At what point in time did we decide to abandon the use of logic and instead focus on ridiculous and harmful conspiracy theories?

I have a theory it ended when Fox decided to take the X-Files off the air. At that point, we focused our attention away from aliens and on to to sneaky and deceptive Jews.

Should it matter that Gaza has new Islamic militant gangs being established (or disbanded) all the time? Specially now since the Jews left and anarchy took over.

Should it matter that Israel, being a free society with a free and open media (with more foreign reporters than pretty much anywhere else on earth), has never pulled this kind of crap in the past knowing they would caught (not to mention the moral implications... oh wait, Jews don't have morals)

Should it matter that we are engaged in a GLOBAL jihad, from Thailand to Nigeria to Gaza and the terror group's demands are not in any way original?

Should it matter that both the Palestinians and the Israelis have said that this is a Palestinian terror group, making everybody on all sides liars except for one noble, brave, and intelligent individual who saw through this Arab-Jew conspiracy alliance.

C'mon, you can't really believe this horrible conspiracy stuff, can you? If you do, I think you make a great example why peace is not achievable.

Oh, by the way... as a Jew I just want to mention that 9/11 was not us either.

In line with the arab media all, attributing 9/11 to CIA/Mosad agents, even calling Jews to leave Trade Center a few minutes before.

Recently they, pan-arab british, added Entebbe hijack (what about Munich killings?) to Mosad.
Keep going, Darfur? Also a propaganda enterprise for the adavantage of Israel, so don't make too much noise about the islamist killing or raping out there in the UN, better don't even menttion it.

Gaza is certainly not sealed, there are many tunnels through which people and things can be and will be smuggled.

"Or Israeli intelligence is somehow behind the abduction"

And how is that supposed to work? They are not magicians... ;)

"What do Hamas, fighting for the liberation of Palestine, care whether or not Britain releases its Muslim prisoners? "

Because Abu Quatada (one of the guys in question) is a Palestinian Al-Quaeda guy and they want him free.

All in all I think your opinion is built on a not-too solid basis -- I know you mean well, and if you only look at it from one side, it can seem heartwrenchingly unfair, but, before you decide on hearsay that you find in the 'left-wing' sites, but spend some time looking at 'enemy sites' you don't normally do -- www.tellthechildrenthetruth.com is a good start, use this as a reference for a google search, Wikipedia also has good info on the men mentioned there.

As a staunch antifascist of many decades I personally can not think of any good reason why Hamas, given their political pedigree that reaches all the way back to Hitler and the NSDAP should be supported at all, on principle, and especially not by anyone who defines themselves to be 'left-wing' :(

I think there has to be a third way, one that does not take any side other than that of humanity and the future.

This reporter chose his side a long time ago along with the rest of London's cosmopolitan elitist 'Islam means peace' double-speaking self-righteous self-serving condescending Islamic apologists.

He deserves whatever he gets

The demands raise questions such as: who is the Army of Islam? Why, if they have the capabilities to capture and hide someone as prominent as Alan Johnston, have we never heard of them before?

Ah, but we have heard of them before. They're an al Qaeda associated group in Palestine - suggesting goals larger than just the liberation of Palestine. They originally split off from Hamas and are part of the Palestinian Resistnece Committee. They were involved in the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit. Perhaps since they asked for 1300 Palestinian prisoners to be released that time and didn't get them, they decided to see if they'd have more luck bullying the UK.

Dave

Ah but Dave,

I can now see that the AoI has been around for a while, but...

In demanding the release of prisoners in return for Shalit, they were making a demand shared by the Palestinian cause as a whole. Demanding the release of Muslims held by Britain serves no purpose for the Palestinian cause. What Palestinian does not want his land liberated before all else. Suggesting ISraeli intelligence maybe framing them... OR... From what I have read about the AoI they are driven by money and power, Israeli intelligence could be paying them or promising god knows what to do this. BAsed on just how much damage this abduction has done to the Palestinian cause -- why abduct someone speaking on your behalf? To free some Muslims held by Britain, in far better conditions that most Gazan's are living in? It just doesn't make sense, my theory at least answers all the anomilies in this abduction.
As for your Al Qaeda affiliation assertion explaining the strange demands et al... Like most Islamic terror groups around the world, ONE OF AL QAEDA's MAIN DEMANDS, IS AN END TO THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION OF GAZA.


