Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Israeli Blah Blah

I first met an Israeli in 2003. That was ... interesting ... yeah, "interesting" is a nice neutral term.

Since my move to the States in 2004, there have been many more encounters - some good, some pointless. The latest discussion I've had suddently morphed into a middle eastern debate. So arguing about possible "solutions" (for lack of a better word) and potential paradigm shifts, I HAD to mention that Israel should "ease up" on all the human rights violations it was incurring.

His reply? "Yes, you're right. The Palestinians are suffering. But a more important reason for us to stop killing Palestinians is that such actions reflect badly on us. We are better than that."


posted by Lazarus, 9:30 PM

13 Comments:

  • And your point is???
    I suspect that if Arabs proceeded from the same premise, ie; had any concern for their own image, we would be living in an entirely different Middle Eastern universe today.
    Word to the wise! YOU too should probably "ease up" on your own preconceptions, misconceptions, prejudices, and antipathies vis-à-vis Israelis! Why not try to deal with them on an individual basis rather than slot them all, en masse, into the same old jaded prefabricated Arabist "reductionisms".

    Wanna talk about "human rights violations"??? Let's start with your overplayed "Arab world" and its OWN less than human treatment of minorities, non-Arabs, and non-Muslims!!! I'm sure you've given it some thought before passing judgement onto others!
    Kurds ring a bell???
    What about Copts, Assyrians, Chaldaeans, etc...??? What about those ugly Djoooz of "Arab lands"? Ooops, almost forgot! They ARE Djoooz afterall, and they have the right to shut it!
    Grow up man.
    Anyway, I wish you a joyful Pesach, and a speedy resurrection; happy easter!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:31 AM  

  • Funny how an Israeli does not mention Maronites at all any more in his "persecuted" minority list....

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:55 AM  

  • Remember when a sizeable chunk of PALESTINIANS were concerned over the switch to Arafat's authority (away from Israeli authority)?

    The rights debate TODAY is a loser for Arabs because they are NOT yet "better than that".

    By Blogger JoseyWales, at 4:08 AM  

  • Human behaviour is determined and guided by human values and beliefs, so what is wrong with that. It is true that one way to stop the killing is to reject the act itself as being unacceptable and that becomes so when the act is viewed as being at odds with what one holds to be dear and valuable. If humans hold themselves to a higher standard then they would change their behaviour and would have raised the bar for what is acceptable and what is not.

    Your freind was making reference to a paradox in current Israeli society. One cannot object to the SS and then turn around and act as one. Once they allow themselves to act that way they become what they despise.

    In Night the Elie Weisel account about the hell he went through at the age of 14 he ends the book with this statement: "And even when we were no longer hungry, not one of us thought of revenge". History showes that he was right. That my freind is a human attribute to aspire to.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:14 AM  

  • "Funny how an Israeli does not mention Maronites at all any more in his "persecuted" minority list...."

    Anonymous, I am assuming it is I you are referring to as an "Israeli"! Well you know what!? You can eat my shorts you and your predictable likeminded Arabist midgets.

    As for the Maronites not being "persecuted" minorities, I am sure you and your ilk have wet dreams about the prospects of "dhimmifying" them. Well, dream on!
    --Harrassed?? we certainly are. After all, thugs of your ilk and failed ideologies like your Arabism are still flailing around like roaming hooligans in the Middle East!!
    --Intimidated?? We might be!! There's nothing worse than desperate hoodlums like you people!
    --But persecuted? Go on dreaming and ejaculating in your sleep, Mustaphah Jaayib Halibaati! We are NO copts, NO Assyrians, and NO self-efacing Djooz! We fought your abominable cult and its violent fancies, from islamism to arabism, for 14 centuries, and we are willing to keep on riding your sorry asses and fighting your hateful ideologies for 14 more if that is what it takes to survive in the midst of your dinky cocky "culture". And we will continue doing so with the dignity and pride that have been rattling your cages for 14 centuries.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:45 AM  

  • Is Z3oure Dr. Victorino's equally evil twin? He can fight against his perceived dhimmitude till kingdom come, and I wish him the best of luck.

    Calling Lazarus prejudiced on the other hand is way off line. Human rights are violated all over the M-E, and Lazarus never ever refrained from criticizing the rotten arab dictatorships. But I don't see any reason to treat Israel as a sacred cow. A plague on both their houses.

    Tata.

    By Blogger Ms Levantine, at 7:50 AM  

  • Pesach Sameach, Ms. Levantine, and Happy Easter too!
    Being Levantine is the epitome of diversity. I can't believe how you can adopt such an inclusive moniker and be such a rabid opponent of anything or any idea that cast doubt over your flimsy Arabism.

    I don't care what Lazarus wrote in previous posts. What concerns me is the cyptic anti-semitism he spouted in THIS one.

    Cheerio, mamasita!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:59 AM  

  • z3oure - yes, "ani-semitism" is a classic reply. but thanks for the early happy easter wishes.

    Ghassan - The paradox you refer to is much more than just a paradox. btw, do you recommend "Night"?

    Ms. L. - thanks for the defense. A plague on both their houses is right.

    By Blogger Lazarus, at 8:58 AM  

  • Laz: I enjoyed reading your calm reply!

    By Blogger lifeflaw, at 11:19 AM  

  • Laz
    I do recommend Night. It is a short , easy to read but powerful book.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:35 PM  

  • "z3oure - yes, "ani-semitism" is a classic reply. but thanks for the early happy easter wishes."

    Yes, Lazarus, thanks for the reminder! Might I remind you also that one of your readers, in defending your post, resorted to the same old jaded and equally simplistic "Israeli" accusation. It's a shame that Arabs and Arab nationalists have nothing but name-calling and personal ad-hominem when it comes
    to opponents of their stale ideas.

    btw, "night" is guaranteed to wake you up in cold sweats, for many years to come! Because what's in it could happen to anyone of us! And with thugs like Nasrallah and Arab chauvinists at the helm, the prospects of another "night" for those of us who dare not toe the line in the ME are not that far off the horizon. Read it if you dare!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:13 PM  

  • Put the crack pipe down now Z3oure.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:08 AM  

  • He sounds like one of my best friends (Israeli). It's hard for her to understand that it really is a two way street. Yes Israelis suffer, yes Palestinians are constantly suffering but it takes two to tango (sorry for the cliche). This kind of attitude prevails among groups who are trying to overcome grief. One just has to hope that eventually humans can see the bigger picture to collectively want to work things out for a better world. It's a two way street.

    By Blogger La La, at 10:58 PM  

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