The Likud Party is a right-wing party and it controls Israel's government

[w4rma]

The Likud Party is a right-wing party and it controls Israel's government

Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was a member of the Israeli Labor Party and was assassinated by an Israeli right-winger who opposed Rabin's peace accords.

Arabs are Semites, as well as the Jews in the middle east.

Killing, maiming and destroying the homes and property of family members is a great way to turn many surviving family members into terrorists.

Some facts that I thought were important to the ongoing debate over whether Israel's leadership should be criticized or supported no matter what.

[leftchick]

1. thanks

Likud is very similar to our own neo freaks. :(

[TahitiNut]

3. Yep. Repuglikuddites.

What's in a name? A fascist right-winger smells the same no matter what it's called.

Oh ... for any vocabulary-challenged eavesdroppers: all Nazis were fascists but not all fascists were Nazis. Franco. Batista. Mussolini. (arguably) Peron.

[w4rma]

42. The so called "moderate" Kadima Party, formed by the comotose Ariel Sharon

has recently, within the last few months, won control over the government of Israel.

I'm writing this post near the top of the thread so that maybe the rabid Israel is never wrong posters will actually read it instead of accusing me of "hatred against Israel".

My post #19 explained a long time ago that my knowledge of Israel's political situation was, until now, a few months old as these guys only recently took over, the party being formed in late 2005 and the elections won sometime this year.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

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

[chimpymustgo]

34. You nailed it. Who is pulling the strings there...and here?

Why are both American parties in the thrall of Israel? Why can no one even speak out against this carnage? Thank you Chuck Hagel - for finally taking up for the poor Lebanese people who have seen their country DESTROYED, their families MASSACRED.

We are on the side of evil in this one.

[leftchick]

39. The Shadow Government....

thank you this is indeed a must read....

<snip>

Beginning in the 1990s, and even more after 9/11, US support has been justified by the claim that both states are threatened by terrorist groups originating in the Arab and Muslim world, and by ‘rogue states’ that back these groups and seek weapons of mass destruction. This is taken to mean not only that Washington should give Israel a free hand in dealing with the Palestinians and not press it to make concessions until all Palestinian terrorists are imprisoned or dead, but that the US should go after countries like Iran and Syria. Israel is thus seen as a crucial ally in the war on terror, because its enemies are America’s enemies. In fact, Israel is a liability in the war on terror and the broader effort to deal with rogue states.

‘Terrorism’ is not a single adversary, but a tactic employed by a wide array of political groups. The terrorist organisations that threaten Israel do not threaten the United States, except when it intervenes against them (as in Lebanon in 1982). Moreover, Palestinian terrorism is not random violence directed against Israel or ‘the West’; it is largely a response to Israel’s prolonged campaign to colonise the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

<snip>

As for so-called rogue states in the Middle East, they are not a dire threat to vital US interests, except inasmuch as they are a threat to Israel. Even if these states acquire nuclear weapons – which is obviously undesirable – neither America nor Israel could be blackmailed, because the blackmailer could not carry out the threat without suffering overwhelming retaliation. The danger of a nuclear handover to terrorists is equally remote, because a rogue state could not be sure the transfer would go undetected or that it would not be blamed and punished afterwards. The relationship with Israel actually makes it harder for the US to deal with these states. Israel’s nuclear arsenal is one reason some of its neighbours want nuclear weapons, and threatening them with regime change merely increases that desire.

<snip>

A final reason to question Israel’s strategic value is that it does not behave like a loyal ally. Israeli officials frequently ignore US requests and renege on promises (including pledges to stop building settlements and to refrain from ‘targeted assassinations’ of Palestinian leaders). Israel has provided sensitive military technology to potential rivals like China, in what the State Department inspector-general called ‘a systematic and growing pattern of unauthorised transfers’. According to the General Accounting Office, Israel also ‘conducts the most aggressive espionage operations against the US of any ally’. In addition to the case of Jonathan Pollard, who gave Israel large quantities of classified material in the early 1980s (which it reportedly passed on to the Soviet Union in return for more exit visas for Soviet Jews), a new controversy erupted in 2004 when it was revealed that a key Pentagon official called Larry Franklin had passed classified information to an Israeli diplomat. Israel is hardly the only country that spies on the US, but its willingness to spy on its principal patron casts further doubt on its strategic value.

