“Don’t call me a traitor”: An Israeli dissident speaks
I’ve been verbally and physically abused in Israel for defending the Palestinian people, but if that’s the price for standing up for the helpless and powerless then so be it.
By Enbal on Saturday, January 10th, 2009 - 850 words.
Do you believe that you should go after your heart no matter what? Do you think you should stay loyal to your beliefs regardless? Well, I do. And I want the whole world to know that. If in my journey after justice I persuade only one person, my work is done and I will be happy.
It’s no news that my opinions and thoughts are very different to most (if not all) of those around me. Almost every Israeli I speak to about politics calls me a traitor and says I should leave the country. It is always hard and I’ve always been attacked – verbally and sometimes even physically.
As an Israeli teenager you are obligated to recruit to the army when you are 18, with very few exceptions (like a medical condition or if you have children etc.), so I, like everyone, went to serve my country. This is the first and probably the only time I really did feel like a traitor.
I had betrayed my heart, I shouldn’t been a part of this army; in fact I shouldn’t have been part of any army! In boot camp I refused under any circumstance to hold a gun, even not in the firing range on cardboard figures.
The first sentence most Israelis know in Arabic is the same. You will learn it in the first week of boot camp: WAKAF U AL ANA BATUCHA (in feminine gender) which means, “Stop or I’ll shot!” After only a few months and a lot of sights that an 18 year old should never see, I asked to be released for the simple fact that I did not want to take any part in it.
With all due respect, I want to live my life without emotional scars and traumas and it is impossible to do that when you are taking part in occupation of another nation. After a few weeks of deliberations and investigations — in all of them I declared myself a pacifist — the nightmare was finally over. I was once again a civilian, no longer a soldier.
Then I had another encounter with the IDF, this time from the other side. I stood face to face with soldiers, defending Palestinians with my body from being shot at (they don’t have the courage to shoot an Israeli — it will be all over the news). And I’ve been arrested for defending their village in a non-violent demonstration.
But never in my life had I thought the following would happen…
In the last 13 days, since the Israeli offensive on Gaza, my position has been getting harder and harder. I’ve been taking an active part in political debates and arguments on the Internet. On one hand I get e-mails and comments from Arabs all over the world calling me a hero (which I don’t believe that I am). On the other hand I get threatening and offensive e-mails and comments from Israelis and Jews calling me, among other things, a “traitor”.
Well, first of all, don’t I live in a democratic country? Where is the freedom of speech? Secondly, why should I be quiet after all I have seen? In the last few days I revealed some hypocritical non-democratic actions perpetrated by Israelis.
One of them got me thinking seriously about leaving this country-for good:
Our group on Facebook, “PREVENT A NEW GENOCIDE; SAVE GAZA”, got hacked by a group called the Jewish Internet Defense Force (JIDF). They changed the picture in the group to a picture of the Israeli flag and wrote, “This group is closed due to the fact that there is no such thing as Palestine”. In the info section of the forum they wrote, “game over”. I really believe this is a shameful act. No one has the right to do that. We all have every right to speak out about whatever we want as long as we are telling the truth and have facts on our side.
Am I a traitor just for telling the world what is really going on here? Is it wrong to uncover the ugly truth about war crimes? I’m sorry but I don’t think so.
If Israel is really the best democracy in the world like they claim, then why have I had a gun pointed at me by Israelis soldiers at demonstrations, why have I been shot at with tear gas grenades, why have I been yelled and sworn at?
If I’m a traitor because I can see the truth and stand up for the weak and helpless – so be it. I’m willing to be called a traitor for caring about human life and wishing for innocent lives to be saved. If traitor means wanting peace, freedom and justice, I am guilty as charged. Just tell me what the penalty is… but in the meantime think about children that have died in Gaza (almost 250 in 13 days), think about the four little children that have been found alive holding their mother’s dead body for days. Think about all the new orphans in Gaza, about the women and elderly, what are they on trial for and why were they sentenced to death?
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Hi Youav.
