1992:
* Resolution 106: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for Gaza raid”.
* Resolution 111: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for raid on Syria that killed fifty-six people”.
* Resolution 127: ” . . . ‘recommends’ Israel suspends it’s ‘no-man’s zone’ in Jerusalem”.
* Resolution 162: ” . . . ‘urges’ Israel to comply with UN decisions”.
* Resolution 171: ” . . . determines flagrant violations’ by Israel in its attack on Syria”.
* Resolution 228: ” . . . ‘censures’ Israel for its attack on Samu in the West Bank, then under Jordanian control”.
* Resolution 237: ” . . . ‘urges’ Israel to allow return of new 1967 Palestinian refugees”.
* Resolution 248: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for its massive attack on Karameh in Jordan”.
* Resolution 250: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to refrain from holding military parade in Jerusalem”.
* Resolution 251: ” . . . ‘deeply deplores’ Israeli military parade in Jerusalem in defiance of Resolution 250″.
* Resolution 252: ” . . . ‘declares invalid’ Israel’s acts to unify Jerusalem as Jewish capital”.
* Resolution 256: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israeli raids on Jordan as ‘flagrant violation”.
* Resolution 259: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s refusal to accept UN mission to probe occupation”.
* Resolution 262: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for attack on Beirut airport”.
* Resolution 265: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for air attacks for Salt in Jordan”.
* Resolution 267: ” . . . ‘censures’ Israel for administrative acts to change the status of Jerusalem”.
*Resolution 270: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for air attacks on villages in southern Lebanon”.
* Resolution 271: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel’s failure to obey UN resolutions on Jerusalem”.
* Resolution 279: ” . . . ‘demands’ withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon”.
* Resolution 280: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israeli’s attacks against Lebanon”.
* Resolution 285: ” . . . ‘demands’ immediate Israeli withdrawal form Lebanon”.
* Resolution 298: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s changing of the status of Jerusalem”.
* Resolution 313: ” . . . ‘demands’ that Israel stop attacks against Lebanon”.
* Resolution 316: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for repeated attacks on Lebanon”.
* Resolution 317: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s refusal to release Arabs abducted in Lebanon”.
* Resolution 332: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel’s repeated attacks against Lebanon”.
* Resolution 337: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for violating Lebanon’s sovereignty”.
* Resolution 347: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israeli attacks on Lebanon”.
* Resolution 425: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon”.
* Resolution 427: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon.
* Resolution 444: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s lack of cooperation with UN peacekeeping forces”.
* Resolution 446: ” . . . ‘determines’ that Israeli settlements are a ’serious
obstruction’ to peace and calls on Israel to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention”.
* Resolution 450: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to stop attacking Lebanon”.
* Resolution 452: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to cease building settlements in occupied territories”.
* Resolution 465: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s settlements and asks all member
states not to assist Israel’s settlements program”.
* Resolution 467: ” . . . ’strongly deplores’ Israel’s military intervention in Lebanon”.
* Resolution 468: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to rescind illegal expulsions of
two Palestinian mayors and a judge and to facilitate their return”.
* Resolution 469: ” . . . ’strongly deplores’ Israel’s failure to observe the
council’s order not to deport Palestinians”.
* Resolution 471: ” . . . ‘expresses deep concern’ at Israel’s failure to abide
by the Fourth Geneva Convention”.
* Resolution 476: ” . . . ‘reiterates’ that Israel’s claim to Jerusalem are ‘null and void’”.
* Resolution 478: ” . . . ‘censures (Israel) in the strongest terms’ for its
claim to Jerusalem in its ‘Basic Law’”.
* Resolution 484: ” . . . ‘declares it imperative’ that Israel re-admit two deported
Palestinian mayors”.
* Resolution 487: ” . . . ’strongly condemns’ Israel for its attack on Iraq’s
nuclear facility”.
* Resolution 497: ” . . . ‘decides’ that Israel’s annexation of Syria’s Golan
Heights is ‘null and void’ and demands that Israel rescinds its decision forthwith”.
* Resolution 498: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to withdraw from Lebanon”.
* Resolution 501: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to stop attacks against Lebanon and withdraw its troops”.
* Resolution 509: ” . . . ‘demands’ that Israel withdraw its forces forthwith and unconditionally from Lebanon”.
* Resolution 515: ” . . . ‘demands’ that Israel lift its siege of Beirut and
allow food supplies to be brought in”.
* Resolution 517: ” . . . ‘censures’ Israel for failing to obey UN resolutions
and demands that Israel withdraw its forces from Lebanon”.
* Resolution 518: ” . . . ‘demands’ that Israel cooperate fully with UN forces in Lebanon”.
* Resolution 520: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel’s attack into West Beirut”.
* Resolution 573: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel ‘vigorously’ for bombing Tunisia
in attack on PLO headquarters.
