European war on Israel
Please read carefully above. And as a means of comment I will add few of my own observations and hard data from other sources:
- schoolbooks used in UN sponsored and organized schools in Gaza and West Bank that are printed for European taxpayer money, do not mention Holocaust. They mention 4,000,000 Palestinian refugees (there were approximately 700,000), they never mention approx. 950,000 Jewish refugees thrown from Arab countries as the result of the same conflict. Considering Germany is the nett payer to European budget we sadly realize Germany is paying for Holocaust denial!
- had it not been for EU money PA wouldn't be able to organize such terrorist attacks as they did. As Arab and Muslim countries (including wealthy ones) are not so eager to help Palestinians (with the notable exception of Iran but only when it come to the weapons, never in caring for civilians) only EU money allow PA authorities to concentrate only on hate against Israel and trying to hurt her (that is when they are not occupied with transferring the EU taxpayer's money into their private Swiss accounts). Only for European and Israeli money does PA have health care or school system and now it is blaming EU for budget hole (yes, it never feels responsible for its own affairs),
- Swedish authorities put a pastor on rial few years ago for stating publicly during sermon that homosexuality is a sin. He wasn't opposed to gay rights, he just said what the Bible says. People may not agree but he was not told they don't agree, he faced criminal trial. The same Sweden supports with all might PA where (in Gaza) the routine punishment for homosexuality (not even proven, suspected) is the capital one.
- there goes under big banners some article (currently running) about racists comments by Israeli football supporters. While this is very ugly it is far from unknown in Europe (last year few European club were punished by FIFA for racist remarks by their supporters, they didn't make it to front pages). And Israeli authorities are reacting. When streets and schools and unis in PA territory are named after terrorists who murdered many innocent victims nobody gives a damn.
- last month has seen antisemitic program prepared in Ireland by Catholic organization (Trocaire) for schools. It was withdrawn after protests. And for Holocaust remembrance day British paper published satiric picture of Israeli PM building bloody wall.
Europe reminds today itself in 30s. And The Guardian looks more and more like der Sturmer. Time to wake up as people are shown things as they might have looked to Deladier and Chamberlain in Munich. This time the role of Czechoslovakia is to be played by Israel. Despite "NEVER AGAIN" few are trying to remember! But throwing Czechoslovakia under the Nazi bus wasn't going to appease this ideology, neither is going to appease Hamas's bloodthirstiness repeated like mantra by so many they are the victim. No, they are aggressors killing Jews while denying rights their own subjects all by UN and EU money!
Just for dessert link about how it is today to be a Jew in Europe. Doesn't remind you Kristalnacht stories?
antisemitism in Europe
SHAME!!!!
Sunday, 3 February 2013
Thursday, 31 January 2013
Unconventional weapon
There are repeated in quite a few sources reports over Israeli hit at the convoy carrying weapons from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Presumably in this transport were Russian made SA-17 rockets but it is just educated guess.
I am thinking about fear there once was (quite many years ago now but still it is well remembered by many) in Western world over possibility of cold war turning hot - in fact hot as a place hit by nuclear bomb.
Today the danger of THIS particular conflict is gone and we may engage in unending debate how close were we to war, say during Cuba crisis or on few other occasions. It is a task for historians.
Yet it is not history I think about. There are millions of people living in Israel, there are subsequent millions in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, in region...
Assad's regime was manufacturing and storing unconventional weapons for a long time. And nobody can be sure how much of it and what kind he has. He was thinking rather about his internal opposition but maybe not only. The important thing is it is there, it has been for years, it is deadly, and Assad's regime hasn't done it on his own, he was helped by some countries while other governments turned blind eye not caring to know, to blow the whistle, it was far away...
Well it is NOT! The breaking of the international law on producing and spreading atomic, biological and chemical weapons was purposefully broken (or let to be broken). The world keeps turning blind eye on domestic war in Syria already responsible for 60,000 casualties and millions of badly affected. It is immoral! Yet there is much more at stake.
Like regional attack by whoever of terrorist organizations comes into possession of unconventional weapons and uses them. Like transferring those weapons through leaking borders further into the world. Like using it on civil planes (including biological factors which could be detected only when it is long too late).
There is enough unconventional weapons in Syria, fanatical madmen in various terrorist organizations and cold-blooded efficient strategists working for those organizations to feel uneasiness. No matter where you live.
