August 28, 2012

The "Pro-Palestinians"

It has been suggested that I should be adding to the debate more by writing, but I see most of what is written is a repeat of different noise. Not to mention the too frequent refusal to hear what others are saying. So deeply are imbued the partisans and activists who populate the blogoshpere. I am considering if it would just not be more noise.
  
I just finished reading a good piece over at Gatestone, The "Pro-Palestinians", that helps crystalize the mind set of some people that are truly obsessed, but not in a positive way. The author, Hisham Jarallah, is a journalist based in the West Bank. He says, in part:
Once again, it has been exposed that Americans and Europeans who claim to be pro-Palestinian are actually just Israel-haters. These activists seem to have a problem only with Israel. For them, the Palestinian issue is just a vehicle for vomiting their hatred toward Israel, and most likely all Jews. They are your grandmother's recycled anti-Semites.
For most of these international activists, Palestinian leaders such as Mahmoud Abbas and Salam Fayyad are "traitors" because they say they believe in the two-state solution and conduct security cooperation with Israel.
These activists are on the side of the radicals in the Palestinian camp. They are closer to Hamas and Islamic Jihad than to moderate Arabs and Muslims. The Palestinians do not want support from Westerners who pretend to be more Palestinian than the Palestinians.
The Palestinians need support from people who promote democracy, moderation, accountability and coexistence with Israel. It is time that the "pro-Palestinian" activists leave the Palestinians alone and search for another cause to advance their messages of hate and violence. (Emphasis added.)
With so much human suffering and immediate wrongs occurring in the world today, in violation of humanitarian principles, the question is raised why it matters so much for some to negatively obsess over the only Jewish state while turning a blind eye elsewhere, where real crimes against humanity are taking place. How are they unable to see the discriminatory result in such action, that the effect of it is antisemitic? One can hope that time will reveal how short-sighted and misguided some folks were in the case of advocating against Israel by assisting factions that want to eliminate Jews and even themselves.

It's time to leave the Palestinians alone. But if I was another cause, I might have trepidation.

9 comments:

  1. That is a fantastic article. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!

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  2. This illustrated the damage that can occur when pursuit of human rights is turned against itself.

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  3. There is fatigue and despair in your writing, School.

    I do not mean that as an insult, of course, but I just felt it all the way through reading this piece.

    Am I wrong?

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  4. Yep, you are mistaken. At least no more fatigue and despair than is normal. I would rather spend time learning and developing my understanding of the issues, and pick my battles based on what is most effective. I think about how to find better means to confront problems and implement solutions. With exceptions, I don't find that fighting cyber wars is complementary, especially with individuals who need to repeatedly engage in these battles over the smallest things.

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    1. In many cases, I tend to look at the forest rather than the trees, and the everyday conflict in the trenches seems to lack meaning. It's surreal, if that makes sense.

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    2. Looking toward the forest rather than the trees is a good policy. Obviously we both look at both, but focusing on particular trees and losing sight of the forest is not so good.

      The people who have the best things to say discuss the forest, the larger context. My tendency is to go back and forth, although I hope that my drift is toward the larger context.

      It does seem to me that we are starting into a political transition in terms of diaspora Jewish politics. The political sands are shifting and none of us know where things will end up, really.

      But, I would like to see your voice out there because I trust you.

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  5. Replies
    1. Rubin's article does a good job to show that Islam is not singular, and that many in the West are indifferent to those who deserve our support.

      There are Muslims, however, and there are Islamic states, represented internationally by the OIC. It pushes an agenda that all democrats should take notice of.

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