* Resolution 587: ” . . . ‘takes note’ of previous calls on Israel to withdraw
its forces from Lebanon and urges all parties to withdraw”.
* Resolution 592: ” . . . ’strongly deplores’ the killing of Palestinian students
at Bir Zeit University by Israeli troops”.
* Resolution 605: ” . . . ’strongly deplores’ Israel’s policies and practices
denying the human rights of Palestinians.
* Resolution 607: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel not to deport Palestinians and strongly
requests it to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
* Resolution 608: ” . . . ‘deeply regrets’ that Israel has defied the United Nations and deported Palestinian civilians”.
* Resolution 636: ” . . . ‘deeply regrets’ Israeli deportation of Palestinian civilians.
* Resolution 641: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s continuing deportation of Palestinians.
* Resolution 672: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for violence against Palestinians
at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount.
* Resolution 673: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s refusal to cooperate with the United
Nations.
* Resolution 681: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s resumption of the deportation of
Palestinians.
* Resolution 694: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s deportation of Palestinians and
calls on it to ensure their safe and immediate return.
* Resolution 726: ” . . . ’strongly condemns’ Israel’s deportation of Palestinians.
* Resolution 799: “. . . ’strongly condemns’ Israel’s deportation of 413 Palestinians
and calls for there immediate return.
Shayna Daitch:
Comment on 02-May-08 at 9:38 pm
I applaud you for your ability to copy and paste from wikipedia.org.
Please think about this, is the UN able to denounce Palestine?
Suzanne Hayes:
Comment on 03-May-08 at 12:13 am
So facts from Wikipedia are not valid then? Where did you get Israels accomplishments from–lemme guess– THE INTERNET? Plus I think Wikipedia is accurate…..the whole world judges it. and finally….i didnt get it from wikipedia ;)
Justin Akers:
Comment on 03-May-08 at 2:04 am
I’m not really sure if the purpose of the whacky copy and paste is to make me respect the UN? If so, I think it’s only fair to say that I consider the UN a joke, and if you copied and pasted all 188 million pages of their by-laws it would impress me about as much as a termite mound. Thanks for your weak attempt at relevance, though, “Suzanne.”
Kevin Jobe:
Comment on 03-May-08 at 2:22 pm
Yeah man - the notion that all humans have rights is a complete joke! I mean, come on, who needs prohibitions against genocide, torture, rape, racism, discrimination, nuclear proliferation and international aggression?
Also, that whole UN “anti-apartheid” thing was a total joke as well. Too bad the UN help bring an end to that against the wishes of our great nation who supported the South African regime.
And,if only the U.S. had got its way in South Africa, we wouldnt have had all those unintelligent people of color in power. (because, as we all know, IQ tests are 100% unbiased)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15742541?dopt=Abstract
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-2389.2006.00346.x
“the abstraction of intelligence as a single entity, its location within the brain, its quantification as one number for each individual, and the use of these numbers to rank people in a single series of worthiness, invariably to find that oppressed and disadvantaged groups—races, classes, or sexes—are innately inferior and deserve their status.”
Stephen Jay Gould, “The Mismeasure of Man”
One might recall the historical roots of the “IQ” - or, if you prefer, the original German “Intelligenz-Quotient”.
http://www.amazon.com/IQ-Smart-History-Failed-Idea/dp/0471699772
To say that UN, in its efforts to fight against racism, discrimination, and all forms of violence, is a “joke” is quite disturbing. It is nation-states who oppose the legitimacy of the international community and int’l law that ought to be criticized - NOT the legitimacy of the international community and int’l law.
Justin Akers:
Comment on 06-May-08 at 3:41 am
The UN does extremely little for individual human rights violations(http://www.eyeontheun.org/facts.asp?1=1&p=54), and the UN is extremely biased against the United States and Israel(http://www.eyeontheun.org/facts.asp?1=1&p=40), to say the least. Then there is the unfortunate fact that countries such as China and Russia, both states with huge human rights problems, wield enormous influence at the UN. Then there are the scandals (Oil-for-food scandal), the inability to stop genocide (Rwanda, Srebrenica), etc. etc.
Certainly there is something to be said for the legitimacy of itnernational law and the international community, as such, but the UN itself is a very flawed, often corrupt, often helpless, politically motivated organization, and it is entirely legitimate to criticize it, not “disturbing.” To naively believe the UN is a great organization is what is in fact “disturbing.”