'Israel is now reacting to 8 years of rockets fired daily into israely citys, and by that doing what every contry would have done 7.9 years ago'.
This is such a typical pro-Israeli statement and I'm tired of hearing it. It would be understandable if Israel was an ordinary state, but it is not. It is a colonial one. As an Israeli citizen you, like any other citizen across the globe has the right to travel, Palestinians in Gaza do not. They cannot leave because of Israeli checkpoints, they have had no jobs because Israel governemnt has confiscated all of Hamas's taxes, many have not had electricity for a very long time, imports and exports along with Europan humantiarian aid have been banned completely – Palestinians have been deprived of necessities which we ordinary civilians take for granted. Whilst Hamas firing rockets is a problem, the bigger problem is Israeli colonialsm and occupation, this needs to be dealt with. You need to ask yourself how desperate the Palestinians were that they voted for Hamas? And why are Hamas firing rockets?
well maybe Israel will stop being a "colonial evil empire" when our neighbors stop saying they want to kill us all, throw us in the sea and drown us in blood and all their other colourful little metaphors for genocide. Maybe they would be able to travel if they voted in a government which didn't launch thousands of rockets, and blow up buses. Have you thought of that???
The occupation is there BECAUSE they were shooting at us – not the other way around. Get it right.
When american soldeirs stand at checkpoints in afghnistan, it's to save lives – and it's exactly the same in the west bank!!! saving lives in tel aviv and natanya.
When the Palestinians have a leader like Gandhi – there will be peace, and that's wat we can pray for.
This post made my day, honestly. I'm glad some people have some sense of justice left in them, I am originally Palestinian and live in Jordan however, I have views very similar to yours. I want everyone to live together in peace and harmony.
Now to reply to llia: I think you're the one who's only looking at one side. What are the Arabs around Palestine doing right now? Are they attacking Israel? No they aren't. And besides, Israel was placed between 1.2 billion Arabs, you have to live with that whether you like it or not, because let's be real here, they were here before you. And now that you say Hamas is a terrorist group, which I agree with to some point, I'd like to ask what differentiates Hamas from the Israeli Army?
That said, I think Hamas should do what's best for the people and stop shooting rockets and try to work out a peace deal. The rockets are used as a reason for the attacks on Gaza even though there haven't been many Israeli Casualties. However, 236 children dying isn't worth it.
Also, Egypt has been showing very little support to the Palestinians and their humanitarian aid is very pitiful in my opinion.
To the Jewish bible: You should at least get the name right. And I shouldn't be replying to this because the way you wrote and what you wrote just showed that you are stupid. What makes your religion better than other religions? They all claim to be sent from god via prophets and they are all mysteries that people choose to believe in for their own reasons.
Hey man! I am Israeli, an I also want everyone to live in peace. One thing: The Israeli army has the goal of stopping rocket fire – hamas has a goal of destroying Israel. the IDF tries very hard, and risks its own soldiers, not to harm civilians, while Hamas aim to kill as many civilians as possible, and uses palestinians as human shields because they believe that all shahids go to heaven anyway. It's not about "rockets causing casualties" it's about Israel's very existence – if there is 1 million (soon to be 3 million) Israelis who have to live in bomb shelters, not go to school, or work and live in fear (yes that's why there are such few casualties – people live in bomb shelters), then the country can't exist.
Now that we got that out of the way: I really hope to see the day when a Palestinian leadership seeks peace, and denounces terrorism and the destruction of israel – do you think that is likely?
What is it like being a Palestinian in Jordan, 70% of the country is, and yet the live under a Hashemite dictatorship (also without human rights, more or less, no voting, right?)? Do the palestinians there want to go back into Israel, or do they feel at home? I'm jsut curious to hear your views. Thank you.
im so glad that ther is some one in israeal can think by this way
Great to hear from an Israeli who is supporting the Palestinians. I'm from London and it would be great to hear your views more publicy because although many British people are supporting Palestinians, it seems as though many are not due to fear of being accused of anti-semetism – God forbid anyone criticises the state of Israel, they suffered the holocaust, how could they possibly do anything wrong? (sarcasm)
The media here also is not showing the Palestinian arguement or reality, other than showing dead children so it would be great to hear from people like your self because people unfortunately people are more likely to believe your account than a Palestinian's one. Keep up the good work!
ilia,
You said: "Just one note,the Israel government is giving money,fuel,food"
Lol. since when? I hope you're not referring to the Gaza blockade….
you also said "invite everybody to sleep in my House in Ashkelon,to feel the Hamas aggression,what do you think about to visit us,the cofe and tea on me"
You have a house to sleep in? and also coffee and tea??
