Why Do So Few Speak Up for Gaza?

Why are we so indifferent to the death and destruction in Gaza?

The major news outlets meekly accepted Israel's banning of journalists from entering Gaza as an excuse for downplaying collateral civilian casualties, our president-elect, Barack Obama, has had little to say about an invasion that will much complicate his future Mideast peace efforts, and most commentators easily rationalize Israel's many-more-eyes-for-an-eye killings.

Why is it that there is such widespread acceptance, beginning with the apologetic arguments of President Bush, that whatever Israel does is always justified as necessary to the survival of the Jewish state?

It is not.

While the Hamas rocket attacks are reprehensible, they are also an ineffectual challenge to Israel's enormous security apparatus, and the severity of Israel's response to them is counterproductive. Clearly, the very existence of Israel is not now, nor has it ever been, seriously challenged by anything the Palestinians did. Not back in 1948, when Israel was established as a state with insignificant Palestinian military resistance, nor at the time of the 1967 Six-Day War when Egypt, Syria and Jordan fought Israel.

The Palestinians were in no position to confront the Israeli army, because those whose lands were not already occupied by Israel were living under oppressive Egyptian control in Gaza and tough Jordanian rule in the West Bank. After the speedy Israeli victory, which demolished the myth of the new state's vulnerability, the Palestinians became imprisoned as a people by Israel for crimes they had not committed.

Even if we accept the harshest portrayal of the tactics and motives of the Palestinian movements against Israel after the Six-Day War, at what point did that terrorism represent a serious challenge to the survival of the Jewish people or the state that claims to speak in their name? Yet that survival is invoked to justify the vastly excessive use of force by the Israeli war machine, with frequent allusions to the Holocaust previously visited upon the Jewish people, a holocaust that had nothing to do with Palestinians or Muslims, and everything to do with Central Europeans claiming to be Christians.

The high moral claim of the Israeli occupation rests not on the objective reality of a Palestinian threat to Israel's survival, but rather on the non sequitur cry that "never again" should harm come to Jews as it did in Central Europe seven decades ago.

The basic argument is that Palestinian terrorists represented by Hamas are given to an irrational hatred of Jews so profound that it invalidates their movement, even when they win elections. That was not the view of the Israeli security service when it earlier supported Hamas as the alternative to the then dreaded PLO. Also, history is replete with examples of terrorists becoming statesmen, even within the early ranks of Jews fighting to establish the state of Israel.

One of those was Menachem Begin, who went on to be an elected leader of the new state. But before Begin attained that respectability, back in 1948 when he visited the United States, a group of prominent Jewish intellectuals including Albert Einstein, Sidney Hook and Hannah Arendt wrote a letter to The New York Times warning that Begin was a former leader of the "Irgun Zvai Leumi, a terrorist, right-wing, chauvinist organization in Palestine." The letter urged Jews to shun Begin, arguing, "It is inconceivable that those who oppose fascism throughout the world, if correctly informed as to Mr. Begin's political record and perspectives, could add their names and support to the movement he represents."

Begin's new party was then participating in the Israeli election, and Einstein and his colleagues, many of whom like the physicist had been victims of German fascism, stated, "Today they speak of freedom, democracy and anti-imperialism, whereas until recently they openly preached the doctrine of the Fascist state. It is in its actions that the terrorist party betrays its real character."

Those actions were then detailed in the letter. They included the systematic terrorizing of innocent Palestinian men, women and children in an effort to force them to flee the territory that Begin's party claimed for the new state of Israel.

Clearly Begin and his political heirs, who include Benjamin Netanyahu, the most likely victor in the next Israeli election, evolved in their behavior. But I bring it up now to highlight the one-sided reporting of the current phase of this interminable conflict and to wonder: Where are the voices that reflect the uncompromising morality of Einstein's generation of Jewish intellectuals willing to acknowledge fault and humanity on both sides of the political equation?

Robert Scheer is the editor of Truthdig, where this article originally appeared.

Comments

[rick58]

Hmmm... could it be because Gaza is ruled by bloodthirsty, homicidal, suicidal, genocidal, religiously inspired maniacs?

[iambw]

Michael I applaud your efforts on these blogs. I stand in awe at the lot of those who try to make the emotive argument of the horrors of women an children dying in the attacks and yet refuse to make the reduction to root cause. Where is the outrage for the Israeli deaths? Where is the outrage for the attacks from Gaza? Must Israel sit by and do nothing to gain sympathy? When you won't the bully to stop attacking you the force must be so that the bully has to stop. This is a question of self preservation and Hamas is using Naziesque propaganda tactics in sacrficing their own people. It speaks more to the complete disregard for human life than to any other point. The Muslim world has shown us time and time again that dying for a just cause is noble. So why then lament the loss of life in Gaza? Surely those dying due to hiding troops or munitions are dying for the sake of the cause. Surely they will be rewarded.

