Israel is about to celebrate its 62nd birthday.
Many Israelis will be asking themselves, how far have we come since 1948?
The interview below is a good indication.
It was recorded when the United Arab Republic (UAR) was about to be formed. Egypt was at the height of its power, and Israel was not occupying an inch of the West Bank, or the Golan. As far as many countries in the Middle East were concerned, it had to apologize for merely existing. Economically, Israel was a basket case.
The year was 1958. The interviewer was Mike Wallace, the interviewee was Foreign Minister Abba Eban.
We have come a long way since then. Mistakes have been made. However the progress has been astonishing.
The dream lives on, and its up to us Israelis, more than any other nation to protect it and to nurture it.
In 1948 we had to fight for our very survival. In 2010 we have to make peace for our longevity. A Palestinian state, based on the territories captured after 1967 is not a detriment to our survival. Its something that will assure Israel's future as a Jewish, democratic state. For Israel's sake, we must strive for a Palestinian state.
How the times and options for our survival have changed, to our advantage.
Dear Israel, happy birthday.
To watch the interview, click here
Follow Meir Javedanfar on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Meir_Javedanfar
Mr. JavedanFar crystallize the characters that Iran's leaders trying to show their existence.
The official propaganda line from Iran is that Iranian opposition and exiles in US are a bunch of spies or loyalists of Israel.
What better reason for existence of such a "rare animal" than showing it in a public forum like HP.
I am personally deeply relieved that my grandmother isn't alive today to see what Israel is demonstrating for a horrified world to see about being Jewish.
Happy birthday.
Israel is not a Democracy" here then is an opinion
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/m/i/midniterun/2010/04/why-israel-is-not-a-democracy.php?ref=reccafe
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/
...They had best hope that the palestinians become civilized members of the world community.
"We Will Decapitate the Jews and Rip Their Hearts from Their Bodies"
March 26, 2010
http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4060.htm
"We have to kill the Palestinians unless they are resigned to live here as slaves".
- Chairman Heibrun Oct. 83
Committee for the re-election of Gen. Schlomo Lahot
"We must use terror, assassination, intimidation, land confiscation, and the cutting of all social services to rid the Galilee of it's Arab population.
- Israel Koenig "The Koenig Memorandum'
I have more, but I guess it is not necessary. Unfortunately when Goliath says it, it sounds
more threatening.
Very refreshing change of pace from the usual slightly unhinged irrationality which emanates from the Muslim fundamentalist -Western liberal revanchist alliance.
Dr. Mamoun Fandy:
The Palestinians Are Their Own Worst Enemy
London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat,
"Where should someone who wants to mediate in solving the Palestinian problem go? Should the Europeans and the Americans go to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, or to Hamas in Gaza?
Who should former U.S. senator George Mitchell or EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana talk to...?
"Today, there is in fact no Palestinian partner [for peace] - and the idjiotic warring Palestinian factions can take 'credit' for that.
There are of course those who make a living from the [intra-Palestinian] struggle, with their writing or their television programs, but they are not confronting the Palestinian [leadership] with this truth. But it's better to discuss the Palestinian problem like adults, not like adolescents..."
Just remember to keep it civil.... never mind...
Britain ultimately pulled out under pressure of Zionist terrorism and crushing WW2 debt. The Jews unilaterally declared independence with the logical reaction from their Arab neighbors. When the UN attempted to intervene the Jews assassinated the mediator-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folke_Bernadotte. The west officially recognized Israel and that is where the legitimacy of Israel began-international support.
Whether you are a rabid Eretz Israel(er) or a push them into the sea subscriber, these are the historical facts and they are not taught in school in Israel or anywhere else in the area
A comprimiose was drwn in United Nations. laestinain Jews ( smartly) declared independence).
Where as the Arabs, as usual more interested in other people's unhappiness than their own happiness, declined to proclaim Independence in favor of a land grab and genocidal war against Jews.
They lost.
Happy Independence Day to the people of Israel, Great job!
Yes he is of Iranian decent, in fact he was born in Iran. Nothing wrong with that, but writing a love letter to one country (Israel) while being an "expert" on another country (Iran) while advocating violence against one is at best a compromised position.
And for you geniuses, Antisemitic is an antiquated term. It is only applicable to a 19th century European context where the only 'Semites' were Jews.
The news flash for you is that Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, Peninsula Arabs, Jordanians, Egyptians, Libyans, Moroccans, Assyrians, and Algerians are ALL SEMITES.
But don't let facts bother you, since all history began in Europe.
(look up the word sarcasm)
2) No one has ever claimed that Arabs aren't Semites: But that's a mighty nice strawman!
3) Why is it that only those who don't like Jews have a problem with the term "anti-Semitism"?
"“Mr. Javedanfar, please change your name to something more appropriately hebrew, having such a Persian last name is unbecoming of a chosen one. You might get profiled.”
I encourage everyone to check out this person's posting history.
Oops, I forgot he isn't around any more :)
Many world companies invest billions of dollars in Israeli RD and hi tech facilities.
Israel ( pop. 7,million file more U.S. patents than ALL of the Muslim countries combined ( pop. 1,5 billion).
Israel has more museums and galleries per capita than any other country in the world'
Israel is the ONLY country in the world with a yearly surplus of trees.
Israel is the ONLy country in the world where 94% of housing uses solar heating power.
It is almost an conceivable miracle of hard work, and unswerving dedication to education and excellence,.
Happy B-Day!
Don't get me wrong, I think that Palestinians face a horrific reality in their day-to-day lives but they should feel lucky that extermination is not a goal of Israel or of Israelis.
If you are proud of that than I don't have problem with people who support Hamas.
According to the Hamas official, Israel launched its operation primarily in a bid to topple the government of Hamas and it was also aimed at preventing the transfer of arms to the movement.
After the three-week offensive which killed at least 1,300 people and destroyed Gaza's infrastructure, the movement however announced that it would resume rearming.
The percentage of "immigrants" (Sorry, but the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of immigrants are NOT immigrants) gets larger
Palestinains can have a demilitarized state under watchful eyes of their neighbors-- or none at all.
The choice is theirs.
War crimes are war crimes, killing civilians, white phosphorus, all that - thats barely even history yet. Whats there to know? Anyone who does that is a brutish blight on our world. No need to "learn some history".
Civilians killed, check. White phosphorus, check, war crimes, check... Where am I going to learn that all those things weren't war crimes?
Self defense? Please. Against stones and crappily made rockets that kill old ladies from fear?
Once again, the best anyone defending Israels record has to offer is personal insults and weak, weak arguments. In fact, I wouldn't even call that an argument. I would call that 2 useless questions and 1 flat out joke.
Since the time that Jews of the Ottoman and British Empire achieved self-determination Israel has become the most democratic, scientifically and technological advanced state in the Middle East.
Israel is a thriving democracy. In staggering contrast to the rest of the Middle East, Israeli democracy tolerates a wide variety of political views:t here are Arabic parties that reject the existence of Israel. Yet there are represented in Israeli Parliament. There are communist, atheist, liberal and religious parties in Parliament, made of both Arabs and Jews.
NO other Middle Eastern country is strong enough to tolerate such a variety of opinion.
A country in conflict with its foreign enemies is neither less nor more democratic.
Like Israel, India is a great democracy. And like Israel Indian status as a a great democracy is not diminished by dispute over Kashmir.
Deal with it.
I'd call Israel a theocracy not a democracy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Prime_Ministers_of_Israel