Why seeking justice for the Palestinians is the Jewish cause

[Resistance]

Shifra Eva Stern | Electronic Intifada

I was recently asked a question I've been asked many times before, mostly by fellow Jews: Why do I spend so much time seeking justice for the Palestinians instead of directing my efforts and passions toward fighting for some noble "Jewish" cause. Surely, my questioner said, and I fully agree, there are Jewish causes worth fighting for. By the same token, I agree that anyone can easily draw up a virtually endless list of worthy humanitarian causes that everyone, Jewish or not, should devote time and energies to assisting, such as finding a cure for AIDS, halting the repression of women throughout the world, and ending the wretched poverty that afflicts so much of the Third World.

Since it is impossible to be involved in every humanitarian cause, I choose to channel my efforts into fighting for a just solution of the Israel/Palestine conflict because I think that is where I can be the most useful. As a Jew, my opposition to Israeli policies carries more weight, for better or worse, simply because I am Jewish, just like the reportage of Gideon Levy or Amira Hass in Israel's daily Ha'aretz again, for better or worse, carries more weight than the dispatches and analysis of non-Jewish reporters writing for Britain's The Guardian. So both as a Jew and as an American whose tax dollars finance Israel's illegal and brutal occupation, I bear greater moral responsibility in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Furthermore, given my own personal and family background, I cannot but be deeply concerned by and opposed to Israeli policies.

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seeking justice for the Palestinians is, in fact, the Jewish cause, because that is where Jews can be most valuable. When major crimes are being committed in my name, if I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror in the morning, I don't want to see the reflection of a Jew who displays "malignant indifference" while Sharon uses methods of "barbarism" against the Palestinians. Rather, I want to see the reflection of an ordinary decent Jew who reacts to Israeli crimes by saying loudly and clearly, "Stop! You do not speak or act in my name."

Painful though it may be to face, the reality is that without the continued moral, spiritual and financial support of world Jewry, Israel would have been forced to quit the occupied territories a long time ago. Although U.S. diplomatic, economic and military support for Israel enables the brutal occupation to continue, if the majority of world Jewry would denounce Israeli crimes, Israeli troops and policymakers would not have been able to continue pursuing their shameful practices. What does give me hope now is that, though still a minority, a significant number of Jews are beginning to express discomfort with Israeli policies and are no longer blindly supporting them.

[Jim Sagle]

1. Thanks for setting me straight.

;-)

[Herschel]

2. We learn each day, my friend

Ridiculous of us to believe Palestinians are responsible for improving their lot, I suppose. Oh, my.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[PsychoDad]

5. I think we are all responsible

For helping our neighbors when needed.

[Muddleoftheroad]

6. Not necessarily

If they do nothing to help themselves and actively seek to kill you, then no, you don't have to help them.

[Resistance]

7. Proverbs 22:16

He that oppresseth the poor
reproacheth his Maker;
but he that honor Him
hath mercy on the poor.

[Proudlib]

8. If The Palestinians Want Justice

They can start by replacing the corrupt thugoacracy terrorist organization masquerading as goverment with a responsible civil administration that provides for its people rather than steals from it, works at nothing else but creating a viable nation rather helping those wishing to destroy one, and otherwise performs the functions and duties that would be expected of a modern democratic government.

Until that day comes, the Palestinians will be the victims of a career murderer who cares nothing for his own peoples' welfare and has brought violence, death, and destruction wherever his own special form of terrorist cancer takes hold.

I have a different kind of outrage when it comes to Palestinians. When I read that another young mind that could have grown up to be a scientist or physician is instead taught in government run schools that the most glorified occupation a Palestinian can achieve is that of a suicide bomber, I get outraged because another live is ruined by the current leadership of the Palestinian people. When I read that tens of millions of dollars in weapons purchased by the leadership of the Palestinian people were attempted to be smuggled in (the Karin A) to kill Israelis with, while Palestinian children go hungry (that money could have bought a lot of food), I get outraged.

I'm sure it won't be long in this thread before someone blames all of the above on Israel. And y'know what? That's a big part of the problem right there. The first step to curing a problem is admitting you have one. To date, neither the Palestinans nor their supporters on this forum have been willing to really and truely admit the depth and scope of the momuntal failure and catastrophe that has been "leadership" of that career murderer Egyptian, after the promise of a nation he made to his people.

Instead, he pockets the money that was supposed to help his people, lets some of the world's most bloodthirsty terrorists run amoke, and brings more death and destruction....just like has everywhere else he's been.

You may now start your bashing of Israel and ignore what the PA has done to its people. In doing so, you may continue to perpetuate the suffering of the very Palestinians you profess so much concern for.

[Jim Sagle]

9. Spot on!

:toast:

[Resistance]

10. I guess the Israeli army murdering people

stealing land and bulldozing homes has nothing to do with justice for the people who are being murdered, stolen from, and being made homeless.

Interesting theory you have there.

[Name removed]

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[Resistance]

16. Wrong

The Israeli army is murdering Palestinian civilians, stealing their land, bombing crowds of civilians, robbing banks, and recently shooting kids in the back. There is no one else to blame for their doing so.