Kyle,
Should it matter that Israel, being a free society with a free and open media (with more foreign reporters than pretty much anywhere else on earth), has never pulled this kind of crap in the past knowing they would caught (not to mention the moral implications... oh wait, Jews don't have morals)

You said it, not me! I have nothing against Jews, most countries' intelligence services have committed conspiracies to further their countries' or their own, or capitalist interests. Remember Munich? Kyle, you might well be a JEw, but unless you are in Mossad, you don't have a damn clue what they are really up to around the world, no more than I know every move every MI6 agent or unit make.

Imli,

"Or Israeli intelligence is somehow behind the abduction"
And how is that supposed to work? They are not magicians... ;)

I have explained how it could work in the article, maybe you should actually read it properly before commenting.

"What do Hamas, fighting for the liberation of Palestine, care whether or not Britain releases its Muslim prisoners? "



Because Abu Quatada (one of the guys in question) is a Palestinian Al-Quaeda guy and they want him free.

More than they want their country and all their brothers and sisters to be free... Come on?

What am I going to get Luke Skywalker?

"I'll let you make up your own mind."

I've already made up my mind: You're absolutely crackers.

RJ. I continue to agree with you more and more. A great day to you sir.

I work in Gaza from time to time and your blog is absolutely rediculous. There's no way you can smuggle in a whole tribe of Arab-Israelis anonymously into Gaza.

For a brief undercover operation, yes, but to establish themselves in central Gaza, kidnap a foriegner and get away with it? Ludicrus.

If the group holding Alan were non-Gazans, the tribal politics of the area (which you seem incredibly unaware of), then Hamas, Fatah, and even the blacksmith down the street could legitimately turn on the screws to release Johnston.

The fact is the Army of Islam is run by a powerful Gazan tribe that lives in central Gaza _ which you give way too much credit to, by the way. The reason they don't call for the liberation of Palestine in their demands to free Johnston (but do in other publications) is too much responsiblity.

Calling for the release of a random Qaeda target offers legitimacy to Qaeda funders who might be willing to throw some dollars their way, without actually having to release Abu Qatada. However, calling for the liberation of Palestine _ Qaeda funders would probably want to see results.

As for Ghazi Hamad "holding back" on news that Johnston was safe, do a search on googe for "Hamas Johnston BBC kidnapped" _ they were saying this at least two weeks before Hamad went to the UK.

Hold the conspiracy theories mate, and do a bit more reading.

Didi,

READ THIS: "I think there are continuous efforts to release him. We hope we can do it very, very soon," Mr Hamad said, adding that he knew the group holding the reporter.

He said he had received news about Mr Johnston two days earlier through his own channels."

And how long they have been saying it for does not change the fact that they could be lying for the reasons laid out in my article.

And Why not demand the release of Abu Qatada and an end to the occupation? Demanding the release of other Muslims held by Britain just makes no sense whatsoever.

I said: "Or Israeli intelligence is somehow behind the abduction"
And how is that supposed to work? They are not magicians... ;)"

Liam answered: "I have explained how it could work in the article."

Sorry, you didn't explain, you wildly assumed stuff which would be hard to put into a plot for a book because it's full of holes -- reality does not work this way. I need a bit more than a ghost story that to convince me! For example, what would Mossad blackmail those Arab-Israelis with that the international press wouldn't pounce on and pay millions to scoop? And why would any Arab-Israeli be trusted to this extent anyway? Most Israelis can easily pass for arabs anyway, so why choose someone who doesn't want to do it? It fails the gravity test, sorry ;(

Liam said: "I have nothing against Jews, most countries' intelligence services have committed conspiracies to further their countries' or their own, or capitalist interests. Remember Munich?"

Are you trying to insinuate that Mossad blackmailed/bribed as the PLO back then or something? Are you sure that is was not the Germans who wanted to get 'even' at Munich, maybe because the Germans were miffed at having to pay Israel so much compensation? The BND is not exactly a pansy collection...! (Just kidding...) I can construct a whole conspiracy theory here for you that will be logically consistent within itself and in the end you will be convinced that Cthulu himself is just using human beings for dadaist sadistic entertainment, whilst posing as God...

It is better to work with facts and known things, I have trouble recalling even one such conspiracy theory that ever worked the way that the pundits feared it would. Conspiracy theories are modern fairy stories and it's best to avoid them.

I also notice you didn't respond to what I said about Hamas and their fascist history that goes all the way back the Hitler and the NSDAP -- is that not something that you should comment on, if only to justify why you're sympathising with these people?