A person in Gaza wouldn't have that; they won't be even be dealing with rockets.. it's more like bombs..
and also, Hamas didn't fire the first rocket; It might have fired a rocket last month, but it wasn't the first from the two sides, in the sense that palestinians had to deal with Israeli aggression for so long. Hamas has the right to defend its citizens too.
and also said "remember 6000000 of Jews had to die to have there own Country"
I can assure you that those people who died didn't even know that israel would ever exist. The concequence of their death might have lead to making israel (with the help of britain) pretty much like any colonizer in history…..
llia please check your facts, whilst the Arab people are supporting Palestinians, the Arab government are not so what's your point? And what a great, intelligent comment about the Arabs 'they bring nothing except violence', you really are in need of an education. How can you make such a derogatory comment about 1.2 billion people?
this my mail__
Enbal Gross
i wish u can contact
me
hala_sdc@yahoo.com
the reason y this world is fucked up is because of what rich countries try to have things the way they want them to be
ever wondered who created osama bin ladin? its the USA! BIG SURPRISE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxDnnyTnn78
Swaliha hello
1. Yes, I imagine a lot of people have had it with hearing the same old Israeli excuse over &over again. But keep in mind, as a policy maker, the good of your own people must come first. What I tried to say is that the good of the Palestinians in Gaza dose note come first to Hamas.
2. Yes, Gaza is under siege for a very very long time. Yes, living there is almost impossible. But why is Gaza under siege ? why doesn't Israel or Egypt want to open there borders ? Why don’t we want to give them jobs or petrol ? Did Israel and Egypt close there borders for no reason ? Will your country keep trading with a country that is firing rockets at 1/7 of its entire population ?
good job man we're in this together!!! hahaha keep it up!
3. Yes, in the past 60 years Israel has done hobble crimes agents the Palestinians. She still is. But aren’t the Palestinians to blame as well ? Do they un-like Israel want peace? Why doesn't any one want to do business with Hamas ? Why is the Egyptian border closed for so long ? Can the horrible situation be Hamases fault as well ?
4. Yes hundreds of innocent are being killed. Why is that? Is Hamas trying to protect them? Is he getting them out of harms way? Is he representing their objectives ?
5. What would you recommend doing? (Keep in mined; the rockets came before the siege)
Hey Yoav..I'm enjoying our friendly debate
1. Do you think Israel's offensive is putting its people first? It may seem that way, but what do you think the children who have lost their parents, and likewise the mothers who have lost thier children since December 27th will think of Israel? Do think their hatred of the occupiers will be less than than of Hams? I think not
2. You must understand it from the Palestinians point of view, they want more than peace, they want justice. They want to return to their homes/land that were seized by the Israeli colonialists. And ofcourse there is a reason for Egypt closing her borders, they are well aware of what it is like to have Israel as their enemy and therfore feel obliged to comply with thier wishes.
3. Ofcourse Hamas are responsible for firing rocckets but they are not responsible for the situation. In my view, this tragic situation is not merely becasue Hamas are firing rockets. It is unfortunatet that the killing of nearly 900 Palestinians has brough back to some people's attention, the real grievance which is that Israel has taken land which belongs to Palestinians, thus making them refugees and homeless.
I read this on a plackard when I was at a demonstration to show my solidarity for the Palestinians:
'You take my water, Burn my olive trees, Destroy my house, Take my job, Steal my land , Imprison my father, Kill my mother, Bomb my country But i am to blame:I shot back'
Dirk,
the most important thing is that you are open minded …. you are the proof for all that i've said.
wish you well.