Justin Akers:
Comment on 06-May-08 at 3:47 am
I assume you brought up IQ because I pointed out Jews have a higher IQ than other groups? I am also assuming that you believe IQ tests to be biased in favor of Jews (and Asians perhaps)? In any case, for those who are interested in the fact that Jews are more intelligent, on average, than any other group of people, here is a passage from an article on Jewish Genius (genius as measured by such things is IQ tests, or Nobel Prizes):
“A group’s mean intelligence is important in explaining outcomes such as mean educational attainment or mean income. The key indicator for predicting exceptional accomplishment (like winning a Nobel Prize) is the incidence of exceptional intelligence. Consider an IQ score of 140 or higher, denoting the level of intelligence that can permit people to excel in fields like theoretical physics and pure mathematics. If the mean Jewish IQ is 110 and the standard deviation is 15, then the proportion of Jews with IQ’s of 140 or higher is somewhere around six times the proportion of everyone else.”
Pauli Ojala:
Comment on 17-May-08 at 4:09 pm
Who has heard that in the 1930’s Bagdad every 3rd citizen was a native Jew? The Sefardi (Safrati) Jews have a 400 year old history and the Mizrahi Jews over 2,500 year old history in the Middle East - outside the location of the state of Israel (Palestine).
Here’s the statistics regarding not ONLY the expelsion of Jews from various Moslim countries in the last 60 years that Israel has been an independent state, but also numbers expelled from the Europe in a longer time interval. The Jews are no settlers of colonialism:
http://www.helsinki.fi/~pjojala/Expelled-Jews-statistics.htm
60 years of survival. This is statistics, not Zionism. When the military means have lacked the power, it is now a time of a media war to spit on the Jews and curse the Jewish Scriptures. Both the Old and New Testament were written by Jews. Although Jasser Arafat in his books claimed that there never was any Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and that Jesus was not a Jew, he could not deceive the honest spectator
As a matter of fact, the population of Arabs (my beloved friends and brothers, just like the Jews, our common fathers) under the Israeli government was increased ten-fold (10X) in only 57 years. The Palestinian life expectancy increased from 48 to 72 years in 1967-1995. The death rate decreased by over 2/3 in 1970-1090 and the Israeli medical campaigns decreased the child deat rate from a level of 60 per 1000 in 1968 to 15 per 1000 in 2000. (An analogous figure was 64 in Iraq, 40 in Egypt, 23 in Jordan, and 22 in Syria in 2000). During 1967-1988 the amount of comprehensive schoold and second level polytechnic institutes for the Arabs was increased by 35%. During 1970-1986 the proportion of Palestinian women at the West Bank and Gaza not having gone to school decreased from 67 % to 32 %. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in West Bank and Gaza increased in 1968-1991 BKT from 165 US dollars to 1715 dollars (compare with 1630$ in Turkey, 1440$ in Tunis, 1050$ in Jordan, 800$ in Syria, 600$ in Egypt. and 400$ in Yemen).
One-fourth of the judgements of the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations strike Israel. Out of the incidences dealt in the Security Counsil one-third is having to do with Israel. I think this resembles the hysteria seen in the Black Plague in Europe, when the European Jews were accused of the pandemia and burned alive. The phobic mob was really scared and saw the peculiar Jews as a threat.
Pauli.Ojala@gmail.com
Helsinki, Finland
PS. Statistics of the beneficial impact of Jewish population to the host country in terms of inventions, science and technology:
http://www.helsinki.fi/~pjojala/Indicator.html
BS:
Comment on 21-May-08 at 8:23 am
Hayes, when was the last time you wrote a paper for a college class?
Are we allowed to use Wiki as a source? (Hint: No.)
Why? Because it’s unreliable and people who claim to be experts on a topic (such as yourself) are allowed to edit the so-called “facts” in Wiki articles. I daresay something found on CNN, or “THE INTERNET” as you like to call it, would be found slightly more credible than something sourced from your precious Wiki.
In fact, vehemently defending Wiki like you do proves you more of a research neophyte than those who take the time to use real sources and completely fails to support your claims.
So please try using legit facts and sources. It’s what the big kids do.
-BS
Frazier:
Comment on 21-May-08 at 11:48 am
People, the threat is real. The danger is imminent. It is quite essential for Israel to protect themselves to the fullest extent needed. If that means building a seperation wall that surrounds the whole of Israel and all confiscated lands from Palestinian threats then so be it. If it means destroying essential infrastructure of the Palestinian people, so be it. If it means that Palestinians can not go to work or go to see a doctor due to the safety check points at the wall, so be it. If it means confiscating orchards and other lands that provide desperately needed agricultural support in order to “protect” then so be it. Whatever means neccessary to protect the Israeli nation.
This statement is not meant to say that the threat is not real. It is, but by the same logic that Israeli leadearship does not represent Israeli people, Palestinian organizations do not represent the sentiment of the people. The debate is not whether or not Israel has a right to protect themselves, it is if the seperation wall is neccessary. Is the protection so important that it validates the destruction of life supporting systems for all Palestinians? And what excuse is there for the continual expansion and development of Israeli settlements? What reasoning is there for 90% of potable water going to 8% of the people in the West Bank (Israeli’s). Is this tolerance?
