Israel Palestine Blogs » Sydney Nestel

Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.

Sydney Nestel — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:45:00 +0000

First Mitt Romney, said that U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East should be, "to do whatever our ally Israel asks to to do." Then Rick Santorum said that there is no Israeli occupation: that the West Bank belongs to Israel just like Texas and New Mexico belong to the U.S.A. Then Newt Gingrich said that the Palestinians are an "invented people," and added that if they wanted a state anyway, they should find it in Jordan. Now the Republican National Committee has passed the resolution below. I don't know whether to be more aghast at the conclusion (a one state solution?) or at the fundamentalist logic that got them there, or at the cluelessness about what they are actually advocating for or the facts on the ground.

And this doesn't even begin to speak to how they would F up American domestic policy.

These guys have at least 50-50 chance of winning the 2012 Presidential elections.

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AN RNC RESOLUTION TO COMMEND THE NATION OF ISRAEL FOR ITS RELATIONS WITH
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

WHEREAS, Israel has been granted her lands under and through the oldest recorded deed as reported in the Old Testament, a tome of scripture held sacred and reverenced by Jew and Christian, alike, as the acts and words of God; and

WHEREAS, as the Grantor of said lands, God stated to the Jewish people in the Old Testament; in Leviticus, Chapter 20, Verse 24: “Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey”; and

WHEREAS, God has never rescinded his grant of said lands; and

WHEREAS, along with the grant of said lands to the Jewish people, God provided for the non-Jewish residents of the land in commanding that governance must be in one law for all without drawing distinction between Jewish and non-Jewish citizens, as contained in Leviticus 24:22, and

WHEREAS, the Nation of Israel declared its independent control and governance of said lands on May 14, 1948, with the goal of re-establishing their God-given lands as a homeland for the Jewish people; and

WHEREAS, the United States of America, having been the first country to recognize Israel as an independent nation and as Israel’s principal Mideast ally, has enjoyed a close and mutually beneficial relationship with Israel and her people; and

WHEREAS, indeed, Israel is the United States of America’s greatest friend in the Mideast; and

WHEREAS, the roots of Israel and the roots of the United States of America are so intertwined that it is difficult to separate one from the other under the word and protection of almighty God; and

WHEREAS, there are those in the Middle East who have sought to destroy Israel from its inception as a nation; and

WHEREAS, those same enemies of Israel also seek to destroy the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, the United States of America and the nation of Israel have enjoyed cordial and mutually beneficial relations since 1948, a friendship that should continues to strengthen with each passing year.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Republican Nation Committee that the committee by this resolution commends the nation of Israel for its relations with the United States of America.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the members of this body support Israel in their natural and God-given right of self-governance and self-defense upon their own lands, recognizing that Israel is neither an attacking force nor an occupier of the lands of others; and that peace can be afforded the region only through a united Israel governed under one law for all people.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Senate Leadership and each of the legislatures of the states within the United States of America with the request and recommendation of this body that a similar resolution to that stated herein be proposed within their respective bodies.

source: mitchelplitnik.com

"Judaism is the Answer"

Sydney Nestel — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:12:00 +0000

The long time slogan of the Muslim Brotherhood has been "Islam is the answer." Israel (and Judaism) is now faced with its own "Jewish Brotherhood" which is getting stronger and bolder by the day.

In an recent interview, Benny Katzover, a long time leader of the settlement movement made this explicit.

"the main role of Israeli democracy now is to disappear. Israeli democracy has finished its role, and it must disassemble and give way to Judaism. All leads toward recognition that there is no other way but to place Judaism at the center, above all else, and this is the answer to every situation."

This should not surprise us. It is completely in keeping with the underlying theory espoused by the "guru" of religious Zionism, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. Writing in the 1920s, he posited that secular liberal (or even socialist) Zionism was actually God's (mysterious) way of fulfilling the religious messianic vision of a renewed Jewish "Kingdom of God" in the land of Israel. Of course the secular Zionists did not understand this themselves: that they were but a stepping stone to the Kingdom of God. But religious Zionists should, and that is why they should cooperate with the seculars. Katzover is merely pointing out that the seculars have now fulfilled their mission and its is time for them (and their corrupt values, like Democracy and Peace) to fade away and hand over power to God's agents on earth - i.e Katzover and the Rabbis. This is the basic thesis of most religious Zionism. This is the world view is taught in the "National Religious" school system and yeshivot in Israel. (About 30% of Israels 'children attend such schools. The ultra-Orthodox "Separate School" system has about 20%, the Arab system about 20% and the "State" -i.e. secular Hebrew - system about 30%.). Its also taught in many Jewish schools in the diaspora.

Liberal Jews, should know what we are up against.

Read more details of the Katzover interview in Haaretz.

