Israel/Palestine
“What’s great about Gaza”
Yesterday I got into a comments war with Eamonn McDonagh over this post, in which Eamonn addresses the harrowing accounts of IDF misconduct during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. It was an unsatisfying exchange, and I take my share of responsibility for letting the tone get out of hand. But I stand by my charge that Eamonn’s post is cavalier, his
Erdogan unhinged
Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey has lashed out at Israel’s Shimon Peres on a panel at Davos. During his tirade, Erdogan cited the supposedly authoritative views of Gilad Atzmon, a UK-based jazz saxophonist and political loudmouth, whose foul antisemitic writings I’ve noted on this blog many times. And to think that Turkey was jealously guarding its role as a possible
Rosen PS
My post on Nir Rosen has provoked the sputtering wrath of antizionist blogger Gabriel Ash, who ridicules me as a liberal (that is exactly correct) and alludes to a previous disagreement we once had. That disagreement, in case you’re wondering, was over Palestinian suicide bombing. Ash refused to condemn it, on grounds similar to Nir Rosen’s, as it happens: we’re
Part of the problem
I’m putting up this photo [via] to drive home the reality: the excellent singer Annie Lennox, near a banner that reads “Stop the Holocaust in Gaza,” is marching next to a man, George Galloway, who has venerated Vladimir Putin, Hu Jintao’s regime, Bashar al-Assad, Hassan Nasrallah and of course Saddam Hussein. “Stop the Genocide”? George Galloway praised Saddam in person,
Nir Rosen, propagandist
[Cross-posted at Z Word.] Glenn Greenwald links, with some caveats, to this piece by Nir Rosen as a “must-read” on the Gaza conflict. “…[Rosen’s] generalized explanation about how the concept of ‘terrorism’ is distorted and exploited by stronger countries can’t be emphasized enough.” What can’t be emphasized enough is that Rosen’s case is sophistry from start to finish. I’ve profited
Gaza: escalation
Early reports have it that Israel has launched a ground invasion of Gaza. I don’t agree with every word of this Johann Hari piece, but hand it to him for getting this exactly right: Israel’s leaders have convinced themselves the harder you beat the Palestinians, the softer they will become. But when this is over, the rage against Israelis will
Gaza
My remarks on the Gaza crisis are up at Z Word. [Update: Eamonn’s response.]
Hate in Hebron
Eamonn McDonagh and Gene are right: the Arab-hating Jewish settlers of Hebron are scum. But when Gene asks, “Will it take the death of a soldier or policeman at the hand of a settler before the government cracks down?”, he ought to recall that the settlers’ movement has the murder of an Israeli prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, on its hands.