[KingFlorez]

2. The answer to why there is so much trouble

Right-wingers cause trouble wherever they are at. And I brought up the fact that Arabs are Semites a couple of weeks ago, it's a very good point.

[samsingh]

4. aren't they part of the neocon crowd!

[w4rma]

7. Richard "Prince of Darkness" Perle is a Director of the Jerusalem Post.

So it seems that Israel probably has much the same media problem that we have here in the US, also.

[Mr_Spock]

5. Thanks for the reminder!

Israels leadership is a disaster, just like our leadership.

RWers SUCK!

[Cleita]

6. Thanks for saying the truth about Likud.

Not only that Netanyahu is an occasional guest of Rush Limbaugh. The two of them are so cozy with each other on the air, it's like they just rolled out of bed with each other. I don't believe Likud is representative of mainstream Israel than BushCo is of America.

[Skidmore]

8. Netanyahu and Blitzer are pretty cozy too.

Wolfie slipped recently and called him by his first name.

[Disturbed]

14. Liberals that support Israeli Govt. actions may be ignorant.

How Sharon and the Likud Party nurtured the rise of Hamas and benefit from its terrorism

Politically, Hamas and Israel's Likud Bloc share several common goals, each for different reasons. They both oppose the Land-for-Peace formula and object to the creation of an independent Palestinian State. Hamas seeks to establish an Islamic State in Palestine while the Likud seeks the formal expansion of Israel into the occupied West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem.<6> Likud seeks to annex the territories providing the Palestinians with administrative autonomy but not independence or sovereignty.

In contrast, the PLO and the Labor Party also share several goals and oppose the policies of Likud and Hamas. Both accepted in formal written agreements in September 1993 at the White House a peace accord that recognized Israel's right to exist and the Palestinian right to statehood.<7>

While Likud and Labor battle over ideology and politics, Hamas differs with the PLO on issues of religion and it rejects compromise.
Hamas views the PLO as an important organization but much like a "wayward brother." It's stated goal is the creation of an Islamic State in Palestine, one that subjugates not only Jews but Christians and other religions, too.<8> The PLO has recognized Israel and, like the Labor Party, has accepted the Land-for-Peace principle.
While Hamas views all Israeli politics as identical, its violence has helped to undermine the policies of the Labor Party and have at least twice helped to elect Likud candidates to the office of Prime Minister.
It is this politics of opposition that drives Likud and Hamas to share similar goals.

http://www.mediamonitors.net/hanania46.html

[rucky]

9. Why do you hate Israel?

:evilgrin:

[Behind the Aegis]

12. like you care?

[H2O Man]

10. Nominated.

Important points.

[Behind the Aegis]

11. What a load of crappy-crap-crap!

Kadima controls the....do you know the name of the ruling group?

As for your idiotic "Semitic" statement...been there, done that!

I find it so interesting that you say: "Killing, maiming and destroying the homes and property of family members is a great way to turn many surviving family members into terrorists." Yup! Look at all those Israeli terrorists! :eyes:


You weren't introducing "facts," just the same old shit!

[Donald Ian Rankin]

37. While the OP is indeed sadly misinformed,

Your last point is a misrepresentation.

"I find it so interesting that you say: "Killing, maiming and destroying the homes and property of family members is a great way to turn many surviving family members into terrorists." Yup! Look at all those Israeli terrorists! "

I presume your point is that Israeli's who have family members killed by arabs don't resort to violence, so why should arabs who have family members killed by Israelis?

It's worth noting a) that far fewer Israelis have been killed by arabs than vice versa, and, crucially, most of the ones who haven't have suffered far less, and b) Israel has perpetrated and is currently perpetrating far more and far worse atrocities with the intention of terrorising a civilian population than the arabs have, or than non-governmental Israelis could.

There are, indeed, a great many Israeli terrorists. They just wear uniforms.

The difference is that individual Israelis who have family members murdered don't tend to resort to violence for themselves because they have an army who can do it for them, and that the suffering per capita of Israelis at the hands of the arabs is literally an order of magnitude less than the suffering per capita of the Palestinians, Lebanese etc at the hands of the Israelis.