It is enough people under threat on spot to feel urge to do something!
Something has been done. And I am pretty sure (already spotted some of the comments-to-come) that there will be callings that Israeli planes were in breach of Syrian territory, that it is against UN charter (obviously producing, gathering these weapons, domestic war and bombing refugees including Palestinian refugees camps (I mention it as anti-Israeli activists usually using "Palestinian refugees" word as comas in sentences this time were reluctant to talk about it) were in accordance with the charter). And everybody will just assume that it is not their problem as Israel will take care of the threat and they will be safe to discuss if it was just and what does it theoretically mean.
I hope Israel will take care. For the sake of Israelis, Syrians, Lebanese and all those who think (but are wrong) they live to far to be affected.
It was a sin and a crime in moral sense (and in many cases in legal as well) to let those weapons be there, to let so many be affected by them and not to try and diminish this threat.
I am thinking about fear there once was (quite many years ago now but still it is well remembered by many) in Western world over possibility of cold war turning hot - in fact hot as a place hit by nuclear bomb.
Today the danger of THIS particular conflict is gone and we may engage in unending debate how close were we to war, say during Cuba crisis or on few other occasions. It is a task for historians.
Yet it is not history I think about. There are millions of people living in Israel, there are subsequent millions in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, in region...
Assad's regime was manufacturing and storing unconventional weapons for a long time. And nobody can be sure how much of it and what kind he has. He was thinking rather about his internal opposition but maybe not only. The important thing is it is there, it has been for years, it is deadly, and Assad's regime hasn't done it on his own, he was helped by some countries while other governments turned blind eye not caring to know, to blow the whistle, it was far away...
Well it is NOT! The breaking of the international law on producing and spreading atomic, biological and chemical weapons was purposefully broken (or let to be broken). The world keeps turning blind eye on domestic war in Syria already responsible for 60,000 casualties and millions of badly affected. It is immoral! Yet there is much more at stake.
Like regional attack by whoever of terrorist organizations comes into possession of unconventional weapons and uses them. Like transferring those weapons through leaking borders further into the world. Like using it on civil planes (including biological factors which could be detected only when it is long too late).
There is enough unconventional weapons in Syria, fanatical madmen in various terrorist organizations and cold-blooded efficient strategists working for those organizations to feel uneasiness. No matter where you live.
It is enough people under threat on spot to feel urge to do something!
Something has been done. And I am pretty sure (already spotted some of the comments-to-come) that there will be callings that Israeli planes were in breach of Syrian territory, that it is against UN charter (obviously producing, gathering these weapons, domestic war and bombing refugees including Palestinian refugees camps (I mention it as anti-Israeli activists usually using "Palestinian refugees" word as comas in sentences this time were reluctant to talk about it) were in accordance with the charter). And everybody will just assume that it is not their problem as Israel will take care of the threat and they will be safe to discuss if it was just and what does it theoretically mean.
I hope Israel will take care. For the sake of Israelis, Syrians, Lebanese and all those who think (but are wrong) they live to far to be affected.
It was a sin and a crime in moral sense (and in many cases in legal as well) to let those weapons be there, to let so many be affected by them and not to try and diminish this threat.
Saturday, 26 January 2013
Occupied territories?
Judea and Samaria, known widely to contemporary readers as West Bank are often named by media as "occupied territories". So let's see how it was with this occupation...
After collapse of the Ottoman Empire as an aftermath of the I World War the territories of today's Israel as well as Syria, Lebanon or Jordan were under British rule legalized by the League of Nations (know as mandate or Palestine, BTW check my story where does the name Palestine come from). The idea was to gradually let the new countries be created and the first major step towards this goal was in 1921 when 80% of mandate's territory was turned into emirate of Transjordan (from 1946-1949 independent Transjordan later transformed into Jordan). Arabs who took over Transjordan demanded (and this was granted to them) that no Jewish people may stay in Transjordan. So effectively the division into Jewish and Arab countries on this territory has been started by British but in these 20% remaining territory nobody thought about getting rid of Arabs (and that's fine, it would have been unjust, but let's not forget about Jews forcibly moved from Transjordan). Today Palestinians demand Palestine free from Jews and Israel never have or would propose to get rid of her citizens who are Arabs, yet demanding "Judenrein" (yes, just like Nazis did) Palestine PA authorities are not accused of racism, Israel is.....