[lefty_mcduff]

12. Don't you realize

that Israel's heavy-handed approach, blind US support of her actions (even when against international law) is more likely to drive moderate Palestinians into the arms of extremists.

As the IDF bulldoze homes, gun down *uninvolved* civilians, including children, annex Palestinian farmland, I think it would be highly unlikely that they would 'come to their senses' and blame para-military groups that resist Israel (I'm not referring to suicide bombers, but rather the 'militants' who battle IDF forces in house-to-house gun battles).

It's much more likely that these people would *blame* Israel.

[Proudlib]

13. And Another

Blame Israel for the fact that the PA is nothing more than a collection of lifelong terrorists who have been trying to wipe Israel from the map since the PLO was formed in 1964.

And blame Israel for the fact that the PA has, since Day One when it took power in the West Bank and Gaza, done nothing that resembles the functions of a civil government working towards creating a viable, modern, peaceful nation. Instead, the PA has been doing the same old same old that brought violence and death to its own people like it did in Jordan and Lebanon.

No "heavy handed" approach in either Arab country drove Palestinians into the arms of the terrorists. It was the terrorists who drove their own people into the arms of the armed forces of the Arab nations the terrorists were destroying.

Once is an occurance (Jordan), twice is a coincidence (Lebanon), three times is a trend (West Bank & Gaza).

If you can't see that trend, then that's a big part of the problem.

[Resistance]

14. there is no logic to this post

We're blaming Israel for the aggression and murders of Palestinian civilians.

We're blaming Israel for their bulldozing homes, stealing land, shooting kids in the back, murdering peace activists, and creating misery in general.

Israel does deserve the blame for being involved in these atrocities and war crimes. How could you possibly deny that fact?

[Proudlib]

17. And Hits Just Keep Coming

It's just all Israel all the time.

As I said, the first step in solving problem is admitting there is one.

Constantly focusing the attention away from the PA and what it really is and has really done to its people is like an addict who totally denies there is anything wrong with him and blames his predicimant entirely on others.

You're right, there is no logic. One cannot reason with one who refuses to accept that the real problem is internal.

I'm done with this.

[Resistance]

20. forgive me for being relentless

but if the Israeli Army is going to continue murdering people, gunning unarmed children down, blowing up homes, smashing up villages, all just to steal some real estate from a defenseless population, then yeah they're going to get heavily criticized by me, particularly when my government takes my tax money and arms that military with anything and everything needed to slam their missiles into crowds; the bulldozers needed to destroy homes; the bullets needed to shoot kids; the helicopters and missiles needed to take out a crowd of civilians; the money needed to construct settlements on the land being stolen and for the wall needed to steal even more land, then yeah you will see alot of criticism of Israel around here.

To criticize these actions is not to take attention away from the PA or Arafat. It's simply to criticize those actions.

And what is this "blaming his predicament on others" deal? If an Israeli soldier shot my kid in the back, who else is to blame? If the Israeli Army bulldozed my home just to make room for the illegal settlements, who else is to blame? That's not to say that the PA or Arafat are not corrupt or don't have problems; of course there is corruption and some blame for Palestinian suffering does lie with the PA. This, to me, is obvious.

All groups involved have responsibilities, and all sides shoulder a portion of the blame. I have always said that. You, though, are the one who, it seems to me, is in denial - you are the one saying what the "real problem" is (Arafat and the PA) and you are the one turning attention away from Israeli aggression and responsibility. As if the PA's corruption is responsible for Israel's Army shooting down kids, blowing up homes, and stealing land.

How about we start with this: The PA is responsible for it's actions, and the Israeli Army is responsible for their actions? Sounds fair enough?

[lefty_mcduff]

15. So are you saying that Israel's actions

have no effect on the civilian population either way?
I'm not talking about terrorists now - I'm talking about moderate Palestinian civilians. Salt of the earth types. Want to raise their kids and stuff.

And, for the record - I do not *blame* Isreal.

Nor am I a 'rah-rah' supporter of Sharon, Likud or their IDF goons. If that makes me a 'big part of the problem' well, I'll just have to learn to deal...

[Proudlib]

18. The Moderates...

And other Palestinians are the true victims and I sympathize for them.

But ask yourself what the PA has done to said moderates and those who truely seek peace with Israel, and ask what the PA could have done to make their dreams of peace come true as oppose to what the PA actually did and continues to do.

Fight for Palestinian justice-Depose the current PA regime.

[GabysPoppy]

19. Proudlib,

It is not a "more hits", it's more like an obsession. You shouldn't be surprised.

You would hope that this obsession could be turned into some constructive ideas to help the majority of poor Palestinians that really do oppose terrorist activities.

It just seems the obsession overwhelms the desire to actually help their plight.

[lefty_mcduff]

21. Okay, now we're making some headway.

"constructive ideas to help the majority of poor Palestinians that really do oppose terrorist activities".

I'm in.

[Fight_n_back]

22. There won't be peace until

Justice for Jews is as big of a cause for Palestinains as justice for Palestinains is for Jews.