American Jews need to get involved in domestic Israeli politics. The days of discussions behind closed doors have passed, and so have the years of consensus. Too much is on the line now for those who care about Israel to demonstrate apathy.
Some American Jews are already involved. One of them is actually the owner of the most widely read newspaper in Israel, which also serves as the voice of the prime minister and chairman of the Likud Party, Benjamin Netanyahu. Others donate money to candidates that they support, or to organizations that run activities with which they identify. However, the large majority of American Jews look at what happens in Israel, raise an eyebrow or two, and move on, as if it has nothing to do with them. But it does.
The State of Israel was create to ensure the continued existence of the Jewish people, and not the opposite. In Israel, you can even find those who mistakenly hold the opinion that the State is eternal, while the Jewish people may be a passing phenomenon. In fact, Zionism was born in order to create one place were Judaism would continue no matter what. The discussion always surrounded a national home in the land of Israel. Whoever supports continued control of the entire biblical land of Israel effectively supports a state that will be either non-Jewish or undemocratic.
In 2015 -- in just three years -- there will be more Palestinians than Jews in the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean. Shortly after that, Palestinians will stop demanding a state. They will only demand "one vote for one person," as they will integrate into the regional movement demanding democracy, dignity and freedom. Then, even if we want to, we will not be able to leave the West Bank, the area where a Palestinian state is supposed to be established. Hundreds of thousand of settlers, who continue to multiply by the day, will represent not only the obstacle between Israel and peace, but also the difference between the triumph of Zionism and its defeat.
Israel arose on the basis of Jewish and universal values. Democracy, the equal right to be different, the respect for a man and a woman and their freedom are supposedly the supporting pillars of the Jewish state. But a nation that controls another nation -- that dictates to the other which roads it can and cannot drive on, that imprisons that nation's sons for extended periods without trial, that confiscates that nation's land and denies it independence -- cannot, even if it wants to, live on the values which it once espoused.
Israel will hold elections in the coming year. The date is not yet set, but that day is not far off. This will be a choice between continued occupation and the division of the land, between a binational structure and a democratic state with a solid Jewish majority. This will be an election that will influence the entire Jewish world. Of course, ultimately only citizens of Israel will vote and decide. It should be this way. But whoever decides to remain uninvolved, uninfluential, to look on from the sidelines, may find him or herself a partner in a decision which he or she vehemently opposes.
The entire Zionist enterprise is in danger right now, and history will not only judge those who caused this, but also those who were silent while it happened.
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a) Complete integration of Muslims (just not Druze) in the IDF.
b) Redrafting of the Hatikvah to eliminated the words "soul of Jew yearning to be free".
c) End of automatic citizenship for Jews in Israel, and Israel as a safe haven for just Jews.
d) A flag without a Jewish Star (in order not to offend the other citizens).
What would the attraction then be of Israel to Jewish people? It would just be another country with a significant amount of Jews in it. Why would I or any other Jew support the country?
This is not true.
Israel’s control of the entire biblical land of Israel does not exclude local autonomous democratic government within the territories. It does not exclude local “economic”, “cultural ” and “ceremonial” relations with foreign governments. It does not exclude a “National Guard” under local control. The territories (call them what you want) would continue to benefit from an integrated economy.
It excludes the imposition of dictatorship, persecution of minorities, fostering terrorism and foreign military alliances.
The State of Israel has a substantial non-Jewish minority. There is no reason an autonomously governed territory, or second state for that matter, should exclude a non-Muslim minority with full civil and religious rights.
Under either “solution” Israel proper would continue to be a “Jewish State” that ensures religious freedom and civil rights to minorities. There is a much better chance for democracy and minority civil rights in the territories than in any “independent Muslim state”.
If the Muslim Arabs did not have the destruction of Jews and/or the denial of equality to Jews and Christians in the entire Middle East as theri objective, peace could be achieved in a very short time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn4ZX99Fbxs&feature=youtu.be
The question is how to do it, what are you going to offer the Palestinians more than what Olmert already offered them and was rejected?
- Israeli politics, as Israeli elections are entirely Israeli business and to imply or suggest otherwise is to fall into anti-Semitic tunes that all Jews are responsible for policies of Israel. If you feel like you have something to offer to the state of Israel - make Aliyah. If you feel "ashamed" my policies of Israeli government - it is not problem of Israel but of your view of Israel. Israel is not to please this or that political agenda of a foreign group or party. Israel is to protect its citizens, all of them.
- "American Jews need to get involved in domestic Israeli politics. " Not for several reasons. Firstly, Israeli politics is for Israelis, citizens of Israel, Jews, Arabs, Druze, Bedouin and others. Non-citizens should stay away. Talk around coffee table - yes. Get into making policies - get Israeli citizenship first. And why only "American Jews"? What about Russian Jews (Abramovich, Fridman ...) can they be involved too? French? Or Chinese? Huh?
- "... there will be more Palestinians than Jews ...". Firstly, you're talking about Arabs, as "Palestinian" is not ethnic but geographical term. Second - make Aliyah, bring you family to Israel rather then whine about dangerous demographic situation in Israel.
