Break this Silence: Jewschool Cosponsors Exhibit by Israeli Soldiers about the Occupation
Jewschool announces the U.S. premier of Breaking the Silence’s exhibit of photographs and video testimonies from soldiers who served in occupied territories, collected and presented by Breaking the Silence, bound for Philadelphia on Feb 9th – 24th and in Boston on March 1st – 16th! The exhibit features over 100 photographs and video testimonials, with guided tours led by former Israeli soldiers. A sneak peak is available here.
Why come to the U.S.? Breaking the Silence proposes no political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, only that one is needed urgently. It is a cop-out to say that human rights abuses are by “a few bad apples.” Breaking the Silence’s contribution to the discussion — in Israeli and now American and American Jewish society — through “I did it myself” credibility that the system of occupation “actively rots the apples” of Israel’s young soldiers. They know, they saw it, they did it. The information presented here is crucial to everyone’s understanding — right or left — of the costs and benefits of occupation to Israel’s moral fabric.
Which is why Jewschool signed on as media sponsor, to advance these pressing questions presented by first-hand, irrefutably credible sources into the blogsphere. As media sponsor, Jewschool will accompany the exhibit through both cities, Philly and Boston, and to their satellite presentations in synagogues and JCCs there and also in DC, New York City, Maine, North Carolina. We’ll also feature clips from the Breaking the Silence video blog (launching in early February) of responses by visitors to the exhibit.
Breaking the Silence Exhibit:
Israeli Soldiers Talk About the Occupied Territories
Philadelphia: February 9 – February 24
The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street, Philadelphia
Opening Night Reception on Saturday, February 9 at 7 pm
Boston: March 1 – March 16
Hosted by Harvard College’s Progressive Jewish Alliance
Harvard University’s Whitehead Center for International Studies
1737 Cambridge Street, Cambridge
Opening Night Reception on Saturday, March 1 at 7 pm
More info below the fold.
Sponsored by Americans for Peace Now, Brit Tzedek v’Shalom: The Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace, Harvard College’s Progressive Jewish Alliance, Hashomer Hatzair, Jewschool.com, Meretz USA, the Union of Progressive Zionists, Open Society Institute’s Documentary Photography Project, and the Foundation for Middle East Peace.
Extended hours on certain dates; other hours subject to change. For complete day-by-day listing, check the web site for updates: www.BreakingTheSilenceExhibit.org (launching February 2008). To schedule a tour of the exhibit or request a speaker for your synagogue, classroom or community group, contact Breaking the SIlence here.
About Breaking the Silence
Breaking the Silence is an organization of veteran Israeli soldiers that collects testimonies of soldiers who have served in the Occupied Territories during the Second Intifada.
Soldiers who serve in the Territories are witness to, and participate in military actions which change them immensely. Cases of abuse towards Palestinians, looting, and destruction of property have been the norm for years, but are still excused as military necessities or explained as extreme and unique cases.
Discharged soldiers who return to civilian life discover the gap between the reality that they encountered in the Territories, and the silence that they encounter at home. In order to become a civilian again, soldiers are forced to ignore their past experiences. Breaking the Silence voices the experiences of those soldiers, in order to force Israeli society to address this reality.
Goal Nefesh
this is great – why not NYC?
Jewschool has now officially joined the darkside. During WWII JS would have toured the US with exhibits of the damage caused by the firebombing of Dresden to help the Germmans win WWII? And what is the purpose of this exhibit except to weaken support for Israel. Shame Shame Shame
incorrect,
I thought the last line of the post answered your question: “Breaking the Silence voices the experiences of those soldiers, in order to force Israeli society to address this reality.”
It sounds like it’s about helping the soldiers. (I’m assuming they feel it’s a useful tactic to get American Jewish and general American support to help force Israeli society to help its troops.)
Hello Kung Fu Jew,
This is an interesting organization. I saw their presentation in Jerusalem, but I didn’t get to ask…
Does Breaking the Silence consider the effects their work has on the Israeli soldiers who aren’t connected to the organization (ie, they showed a movie featuring soldiers manning a checkpost, or there is a picture of soldiers in Hebron on the website.)
I would think that Breaking the Silence would weigh the benefit of getting its point across against the damage caused to the lives of some of the 19-year-old soldiers in the checkpost movie, who have been placed in a terrifying situation by the government–I think everybody can agree on this point.
I’m curious as to whether and how this has been addressed.