As a consequence of further demands of Arabs in mandate (in 30s and during the II WW openly collaborating with Nazis) British radically diminished the number of Jews allowed to come which - in many cases - caused their death in Holocaust.
When in 1948 Israel was created she was attacked the very next day by 7 Arab armies with clear and declared intention of destroying her. After a year's war of independence Israel was slightly bigger than in UN resolution of 1947. But Jerusalem (originally intended to be international zone) was under Jordanian occupation. Jews were expelled, synagogues destroyed, burial grounds desecrated. And Jordanian authorities were checking baptismal certificates of foreigners coming to Jerusalem to make sure no Jews will be admitted. Nobody protested (or very few indeed).
Came 1967. Jordan attacked Israel (being talked into it by Egypt, but that doesn't change the fact, 55.000 Jordanian soldiers entered into battles and military operations despite Israel's appeals to stay away from the conflict). Jordan lost, we all know about it and as a consequence some of its territories were taken by Israel (no Palestinian lands, there has never been Palestine).
Wars have it in themselves - they change borders.
Saying that Israel occupies Palestinian (hey, not JORDANIAN? and with Jordan there is a peace treaty) territory equals for me with saying that Ukraine occupies Lvov (always Polish city, and yet there was not even independent Ukraine by the end of II WW), Poland occupies Wroclaw, Szczecin, Zielona Gora and many other cities (for centuries before WW II German ones), Russia occupies Kurylski Islands (hey, Japan lost the war, maybe you have heard) or Slovakia occupies part of Hungary. And many, many others.
Yet, under occupation is e.g. West Sahara and EU corroborates it to have access to fishing waters, same goes for part of Cyprus military taken without provocation by Turkey in 1970, over 10,000 British citizens have their second homes there, nobody cares.
When I hear that the main obstacle to peace process is building in C zone by Israel (which is perfectly in accordance with Oslo treaty, same treaty establishing autonomy in the West Bank and constantly broken by Palestinians) I think that:
- those claiming it agree for PA authorities of future Palestine without Jews (after all theoretically if and when Palestine is created Jewish settlers should have an option of either moving away or staying with Palestinian citizenship, isn't it so?) so they actively corroborate with racist and apartheid policy but NOT of Israel but of PA authorities,
- they believe Palestinians are free to break Oslo accords without consequences, but Israelis should give more than treaties require,
- their stance - in Polish reality if you remember Europe after II WW - could be written as: Poland had no right to build in Wroclaw, Szczecin. Walbrzych, Zielona Gora and all former German territories as there was no peace treaty and Germany could claim the territory back (so what that it has started the war? So did Jordan!). The Polish-German treaty about integrity of borders was signed in 1970. Does it mean everything Poland built between 1945 and 1970 was illegal? I don't think so.
So, here it goes for "occupied territories". And I believe I will be going back to this topic sometime....
After collapse of the Ottoman Empire as an aftermath of the I World War the territories of today's Israel as well as Syria, Lebanon or Jordan were under British rule legalized by the League of Nations (know as mandate or Palestine, BTW check my story where does the name Palestine come from). The idea was to gradually let the new countries be created and the first major step towards this goal was in 1921 when 80% of mandate's territory was turned into emirate of Transjordan (from 1946-1949 independent Transjordan later transformed into Jordan). Arabs who took over Transjordan demanded (and this was granted to them) that no Jewish people may stay in Transjordan. So effectively the division into Jewish and Arab countries on this territory has been started by British but in these 20% remaining territory nobody thought about getting rid of Arabs (and that's fine, it would have been unjust, but let's not forget about Jews forcibly moved from Transjordan). Today Palestinians demand Palestine free from Jews and Israel never have or would propose to get rid of her citizens who are Arabs, yet demanding "Judenrein" (yes, just like Nazis did) Palestine PA authorities are not accused of racism, Israel is.....
As a consequence of further demands of Arabs in mandate (in 30s and during the II WW openly collaborating with Nazis) British radically diminished the number of Jews allowed to come which - in many cases - caused their death in Holocaust.