Scheer's non-pragmatic suggestion of Palestine not being a threat is beside the point. At what point is it a threat, sir? Is not the very nature of sending a weapon into Israel a sign agression? Would you, Mr. Scheer, cease to defend yourself if someone was hitting you while wearing a boxing glove? Is it only when bare fisted that the attacker is a threat? What a foolish approach to dealing with aggression.

[Michale32086]

I'll re-iterate a long standing belief..

HAMAS could stop all the violence in an instant..

If HAMAS stops firing rockets at Israel, agrees to not fire any more rockets at Israel and acknowledges Israel's right to exist, the IDF and the IAF would stand down.

Personally speaking, I would like to see Israel hold out for the return of Cpl Shalit and make his safe release a condition for a cease fire.....

But, that's just me..

Michale.....

Michale......

[doriath22]

So, basically the message is, "accept your second class status under our arpartheid system, and we will generously allow you to continue breathing. Michale, would YOU be willing to accept a deal like that?

[Michale32086]

Probably not..

But I wouldn't resort to terrorism over it..

NOTHING justifies terrorism..

Michale.....

[Michale32086]

CONT

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Please recognize that your excessive posting of the same information over and over and over again is disrespectful to other commenters, because it shuttles their NEW comments to the next page.
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It is not your place to determine what is and is not excessive... Is this or is this not correct? If my prolific postings make it so you have to actually click to the next page, I am ooohhh soooo terribly sorry... But I think you will survive...

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Yes you are right, you absolutely deserve to have your opinions heard with an open mind.

But that isn't enough with you. You post the same views over and over and OVER again in an attempt for vain validation. Your need for attention is transparent, especially in the way you put your name on the end of each post, use parenthesis and shifts excessively. You want to call as much attention to your repetitive comments as possible.
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If I read a dozen people saying HAMAS is good and right, I am going to tell a dozen people that they are wrong and provide examples that shows they are wrong...

Once again, I point out that, if my posts bother you that much, simply skip to the next one... My posts are clearly marked. It's not as if you can be "fooled" into reading them, no??

CONT

[Michale32086]

@TheBlackCat

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I'd say they are spot on
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You are welcome to your opinion...

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Please understand that your repeating posts over and over again just bogs down traffic. There are already so many members and comments already on HuffPo.
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How can it bog down traffic?? Are you upset over the bandwidth?? Seriously???

No, what "bogs" down the traffic is people like you and chaos4700 et al who are intent on making the comments about me, personally, instead of about the issues being discussed..

What does my posting style have to do with Gaza?? What does me being prolific have to do with Israel and Hamas fighting?

Not a thing... So, why bring it up??

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Yes obviously when a discussion like this conflict is on going, it is expected that people will be presenting ideas more than once.

But you really do so excessively, in an attempt to dominate the narrative of threads,
{{{{{

I respond to commentaries. People respond to my responses.. And then I respond to all their responses... How is that an attempt to dominate?? Also, HP is a moderated forum for discussions. Apparently they do not have a problem with how I post?

If my posts bother you that much, then it is a simple matter NOT to read them, no??

CONT

[Michale32086]

@mikep

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Their history is excellent, perfect in fact. Especially the fact where it is noted that the Israelis also had to fight the British, probably the most anti-Semitic nation in the world. In the 1948 war, virtually all of the Arab nations were supplied with weapons by the British. The Jordanian army was in fact commanded by a British officer. If you have any corrections to make piulo5, then please enlighten us.
{{{{{

It was a perfect dissertation of the events.

Don't expect piulo5 or the like to follow up with anything. These HAMAS supporters are great at spewing up nonsense and throwing subjective accusations out left and right..

But when asked to follow up with some facts or other logical or rational evidence....???? It's cricket city...

Michale.....

[ajax2]

Siege and the killing of civilians are quite common, not unique to this Gaza incursion. Siege has been used by many commanders in the past, most claim that siege saves lives. However modern warfare in spite of high tech advances has a dismal record of avoiding civilian casualties.

[xxnounxx]

THIS IS WHY..SO IMPORTANT TO WATCH..

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6604775898578139565

[ajax2]

This comment is pending approval and won't be displayed until it is approved.