Wolf, forgetting what the real affect/intention of this exhibit, why is it being brought to America – we don’t already have enough Muslims and their fellow travelers claiming that Israel is immoral? I repeat, this is shameful.
Though I believe that Israel is fighting a justified, defensive war– this does not mean that every thing done by IDF soldiers or every policy of the government is justified– or even that justified actions do not sometimes cause psychic trauma to the soldiers who have to carry out these actions. The right thing to do is often traumatic to the person left to do it.
If we are going to say that we support the people of the IDF in their efforts to defend Israel, then we are obligated to listen to what they have to say about their experiences (assuming they want to talk– many veterans of many wars are reluctant,) even if what they say makes us uncomfortable.
This show is going up within a ten minute walk of my apartment, so I certainly plan on going.
incorrect —
so now you are more “pro-israel” than the soldiers who actually risk their lives to protect it?!
over 500 soldiers gave testimonies to BTS!
I guess there is not much to expect from a view that states that talking about moral issues weakens israel
You have a sister, she’s smart, pretty and a good person. She also occassionally does something you disappprove of – maybe she has dangerously exceeded the speed limit 4 or 5 time the last decade, something that the neighborhood bully (when he’s not beating up little kids next door and raping his dates) broadcasts to the world as part of his on going campaign to destroy your sister’s reputation and drive her out of the neighborhood. A couple of your neighbors, hearing from the bully, decide to fill up a bulletin board with pictures of you sister speeding, with the bully’s encouragement. Do you a)tell the bully to fuck off and tell the neighbors they are creating a bad environment for your sister (and tell your sister privately she needs to improve her driving skills), or b) take the bulletin board up and down the neighborhood where your sister lives, helping to sully her reputation?
Jewschool, SHAME SHAME SHAME!!
incorrect. I know that we all speak from inside out own experiences. Growing up inside the American Jewish community, and listening it its version of history may lead one to the analogy you posted above. I know, because I grew up in the same context. However, I have also ventured outside, read multiple conflicting histories, spent time in Bethlehem and Hebron (including going on a tour with Breaking the Silence). Taking all this together, I am trying to come to an accurate and complex understanding of the conflict.
Nothing about this conflict is black and white, and there are many shades of power. However, it is useful in this instance to understand how things have shifted since 1967. The narrative of small weak, good though sometimes mistaken (and female, in your analogy) Israel is not longer tenable. Since 1967 israel has maintained a military occupation over millions of Palestinians. Jordan and Egypt have signed reasonably stable peace treaties. Now, your formerly defenseless sister is the greatest military power in the region, and your neighborhood bully consists of Syria and bands of militias/terrorists (Hamas, Hezbollah, etc). This is not to demising the pain caused by these groups or by the Israeli military. Rather, I want to point how how the existential stakes may not be as you consider them.
It is great to see Jewschool supporting this! I wish the exhibit would visit NYC.
This just in from the Incorrect Universe: TzaHa”L soldiers now threatening to destroy State of Israel.
This just in from the Real Universe: Incorrect dismisses real-life experiences of soldiers because Jewschool happens to sponsor it. BTW, where are YOUR real-life experiences?
Incorrect – this just happens to be the wrong site for you. find another one.
Amit, once again you attempt to stiffle free speech. Amazing that those who purport to possess liberal caring values now find opposing viewpoints not something to debate, but rather to ban. Do leftist in general now favour censorship, or is it just Amit?
“Free speech” means that you are free to get your own blog and say whatever you want there. I join Amit in wishing you well in this endeavor.
BZ is technically correct that it in no way contravenes the constitutional concept of free speech for a private blog to ban someone. But as one of probably many who read this blog pretty regularly and rarely, if ever, comment, I think it’s way more interesting (and flushes out the truly articulate, fair minded thinkers among you) when posters like incorrect are included (so long as they keep to non-troll-like behavior) . Otherwise, it’s just preaching to the choir. Booooring.
Incorrect — 25% of active duty Irsaeli soldiers serving at checkpoints in the West Bank admit having engaged in a human rights violation. 90% of their violations have gone unpunished.
~~~
Israeli report finds widespread checkpoint abuse
Published: 12/16/2007
Abuse of Palestinians at Israeli military checkpoints is widespread, an internal report found.