When in 1948 Israel was created she was attacked the very next day by 7 Arab armies with clear and declared intention of destroying her. After a year's war of independence Israel was slightly bigger than in UN resolution of 1947. But Jerusalem (originally intended to be international zone) was under Jordanian occupation. Jews were expelled, synagogues destroyed, burial grounds desecrated. And Jordanian authorities were checking baptismal certificates of foreigners coming to Jerusalem to make sure no Jews will be admitted. Nobody protested (or very few indeed).
Came 1967. Jordan attacked Israel (being talked into it by Egypt, but that doesn't change the fact, 55.000 Jordanian soldiers entered into battles and military operations despite Israel's appeals to stay away from the conflict). Jordan lost, we all know about it and as a consequence some of its territories were taken by Israel (no Palestinian lands, there has never been Palestine).
Wars have it in themselves - they change borders.
Saying that Israel occupies Palestinian (hey, not JORDANIAN? and with Jordan there is a peace treaty) territory equals for me with saying that Ukraine occupies Lvov (always Polish city, and yet there was not even independent Ukraine by the end of II WW), Poland occupies Wroclaw, Szczecin, Zielona Gora and many other cities (for centuries before WW II German ones), Russia occupies Kurylski Islands (hey, Japan lost the war, maybe you have heard) or Slovakia occupies part of Hungary. And many, many others.
Yet, under occupation is e.g. West Sahara and EU corroborates it to have access to fishing waters, same goes for part of Cyprus military taken without provocation by Turkey in 1970, over 10,000 British citizens have their second homes there, nobody cares.
When I hear that the main obstacle to peace process is building in C zone by Israel (which is perfectly in accordance with Oslo treaty, same treaty establishing autonomy in the West Bank and constantly broken by Palestinians) I think that:
- those claiming it agree for PA authorities of future Palestine without Jews (after all theoretically if and when Palestine is created Jewish settlers should have an option of either moving away or staying with Palestinian citizenship, isn't it so?) so they actively corroborate with racist and apartheid policy but NOT of Israel but of PA authorities,
- they believe Palestinians are free to break Oslo accords without consequences, but Israelis should give more than treaties require,
- their stance - in Polish reality if you remember Europe after II WW - could be written as: Poland had no right to build in Wroclaw, Szczecin. Walbrzych, Zielona Gora and all former German territories as there was no peace treaty and Germany could claim the territory back (so what that it has started the war? So did Jordan!). The Polish-German treaty about integrity of borders was signed in 1970. Does it mean everything Poland built between 1945 and 1970 was illegal? I don't think so.
So, here it goes for "occupied territories". And I believe I will be going back to this topic sometime....
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Great rabbis of XVI century
The end of Middle Ages and introduction of Renaissance is usually connected to few happenings - taking of Constantinople by Turks in 1453, discovering of America by Columbus in 1492 or publishing his thesis by Martin Luther in 1517.
In Jewish world lots was going on at the time with consequences for all others - specially Spain but definitely not limited to Spain. Let's try to have a look...
In 1490 the so called catholic kings - Ferdinand of Argon and Isabelle of Castillo - demanded that all Jews (long prosecuted already) will either convert to Christianity or leave Spain without any possessions. Many left in consequence: doctors, bankers, rabbis among them. Some went to Italy and Sicily which (though partly under Spanish rule) tolerated some of the refugees, some joined their Ashkenazim bothers in Eastern Europe, many left for Northern Africa and Ottoman Empire (specifically heading for Israel). Jews were welcomed into Ottoman lands by Sultan Bayezid II, who declared: "They tell me that Ferdinand of Spain is a wise man but he is a fool. For he takes his treasure and sends it all to me."
Jerusalem and Tsfat were among most desired places to live for rabbis. Here are some of their stories:
First, we must mention Rabbi Jacob Berav (1475 to 1546). He's very significant because he tried to do something which had not been done in the Jewish world for well over 1,000 years. He tried to re-institute semichah, "rabbinic ordination." Semichah is a "proper" rabbinic ordination which would come in a direct line from teacher to student traceable all the way back to Moses. It had been interrupted during Roman persecutions. Yet his attempt at re-instituting semichah was not successful. The rabbis in Jerusalem didn't recognize it, and, to this day, rabbinical ordination is symbolic only.