Something to Pray For:A non-Awful 2012

Sydney Nestel — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 15:41:00 +0000

As bad as things are they can always get worse. So here is something to pray for - or rather against. Noam Sheizaf at 972 is predicting that 2012 will be the year democracy ends in Israel:

... According to the Israeli system, the Central Elections Committee has the right to forbid parties who support terrorism, racism or oppose democracy from participating in the elections. But the committee is a political body, composed of Members of Knesset, and is currently controlled by the right. In the past, it has tried to use this article in the law for political purposes, but has failed. This time it may succeed.
It is very likely that the Central Elections Committee may ban the two major Arab parties, Balad and Raam-Taal, from participating in the elections. Given the public hostility to Balad, and especially to its MK Hanin Zoabi[photo above], letting Balad participate would be a huge surprise.
...
The result would almost certainly be a call for all Palestinian citizens to boycott the elections. And to be honest, I am not sure that any Jewish progressive should participate in an election in which the ruling coalition bans opposition parties. Arab parties that would be allowed to run – if there are such – would be faced with a major problem, as would Jewish democrats – the few that are left. Historically, the dilemma whether to boycott elections or leave the parliament in protest of anti-democratic laws has always been a major crossroad on the way to authoritarian regimes.

Low Arab turnout, and perhaps even full non-participation, would hand the right a landslide victory in the elections (the left has not won a majority in the Jewish public since 1973, and currently it is far from it, even with the Arab vote). Such events would surly benefit Avigdor Lieberman, by framing the elections around the Palestinian citizens. Lieberman’s racist proposals surrounding the issue could attract many new voters to his party.

The 19th Knesset will be much more rightwing then the current one. More importantly, Israel won’t be able to go on claiming that it respects minority rights after forcing their representatives out of the Knesset. The left will be torn apart and the Palestinian minority will be forever alienated.

And from there it will all go downhill.

Of course, other people are predicting the 2012 will be the year the world ends, so Noam could be wrong. Lets pray he is.

Einstein On Zionism

Sydney Nestel — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:02:00 +0000

Found these two quotes in the book " Einstein Before Israel

Seems not much has changed re the JNF at least. Does the JNF represent all of Zionism? No. Does it represent a dominant trend? Sadly, yes.

And a bit later, this one.

H/T to Eric

A Tale of Two Videos

Sydney Nestel — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:40:00 +0000

This video has all of Israel in a tizzy. A seven year old girl harassed by ultra-Orthodox men. Even Bibi Netanyahu claims to be shocked, and has ordered the police "to enforce the law."

(You can see the same video with English subtitle at 972mag.)

* * *

And this video has raised almost no fuss. Thousands of Palestinians experience this daily, on their way to work, to shop, or to visit friends and relatives in another town or neighbourhood. It been going on for years.

Watch What He Does, Not What He Says

Sydney Nestel — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Politicians are slippery beasts, and Bibi Netanyahu is a politician.

The headlines - especially those for foreign consumption - say that Bibi is planning to crack down on Jewish extremists in light of there recent attack on an Israli army base. (See "Israel to crack down on Jewish extremists after attacks" in The Star .) But - at the same time - Bibi is planning to legalize most of the illegal outposts - even those built on private Arab-owned lands. (See "Israel ministers to weigh bill meant to legalize West Bank outposts" in Haartez .) And, this is of course, is the very thing that the Jewish extremists have been rioting about. It is because of settlers worries that the government might actually enforce the law and remove some illegal settlements that they have been burning mosques and attacking army bases. So while Bibi says he will crack down on them in the future, for the present he is acquiescing to their demands.

When dealing with shysters, con artists and politicians it is best to watch what they do, not what they say.

More on the Gingrich-Adelson Connection

Sydney Nestel — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:23:00 +0000

The photo above is the front page of Sheldon Adelson's Israeli daily, Yisrael Hayom.

Since it looks like Newt will become the Republican nominee by default (everyone else seems unacceptable to the Republican base), and therefore has a reasonable chance of becoming the next U.S. President (God help us all!) - his close ties with and huge support from Sheldon Adelson becomes even more significant.

Read more about it at Tikun Olam and the Forward.

Israel Culture Wars:Is The Glass Half Full, Or Half Empty?

Sydney Nestel — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:12:00 +0000

Two diametrically opposed views of Israeli domestic politics and society appeared by "left wing" commentators this week. One says all is lost, the other says that the barbarians have been stopped at the gates.

Writing for the doom and gloom side, is Gideon Levy in Haaretz:

Anyone who says this is a matter of a few inconsequential laws is leading others astray; anyone who claims a reversible procedure is being deceptive; anyone who states reassuringly that this is a passing phase is trying to put one over. Even the person who thinks it's just an attempt at regime change is under a delusion. What we are witnessing is w-a-r.

This fall a culture war, no less, broke out in Israel, and it is being waged on many more, and deeper, fronts than are apparent. It is not only the government, as important as that is, that hangs in the balance, but also the very character of the state. ...
The ferocious combined assault is highly effective. It targets women, Arabs, leftists, foreigners, the press, the judicial system, human rights organizations and anyone standing in the way of the cultural revolution. ...

There is no single guiding hand mixing this boiling, poisonous potion; many hands stir the revolution, but they all have something in common: the aspiration to a different Israel, one that is not Western, not open, not free and not secular. ...