Yediot Achronot on Sunday published a study commissioned by Maj.-Gen. Gadi Shamni, the chief of Israeli forces in the West Bank, which indicated that 25 percent of his soldiers have either harassed Palestinians at checkpoints or heard of comrades who committed such abuses.
Israel maintains hundreds of manned checkpoints and unmanned roadblocks in the West Bank to prevent infiltrations by Palestinian terrorists. Ordinary Palestinians complain that the measures inhibit their freedom of movement and expose them to verbal and sometimes physical assaults by troops.
Military sources said that as a result of the study, soldiers would undergo workshops on the need to behave ethically at checkpoints.
http://jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/105913.html
~~~
90% of criminal investigations of IDF soldiers closed without indictment
A 5-page Data Sheet released by Yesh Din reveals IDF failure to investigate and indict its soldiers involved in criminal offenses against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Territories.
IDF statistics, provided to Yesh Din at the organization’s demand, on results of Military Police investigations of criminal offenses in which IDF soldiers harmed Palestinians and their property since the beginning of the second Intifada in September 2000 until June 2007, show that some 90 percent of these investigation files were closed with no indictment. Over nearly seven years 1,091 criminal investigations were opened following offenses which include killing and injury of civilians, abuse, damages to property and others. These investigations resulted in 118 indictments only, of which 101 led to convictions of the accused. The data also show that out of the 239 investigations on killing and injury of Palestinian civilians not involved in the hostilities, only 16 resulted in convictions: less than 7 percent of the investigations on this matter.
The Data Sheet includes a comparison between the number of indictments filed by the Military Advocate General against IDF soldiers accused of committing offenses against Palestinians and number of indictments on other offenses. The comparison shows, among other things, that the number of indictments filed against soldiers on drug-related offenses in 2006 alone is seven-times higher that the number of all indictments filed against IDF soldiers accused committing of criminal offenses against Palestinians and their property throughout nearly seven years of the second Intifada.
http://www.yesh-din.org/site/index.php?page=pastupdates&lang=en
Unfortunately, the responders are missing my point: I’m an agnostic on the morality displayed by the IDF in the territories, I don’t live in Israel and I’m sure that while there are activities that they commit that are beyond the pale, I just don’t have the ability or time to make the determination of how widespread the malfeasance really is (e.g. about average for an occupying force, better or worse).
Anyone who wants to talk to the Israeli public/government/armed forces about this issue should do so to make sure the IDF behave properly.
My objection is Israeli’s coming to a foreign country (America) to ….what? Create a groundswell of opposition to the IDF’s actions in the West Bank? And you really don’t think Israel’s enemies will use the Israeli voices to paint Israel in even darker tones, justifying their anti Semitism and anti Israeli actions by quoting those same Israeli’s. So it’s a balance – do you derive some small benefit by creating US pressure on the IDF to act better v. furthering the view that Israel is illegitimate and therefor should be destroyed. And Mobius, BZ and Amit, if you don’t think you will personally suffer from the anti Israeli’s using the exhibit to blacken Jews and Israel, I suggest you speak to German holocaust survivors who thought they would escape anti Semitism by being “good Jews” and avoiding or chiding or even denigrating their fellow Jews.
incorrect,
do you object to the Jewish Agency as well?
(or birthright, or a billion other orgs promoting ‘hasbara’?)
Or how about bonds day? or the JNF? Or AIPAC? What right does Israel have to come to a foreign country?
This is how it always works:
First, BTS is compared to antisemitism by the critics.
Then the critics (who by the way, never seem to have been in the Occupied Territories or know much about what happens over there) realize that BTS actually care about Israel’s future.
So the critics (incorrect) modify saying that the message is important, but within Israel.As if this is the only message that Israelis send abroad.
So if that is the case incorrect, stop the Jewish Agency. What right do they have coming to a foreign country and pushing their own agenda? Stop advocating for Israel- what right do you have?
Ya’el – have you listened to what you are saying? As a Jew I support my fellow Jews. I know there are Jews who are thieves, Jews who are wifebeaters, Jews who are burglars. Do I go around focusing on the naer -do-wells to the general community (would any group do that)? No, I do what every group in the world does – I look to the best of us for inspiration, and satisfied that the vast majority of Jews have greater than normal morality, proudly identify with them and promote Judaism.
Israel is the Jewish homeland – I’d be a fool, self hating, and an idiot to not support her – does she have warts, of course, do I hope Israel’s own citizens cure those warts, of course, but do I try to destroy her by focusing on those warts when dealing with those outside of Israel? Only if I enter the darkside.