Sigh, one typo had to sneak in here:

I said: "Or Israeli intelligence is somehow behind the abduction"
And how is that supposed to work? They are not magicians... ;)"

should read:

Liam said: "Or Israeli intelligence is somehow behind the abduction"
I said: "And how is that supposed to work? They are not magicians... ;)"

Typical leftist conspiracy drivel. For those of you who can't understand the 'logic', it's a simple matter of not speaking with the same underlying values. Every time you point out a flaw in his garbage, he'll simply amend his conspiracy to account for that.

I think people like this enjoy being the contrarian, seeing the murderous thug as the justified martyr and hard working businessman as evil. It makes them feel special and more intelligent than others who can't see the "truth".

"Typical leftist conspiracy drivel...Every time you point out a flaw in his garbage, he'll simply amend his conspiracy to account for that."

Kinda like Rush Limbaugh does? Typical rightist hypocrisy.

Poor Liam!

You just don't seem to be able to swallow the painful fact that the Arabs in Gaza are nasty, uncivilized ingrates. If they shoot themselves in the foot, it's got to be the work of the evil manipulating Jew, that dirty sheeny stinking of pickles with oodles of money coming out of his pockets, eh?.

Listen, kid, the Gaza Arabs wrecked the greenhouses stolen from the Jewish residents of Gush Qatif, greenhouses gifted to them by Jewish millionaires who in their arrogance and stupidity, DID buy the drivel sold them by Jewish traitors like Wolfensohn, Wolfowitz and Stan Fisher.

The Gaza Arabs wanted Jewish blood, and denied that, they had to destroy Jewish property that was now theirs. They hate us enough that they would do that.

The Gaza Arabs do not really like westerners too much. They'll tell you what they think you want to hear - but they have no use for you or your society. And Alan Johnston was just another representative of a society they generally hold in disgust. Sorry dude, that's just the way it is.

If you write that "Israeli intelligence was behind the kidnapping," the Arabs will lap it up and maybe even pay you - but when you cannot hear them, they'll call you a useful idiot.

But Ruvy darling! 'Herzl presented his project [to create a Jewish state] in a manner best calculated to appeal to the listener: to the sultan he promised Jewish capital, to the kaiser he intimated that the Jewish territory would be an outpost of Berlin, to Chamberlain he held out the prospect that the Jewish territory would become a colony of the British Empire...'

So please, do not unload such hollow criticisms upon a desperate and stateless society, for doing so amounts to hypocrisy, surely?

"So please, do not unload such hollow criticisms upon a desperate and stateless society, for doing so amounts to hypocrisy, surely?"

In that case, let's unload the criticism on a society of four states, with the "mother of parliaments" and all that shit. The society and the country that undertook a solemn commitment before the world to create a "Jewish National Home" and then welshed on its commitment (pun intended) while Jews died in Hitler's ovens.

HYPOCRITES
(Article by Ben-Dror Yemini, Ma'ariv, 31.5.07, pp. 1, 9)
[English translation provided by Israel Government Press Office]

Why are we witnessing a recurrent historical phenomenon, a different law for Jews - a unique and racist law - as opposed to all others? It is not morality. Because, if human rights and human lives were what interested the British, they would devote much greater energy to what is happening in
Darfur than to what is happening in the West Bank.

The British lecturers know the truth. They are at least supposed to know.

They know that in Chechnya, for example, Putin's Russia wiped out tens of thousands of Muslims; some say hundreds of thousands, in order to regain
control of the rebellious region. They know that the Israeli army is the epitome of humanity compared to the Russian army. They know that in Central Europe, in Srebrenica, more Muslims were slaughtered in one week than have been killed in 40 years of Israeli occupation. They know that British soldiers, who control the Basra area in Iraq, and US soldiers in Baghdad and in other areas, behave much less humanly than do the Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, or Judea and Samaria. They know that the Syrian regime brutally
suppresses the Kurdish minority, and jails any intellectual who dares to open his mouth against the regime. And, given this, they have not decided
to boycott Russia, Britain, the USA or Syria. A partial list. They have decided to boycott only Israel.

Why? How is it that, once again, the Jews - excuse me, citizens of the Jewish collective - are again deserving of boycotts even though they did not
perpetrate any crime against humanity then, seventy or eighty years ago, or now, if we compare what other countries have done, including Britain, to what Israel is doing to the Palestinians. Why? Why are we witnessing an astounding, recurrent and disturbing historical phenomenon of a different
law for Jews - a unique and racist law - than for all others?