Swaliha hello. i enjoy talking to you as well
1.I think you are right. By killing the innocent we are generating people that hates us. I would to if I was on the other side of the border. That is why I don’t belive in the on-going operation any more. I think we should hit Hamas as hard as we can but in any price.
2.you are wrong. The Palestinians want to live a normal life. The Hamas on the other hand wants revenge. Not there lands', not justice. In the last 15 years it is not the Palestinians who are tiring to reason out and compromise. They were offered to get there lads back, they where offered half of Jerusalem, they didn’t want it. The withdrawal from Gaza was no consensus in Israel. Still, there is a obvious trend, and until now the Palestinians don’t want to play ball. suled all Jews leave Israel ? is that the only noble solution ?
3.about Israel taking Palestinian land and all the "nakba" talk. Look at the similarity: 1948 , 1967 , 2006 , 2009. every time an Arab leadership takes there people to a adventure they cant possibly win. Every time hundreds are killed, lands are being taken away or foundations are being demolished. Every time Israel is being grasped as the monster. Why ? shouldn't we protect our citizens ?
4.about the plackard . yes, we killed, we stole, we destroyed. ( keep in mined, they were the ones who didn’t accept the UN decision and start war on us before being driven away) The question is what now. They want us of all there lands. They don’t want any agreement. What do you propose ?
swaliha hello
1.I think you are right. By killing the innocent we are generating people that hates us. I would to if I was on the other side of the border. That is why I don’t belive in the on-going operation any more. I think we should hit Hamas as hard as we can but in any price.
2.you are wrong. The Palestinians want to live a normal life. The Hamas on the other hand wants revenge. Not there lands', not justice. In the last 15 years it is not the Palestinians who are tiring to reason out and compromise. They were offered to get there lads back, they where offered half of Jerusalem, they didn’t want it. The withdrawal from Gaza was no consensus in Israel. Still, there is a obvious trend, and until now the Palestinians don’t want to play ball. suled all Jews leave Israel ? is that the only noble solution ?
3.about Israel taking Palestinian land and all the "nakba" talk. Look at the similarity: 1948 , 1967 , 2006 , 2009. every time an Arab leadership takes there people to a adventure they cant possibly win. Every time hundreds are killed, lands are being taken away or foundations are being demolished. Every time Israel is being grasped as the monster. Why ? shouldn't we protect our citizens ?
4.about the plackard . yes, we killed, we stole, we destroyed. ( keep in mined, they were the ones who didn’t accept the UN decision and start war on us before being driven away) The question is what now. They want us of all there lands. They don’t want any agreement. What do you propose?
im muslim and arabe i would like to see thanks for ur honesty and ur humanity
and glad to see there are peaole like u even if ur from israel ..but ur not zionist it's great from u
Hi again.
Please dont call what Israel is doing an 'operation', this is language used by propagandists. It's not an operation, its a massacre of Palestinians.
Can the Palestinians have a normal life when Israelis patroll the borders, the ocean and the sky with their military presence?
Yes, they were offered their lands back and they refused because although it would belong to them soverignty would lay with Israel so what kind of an agreement is that??
I am finding it so difficult to understand when you say things like 'Shouldn't we protect our citizens?' Do you not understand, Palestine was once a peacful country, Palestinians had a good life, they had homes, water, food, electricity, a culture and children who smiled and played. They too were citizens and Israelis have taken this away. In my eyes Israel will never be able to have the moral high ground and I would say the same about any other occupyer.
When Palestinians start war, it is not war, it is intifadah, it is uprising against the people that occupy them.
Please read this article which states the views of a former member of Israeli parliament.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009...
And also watch this on YouTube, it has 11 parts
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-SbjAanvUqs
Tell me this, if it was not the European Jews who came to Palestine to settle after the Balfour Agreement and after WWII, and it was another group of people, what would you think of them?
As for what I propose, I don't have a clue. I have lost hope
Swaliha Hello, I enjoy talking with you to
I didn’t get a chance to enter the links you sent me, but I promise to watch them soon ant tell you what I think off them.