I suggest you delve more deeply into your Judaism, you’d discover that you and I have a moral/religious obligation to the other. That (and my sense of decency and fairness) is what causes me to promote Israel.
Breaking the Silence is coming to the American Jewish community because not only do we have a right to demand accountability for the political support we lend the State of Israel, but because there is a conversation here about the occupation — and any conversation must reflect the reality on the ground.
Any conversation in the American Jewish community — or American society at large — must have this information before thinking they can take a stand on the occupation one way or any other. This is their purpose.
If you believe the occupation is right despite the hazards, fine, as long as you don’t believe it doesn’t come with a price tag on Israelis and Palestinians alike. Or that you believe human rights violations are a lie spread by the anti-Semites.
If you believe Israel is a hateful, anti-Arab colonialist force run by religious/nationalist fanatics, then encountering these soldiers (some of them orthodox, others secular) baring their concerns for the moral health of their brethren does a blow to the narrative that Israel is remorseless regarding military punishments, collective or individual.
This does Israel’s image a world of good — it actually makes the country complicated, instead of these intellectually-comfortable good and bad frameworks.
BCS — the tour simply didn’t work out to bring the 100-piece exhibit elsewhere. But there will be some buses from NYC and DC out to Philly. That info will go on their web site when it’s up.
if you support your fellow Jews, how come you don’t support BTS?
If you have a moral obligation to the other, how come you “don’t have the ability or time to make the determination of how widespread the malfeasance really is”?
If you want a better Israel, how come you only stick by those who will always say there are no problems?
If you really care about Israel, come to the exhibition and see for yourself what your brothers and sisters are doing in your name
Not a single responder has addressed my issue – for the small benefit you think you are deriving, is it worth providing aid and comfort to those who want to destroy us as Jews and Israelis by coming to America to badmouth Israel, and allowing those who who hate us to justify their destruction of Jews/Israel by using Israel voices in particular to blacken Israel? That’s the calculation you have to make – and if you are self righteous enough to believe you should, then you (and unfortunately the rest of us) will have to live with the consequences.
Agreed it’s important to hear what these soldiers have to say and to see photographic substantiation for what they’re saying. But the “sneak peak†link doesn’t bode well for an objective presentation –many of the labels on the site are in propagandese:
A blindfolded, detained Palestinian “kidâ€: no way to tell how old from photo and there’s no context – an 15 year old with a grenade launcher would be a pretty dangerous “kidâ€. Some of the Israeli soldiers look no older than this “kid”, but you won’t see them labeled as such.
Another Palestinian “kid†– again can’t really tell age in photo—peacefully feeding pigeons: The view is through a rifle’s cross-hairs. A tad suggestive, no? How could this not have been staged?
This, for me, detracts from the power of the soldiers’ accounts. (And the photos just aren’t very good or compelling in and of themselves). If these guys are also doing the video editing… It’s too bad. I guess one could say it’s better than nothing, but I’m not at all sure.
Mobius, your conclusion: “25% of active duty Irsaeli soldiers serving at checkpoints in the West Bank admit having engaged in a human rights violation.†Uh, no, as your own source says, “25 percent of his soldiers have either harassed Palestinians at checkpoints or heard of comrades who committed such abuses†(emphasis added). What % harassed and what % “heard of†harassment? Big difference.
Your conclusion: “90% of their violations have gone unpunished†Uh, no again. Your actual source: “90% of criminal investigations of IDF soldiers closed without indictment.†Unless every single allegation automatically constituted a violation, you’re mischaracterizing the facts. You’ve got valid points. But, just like the exhibit, overstate the case and you undermine your position.
Plus, Yesha Din’s comparison of the number of investigations to convictions omits a critical stage, namely, the % of indictments leading to convictions (which looks to be 85%, not bad).
