The time of the righteous (Gideon Levy)

[Violet_Crumble]

This war, perhaps more than its predecessors, is exposing the true deep veins of Israeli society. Racism and hatred are rearing their heads, as is the impulse for revenge and the thirst for blood. The "inclination of the commander" in the Israel Defense Forces is now "to kill as many as possible," as the military correspondents on television describe it. And even if the reference is to Hamas fighters, this inclination is still chilling.

The unbridled aggression and brutality are justified as "exercising caution": the frightening balance of blood - about 100 Palestinian dead for every Israeli killed, isn't raising any questions, as if we've decided that their blood is worth one hundred times less than ours, in acknowledgement of our inherent racism.

Rightists, nationalists, chauvinists and militarists are the only legitimate bon ton in town. Don't bother us about humaneness and compassion. Only at the edges of the camp can a voice of protest be heard - illegitimate, ostracized and ignored by media coverage - from a small but brave group of Jews and Arabs.

Alongside all this, rings another voice, perhaps the worst of all. This is the voice of the righteous and the hypocritical. My colleague, Ari Shavit, seems to be their eloquent spokesman. This week, Shavit wrote here ("Israel must double, triple, quadruple its medical aid to Gaza," Haaretz, January 7): "The Israeli offensive in Gaza is justified ... Only an immediate and generous humanitarian initiative will prove that even during the brutal warfare that has been forced on us, we remember that there are human beings on the other side."

<snip>

Yet there are some who still want it both ways. To kill and destroy indiscriminately and also to come out looking good, with a clean conscience. To go ahead with war crimes without any sense of the heavy guilt that should accompany them. It takes some nerve. Anyone who justifies this war also justifies all its crimes. Anyone who preaches for this war and believes in the justness of the mass killing it is inflicting has no right whatsoever to speak about morality and humaneness. There is no such thing as simultaneously killing and nurturing. This attitude is a faithful representation of the basic, twofold Israeli sentiment that has been with us forever: To commit any wrong, but to feel pure in our own eyes. To kill, demolish, starve, imprison and humiliate - and be right, not to mention righteous. The righteous warmongers will not be able to allow themselves these luxuries.

Anyone who justifies this war also justifies all its crimes. Anyone who sees it as a defensive war must bear the moral responsibility for its consequences. Anyone who now encourages the politicians and the army to continue will also have to bear the mark of Cain that will be branded on his forehead after the war. All those who support the war also support the horror.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1054158.html

[Idealism]

1. I doubt we will see Israel shelling out money to rebuild Gaza

They were all 'mistakes' - why would they pay for them?

[shira]

2. and those who justify Hamas or attempt to minimize/ignore who and what they stand for....

justify all of Hamas' crimes against not only Israel, but Palestinians.

This is only part of what is missing in Gideon Levy's latest.

[undergroundpanther]

4. Hamas sucks and Israel sucks

They all suck,and they take it out on civilians for fucking religion's sake..
Hamas suck,they are fucking assholes for the suicide bombers that take out Palestinians.But at least they HAVE helped Palestine sometimes.
Israel I dunno about them,Do they ever see Palestinians as human beings? Or do they think bulldozing Palestinians homes,and stealing water is "helping them"?
I hate Hamas and I hate Israel concerning the situation in Gaza
both of them are monsters killing civilians caught in the middle.

[Idealism]

6. Neither side is right or righteous here

Hamas and their militant wing have done no good to themselves, Palestinians, and certainly not to Israelis. Israel is not helping the situation, either, though. They supported Hamas and Fatahs civil war because they didn't like Abbas or his government because they were corrupt, but when Hamas came to power, Israel refused to try to negotiate with them saying they were a terrorist group. Both sides have prolonged this conflict, and provoked each other into violence.

[Name removed]

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[LeftishBrit]

8. Who helps the Palestinians out? Not Israel OR Hamas.

And not Fatah much either, though they're a bit better than Hamas. But one reason why Hamas got elected, is Fatah were totally corrupt.

If Israel treated Palestinians a bit better, the Palestinians probably would get totally sick of Hamas. The Israeli right and such things as this bombing campaign do more to bolster Hamas' popularity than anything else. (And Hamas rockets help to bolster the Israeli Right; but that may be for another thread.)

But this bit is really oversimplifying things no end:

'Americans gave you nukes,all sorts of weapons,anything you desire,and because every year or so you get a check from Uncle Sam,you are a welfare state fed by America.No one DARES challenge that fiscal craziness in congress and I wonder why not?'

You make it sounds as though Israel is somehow FORCING America to help them/ give them money. Not so. Israel is too small to force any bigger country to help them; nor do they have any resources that can be used effectively as bribes. If they could, don't you think they'd be getting other countries to help them, not just America? On the contrary, generally those who hold the purse-strings set the rules. And alliance with America can be very valuable and sought-after even without the money - Britain values its 'special relationship' and our governments have frequently joined American ones, for good and for evil. America doesn't 'give' Israel all sorts of weapons; it sells them. And the aid given to Israel - which is specifically military aid and doesn't fund the welfare state - is conditional on their choosing to buy American weapons. So America's aid to Israel brings America benefits - benefits that may be mainly to the 'military industrial complex', but that is something greatly valued by governments. In addition, Israel is expected to support or at least not strongly oppose American foreign policy; and America expects to influence Israeli policy: sometimes for good (as when leaders have pressed for peace negotiations); sometimes for bad (encouraging militarism because it's against America's enemies, especially Iran).

The idea that America somehow takes orders from Israel, or gives them everything on demand, is a really unfair and simplistic one. America and Israel - like America and Britain - have collaborative relationships for good and evil, but America as the stronger power calls more of the shots. This is even truer of Israel than Britain, due to its greater financial dependence. If Israel ever seriously contradicts America, or refuses to go along with a government's current foreign policy, America will soon cut the aid and start eating Freedom Artichokes!

[bemildred]

5. Time of the self-righteous numbskull.

"Sound and fury, signifying nothing"

[Scurrilous]

7. Great article.

Thanks for posting this Violet. :thumbsup:

[Douglas Carpenter]

9. kick and recommended for a great article