[B Calm]

13. Great post on Israeli's Right Wing Likud party

[Donald Ian Rankin]

38. Shame the OP didn't check that they lost power 4 months ago...

The current Israeli governing party is called Kadima, and, while right wing, is less so than Likud.

[JackNewtown]

47. Kadima is dominated by Likud exiles

It is less right-wing than Likud but that isn't saying much.

[IndianaGreen]

15. The Likud is not in power in Israel

Archives > December 05, 2005

GENERAL SHARON HOLDS THE HIGH GROUND

© 2006 Eric Margolis

Now, the 77-year old soldier has just mounted yet another brilliant and risky maneuver.

The most dangerous and difficult military operation is retreat under fire. This is exactly what Sharon has pulled off by ditching the far right Likud Party that he did so much to build, and starting his own more centrist party, Kadima.

Sharon had enough of Likud’s fanatical religious extremists who bitterly opposed his sensible pullout of Israeli settlers and soldiers from Gaza. Even Sharon’s plans to impose an unfavorable, unilateral territorial settlement on Palestinians were bitterly opposed by uber-Likudniks, and their leader-in-waiting, Bibi Netanyahu, who won’t give up their dream of biblical Greater Israel.

Polls show Sharon’s Kadima is likely to take a majority of seats in March elections, leaving Likud in the dust.

Sharon’s old friend, Shimon Peres, who plays `good cop’ to Sharon’ `bad cop’ in dealing with the Arabs, is also decamping to Kadima after being ousted as veteran Labor Party leader by a young firebrand of Moroccan background, Amir Peretz. In a lurid example of Israel’s chronic rivalry between European and Mideastern Jews, Peres’ brother amusingly accused Labor of falling under control, of `North Africans.’

http://www.ericmargolis.com/archives/2005/12/general_sharon_1.php

[mogster]

16. Kadima was supposed to be a moderate party

No sign of that so far. I trust these people to grow and take over:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Peace_movement

[IndianaGreen]

18. I firmly believe that Sharon would not have bombed Lebanon back into the

Stone Age as Olmert has. Olmert made the classic mistake that all chicken hawks make, they put too much faith in the military and are mesmerized by the rows of ribbons that generals wear.

In the last months before Kadima and his stroke, Sharon resisted the calls of more hawkish members of Knesset.

Sharon got burned in Lebanon and he wouldn't go back there in the same reckless fashion.

Please note that the government of Israel is a coalition government. The Defense Minister, is the "liberal" head of Labour Party, Amir Peretz.

I am very angry at Israel's disproportionate response to Hezbollah, and despite how many of my fellow Jews feel about this (my friends and I no longer discuss the war among ourselves--that's how worried everyone is), I am convinced that the only thing to come out of Lebanon is a major blowback.

[DemonFighterLives]

23. Sharon was showing signs of enlightenment

before he went into a coma.

I see blowback for all of us in the future. America and Israel are on the wrong path. Not to mention costs in blood and treasure.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

24. Olmert is hardly a chickenhawk.

A hawk, yes, but not a chicken. He's been in the military. He's been injured in combat.

[malaise]

27. Isn't it funny how during the

first week of the bombing, they had Sharon back in hospital dying. I really think they believed they could celebrate 'victory' on his behalf. Looks like he will survive long enough for them to celebrate his policies after they kill enough Lebanese.

[mogster]

30. I know

I see it too and are angry about that. One wonders what the story behind it all is? I can't see how such unwise course of action can be in the interest of Israel in the long run, it seems so unreal the way the campaign is conducted.
One good thing about it; the Jewish voices for peace has been given more attention, both in the US and in Israel. I think that's the way to go, and it will also work against anti-semitism and random blame.

[JackNewtown]

48. Voices of peace in the MSM

The MSM has continued to censor them, aside from Rabbi Michael Lerner appearing on Larry King. The biggest problem in this conflict is the MSM's propaganda on this conflict. If Americans knew the truth they would pressure the government to pursue sane policies.

[mogster]

52. That's true

Did you see this movie?