1. There is no massacre going on in Gaza. Hundreds are being killed by our bombes, but un like Hamas, the lost of innocent and civilian life's are not intentional. Like I wrote before, what kind of "peoples army" hides behind the civilians, use schools and hospitals to hide in, steal the little aid, food and water that was alluded in , and force civilians to act as an human shield. Do you think the people of Gaza truly support Hamas? Just look what happened to them in two years ? I am not justifying the IDF, but don’t forget, Hamas is the one putting the civilians in the line of fire. When Hamas hanged hundreds op the PLO forces in town square Gaza, did you condemn them then ? Did you protest? Did you say massacre?
2. In 2000 Arafat was offered a withdraw from Palestinians occupied lands including half of Jerusalem. In that territory he could do what he wants. They could run there own country. They didn’t want it. They claim the right to all the land of Israel. In the bottom line, they want us out. Naturally, we disagree.
3. Yes, they had there good life here before 48. But then they decided to go to war. Not Israel. They lost, not Israel. Like in 67. they opened war on Israel ( no doubt about that right ? ) they lost big time, and then Israel is to blame for using excessive power. Back to Gaza, if Israel didn’t care at all about killing civilians, they could subdue the Hamas a long time ago .they didn't
4. What bothers me the most is the lack of self criticism? If I can criticize my country witch is doing almost everything possible to keep me safe, how can you not criticize Hamas witch is sacrificing and using the Palestinians to hide behind, rejects (until yesterday) any talks about an agreement, and keep provoking a country witch was pressed to the wall and said again & again "stop the rockets or we will hit back"
5.Parts of Israel was legally given to the Jews by the UN. Is that no fair buy your standards. Where are you from ? what is your background ? do you come from a country that has a higher moral background ?
6. in the bottom line I believe :A. the military operation must stop now. To many un-related casualties. B. Hamas must stop firing into Israel, try to kidnap Israelis by tunnels est.'. C. and then, when no one is firing at no one, the siege can go down. I hope it happens real soon
You say Hamas use schools and hospitals to hide in – this info comes from the IDF and Israeli government and is used to justify to citizens like yourself and the world, the killing of innocent Palestinians. And it is clearly working. If the people did not support Hamas, they wouldnt have voted for them. Colonialists always depict the colonised as barbaric and in this case as terrorists, in order to justify their brutality. They also depict themselves as the victims and as oppressed to legitimate violence,which is what the Israeli government is doing. The British in India did the same when Indians were uprising as did the white people in South Africa when the black people were uprising.
About Hamas hanging PLO forces (if this is true) I was not aware of it. And no I would not demonstrate. I demonstrate about Israel because she is a colonialist and what she is doing is State terrorism backed by the US government and also the British government has had a huge role to play in it therefore it is my moral obligation to do my bit. If I was to demonstrate about non-state violence/terrorism I would be on a demonstration everyday as it happens everywhere.
And I am British, and no we do not have a higher moral high ground. I am its biggest critic because of its previous colonisation of so many parts of the world and ofcourse its invasions of Iraq and Arghanistan and the role it played in displacing Palestinians.
'They could run there own country' – simply not true
'Yes, they had there good life here before 48. But then they decided to go to war' – The European Jews took over Palestinian homes because it was granted to them by other states who had no right to do so. The Palestinians put up a fight because they did not want to lose their homes. Would you not do the same if foreigners came to take your home? While I am glad you are being slightly critical unlike many other Israelis whom I have heard from, your mentality is the same. Israeli government was provoked in your opinion, but Hamas wasn't provoked at all, they just decided to put their own life and the life of Gazan women and children risk. How on earth could they have a legitimate grievance ey? Think, Yoav. Whos lacking in self criticism?
And no it was not the UN's right to give Palestine (what is now called Israel) to the European Jews, even many Jews share this opinion. But if you consider the UN to be the benchmark of legality, consider this: under UN conventions, all refugees have the right to return, So that means Palestinians do, but where should they go
It makes me happy to talk with people like you, which are open minded, and reasonable. Please tell me more about your self.
