An editor of has declared that any pity for the Palestinians in Gaza is “unethical and immoral.” The editorial by Adi Dvir appeared in Israel’s largest newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, on January 4, 2009 as the international community has complained about civilians deaths in the campaign and the United States blocked a United Nations resolution calling for an end of all hostilities.
Adi Divr writes:
To pity the people of Gaza is to patronize them, in essence implying that they do not control their fate, the state of their government, or their own actions. It is to assume one of two things: Either that Gazans are too stupid to oust the cancerous Hamas presence in their midst, or that they are unable to do so.
A bit harsh I’d say. It is hard to view the current bombing campaign as a sign of respect.
I am sympathetic to Israel’s loss of patience over the incessant rocket attacks from Hamas areas. No country is expected to remain silent as such attacks occur. These rockets kill indiscriminately, including the recent tragedy where Palestinian rockets killed Palestinian children in Gaza. However, it is hard to see how this campaign is going to help end those hostilities. There is growing concern over excessive force, such as the killing of Iman al-Ham and the destruction of an entire apartment building to kill a Hamas leader. There are reports that Israel is using sound bombs and even calling homes to warn civilians before such attacks to reduce civilian fatalities, click here.
What is clear is that columns like those by Adi Dvir show how detached people have become to the suffering of people on the other side of the conflict. The columnist goes on to say “[j]ust as a crying baby who only elicits pity will continue to cry, the citizens of Gaza will continue to cry out to the world instead of taking matters into their own hands.” The total absence of any sense of humanity is all too familiar in this part of the world.
For those sane Israelis who support this operation, the condemnation of Adi Dvir should be shift and loud.
For the column, click here.
“But I also recognize the right of a country to defend itself from ruthless, unprovoked attacks. Hamas started “this one” as it were, and when they launched rockets into Israel last week for no reason other than to push Israel and hopefully draw international ire against them, they crossed a line that they should not have crossed.”
I’m sorry, but does Hamas represent Lebanon or Gaza?
Or does Hamas conveniently represent any country they happen to lob grenades from?
Oh and as for the “amicably” part, thanks for implying that my reasonable, polite and informative response to her was not “amicable”.
Which is what you just implied.
How about you go back to insulting me for no good reason and I go back to calling you a dick?
It made more sense that way.
I’m perfectly capable of interpreting the English language on my own there rimshot Pete, but thanks for the tip. And since you apparently are not, here’s what she wrote.
Then, after writing that, she goes on and continues “posting about it”.
As she just instructed me not to do.
So thanks for the two cents worth but I think I’ve got it covered.
Now aren’t you supposed to be keeping you comments to yourself or something?
Wayne,
I believe Jill was trying to end her side of the discussion amicably, not force you to be quiet.
And the real irony of your statement is that AFTER declaring I have no right to respond to your comment to me, you then proceed to “restate” your argument.
Thus breaking your own crazy new rule.
You stated your opinion once Jill, thus by your rule you have no right to address the topic further.
What’s the words you used? Oh yea.
Seems you just broke your own zany rule.
Guess its one of those “do as I say not as I do” thingy’s, huh?
Jill 1, January 5, 2009 at 12:46 pm
“Wayne,
I agree with Gyges, that when people have stated their positions and they aren’t going to see eye to eye, it’s time to stop posting about it.”
What?
I mean seriously, what?
So you get to state your opinion, along with appropriate responses but when you direct a comment towards me I’m not allowed to respond to it?
If you didn’t want me to respond to your comment to me then why’d you make it? What kind of lunacy is this new doctrine? You get to comment to me, but I am not permitted to respond?
I didn’t realize there was this new “one comment per topic rule”.
The reason I didn’t realize it, probably has something to do with the fact that you nor anyone else observes it.
Apparently this is one of those new rules that only applies to me.
Sorry Jill, but that statement is founded in insanity not reality. Everyone has a right to comment, and if you don’t want people responding to you then why bother addressing them?
I for one don’t want people commenting to me who think I have no right to counter their response.
Seriously, that was just an utterly ridiculous thing to say.
I sometimes wonder if this is a blog, or a Kindergarten.
Wayne,
I agree with Gyges, that when people have stated their positions and they aren’t going to see eye to eye, it’s time to stop posting about it. I agree with you that Israel has a right to defend itself. Defending oneself militarily is one way to go, but it hasn’t shown any success in decades. There are more ways to respond to violence than with more violence. Suppose Israel had gone to the international community to set up outside peacekeepers to stop the rocket attacks, while simultaneously opening up Gaza to much needed food, medicine,energy and other necessities? They could delegitimize Hamas rather quickly. Responding in kind is giving legitimacy to an illegitimate organization. They are also delegitmizing themselves in the eyes of the international community. Belicosity is probably the least effective way to handle attacks. I’ve stated my position. I heard what you said and I don’t agree with it. At this point I will stop. It’s not lack of respect, just a recognition that we don’t/won’t agree.
Jill 1, January 5, 2009 at 11:56 am
“Wayne,
He said, the warnings don’t help as there is no place for the people to go. Two of the commentators (including Mr. Melhem) readily pointed out that there is a complete lack of imagination and willingness to resolve this conflict on the part of all govts. involved. If we wanted to, we could knock some heads together and at minimum get an immediate cease fire.”