- "... cannot, even if it wants to, live on the values which it once espoused" The passage too long to copy. If Israel was not attacked, terrorized then there would not be need to control, to occupy - you need to follow cause-effect line, not "relative right" doctrine that equates murderer of the Fogel family and IDF soldier that fights terrorists that hide in densely populated area.
By the way the demographics about Judea and Samaria that were not done by the Palestinian Arabs tell a completely different story.
Well, that would be true if you included the entire Palestinian diasporia, everyone in the camps that is.
Different rules for different ethnic groups. Democracy?
"For starters," the wonderful thing about being American is the freedom to contribute to whomever we wish and not be dictated to by outside parties (i.e., posters like you). And if American politicians want to talk to Bibi, they have that right as well. To many, Israel is less "a foreign country" and more the Jewish homeland. That's the real issue for people like you.
You complained at first that there are too many American Jews supporting Israel, then closed with "many America [sic] Jews have not even been to Israel." In any case, if people like you would leave Israel and the Jewish people alone, there would be no conflict or wars and this world would be a better place.
Get this straight. This is American Jews we're talking about. Americans who have never been to israel. Will never visit israel. They disagree with the occupation of Palestine and they disagree with israels policies of land theft and colonization.
These guys are supposedly "traitors to israel"
http://thinkprogress.org/security/2011/05/24/169012/aipac-demand-loyalty/?mobile=nc
In a press release published this week, Rambam Medical Center in Haifa revealed that young Aya Almasal actually died while en route from Gaza to the northern Israel port city.
Having suffered from unexplained and sudden bouts of unconsciousness her entire life, "Aya set out for Rambam to treat this problem... [but] upon leaving Gaza, she felt ill and her situation steadily deteriorated," read the release. "As the girl neared Rambam, her heart stopped working and she was, in effect, dead."
Israeli medics and doctors managed with great effort to resuscitate their young Arab patient and implant a life-saving pacemaker. Aya was later diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome, a birth defect that causes irregular and rapid heart rate, and prevents blood from reaching the brain, resulting in a sudden loss of consciousness.
After a month of treatment and close monitoring, Aya was discharged last Thursday "standing on her own two feet" and ready to return home and start life anew.
Aya is but an example of the overwhelming compassion Israel often demonstrates toward its Arab neighbors, even those from territories that are violently hostile toward the Jewish state.
We see it for what it is, that is the dedication of Doctors and Nurse's upholding their Values and not that of people who profess to speak for them
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3950581,00.html
Three people have been granted a new life, after a Palestinian child died.Despite the tragedy, his parents approved an organ donationthat saved three people, including a five-year-old boy who required an urgent liver transplant.
A lung was transplanted in a 7year old girl suffering from an inborn lung disease. Another lung was transplanted in a 55-year-old man after it was found unsuitable for any other children.
"My son reached a state where it was impossible to save him," Moussa Salhut, the boy's father, told Ynet. "We're happy to see him alive in other people, regardless of whether they are Arab or Jewish.
http://www.haaretz.com/and-the-twins-died-1.61327
"The twin girls died one after the other. The first to die was the one who was born first, at the checkpoint. Several hours later came the death of her sister, who was born a few minutes after they finally left the checkpoint, and who managed to reach the hospital alive. One lived for less than an hour, the other for less than a day."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4274400.stm
"More than 60 Palestinian women have given birth at Israeli checkpoints between 2000 and 2005 and 36 of their babies have died as a result, says a UN report."
And Rambam is far from the only Israeli hospital that provides such care to its "enemies." Israel Today has previously written about a group of Israeli surgeons who donate their time to a humanitarian organization called "Save a Child's Heart" that has provided life-saving surgery to well over 2,000 Arab children to date.
Kind of paints a much different picture than the apartheid narrative insisted upon by Israel's antagonists.
...and Iraq
American Jews must speak out about oppression and violence against Beduins and Palestinians in Israel and the occupied territories.
http://mondoweiss.net/2012/02/settlers-spray-death-to-christians-on-a-monastery-death-to-arabs-on-a-school-and-mohammad-is-a-pig-on-village-entrance.html
For those living in Gaza, I suggest you talk with Hamas about the issue.
the next few moves on the chess board are likely to be made by israel without official sanction from the us which means they are willing to put a lot of lives in jeopardy. Who is to blame if they wind up being put in check? or mate?
to all anti Israel crowd
This just in. Menachem Begin, the former Prime Minister of Israel and Noble Peace Prize winner, died on March 9, 1992. We repeat, the former Prime Minister, who signed a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979, is dead. He is not expected to recover.
Rest in peace, Prime Minister.
The jaffa market bombinga i agree with you.
Do you mean Columbus and other white Americans?
These are the same people who on the day of the 9/11 attacks danced in the streets, handed out candy to there children and burned American flags chanting death to America.
You can find the video on you tube. For my money I will back the Jewish state which is a fellow democracy
All of them? Most of them? Some of them? To make such a sweeping accusation, you presumably have some figures to show that a significant majority of Palestinians were dancing in the streets on 9/11.