1. Did I ever portrait the Israeli side as the victim ?
2. yes I here Israeli media as well. Yes it isn’t balanced, I am aware of that. But still, overall, my gees is that I know much more about the situation, the true inspiration of the Palestinian people, and what kind of a war each side is running. My gees is that you never bean to Gaza or the west bank, you never had a long talk with a Palestinian, and you watch the news about are region only when there is a big crisis like now. (please don’t be insulted, no disrespect. I will be very happy to here otherwise)
3. I am surprised that you didn’t here about the Hamas revolution 2 years ago in Gaza. I erg you to learn a little about it. Overall, they executed all PLO members in Gaza. I gees they didn’t want any opposition. I am also surprised you didn’t protest. And tell me this, as brightens biggest critic, do you demonstrate about the thousands of innocent killed in the going on wares. (don’t get me wrong, I am for demonstrating and criticizing our governments for these horrible wars, I hope me & you will do much more protesting in the days to come, but my gees is that you don’t put to much effort in criticizing your government, and that you to "enjoy the fruits" of your occupying government to.
4. About the decision to go to war in 48. Again. Do more reading. Tell me, until 48 , where were they driven of ? who killed them ? who took there lands ? I will be happy to get some examples. Did the Jews take the land or buy it from them ? Do you think it makes a difference?
5. If I understand you correctly, you think the state of Israel has no right to exist under any format. Needless to say I disagree. And again, I will be happy to here what you propose, should we go back to where we came from? Do you think the "shabab" in Iran will take me back? I hope…
I have always been aware about Palestine or what is now called Israel, I have done plenty of research and been to plenty of conferences and meetings about it from a young age. Of course there are things I do not know because it is not covered in the media therefore my research is independent and as a student I do not always have the timeI have seen Gaza and the West Bank documented by very few people who go there, and I have seen the checkpoints, the refugee camps, the Israeli soldiers in the towers, the lack of space that Palestinians have to live in. I have also accounts of people whom I know who have been there and they have brought back photographs etc. Obviously it is not the same as being there in person and I plan to visit Jerusalem this summer, if it will be possible then I want to visit Gaza too.__I attended every single demonstration in London and Manchester against the illegal invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, I cried for the Iraqis and Afghans as much as I cried for the Palestinians so please do not accuse me of enjoying the fruits of my occupying government. I refused to vote for them, I complained to my MP, I made petitions, what more can I do, you tell me?
thank you very much..this article is inspiring..i am very glad their is a jew standing in the palastine side!
Number 4, I will get back to you just to ensure that what I will tell you is accurate.
Yes, Israel should never have been created but it is difficult now because of course those that were directly responsible for the occupation and displacement of Palestinians are not the only ones that are in Israel today. I have thought about solutions etc and I cannot say what I propose because I cannot speak on behalf of the Palestinians. But the minimum action that needs to be taken in my opinion is: firstly, I do not think Israel should attack Hamas, they have a legitimate grievance and they should try diplomacy. Secondly, occupation needs to be stopped completely, there should be a complete withdrawal from occupied territories. The Palestinians need to be liberated and treated as equal citizens to the Israelis. No more Israeli soldiers surrounding them, no more checkpoints, no more ID cards, no more refugee camps, freedom to travel, access to healthcare, education, the right to live a good life as the Israelis do. Palestinians who have been imprisoned for uprising should be released. Do not humiliate the Palestinians any further.
Thirdly, all the Israeli officials past and present should be tried for war crimes and all the Israeli soldiers who have been imprisoned for refusing to kill Palestinians should be freed.
Some Israelis should go back, i mean the ones who have come recently because the israeli government offers them land and loans – this is a way that the israeli government expands its population and territory. Also, why give free land to to them when it should be given to the Palestinians instead? Palestinians that have had their fertile farm land taken away should have it returned to them and refugees should have the right to return. Like i said, i cannot speak for the Palestinians, they may want more or different to what i think. This is simply the minimum that needs to be done in the name of humanity.