Without more info, we can’t necessarily conclude a lack of prosecutorial will from the gap between a high number of investigations and low # of indictments. E.g.(this is old, but all I could find on short notice):
“The FBI now reports conducting more than 10,000 terrorism investigations a year. [link omitted] By contrast, just released Justice Department data show that in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2001 that all the criminal investigative agencies of the government asked federal prosecutors to bring criminal charges against 463 individuals [for] international or domestic terrorism…The gap between the reported investigations and referrals for prosecution would appear to document a major challenge facing law enforcement in its attempts to prevent terrorism and punish terrorists.†http://trac.syr.edu/tracreports/terrorism/report011203.html
Now, here, we’d probably be saying that the FBI was overzealous in its investigations and the prosecutors were right to indict such a relatively small %.
pg — i hear your point and it is fair, but there is also a big difference between the gov’t failing to prosecute its own, and the gov’t failing to prosecute civilians. when the gov’t fails to prosecute its own, it’s more often than not to save face — to cover things up, to make them go away. when the gov’t fails to prosecute civilians, it’s usually for lack of evidence.
incorrect — either you’re in favor of jews in america caring about israel when’s she’s good AND when she’s bad, or you’re against jews in america caring about israel. to say that we can only care about israel when it’s in israel’s PR interest is a total crock. your position is akin to saying that if you criticize the bush administration outside of the US, you’re a traitor. likewise, your position that you must take your complaints directly to the authorities is also a crock. anyone who’s been watching what has happened here since bush took over knows full well what happens to whistleblowers.
furthermore, israel has always had enemies, since the day of its inception and it’s always going to have enemies. (and unlike the earlier part of the 20th century, israel now has 30 billion dollars in backing, a thriving economy, the US’s unyielding political support, more arms than it knows what to do with, and control over the west bank and gaza.) just because israel has enemies, just as we jews in diaspora have enemies (and more and more every day thanks to the military policies of the state of israel which certainly do not take into consideration the repercussions of those actions faced by diaspora communities), that does not mean that we can shirk our responsibility to hold israel accountable when it behaves in a way that is inconsistent with our moral values. the entire value of having a jewish state is to keep not just jews, but what we as jews stand for, alive.
our role as diaspora jews is not to defend every irresponsible and reprehensible action committed by the state of israel. our role is not to seek out justifications for human rights atrocities, or to lay blame at the feet of israel’s enemies for “provoking” our men in uniform to “slip” as they so often do. our roles is not to blame others for our own misdeeds. our role is not to help cover up crimes, or to provide twisted logic that says, “our evils pale in comparison.”
our role is to keep israel on moral footing. to insure that it does not cross so far over into darkness that it becomes unrecognizable and foreign to us. that it upholds the principles it laid down in its own declaration of independence: to respect the rights of all its citizens and to pursue peace as its modus operandi. our role is to insure that our plutocrats don’t bankrupt the country; that our religious militants do not subvert the rule of law; that our military not run amok, unchecked; and that the average citizen — the israeli everyman, be able to have for himself a decent life that is unencumbered by war, poverty, and the violation of his rights.
we do this, in part, by providing financial and political support to israel. but we fail when we give the israeli authorities a blank check, without applying conditions. we fail by creating justifications for israel’s misdoings. and we fail every time we point at the more heinous actions of others and lower the bar for what we expect from israel, and in turn, what we expect from humanity and from ourselves.
human conduct should not be measured by the actions of the worst among us. it should be measured by the best. the best show us what we’re TRULY capable of. the worst only show us how lazy we can be.
Mobius–
Can you answer my question (for some reason nobody answers my questions on this cite; maybe I’m not agressively “Right” enough?)
I saw a “Breaking the Silence” video in Jerusalem, and it was interesting to say the least. However, much of the movie focused on a handful of soldiers manning a checkpoint in the middle of the West Bank. Some of these soldiers behavior was morally questionable.
My question is has “Breaking the Silence” taken into account the effect this movie will have on these soldiers’ lives (whatever our politics, I think we can agree that placing a few 20-year-old soldiers in the midst of tens-of-thousands of “enemy” people is terrying and most dangerous.) I also noticed that “Breaking the Silence” has displayed photos with soldiers on its web site.
Could you please let me know if this has been considered, and, if it has not, please bring this up with that organization.
Thank you.
Jonathan– are you afraid of those soldiers being specifically targeted? Or blacklisted? Offhand, I’d guess that no one is answering your question because no one here was involved firsthand in the making of the video and the exhibit. Your question might better be directed at “Breaking the Silence”. I know that they are careful with confidentiality in regards to the testimonials they publish, so I’d be surprised if they are publishing photos without permission. Still, ask them.
Jonathan, sorry for the delay. All the photos and testimonials used by Breaking the Silence are contributed by the soldiers themselves. The gallery is by soldiers, for the public. The testimonials are also cross-referenced for accuracy and published anonymously. All that being said, their office email is on their web site.