The tactics used in Gaza are quite common historically. Closing off the tunnels are very important for the siege to be successful.

"Under international humanitarian law (IHL), siege is not prohibited per se. The capture of an enemy-controlled city is a legitimate military aim, and army commanders have often seen siege as less costly than the alternativ­e"fighting house to house, street by street. Historically, a key element of siege warfare has been to reduce a town"s defenses and force its surrender by cutting off its vital supplies and leaving the population, civilian and military alike, to starve. Cruel as this tactic is, the laws of war permitted it at least until the end of World War II, under the rationale of military necessity."

[rj1340]

To say that Israel was in no danger of extinction either in 1948 nor in 1967 is absurd. Its the same as saying that 6 million Jews were not anniahlated by the Nazis, they just moved to New York.
In 1948 the Jews fought the entire Arab world AND the British for their very existence. The Arabs did not accept the 1947 UN partition of Palestine and vowed then to eliminate the Jews.
In 1967 Egypt, Syria and Jordan vowed to destroy Israel. Had Israel not responded to Egypt's reconnaissance of their airfields by pre-emptively destroying the Egyptian airforce, the Arabs might have succeeded. The Egyptians lied to the Syrians and told them they were advancing on Jerusalem, hoping to get Syria to attack Israel , which they did.
The lessons of 1967 are clear: the Arabs can't be trusted (they don't even trust each other to obey OPEC resolutions), they can't be negotiated with, since they will accept nothing less than the destruction of Israel and the only safety for Israel lies in her ability to strike first.
Israel dismantled its settlements in Gaza, at great cost in GDP and livlihoods in 2005, and yet the rockets still come. If Mr. Scheer thinks they're not a serious threat to Israel, he should talk to families of the people killed by those rockets or the teachers who stay home or near bomb shelters because their schools have been closed because they are in range of Hamas rocket fire.

[piul05]

History is not your best subject, is it?

[Berettasskeeter]

Where did he go wrong?
Semper fi

[TheBlackCat]

Does history teach us nothing?

After the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. squandered the good will of the whole world in its opening of Guantanamo, its invasion and occupation of Iraq, and its use of torture.

The actions of the U.S. did far more harm to us that the Taliban ever could have dreamed.

Now Israel seems DETERMINED to repeat our mistakes.

Don't they understand that Hamas leaders are LOVING what is going on right now? They are playing right into their hands, this is what they WANT! For the world to turn on Israel! They goaded Israel into doing this exact thing, acting with monstrously disproportionate force resulting in widespread civilian death and the world's condemnation.

Just as Osama Bin Laden surely danced a jig when the U.S. invaded Iraq, now Hamas leaders are doing the same.

Nice job, Israel. You let yourself get taken in by a bunch of thugs, and did exactly what they knew you would do, and wanted you to do.

As a commenter pointed out yesterday, Israel has done far more damage to themselves than Hamas ever could have hoped.

The terrorists of the world have discovered that the best way to tear down their enemies is not by murder, it is by assisted suicide. Like America before it, Israel is happy to oblige.

[Michale32086]

It's well documented by Al Jazeera that HAMAS leaders are not "dancing"..

They are hiding...

They are hiding while their minions cause more and more Palestinian deaths..

Yea... GREAT leaders, eh?? :^/

That was sarcasm, in case you missed it..

Michale.....

[outnow]

I have been re-reading Albert Einstein including some more obscure writings about the possibility of a financial meltdown and the probability of an intractable conflict between Israel and Palestine. I have followed both infernos since 1965. It is really quite simple - those who don't want to see it are the "true believers."

Begin wanted to ascend in the ranks; his followers are using the war cry, "Never again!" which I still hear. The idea that God chose a certain people to go on a conquest of others was the basis of the doctrine of Manifest Destiny, used to kill Indians. The teachings of Christianity evolved to mitigate the harshness of the law of the Hebrews and the killing of the Romans. Constantine co-opted Christianity to wage war. How stupid Constantine's claims were in retrospect. Even he knew better but wanted the military advantage. There is a lesson here for Israel. I just hope that they are not too blind to see.

[Michale32086]

@1dogs2

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Not if "terrorism" is the use of tactics designed to inspire fear for one's life.
{{{{

Is that how you define terrorism???

Remember, terrorism is not some subjective or variable definition that you can change or morph to fit whatever has you upset at any given moment.. Terrorism has a set, definitive and objective definition that MUST be applied objectively or it is meaningless..

If that's how you define terrorism, that's great.. We can go from there...

Michale.....

Michale.....