The problems have nothing do with Muslims and Jews, some people like to tell people that it is so that no solution can ever be provided for it. Many Jews refused to come to Israel in 48 because it went against Jewish teachings and in England many Jews oppose Israel's actions and protest alongside Muslims.
I am assuming you are Jewish? Whether you are or not, I am sure you will agree with me that Muslims and Jews in other parts of the world get along well. By the way I am Muslim. If you watch Occupation 101 on YouTube (the link i sent you), you will see that Israelis are beginniing to question what their government is and has been doing. They too like me are appalled by lack of human rights many Palestinians have as a result of occupation. They see the injustices. This is why I am debating with you, I want more Israelis to realize this.
Not "occupation 101" again ahhhhh it's such a one-sided terrible movie
you think we don't KNOW there injustices??? of course we do, they're ahppening 15 minutes from our house, and everyone has to serve in the army and go there. You Israelis dont want it to stop?? yes they do. do you think we can make it stop while everyone says they want to kill us all? no. thank you
I am not being facetious. All these claims are just as valid—or just as fantastic—as the Jewish "historic connection" with Palestine. Most are more valid
In any event, the great Moslem expansion about 650 AD finally settled things. It dominated Palestine completely. From that day on, Palestine was solidly Arabic in population, language, and religion. When British armies entered the country during the last war, they found 700,000 Arabs and only 65,000 Jews in the whole middle east.
If solid, uninterrupted Arab occupation for nearly 1,300 years does not make a country "Arab", what does?!
The point is not if it's "arab" or "mexican" – the point that jews deserve a state if thety want a state, just like palestinians deserve a state if the want a state. Zionism tried to operate peacefully, but there was a war forced upon it. It's tragic – but it's reality.
It is unfair, to make Palestine, which is innocent of anti-Semitism, pay for the crimes of Europe. How Jews can claim a historic right to Palestine, when Arabs have been the overwhelming majority there for nearly 1300 uninterrupted years?
For nearly 2,000 years Palestine has been almost 100 percent Arab. It is still preponderantly Arab today, in spite of enormous Jewish immigration. But if this immigration continues we shall soon be outnumbered—a minority in our home.
Palestine is a small and very poor country, about the size of your state of Vermont. In 1947 Its Arab population is only about 1,200,000. Already we have had forced on us, against our will, some 400,000 Zionist Jews.
Our position is so simple and natural that we are amazed it should even be questioned. It is exactly the same position you in America take in regard to the unhappy European Jews. You are sorry for them, but you do not want them in your country. We do not want them in ours, either. Not because they are Jews, but because they are foreigners. We would not want hundreds of thousands of foreigners in our country, be they Englishmen or Norwegians or Brazilians or whatever.
Think for a moment: In the last 25 years we have had one third of our entire population forced upon us. In America that would be the equivalent of 45,000,000 complete strangers admitted to your country, over your violent protest, since 1921.
How would you have reacted to that?
Damascus, Baghdad, Beirut and other Arab centers have always contained large and prosperous Jewish colonies. Until the Zionist invasion of Palestine began, these Jews received the most generous treatment—far, far better than in Christian Europe. Now, unhappily, for the first time in history, these Jews are beginning to feel the effects of Arab resistance to the Zionist assault. Most of them are as anxious as Arabs to stop it. Most of these Jews who have found happy homes among us resent, as we do, the coming of these strangers.
The Jews say, and rightly, that Palestine is the home of their religion. It is likewise the birthplace of Christianity, but would any Christian nation claim it on that account? In passing, let me say that the Christian Arabs—and there are many Milions of them in the Arab World—are in absolute agreement with all other Arabs in opposing the Zionist invasion of Palestine.
May I also point out that Jerusalem is, after Mecca and Medina, the holiest place in Islam. In fact, in the early days of our religion, Moslems prayed toward Jerusalem instead of Mecca.
The Jewish "religious claim" to Palestine is as absurd as the "historic claim." The Holy Places, sacred to three great religions, must be open to all, the monopoly of none. Let us not confuse religion and politics.