This argument is as pointless as asking a high-wire act artist to pick a side.
In an ideal world our beloved Israeli forces would be the perfect balance of power and responsibility. Israel would certainly prefer it that way – you only have to observe Israeli media and society to realise they are fiercely egalitarian and place a huge priority on human life. Which, of course, puts soldiers in a catch-22: they have to maintain order at all costs AND remember how their yiddishe mamas raised them: to be mensches!
We cannot for one second excuse any human rights abuse – even at the hands of the brave Tza’hal. But it’s a balancing act we’re doomed to repeat every day in a mess we didn’t entirely cause. I’m glad to see Israel is starting to take some responsibility and try restore a balanced approach – but i don’t have time for war objectors with their lofty liberal crap. Sure, Israel should prosecute with more conviction (wups.. gormless pun), but it should also understand its soldiers’ pressures.
Incorrect, Kung Fu did address that very question– you make an assumption that BTS tour will somehow promote an overall negative view of Israel and support anti-Israel AND anti-Semitic viewpoints (which are not equivalent by any notion of the modern nation-state). Kung Fu explains, and I would support, the idea that showing a diversity of opinions among Israelis actually problematizes their black-and-white frameworks of Israel and shows the strengths of (what remains of) the democracy and moral backbone of the nation. It does not “give aid and comfort to those who wish to destroy” Israel or the Jews.
I also offer that you consider an addition to your initial parable…which is that if your sister’s actions were destroying your brother or your cousin, your actions might be different. A true humanistic understanding would recognize that this is a more appropriate parable, and would reject tribalistic notions that are indefensible in the world of nation-building and international law.
rebecca m and kung fu ju,
Thank you. I will contact them.
Just so you know, the video I saw was an army video at a checkpoint in the West Bank. As a result of the video, we were told, some of the soldiers lost their ranks and/or received military prison sentences. So I’m not sure if they gave their permission to use their images on the video.
And yes, rebecca m, I don’t know if it’s very honorable to parade these images of those soldiers all over the world. Especially, if we consder that they had volunteered to go into “fighter” units, and were placed by the government in an extremely dangerous, frightening situation. I know from service in the territories (unfortunately) that sometimes the use of harsh force against Palestinians saves not only Israeli lives but the lives of Palestinians because it prevents further violence.
But I’ll ask “Breaking the Silence” about this.
I’m with incorrect on this one.
I attended a BTS event in Chico. It was put on by an avowed anti-Israel group and filled with haters and neutral observers (who no doubt left haters). It was NOT aimed at, nor did it serve to enlighten, Israel-supportive liberal Jews of the sort defending BTS in this talkback thread.
I have no doubt that the soldiers who participate in BTS do so out of strong conviction to reform the IDF or end the occupation or whatever. However, I would venture to guess that if the IDF veterans who are touring with BTS had ANY IDEA of the REAL impact of their presentation (OVERWHELMINGLY negative, serves only to strengthen the convictions of Israel haters and turn neutral observers against Israel generally), most would either not participate or would work to alter the program somewhat.
But most of them prolly have no idea. Trust me; I talked to the BTS guy who came to Chico and he was CLUELESS. I was like “dude, you know you are turning a lot of people against Israel with this stuff, right?” Him: “Americans need to know the truth; the US blindly supports Israel, doesn’t realize the human rights violations being committed, etc.” I’m like, “OK, but you do realize the people you are actually addressing in your presentations are not the people you are referring to, right?” He didn’t get it. He thought he was stepping into some mythical Israel love parade and bravely revealing the harsh realities of the situation to a complacent public. In reality he was stepping into an American college campus which was, like many American college campuses, seething with anti-Israel sentiment, and his presentation only served to reinforce the negative preconceptions of the people that showed up.
I support BTS presenting within Israel. With the record number of Israelis that are not conscripted these days, as well as the numbers that are conscripted but who never perform combat or support duties in the territories, I think BTS could reach a population within Israel that may really benefit from the information (propaganda? whatever; I take no position) that they provide. I even support BTS addressing Israel-oriented student groups that are not anti-Zionist. I do not, however, support their touring the US generally, particularly college campuses. And I do not think this blog should support their US tour.
i just wanted to make note of the fact that incorrect fled rather than account for the fact that he’s lowering the bar for moral conduct. since he can’t win this argument, he’s simply going to move on to the next as if nothing happened. that’s the definition of a troll.