Israel to name forest in honor of Coretta Scott King

[oberliner]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Israel will name a forest in northern Galilee after Coretta Scott King as the country replants thousands of trees destroyed during last year's war with Hezbollah.

The Coretta Scott King Forest, which will contain at least 10,000 trees, will be a living memorial to King's legacy of peace and justice, Israeli Ambassador Sallai Meridor said Thursday at a Washington ceremony launching the initiative.

Two members of the Congressional Black Caucus said the initiative, which includes a fundraising partnership with black churches in the United States, would strengthen ties between black and Jewish people fostered during the early civil rights movement.

"Jews and blacks share a common historical bond of persecution and perseverance," Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Florida, said as he and Rep. Artur Davis, D-Alabama, helped plant a ceremonial cherry tree at Faith Tabernacle United Holy Church near the Capitol.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/26/king.forest.israel.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest

[tabatha]

1. and in SouthAfrica

many Jewish people were at the forefront of helping Blacks overturn Apartheid.

[Tom Joad]

3. While the government of Israel was joining aparthied south africa in the

development of nuclear weapons.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. What does that have to do with what she said?

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

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[Behind the Aegis]

6. Actually, it is different.

Can you see why?

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tom Joad]

14. Israel is a nation that supported the old south african regime.

that's just history. It could name a thousand forests for every civil rights worker and it would still be its history.

[Behind the Aegis]

15. I didn't call that issue into question, did I?

What is also history is that Jews, South African and others, did work to bring about the end of apartheid and that too is history and no "slam" on Israeli dealings with the South African apartheid regime will change that history!

[Violet_Crumble]

19. Oh for fucks sake. Israel's support of the SA apartheid regime is not a "slam"

It's a hard, cold fact, and it's ridiculous to accuse anyone who points that out of bashing or slamming Israel..

[Behind the Aegis]

22. Fuck's sake indeed!

Perhaps you should re-read my post. I wasn't saying Israel's support/actions during the South African apartheid regime was a "slam." No, vc, the "slam" was that a poster was showing "goodwill" between blacks and Jews (conflating) and Tom took it as an 'opening' to "slam" Israel. It does make one wonder what would have happened had the poster had said, "Jews were instrumental in the civil rights movement here in the US." Which, actually, would have been a better analogy to this story.

[Violet_Crumble]

24. Just reread it...

This is what you said: 'no "slam" on Israeli dealings with the South African apartheid regime will change that history! Pointing out that Israel did support South Africa during Apartheid is NOT a slam, it's pointing out something that is true...

[oberliner]

25. Not sure why something can't be true and also be a slam

A follow-up post did go on to say: "the Israeli govt is no friend to civil rights."

That seems to be more easily identifiable as a "slam" and it seems pretty fair to infer that the comment about Israel and South Africa's Apartheid regime was made for that reason.

[breakaleg]

26. If it's true, it's a statement of fact. And if it is a negative fact, then so be it. It's hardly

slamming anyone to point our facts.

[Tom Joad]

29. Call it a slam if you wish, it was also the truth. I think

disregarding the rights of the indigenous people of Palestine is a slam against human, civil, and national rights, that the naming of a forest cannot cover-up.

That is all the statement was about. My comment about Israel's relationship with apartheid south africa (South Africa being a subject brought up by Tabatha) was another reminder of Israel's lack of respect of human rights. And also Israel's lack of respect for the Jewish community in South Africa that fought against apartheid.

[LeftishBrit]

31. True - but isn't the same true of the USA and the UK?

[oberliner]

10. Jews: Israel = Americans: United States?

Reagan&Co were elected by Americans.

The Israeli government was not elected by Jews living in South Africa.

[Tom Joad]

11. Right, the Israeli govt. was not elected by SA Jews.

Or by American Jews for that matter.

You can ask tabatha of her reason for bringing up Jews living in South Africa.

But the point of this forest naming, i think was for PR, and i think we need to look beyond the PR to see the reality of the situation. the Israeli govt is no friend to civil rights.

[oberliner]

8. I see a problem with the analogy as well

"While many AMERICANS protested south africa's policies, it was the policy of the US GOVERNMENT to protect the apartheid regime."

"Despite the courage of some SOUTH AFRICAN JEWS to fight apartheid, it was the policy of the ISRAELI GOVERNMENT to protect it."

Edit to add: What do South African Jews have to do with the policy of the Israeli government?

[Tom Joad]

12. What do South Africa Jews have to do with the naming of a forest in

Israel?

[Behind the Aegis]

13. Perhaps *that* should have been your statement to Tabatha.

Instead, you used it as an "opening" to once again bash Israel in a thread about a positive situation!

[pelsar]

17. i think toms connecting the jews to israel..

is not just real honesty but the reality.....We all know that we're supposed to pretend that the jews of the world have no "special relationship" to israel...its PC at its best.....

at the sametime we all know that its not that way......so tom has bascially said the jews relationship to israel is similar to american citizens to american. Well its not really that way, but there is a connection (one way or another), nice to see that it came out from tom.

[Violet_Crumble]

18. I'm curious why you yrself didn't ask Tabatha that question...

I'm also curious as to why you didn't ask 'what does this have to do with the I/P conflict?' which you've asked in some other threads?

[pelsar]

20. i 'm more curious about tom....

as i have an idea about his ideals...hence my comment.

[Behind the Aegis]

21. Why should I have asked the question?

I ask "what does this have to do with the I/P conflict" to an original post. I don't know that I have ever asked it to someone posing a question/statement in response to an OP. Perhaps you meant to post this to Tom? ;) Since he could have easily asked that question to the OP(oster).

[Violet_Crumble]

23. Because you've asked it about other OPs, but not this one...

And if I'd meant to ask Tom, I would have, but since Tom has never popped up going 'what has this got to do with the I/P conflict' like you have, I thought it'd make more sense to ask you...

[Behind the Aegis]

27. But that is not what you said...

You asked why didn't I ask Tabatha, and now you are moving the goalposts, so to speak. There are plenty of posts where I haven't asked the question. As a matter of fact, you have asked on more than one occasion, so why didn't you just ask the OP?

[oberliner]

16. I don't know

I was commenting on your analogy.

[applegrove]

2. This is nice. We need more connectedness.

[rockymountaindem]

33. It's ironic reading this at the end of the flamewar

More connectedness indeed.

[applegrove]

34. I just skipped over that part ... I think it is a nice idea. I hope it is catchy!

[bjorkfan]

28. Ethiopian Jews

It's worth asking if a Muslim country would ever honor a Black Christian woman. Israel is the only state in the history of mankind to have made a major effort to bring a large group of black people, (the Ethiopian Jews once called Falashas) to it in order to make them full citizens. If anything, the Islamist states (like Saudi Arabia, where no Jews are allowed) are the most comparable to the old South African regime.

[msmcghee]

30. Damned good point.

It's awfully difficult to enact apartheid against a people - who are not even allowed to enter your country - much less live in it.

Welcome to DU.

[pelsar]

32. if you really want to get disgusted....

read more about saudi arabia here:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_extracts/article1685726.ece

Racism was an integral part of Saudi society. My students often used the word “nigger” to describe black people.