The Gun and the Olive Branch
Rabbi Ascherman describes the settlers at Mitzpeh Yitzar as ”fanatical and violent”. [He] found it disturbing that the children of the original wave of settlers were more violent and hard-line than their parent’s generation.
”It’s very sad, the fist wave of settlers have brought their children up to hate. They have nothing but contempt for Palestinians and for Jews like me.”
Courtney Kealy of ABC News writes of a clash between fundamentalist settlers and Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR) over the Palestinian olive harvest in which the rabbis claim they were violently attacked by settlers. The San Francisco Chronicle also covers the destruction of entire groves. The violent physical clash between RHR and the settlers has been written about recently at Al Jazeera.
RHR describes itself as “the only organization in Israel today concerned specifically with giving voice to the Jewish tradition of human rights.”
i wonder if those settlers ripped up the tree that my shekels helped plant back in 1978 during the hebrew school tzedekah drive. kind of sad that it’s come to this. these settler kids have totally lost their minds — along with their jewish and basic human values.
that’s a sad thought
that reminds me of an article by Alec Dubro published in Ha’aretz where he makes a very similar point about collecting money in those little cans for planting trees in Israel
Surely the cutting down of these trees ranks as one the most vile crimes against humanity in recorded history. Why, blowing up a bus full of schoolchildren just pales besides the inhumanity of this act.
Considering the level of murderous violence directed at Jews, one would think that the children of the settlers who are supposedly even more violent and hard-line than their ”fanatical and violent” parents, could come up with something more extreme than just cutting down a few trees.
Let’s be real folks. We’re dealing with a cause that blows up shuls in Istanbul, burns Jewish day schools in Paris and videotapes girls leaving Bais Yakov schools in Baltimore.
It’s not about the occupation or the settlements. It’s about Jews challenging the Muslim concepts of dhimmi (Jews are subservient under Islam) and wakf (once Muslim always Muslim) and the triumphalist Muslim worldview. Islam does not tolerate humilation. Those who do not submit must be laid low.
Yes it would be nice if we could all sit around the nargilah, smoke some hash and drink Turkish coffee with our Ishmaelite cousins, but since they seem to want to kill our kids, it might not be prudent.
Considering the level of murderous violence directed at Jews, one would think that the children of the settlers who are supposedly even more violent and hard-line than their ”fanatical and violent” parents, could come up with something more extreme than just cutting down a few trees.
um, they do
Two settlers caught planting bomb near East J’lem hospital
Police Say Israelis May Have Planted Bomb at Palestinian School
A top Israeli says settlers incited riot in Hebron
Settlers injure five in attack on olive pickers
“Almost all of the 150 villagers of Yanoun fled to a nearby town last week after settlers torched its electricity generator, overturned its water tanks and vandalized some homes.”
Israeli injured when settlers fire at Israeli and Palestinian olive pickers
Two settlers arrested for attacking police in Hebron
Israeli injured when settlers fire at Israeli and Palestinian olive pickers
I’m not saying that the settlers are perfect and certainly Jews are obligated to live according to halachic parameters when dealing with non-Jew. I’m saying that perspective is needed.
How many real attrocities have been even alleged to have been committed by Zionist Jews?
All I ever hear about is Deir Yassin, Sabra & Shatilla and Boruch Goldstein. Sometimes they throw in the bombing of the British occupation headquarters at the King David Hotel (an operation planned with the cooperation of the Haganah, who backed out at the last minute). On the other side of the balance there have been so many atrocities that we have forgotten about Ma’aalot, where a school was invaded and children slaughtered.
I’m sorry if the Arabs who call themselves Palestinians feel that they got a raw deal. Life is tough, ain’t it. There’s been so much propaganda and myth about their supposed plight and so little general knowledge of world history that perspective is lost and Palestinians have somehow become one of the world’s great tragedies. The truth is, compared to the way most people have lived through most of history, let alone other historical incidents of ethnic or religious strife, the Palestinians are having a relative walk in the park.
I think it’s interesting that jewschool has noted the nasty settlers trying to interfere with Arab olive pickers (real minor league stuff compared to the range wars between farmers and cattlemen in the American west, while there are no posts about the synagogue bombings in Istanbul, the Jewish school burned in Paris or the Bais Yakov in Baltimore being cased by Saudis with videocameras.
Judaism demands that Jews respect the humanity of goyim. It also makes it very clear that one’s obligation to fellow Jews transcends that of one’s obligation to non-Jews. When the non-Jews in question belong to a nation and religion that has effectively declared war on all Jews, that distinction is made all the clearer.
How many real attrocities have been even alleged to have been committed by Zionist Jews?
There is a discussion of Israeli atrocities assembled by Jews for Justice in the Middle East here. Of course this is not really intended to be a complete list. People on both sides have clearly committed many many atrocities.
You might get a lot out of reading that entire pamphlet of theirs. I know I found it interesting.
I think it’s interesting that jewschool has noted the nasty settlers trying to interfere with Arab olive pickers (real minor league stuff compared to the range wars between farmers and cattlemen in the American west, while there are no posts about the synagogue bombings in Istanbul, the Jewish school burned in Paris or the Bais Yakov in Baltimore being cased by Saudis with videocameras.
Why haven’t you posted something about those topics then?
I just did.