What you`re not seeing on US TV

It`s a myth that all Jews and all Israelis support Israel`s ongoing military aggression in the Middle East, but you`ll never learn this fact on US TV.

Why?

This informative film (1:19:14) documents the current Israeli government`s program of genocide against the Palestinian people and its well orchestrated public relations program designed to insure that Americans - whose tax dollars subsidize the Israeli military - never learn the truth about Israeli tactics and intentions.

http://brasscheck.com/videos/middleeast/me1.html

[w4rma]

19. Wow, the political situation changed in the months since I was paying

attention to Israeli politics. However, it doesn't seem like much of a change. This new political party seems to act just like the Likud Party in its foriegn policy actions. Sharon is in a coma and I don't know where this guy Olmert came from, but he seems worse than Sharon has been since he pulled Israelis out of settlments in Palestine to behind the Israeli border wall.

Thanks for informing me about this so-called "moderate" party who won leadership over Israel.

[IndianaGreen]

22. I am dissapointed in Olmert, and in Labour leader Peretz

who now heads the Defense Ministry. Our old pal Shimon Peres is in Kadima now.

We need a ceasefire now!

[rman]

20. Has Likud not been in power for most of the past decades?

[IndianaGreen]

21. Yes, and that TV hog Bibi Netanyahu is the Likud leader

Faux and Wolf Blitzer love to have Bibi on TV because he looks and sounds so much like a regular Republican (he grew up in Philly).

[Junkdrawer]

26. Bibi was on Limpballs yesterday pitching the coming US Hezbollah attack...

that, and "victory first, court world opinion later". Nice guy.

[JackNewtown]

49. Blizter is a former AIPAC lobbyist. what can we expect nt

[TahitiNut]

45. The current coalition (Kadima, Labor, Shas and Gil) can't continue, imho.

I see Kadima as "Likud light" - still predominantly descended from Revisionist Zionist ideologies. The precipitating event/action (withdrawal of settlements and occupation forces from Gaza) did not really impact the antipathy towards the PA and sure made it easier to shell and bomb Gaza without the "nuisance" of death by 'friendly fire.' The facade of 'centrism' is pure Vichy propaganda, imho, repeated everywhere (Australia, Canada, UK, US, Israel) that corporatists are finding bargains in "the best government money can buy."

[k_jerome]

17. you are posting misinformation to what ends? nt

[rman]

28. What, Likud is a left-wing party?

Or it has not been in power for most of the past decades?

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

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[Lurking Dem]

32. How about

there is a coalition government with Kadima (formed to support the Gaza pullout which Likud didn't want to do) and Labor.

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

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[w4rma]

35. "Haters" of Israel? Good grief, I'm a *supporter* is Israel. I want to see

the nation do well. And I am also sure that Israel's slaughter of the Lebonese is harming the nation for both the short and long term. They are formenting hatred against them, hardening the opposition to them and are worsening their position at any future negotiating table. And there *will* be a negotiating table eventually.

If you'd bothered to read my follow up post in #19 you'll find out that my knowledge of Israel's political situation was a few months old. I have been corrected by another poster who didn't call me an "anti-Semite" or a "hater of Israel".

[k_jerome]

36. read the reactions to the misinformation in your post...

and tell me what it has done to further any debate into the policy of the Israeli govt. I am sure Israel appreciates your "support".

[w4rma]

41. Whatever. You aren't here to debate, you're here to berate anyone who

disagrees with the current Israeli leadership's policy of slaughtering civilians in Lebanon (including Americans, Canadians, Chinese, whomever happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time).

[Name removed]

43. Deleted message

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[Hubert Flottz]

25. PNIC...

SOS! different assholes

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

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[The Witch]

44. Yup, the Israeli gov't has been coopted by RWers.

No wonder it's doing stupid things just like the RWers in our government have done.

That's no more anti-Israel than it is anti-American.

[Zynx]

46. Wow, now this is a load of factually inaccurate crap. Likud is out.

[JackNewtown]

50. Likud-lite is in

Kadima is dominated by former Likudniks.

[Zynx]

53. The moderate wing that dismantled the settlements.

Ooooohhhh....Scary people!

[leftchick]

51. kick

:hi: