BBC - Israel cabinet debates Gaza delay

[Englander]

Tuesday, 19 April, 2005, 09:29 GMT 10:29 UK

Israeli PM Ariel Sharon is meeting cabinet ministers to discuss a delay to withdrawal from the Gaza Strip because of Jewish religious considerations.

The pullout, which was due to begin in July, coincides with a three-week period of mourning marking the destruction of two temples.

Mr Sharon has said every effort should be made to make the withdrawal easier for Jewish settlers.

About 8,000 settlers and the soldiers who protect them are due to pull out.

Israel will continue to control Gaza's external borders, coastline and airspace.

More at;
BBC News

[Scurrilous]

1. Israeli Minister OKs Gaza Pullout Delay

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=535&ncid=535&e=4&u=/ap/20050421/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians_6

<snip>

"Israel's defense minister recommended Thursday a three-week delay in this summer's pullout from the Gaza Strip, but Prime Minister Ariel Sharon insisted the withdrawal will go ahead even if it is later than scheduled.

Shaul Mofaz issued his recommendation, which is expected to be approved by the government, as Israeli and Palestinian officials held their first talks on coordinating the pullout. The meetings took place despite a roadside bombing that wounded an Israeli soldier who was patrolling the border with Gaza.


Mofaz met with top security officials, including army and police commanders, to discuss a proposal to delay the pullout by three weeks, until Aug. 15. The Defense Ministry said Mofaz agreed to the delay, sending the matter to a ministerial committee headed by Sharon.

Sharon has indicated he would support the delay but wanted to get approval from his security chiefs before making a decision."

[Coastie for Truth]

2. Snide yahoo story raises a larger issue

The tone of the Yahoo article is basically snide, which I do NOT impute to the appender.

The relevant two paragraphs are:

" The declared reason for the proposed delay in the Gaza plan is respect for Orthodox Jews, who observe a three-week mourning period for the destruction of the biblical Jewish Temples. Many of the 9,000 settlers slated for evacuation are observant.

But some Cabinet ministers have suggested the delay is needed for the government to iron out the many snags in the preparations. The government has only begun making compensation payments to settlers losing their homes, and there are no concrete plans in place yet for providing them with new housing. "

Unlike many appenders - I also included the second paragraph, which I regard as being snide editorializing, and which may indicate a different reason.

Realize, the subject time is Tish A'Bav - period of mourning for the Destruction of both Temples. It is take sufficiently serious by observant Jews, that wedding are not permitted at this time.

There is an.

LET ME MAKE THE OBVIOUS COMPARISON - SO THAT APPENDERS WHO ARE BLIND TO CONTEXT AND SENSIBILITIES UNDERSTAND THIS ISSUE -OR DOES IT ONLY GO ONE WAY?: How would the Palestinians react to a Jewish March on the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock during Ramadan?

Let me push it further - as many appenders on the IP forum do. The rule seems to be we can't do anything to antagonize the Palestinians during Ramadan, but we can piss off the observant Jews during Tish a'Bav any time we want to.

So, I guess the rule is "Insult Observant Jews - and disregard sensitivities that go back to 70 CE, but bend over backwards to placate Palestinians."

That's real common sense, real decency, real Hamischekeit.

Might I suggest Matlans and Magida, "How to Be a Perfect Stranger: The Essential Religious Etiquette Handbook, 3rd Edition" and Magida and Matlans, "How to Be a Perfect Stranger: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People's Religious Ceremonies"

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1893361675/qid=1114093493/sr=8-4/ref=pd_ka_1/103-7823000-4319830?v=glance&s=books&n=507846,
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1893361012/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/103-7823000-4319830?v=glance&s=books&n=507846&st=

and to be even more blunt
<><http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1893361012.01._PIdp-schmoo2,TopRight,7,-26_PE32_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg>

[Colorado Blue]

3. That's OK, I was in a discussion on G.D. the other day, and

was basically advised that Judaism is "irrational tribalism" and also that I am delusional, for having cited several historical texts such as the encyclopedia, that contradicted a certain poster's comfortable visions of the world.

Let's face it, we're in for it. The incidents at the Air Force Academy, your basic jew-baiting - Jewish cadets are being blamed for the usuals, killing Christ, so forth - while the CHRISTIANS claim they are being PERSECUTED; a growing Nazi presence in the US; all the distressing information I dug up last week on the "global antisemitism" issue - they're all troubling.

But worst of all, I think, is the total lack of respect for Jewish people that's starting to appear on a PROGRESSIVE website.

That means doom. When people who as a matter of principle support the ideas of respect for religion, and respect for minority rights, start disrespecting Judaism with such abandon, or regarding even objective historical documents about Jewish history as "delusion", the future starts looking dark indeed.

It's happened before.