You can't see the forest for the trees, and the forest is dark and deep. Take, for example, Friday's paper. The news pages of Haaretz reported on a few such rotten trees: the managers of dozens of businesses in Sderot have begun requiring their workers to dress modestly; in Mea She'arim, the polling places are gender-segregated; nonobservant Jews in Jerusalem have been asked to wear a kippa at work; Carmiel's Palmach School has been turned into a religious school; discrimination against Sephardic girls at schools in Jerusalem, Modi'in Ilit, Betar Ilit and Bnei Brak; withdrawal from a physicians' training program for Palestinians as a condition for tax relief; the government's new plan to fight illegal immigration. And one final touch: The foreign minister gave his imprimatur to the Putinist election in Russia. All in a single day, one ordinary day.

... The right has been in power for a long time now, but it lacked the self-confidence to launch this crucial assault. But now, in its 35th year in government, in the 64th year of the state, it has turned to the task of reshaping the country's character and faces almost no opposition.

We'll meet again in a few years, in that other Israel, that will be different and distorted beyond recognition.

In the other corner, arguing for the "don't worry be happy" position, is Larry Defner writing in 972.

In all the (well-placed) wailing over the totalitarian legislation being pushed in the Knesset by the Likud and Yisrael Beitenu, the good guys don’t seem to have noticed that all their wailing has had a tremendous effect. I’m almost afraid to say it, but the Left, ... seems to have turned the tide against the neo-fascists.

The latest and possibly most decisive evidence was reported today: Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein wrote Netanyahu a letter saying that if the Knesset legislation aimed at stifling left-wing NGOs becomes law, he won’t defend the bills against challenges in the Supreme Court because they’re indefensible from top to bottom.
“They deal a harsh blow to a long list of constitutional rights, including freedom of expression, freedom of association and the right to equality,” Weinstein wrote. ...

Not a lot of air in that statement. I don’t see where MKs Ophir Akunis, Fania Kirschenbaum, Ze’ev Elkin, Yariv Levin, Danny Danon and their henchmen can go now in their campaign, which seeks to shut off foreign government funding to B’Tselem, Adalah, Breaking the Silence and all the other Israeli NGOs that expose abuses of Palestinians.

Before this, Netanyahu was obliged to freeze the two bills Weinstein referred to. ... Netanyahu also pulled back the worst of all this wrecking-ball legislation – Levin’s bill that would give the Knesset ultimate power to appoint Supreme Court justices, God help us.

Between the anti-Supreme Court bills, the anti-NGO bills and the anti-media bill, together with the spectacle of women being forced to ride in the back of Israeli buses and facing walk-outs by Orthodox Jews when they dare to sing, there’s a vivid sense that Israel’s democracy is being shredded. And the backlash has been fierce – from Israeli civil society, media, academe, Knesset opposition, the “Likud princes” (Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin and cabinet ministers Dan Meridor and Benny Begin) and Supreme Court President Dorit Beinish. It spread overseas to the foreign media, U.S. and European ambassadors to Israel, American Jewish bigwigs Abraham Foxman, Jeffrey Goldberg and Martin Peretz, and finally to Hillary Clinton. ...

The great putsch is faltering in the face of opposition, to the opponents’ surprise.

What lessons can be drawn? That there are limits to what a country that purports to be democratic, that values its ties to the West, can do.

... Smile, comrades; it seems like we’re actually winning one.

Not living in Israel, its hard to know if the glass is half full or half empty, but experience tells me, sadly, that you won't often go wrong re Israel by predicting the less progressive outcome. And one thing at least is for sure, the amount of beer in the glass is not at a state of equilibrium. A battle is indeed a-raging, and the winner is yet to be determined.

Follow The Money

Sydney Nestel — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 13:14:00 +0000

At last night's Republican debates, Newt Gingrich repeated and defended his assertion that the Palestinians are an "invented people", who do not deserve a state of their own. As such he has staked out a controversial position that is to the right of the official Israeli government position. While this may be good politics, in that it appeals to the evangelical Christian Zionist's who are the heart of the Republican Party in Iowa, and to Jewish Republican's in Florida - both states being key early tests in the battle for the Republican presidential nomination - it seems this is not the whole story.

Turns out that one of Newt's largest financial backers is none other than the "richest Jew in America"*, Sheldon Adelson. Adelson is also a primary financial backer of Bibi Netanyahu, and his wholly owned Israeli daily Yisrael Hayom is fawningly pro Netanyahu. It is also the number one Israeli daily measured by average weekday circulation.

In 2010, Adelson donated $1,000,000 to Gingrich's American Solutions institute.

For the record, none of the other Republican candidates had the guts to refute Newt's claim, though several said it was undiplomatic and unwise to say so out load.

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* Adelson got this title in 2008 when he was also the 3rd richest person in America, coming in just after after Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. But the real estate collapse has hurt the casino mogul's ranking and as of Sept 2011 he is ranked "only" as the 8th richest person in American, in a virtual tie with George Soros. Adelson's net worth is estimated at 21.5 billion.

The Real Reason So Many Republicans HATE Obama

Sydney Nestel — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 23:21:00 +0000

This image must drive those crackers crazy!

(To get the full effect, click on the picture to see it full size.)