Frazier:
Comment on 21-May-08 at 12:10 pm
Justin, from my enterpretation of Kevin’s IQ point, he is not disputing the fact that Jewish people have a higher national average score or asserting that the test is biased in favor of Israeli or Asian people. The point is that the test serves as a system of classification for races, genders, etc. By recognizing the authority of the IQ test and its indicator scores on an individualized level, you may equally beleive in the classification of races and genders through mass test averages. This may not seem like such a concern for the higher end of the spectrum, as you have mentioned with Israeli/Asian people, but inevitably you find your self saying that X is a less intelligent and thus inferior race. I beleive that is all the discussion needed to present the inherent fallacy in the IQ test.
Pauli Ojala:
Comment on 25-May-08 at 2:58 am
I continued my essay in
http://www.helsinki.fi/~pjojala/Expelled-Jews-statistics.htm
It is USA that profits from Israel, rather than the opposite. Israel gets nearly 2 billion euros from USA almost every year, that is true. But. US demands that Israel is not allowed to stop BRAIN DRAIN from Eretz israel to USA. Before the Second Intifada, there were 200 Israeli companies listed in the US High Tech Nasdaq, after the Intifaca the count had dropped to 70. At the moment, the number is back in 100, which is still greater than from all the European countries combined. Dollars are green since the yankees pull the down from the tree when still raw and fresh. Israel has not been allowed to let any of its companies to be scaled up in their homeland but most are imported straight from the garage. The scaling up of industrial production would mean jobs, to both Jews, Arabs and other ethnic groups. Israel is ordered to stay as some kind of innovation laboratory only, as the 51. state.
Astonishing number of 25% of the Israeli researchers have moved from Israel to the United States - and this figure does not yet even include the people with double citizenship! The next largest brain drain of researchers to US are 12.2% from Canada, 4.3% from Netherlands, and 4.2% from Italy.
One of the secrets of innovative success in Israel is the fact that cheating is minimized in the public funding: Money is not delivered according to research plans but steady income and thus the market analysis is emphasized. The support is designed so that the first 2-10 years a startup company does not have to pay taxes. But no direct funding without compensation is offered. Today, Israel draws Venture Capital (VC) more than the Europe.
A novel phenomenon is the strategy by which Israel has been able to claim victory over China and other Far-East countries regarding the most modern High Tech factories: As an example, the supranational Intel transferred the mass production of Centricon-processors to Israel, where 25% of citizens possess a higher decree from the university but where people respect patents and are not plagiating every item they produce for others. (China is a great country of thieves. The Empire of Pirates steals every moving article in your machine.) Intel was also offered an overall tax rate of 10%, which is about three times lower than that of US.
Also, the biggest generic drug factory in the world was recently established in Israel. Over half of the export from Israel are High tech products, compared to the 25% which is the average in the OECD countries.
Although the export of the agriculture has remained constant past the last 30 years, its relative amount has dropped from 70% to 3%. Out of the 3000 companies in Israel 80% are less than ten years old, and the average failure rate of these start ups is very low, less than 50%. In biotechnology and drug development, about 400 experimental drugs have been approved or accepted in clinical phases. The greatest portion of funding of research per capita is found in Israel. Israel also has the greatest ratio of researchers per square meter or population in the face of the world, far exceeding I.e. Japan: http://www.helsinki.fi/~pjojala/Indicator.htm
Pauli Ojala
Biochemist, drop-out (MSci-Master of Sciing)
Justin Popham:
Comment on 25-May-08 at 1:06 pm
The way the Israeli government treats Palestinians in the Occupied Territories unethical and unjust. This is a fact. Most people in the world recognize this. A surprisingly high number of Americans and significant number of Israelis recognize this. History will provided mounds of evidence to show how the Israeli settlement of the occupied territories, and the treatment of Palestinians in them, is not in the least bit justified by security or other concerns. But by then, some other problem will be politicized and debated, and we will forgive (or more likely, just forget), the generation of politicians and pundits who made a living out of lying to us.
Frazier:
Comment on 06-Jun-08 at 10:29 am
This is in response to one of your (Pauli) link’s about the expulsion of Jewish people. I won’t dare claim this as fact, but maybe you can tell me if you have heard of such things. I have read that ties have been found to Israeli leaders during the early years of Israel’s statehood to bombings of synagogues in surrounding middle eastern countries. The idea is that once the country was founded, population was not increasing as was thought and so in order to promote migration, in the name of fear tactics, “terrorist” events occurred which signaled to Jews that Israel was their only safe haven.
Justin Akers:
Comment on 06-Jun-08 at 3:49 pm
Frazier, no one’s listening.
B. Schmidt:
Comment on 07-Jun-08 at 3:01 pm
Frazier, you should probably back your conspiracy theories up with fact.
Or go put on a tin foil hat. Either one.