One of the few ordained by Jacob Berav was Rabbi Joseph Karo. Rabbi Karo (1488 to 1575) who was among the Jews expelled from Spain, and had made his way through Europe and Turkey and finally ended in Tzfat. There he wrote one of the most important books in Judaism - the Shulchan Aruch "The Prepared Table" - and it is a code of Jewish law which is followed to this day.
The slightly later commentary to Shulchan Aruch was written by Ashkenazim rabbi Moses Isserles based in Krakow, Poland. To this day there is working orthodox synagogue in Krakow built by Moses Isserles's father-in-law and named after this famous rabbi. Vandalized by Nazis it was long abandoned but for the last 20 years it serves again small Jewish orthodox congregation.
When one looks at this speedy spreading of ideas - great books written by refugees, soon commented by Jewish chachans from different tradition and far lands - it is very impressive. XVI century was the time (soon after Gutenberg made his great discovery) when printing was ruling. In this century alone (think about how few people were there and how many were illiterate) one million copies of the Bible translated by Martin Luther was put to print. Yet even at this amazing time it is a wonder when one looks at works of great rabbis and kabbalists.
In Jewish world lots was going on at the time with consequences for all others - specially Spain but definitely not limited to Spain. Let's try to have a look...
In 1490 the so called catholic kings - Ferdinand of Argon and Isabelle of Castillo - demanded that all Jews (long prosecuted already) will either convert to Christianity or leave Spain without any possessions. Many left in consequence: doctors, bankers, rabbis among them. Some went to Italy and Sicily which (though partly under Spanish rule) tolerated some of the refugees, some joined their Ashkenazim bothers in Eastern Europe, many left for Northern Africa and Ottoman Empire (specifically heading for Israel). Jews were welcomed into Ottoman lands by Sultan Bayezid II, who declared: "They tell me that Ferdinand of Spain is a wise man but he is a fool. For he takes his treasure and sends it all to me."
Jerusalem and Tsfat were among most desired places to live for rabbis. Here are some of their stories:
First, we must mention Rabbi Jacob Berav (1475 to 1546). He's very significant because he tried to do something which had not been done in the Jewish world for well over 1,000 years. He tried to re-institute semichah, "rabbinic ordination." Semichah is a "proper" rabbinic ordination which would come in a direct line from teacher to student traceable all the way back to Moses. It had been interrupted during Roman persecutions. Yet his attempt at re-instituting semichah was not successful. The rabbis in Jerusalem didn't recognize it, and, to this day, rabbinical ordination is symbolic only.
One of the few ordained by Jacob Berav was Rabbi Joseph Karo. Rabbi Karo (1488 to 1575) who was among the Jews expelled from Spain, and had made his way through Europe and Turkey and finally ended in Tzfat. There he wrote one of the most important books in Judaism - the Shulchan Aruch "The Prepared Table" - and it is a code of Jewish law which is followed to this day.
The slightly later commentary to Shulchan Aruch was written by Ashkenazim rabbi Moses Isserles based in Krakow, Poland. To this day there is working orthodox synagogue in Krakow built by Moses Isserles's father-in-law and named after this famous rabbi. Vandalized by Nazis it was long abandoned but for the last 20 years it serves again small Jewish orthodox congregation.
When one looks at this speedy spreading of ideas - great books written by refugees, soon commented by Jewish chachans from different tradition and far lands - it is very impressive. XVI century was the time (soon after Gutenberg made his great discovery) when printing was ruling. In this century alone (think about how few people were there and how many were illiterate) one million copies of the Bible translated by Martin Luther was put to print. Yet even at this amazing time it is a wonder when one looks at works of great rabbis and kabbalists.
Monday, 21 January 2013
The only free country in the region
According to the US-based Freedom House that has just released its new rating Israel is the only free country in the ME. Not surprisingly at all!
Israel’s ranking is completely dissimilar to that given the West Bank and Gaza – one under Palestinian Authority control and the other under Hamas rule – which are both classified as “not free.” Of the “worst of the worst” countries, the nine countries given the absolute worst ratings in the world, two were in the region: Saudi Arabia and Syria. Sudan was also rated in the bottom nine.
Also Turkey, so engaged recently in anti-Israeli rhetoric was rated "partly free" due to recent jailing of hundreds of journalists, academics and opposition party officials and Kurdish activists.