[1dogs2]

Suppose you tell me what definition of terrorism you prefer?

On second thought, don't bother. Your refusal to recognize as fact eye-witness testimony from U.N. and Red Cross workers demonstrates that it is not possible to have a rational conversation with you, and that you will continue to be as deaf to the just claims of Palestinians as Hamas hard-liners are to the just claims of Israelis. That is why there has been no lasting peace. Nor will there be until both sides are able to admit their own crimes against the other and see each other as human beings with an equal right to live in peace and security. Every time there is a crisis involving more death, more terror, more suffering, the day on which a peace accord will be celebrated is further delayed.

[Michale32086]

Eyewitness testimony is the WORSE kind of testimony there is...

As to my definition of terrorism, it will have to wait until I am no longer remote.. But it is prevalently posted throughout many of these commentaries... I'll be at my home station in an hour or so and can get it to you then...

Regardless, I am sure you would agree with me that NOTHING justifies terrorism, right??

Michale.....

[mjc]

The International Red Cross tried for several days to get ambulances into at least one of the frontier communities and were PREVENTED from doing so by the Israeli Defense Force. Finally, when they arrived the discovered a dozen DEAD bodies on a single mattress with a few very younger children still lying beside their dead mothers, very emaciated. When the ambulance started to leave, they were stopped AGAIN by the IDF and by the earthen mounds the Israelis had bulldozed up against the paths. The Israeli response was that they would investigate this.......This is the kind of death that the Israelis justify for rockets coming into Israel, beginning 8 months ago and stoppable then, which before their air attacks killed 4 or 5 Israelis. The death toll in Gaza is now at 760 and a third of the deaths are civilians and lots of children. There is not one moral, defensible or reasonable excuse for a nation to attack people they had already basically locked up and then systematically proceed to wipe them out. It should remind the Israelis of the Holocaust but perhaps that is just too long ago for the signal to reach them.

[SiberianRat]

Tell it, mjc!

[mikep]

"There is not one moral, defensible or reasonable excuse for a nation to attack people they had already basically locked up and then systematically proceed to wipe them out."

Certainly there is. It's called a formal declaration of war, and a refusal to end that war. And we all know that the Israelis haven't "wiped" out the Palestinians, or have ever intended to do so. The population of the Palestinians continues to grow, as it has for decades.

[mjc]

Israel is considered the "occupying power" in Gaza. Gaza is not a nation and therefore would be sort of silly to "declare war". And I didn't say that the Palestinians had been wiped out YET. The Israelis are working on it. The growing population of the Palestinians is one of the big worries of the Israelis since their population isn't growing. The Palestinians will soon be too many PERHAPS for the two state situation to work and the Israelis aren't about to allow them to join in the State of Isarel. Hamas, like many guerilla organizations, employs it's soldiers in the way that informal organizations have done for centuries, including the Americans before there was a United States of America; the Brits were horrified by their "Indian-like" behavior, preferring to stand and fire in small battalions. They didn't like the frontier fighting exhibited by those Americans.

[Michale32086]

@NorthernMan

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So, Michale you agree that Israel should go back to the 67 borders and there is fault on both sides. Then Israel is illegally occupying land which would justify the use of force by the palestinians according to the ICC and your MANY previous statements. Thanks for making my point. Israel is only taking advantage of the US transition period. End settlements, go back to the 67 borders, create a sovereign state and the stomach for tolerating Hamas and Hesbolah will diminish, invade a defenseless people and it will increase the tolerance for Hamas and Hesbolah. pure and simple.
{{{{{{{

Yes, I have stated that, in the overall mess of things, Israel is FAR from being pure as the driven snow..

My only claim, CONSISTENT claim is that, in the here and now, with THIS current crisis, Israel is fully, legally, morally and ethically in the right and HAMAS is wrong..

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :D

Michale.....

[YR]

"The United Nations halted aid deliveries to the besieged Gaza Strip on Thursday, citing Israeli attacks on its staff and installations hours after it said tank fire killed one of its drivers as he went to pick up a shipment.".
U.N. spokesman Adnan Abu Hasna said the U.N. coordinated the delivery with Israel, and the vehicle was marked with a U.N. flag and insignia when it was shot in northern Gaza. The Israeli army said it was investigating.

Well at least they're investigating.

Israel is always "fully, legally, morally and ethically in the right." Ha!

Michale needs to reread Scheer's article above.

[Michale32086]

So, your "facts" are completely unsubstantiated news stories???

This is why it's so easy to refute your "facts"...

You have none...

Michale.....