Dear Enbal
As an Israeli, I will not call you a traitor, but if I am honest I think you'll be offended. I would say to you, in a non-offensive way – את חיה בסרט
why? well "With all due respect, I want to live my life without emotional scars and traumas and it is impossible"
If that's the life you want, Israel is really not your kinda place. Most of the planet is in fact not your type of place. For that kind of life, you might need to go live in Denmark, and drink a lot of vodka, without leaving the house. Yes – it is impossible.
I think that if you approached people, offered your protest to Israel's actions in a measured way, and offered a reasonable solutions, people would treat you with respect. If you walk around shouting "genocide", of course people will get angry and call you things. Because a)there is no genocide and b)people are living in bomb shelters with member of their family fighting, they don't want to hear you shouting nonsense at them.
I think your argument that israel isn't a democracy because people call you a traitor is just as ridiculous. People have as much a right to call you names as you have a right to go around shouting "genocide". You are proving that Israel is a democracy, and that is the only credit I give you.
Did the police drag you away at night, threw you in a dungeon, tore out your toenails and electrocuted your nipples? That's what they do to traitors in non-democratic countries such as Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. Did masked men drag you out of your house with barbed wire and shot you to pieces in broad daylight in the town square? That's what they do to traitors in Jenin.
I would have the utmost respect for you if you were able to come up with reasonable alternatives to what is going on in Gaza, or if you dedicated your time to reconciliation instead of spreading misinformation which is only stirring hatred and doing the Hamas a service
Sorry it had to be so harsh and condescending, hope you were not offended, but it's what I think.
there are* you think* .. fill in the typo gaps
Omri.
i live here for 26 years and i DON'T have any emotional scars . why? because i know i'm doing everything i can to help the weak and helpless. i've washed my hands from the terror that IDF does.
and yes- it is the biggest terror organization in the world!!!! to murder 1170 including 368 children & 105 women, 5220 injured in 22 days- is terrorism under command of the government.
ther e is NO justification to the massacre in Gaza! and no…. 8 years of Kasam is no excuse.
the "reaction" as IDF like to call it, is unproportional and just cruel!!!!
370 children- WHY?????
go to our group on FB you will see pics that will break your heart- and somehow- israelis stay apathetic to them , how could it be?!
did they lost our humanity??? – well the answer is YES!
Enbal and Omry
I think you both are somehow right. But of cores it is obvious that in sum issues, un like Inbal, Omry has his feat on the ground. Anyway i hope to see you both in the demonstration today.
Swaliha,
I think that you are a bit naïve, and that your ideas are totally un doable. I am sure that after your visit in Israel and Gaza you will understand the dynamics better.
Thanks for being a hero. Glad there are still a kind person like you amongst the Jews. Really salute you. For the people of Palestine, they are always in my prayers.
i am not a big fan of zionism but i am a right wing israeli. i am a humanist and a globalist, i believe there is no monopoly on human suffering. at the same time i got a sence of perseverance and i know that no sane person will describe the situation as u do Enbal. this is so odd. how would you explain sderot?
Extremely brave man, the israeli establishment don't take kindly to opposition from any quarter.
ilia,
Go live in Gaza and feel Israel's aggression for a while. Anywhere in Gaza will do, unlike the Palestinians, Israel has advanced aircraft that reach everywhere. Ashkelon is nothing. Here is a simple test. Google these four examples and tell us what you see. (Palestine dead) (Israel dead) (Palestine "treated for shock") (Israel "treated for shock")
You'll find that the terror inflicted upon Israel may be shocking, but the terror inflicted upon Palestine is deadly. Before you go much further, check statistics on children suffering from PSTD in both area's, and ask yourself why so much attention is given to Israelis being treated for shock when the situation is so much worse on the other side of the wall.
Enbal, you ROCK! Thank you!
Love ur article. It gives us hope it tells us that not all jews are wrong. I wish there would be more like u. I wish Allah guides u towards islam.
I love you!!
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