There has even been talk about possibility of link between murder of two Kurdish women in France and Turkish official bodies....
Israel having in its parliament - body creating law in a country - members oppose to the existence of her (just imagine having in Congress or Dail or Common House people oppose to the very existence of the USA/ Ireland/ UK and it being tolerated as part of democracy at the time when the country is at war, as it technically is having peace agreements exclusively with Egypt and Jordan).
That is called the single island of democracy in the region!
As one Israeli friend has told me once - do not try to be more critical of Israeli government than Israeli media - you cant succeed - but stick to the facts! Here is one of them.
Israel’s ranking is completely dissimilar to that given the West Bank and Gaza – one under Palestinian Authority control and the other under Hamas rule – which are both classified as “not free.” Of the “worst of the worst” countries, the nine countries given the absolute worst ratings in the world, two were in the region: Saudi Arabia and Syria. Sudan was also rated in the bottom nine.
Also Turkey, so engaged recently in anti-Israeli rhetoric was rated "partly free" due to recent jailing of hundreds of journalists, academics and opposition party officials and Kurdish activists.
There has even been talk about possibility of link between murder of two Kurdish women in France and Turkish official bodies....
Israel having in its parliament - body creating law in a country - members oppose to the existence of her (just imagine having in Congress or Dail or Common House people oppose to the very existence of the USA/ Ireland/ UK and it being tolerated as part of democracy at the time when the country is at war, as it technically is having peace agreements exclusively with Egypt and Jordan).
That is called the single island of democracy in the region!
As one Israeli friend has told me once - do not try to be more critical of Israeli government than Israeli media - you cant succeed - but stick to the facts! Here is one of them.
Monday, 14 January 2013
It is in Mali not in Gaza.....
For last 2 days we are witnessing French operation against Islamic terrorists in Mali. Very few is being said in mainstream European media and I don't know enough about Mali to express publicly my views yet few things are striking!
European media labelled the operation "anti-terrorist" and pointed at "Islamic extremists".
At least 100 people were killed so far and we may suppose some just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I don't recall ANY rockets falling from Mali on French territory and citizens, do you?
Citizens of Mali are possibly the most suffering due to terrorist groups based in Mali.
No big cry about "French war crimes" was delivered so far.
It brings to memories recent operation Pillars of Fire by Israeli forces.
12,000 rockets were launched from Gaza onto Israeli territory aimed at Israeli citizens (Jews or Arabs likewise).
During operation IDF made ALL the effort to warn people who could be in the wrong place at the wrong time and considering the Hamas's habit of hiding in schools, hospitals, mosques, kindergartens and alike there were very few casualties who had just bad luck.
Hamas is targeting Israelis but at the same time terrorizing Palestinians. Nobody on the West cares.
All the European media were crying about war crimes and war on innocent by Israel (never mentioning terrorism, rockets, calling for genocide etc., or at very few times).
Reading European newspapers (and I made an effort to check many from at least 4 countries) one gets predominant feeling that:
- Europe has right to decide who is right and who is wrong, nobody else does (Europe meaning European leftists, of course, the rest should believe what they are told),
- it also has right to safety, others don't,
- it leads "right wars" (Falklands being example) unless it is made to go to war by the USA (and than it's bad), but its citizens should have right to live in peace, others not necessary,
- there are double or even triple standards for different peoples: Israelis just shouldn't defend themselves as it "causes the war" "threatens peace" and "kills warriors for peace". Those same warriors transferred to Syria are better not talked bout at all (or as little as possible) and transferred to Mali are terrorists.
Well.... I am just sick of those triple standards and people trying to tell me what I should think or what the truth is (even if I happen to know it isn't so). Just like Sartre supporting Stalin or French leftists supporting Pol Pot. Death and terror were OK, collateral damage, under the condition that they were for other people.
Well, most of us are "other people" for those claiming they know the only truth.
European media labelled the operation "anti-terrorist" and pointed at "Islamic extremists".
At least 100 people were killed so far and we may suppose some just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I don't recall ANY rockets falling from Mali on French territory and citizens, do you?
Citizens of Mali are possibly the most suffering due to terrorist groups based in Mali.
No big cry about "French war crimes" was delivered so far.
It brings to memories recent operation Pillars of Fire by Israeli forces.