I’m all for a ceasefire. I just also know that Israel does have a right to defend itself and Hamas had ZERO right to fire those rockets into Israel last week, breaking the truce and killing innocent civilians for no good reason.
This conflicts been going on as long as I’ve been alive. Longer even. And its clear the Arab’s are playing this for all its worth.
The idea that the people have “no where to go” when the building is called is not true. They just need to exit the building and move to another area. This has been proven in the last 48 hours by the fact that several buildings called prior to attacks were destroyed without the loss of life.
From the article:
I’m not taking sides here. This conflicts been going on so long that taking sides is impossible. I’m for peace, not war and I’m for the sanctity of human life. Nothing is more important to me. But I also recognize the right of a country to defend itself from ruthless, unprovoked attacks. Hamas started “this one” as it were, and when they launched rockets into Israel last week for no reason other than to push Israel and hopefully draw international ire against them, they crossed a line that they should not have crossed.
If Cuba launched missiles into Miami today, killing Americans and destroying homes and apartments, what would you suggest we do about it? “Talk” to Cuba? Ask them nicely to stop? Seek international help so we could hold sponsored peace talks?
I wouldn’t. I’d say we take Castro and his military out before they killed any more Americans.
Israel has the right to defend itself. They need to be measured and reasonable in their response, meaning surgical strikes and preferably special forces to take out Hamas rocket sites and leadership, but they have a right to protect themselves and given our current occupation of Iraq I don’t see how we have any moral high ground to preach from here.
Wayne,
I just heard a very interesting discussion of this on Diane Rehm. “Hisham Melhem, Washington bureau chief for Al-Arabiya TV, and Washington correspondent for “An-Nahar” spoke directly to your point. He said, the warnings don’t help as there is no place for the people to go. Two of the commentators (including Mr. Melhem) readily pointed out that there is a complete lack of imagination and willingness to resolve this conflict on the part of all govts. involved. If we wanted to, we could knock some heads together and at minimum get an immediate cease fire. This is not an unsolvable problem but what is happening now makes a resolution more and more difficult.
Buddha Is Laughing 1, January 5, 2009 at 7:02 am
“A simply ridiculous assertion.”
What’s a simply ridiculous assertion? That calling ahead to apartment complexes and warning the people of an impending attack is ridiculous?
That’s what the Israeli’s are doing. Same with the “Sound Bombs”.
The sound bombs are to warn people of an imminent missile strike.
These both seem like good steps towards reducing civilian casualties and as professor Turley pointed out, Hamas really asked for it this time by breaking the ceasefire and just launching rockets into Israel.
What would the US do if Mexico started firing rockets into the southern states? Killing Americans and destroying infrastructure?
What would we do?
What would want to do?
Israeli apartheid; makes old South Africa look like Disney World.
“God Bless the Israelis. Hey lefties, where is Barack Obama when you need him?”
*******************
You have to wonder about a guy who calls down the benevolence of the Almighty for a group of foreigner fighters, but ridicules his own countryman for not doing something he is legally precluded from doing. Strange animals these conservative trolls.
carlito
1, January 4, 2009 at 9:32 pm
God Bless the Israelis.
Hey lefties, where is Barack Obama when you need him?
Hey, Carlito. Obama isn’t the President yet. We understand your excitement about his being inaugurated, but you’ll have to wait a couple more weeks. Despite his disappearing act, George Bush (ugh!) is still the President. You’ve just gotta start keeping up with the news.
A simply ridiculous assertion.
JT –
“There are reports that Israel is using sound bombs and even calling homes to warn civilians before such attacks”
That’s a good thing right? What they’re doing is calling to these apartment buildings and telling the civilians to get out. The “Sound Bombs” you mentioned are also designed to warn civilians of an impending rocket attack.
These seem like good steps designed to reduce civilian casualties.
God Bless the Israelis.
Hey lefties, where is Barack Obama when you need him?
This is a very good interview, right on target with this post. It’s from Terry Gross:
“Fresh Air from WHYY, December 23, 2008 · Filmmaker Ari Folman was a 19-year-old Israeli soldier serving in Beirut at the time of the 1982 massacre of Palestinian refuges. Though he has no memory of the time, he revisits the mission in his new film, Waltz With Bashir, a surreal, animated documentary of the terror.”
Mespo,
I just saw that scene from Red Dawn a few days ago on the TV. I didn’t think of it’s importance then, but it does follow the same pattern of sick right wing thinking that we are seeing in Gaza and we have seen in Iraq.
“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?” (Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll)
Well it seems Adi Dvir has gotten his wish and his world.
On JT’s comment that: “I am sympathetic to Israel’s loss of patience over the incessant rocket attacks from Hamas areas. No country is expected to remain silent as such attacks occur. However, it is hard to see how this campaign is going to help end those hostilities.”
***************
Some wisdom from popular culture here, this time from the right-wing movie “Red Dawn”:
If a fox stole your chickens… Would you slaughter your pig because he saw the fox? No. You would hunt the fox… You would find where it lives and destroy it! And how do we do this? Become a fox.
–Col. Strelnikov