12,000 rockets were launched from Gaza onto Israeli territory aimed at Israeli citizens (Jews or Arabs likewise).
During operation IDF made ALL the effort to warn people who could be in the wrong place at the wrong time and considering the Hamas's habit of hiding in schools, hospitals, mosques, kindergartens and alike there were very few casualties who had just bad luck.
Hamas is targeting Israelis but at the same time terrorizing Palestinians. Nobody on the West cares.
All the European media were crying about war crimes and war on innocent by Israel (never mentioning terrorism, rockets, calling for genocide etc., or at very few times).
Reading European newspapers (and I made an effort to check many from at least 4 countries) one gets predominant feeling that:
- Europe has right to decide who is right and who is wrong, nobody else does (Europe meaning European leftists, of course, the rest should believe what they are told),
- it also has right to safety, others don't,
- it leads "right wars" (Falklands being example) unless it is made to go to war by the USA (and than it's bad), but its citizens should have right to live in peace, others not necessary,
- there are double or even triple standards for different peoples: Israelis just shouldn't defend themselves as it "causes the war" "threatens peace" and "kills warriors for peace". Those same warriors transferred to Syria are better not talked bout at all (or as little as possible) and transferred to Mali are terrorists.
Well.... I am just sick of those triple standards and people trying to tell me what I should think or what the truth is (even if I happen to know it isn't so). Just like Sartre supporting Stalin or French leftists supporting Pol Pot. Death and terror were OK, collateral damage, under the condition that they were for other people.
Well, most of us are "other people" for those claiming they know the only truth.
Friday, 11 January 2013
Living in Israel
Here is an article by a Canadian who studied in Israel for a while before 6 days war and now has gone back to check how does this country look like 50 years down the road.
Israel revisited
I read it and I smiled as, though much younger (in 1964 I wasn't even born) I have very similar impressions myself.
While walking through Haifa - not lost at all - I tried few times to consult my guidebook to check what is there worth seeing on my way. Each and every time at least one person (more often two) were stopping to ask me if I got lost and do I need assistance.
Every time I visited tourist attraction, cafe or ice-cream shop (being, and it was obvious, on shoe-string budget) I was welcomed warmly. During stay on Negev, as I had my 9-year-old son with me and it was summer I was constantly reminded to take care, take plenty of water, I was told where and when to go for the most spectacular and available routes. Everybody cared for me and my son however it was obvious we had some really good traveling experience.
I also witnessed how people cared about each other. They really did! During my former stay in Israel when my son was only 7 we were waiting for a bus near Cezarea. It was very hot. At one point a car was approaching so I decided to try hitch-hiking but seeing it was a police car I dropped hand. Having a rich experience in hitch hiking from many European countries from my university years I knew the police car won't take us. I was wrong. Not only did the police car stopped and took us but a nice policeman apologized for not having cold drinks to treat us! It was the only moment I thought I might actually started developing sun stroke.
There were more stories like that. And this feeling of being cared for even by complete strangers is one of the reasons I fell in love with Israel.
Israel revisited
I read it and I smiled as, though much younger (in 1964 I wasn't even born) I have very similar impressions myself.
While walking through Haifa - not lost at all - I tried few times to consult my guidebook to check what is there worth seeing on my way. Each and every time at least one person (more often two) were stopping to ask me if I got lost and do I need assistance.
Every time I visited tourist attraction, cafe or ice-cream shop (being, and it was obvious, on shoe-string budget) I was welcomed warmly. During stay on Negev, as I had my 9-year-old son with me and it was summer I was constantly reminded to take care, take plenty of water, I was told where and when to go for the most spectacular and available routes. Everybody cared for me and my son however it was obvious we had some really good traveling experience.
I also witnessed how people cared about each other. They really did! During my former stay in Israel when my son was only 7 we were waiting for a bus near Cezarea. It was very hot. At one point a car was approaching so I decided to try hitch-hiking but seeing it was a police car I dropped hand. Having a rich experience in hitch hiking from many European countries from my university years I knew the police car won't take us. I was wrong. Not only did the police car stopped and took us but a nice policeman apologized for not having cold drinks to treat us! It was the only moment I thought I might actually started developing sun stroke.
There were more stories like that. And this feeling of being cared for even by complete strangers is one of the reasons I fell in love with Israel.
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