It is not morality. Stupid is the person who thinks that the British morality glands are working overtime. Hypocrisy does not go hand in hand with morality. Because boycotting Israel and not Syria or Russia, leads the British hypocrisy, and not the British morality, to new records. Because if human rights and human lives were what interested the British, they would devote much greater energy to what is happening in Darfur than to what is happening in the West Bank. The answer, hard to believe, is petrol. The conflict here shakes the stability of the world oil markets. British lecturers are deluding themselves that sacrificing Israel will appease the Muslim tiger. They, at least, want to ingratiate themselves with the nations that control most of the petroleum market. They are not boycotting the Saudis whose repression of women is much greater than the repression of the Palestinians. And not the miserable dictatorships of other oil nations.
Are you kidding? They wouldn't dare. True, the main reason is brainwashing. The blue screen transmits to the British - and not just to them - many more pictures from Beit Hanun in Gaza then from Chechnya or Basra. About Darfur there is not much to say. Arab Muslims are massacring black Muslims, a real massacre. Genocide. Hundreds of thousands have already been murdered. Millions of refugees. And that's alright. Because the hypocrisy of the British academics is not easily excited about anything unless it is portrayed on the television screen. And what is on the screen is mainly what is easy to attack. Not what needs to be attacked.

The good news is that things must be put into perspective. Two months ago I was present at some lectures in the framework of "Apartheid Week" that
called, for example, for the destruction of Israel. Some well poisoners from here were present, such as Yitzhak Lior and Eyal Sivan, Israelis who abhor the Jews' right to their own country. And - lo and behold - the lecture halls were nearly empty. Those present were mostly Palestinian students, a few Jewish Israel-hating activists and a marginal smattering of
somnambulant left-wing radicals. Most British know that the problem is not occupied Palestine. The problem is Londonistan, which is being overrun by
Islamists who declare vociferously: We want to raise the green flag over London. And therefore, the lecturers' decision is, for the most part, proof of the decline and miserable state of its academia.

I only wish that it were possible to say that it is only happening there.

This disease is here as well.
----------------------------------------------------

There is a reason that I'm so contemptuous - and so much less polite than the writer above. We do not need the west, something I understand clearly. You are our whelps; not the other way around. We recognized the unifying idea of One G-d - one of the bases behind the unity of knowledge - when you were still savages sacrificing children to gods of stone and wood.

Economically, we do not need you. We can grow the food to support this nation - without reference to you. We do not need to trade with you or deal with you. We are the ones with the startups - not you. That means that we have the ideas that advance the world - not you. And frankly, when you look at the peoples who have advanced the world with ideas - from nuclear energy to motion pictures - we are in the lead, way out ahead - not you.

So, applying discipline to ourselves, we can apply the concept that the Irish tried to do and failed at - "ourselves alone."

We have revived our ancient language and made it the common speech of our people. We have rebuilt our ancient land, and made it a home.

And now it is time to apply the dictum of the Torah to our nation: Israel shall be reckoned apart from the other nations - and cut you out of the benefits.

You mistake me for what I am not Ruvy. I am no patriot or nationalist.

I learn of the sins comitted by the British Empire and am appauled by them.

I am an accident of birth just like yourself, our differences lay not in our national loyalties but in our politics.

Before any of you whine about my seeming arrogance and dare compare me to a Nazi - before you even let the thought enter you minds - reread the paragraph below, and note my emphases.

Why? How is it that, once again, the Jews - excuse me, citizens of the Jewish collective - are again deserving of boycotts even though they did not perpetrate any crime against humanity then, seventy or eighty years ago, or now, if we compare what other countries have done, including Britain, to what Israel is doing to the Palestinians. Why? Why are we witnessing an astounding, recurrent and disturbing historical phenomenon of a different law for Jews - a unique and racist law - than for all others?

The answer is that any British academic - or anyone for that matter - who calls for a boycott of this nation - is a damned and damnable hypocrite!!!

I quote from Israeli historians, cultural theorists and political scientists. The nearest you'll find to British is Avi Shlaim (who I quoted in post #16); he has a duel Israeli-British passport, but is ethnically termed a Jew of Arab descent (Mizrahi).

I see the hallmarks of Dershowitz in your misplaced argument, Ruvy. This man ought to be considered a failure in terms of his capacity to understand the Israeli-Arab conflict.

Personally, I'd rather be a hypocrite than a dogmatic fool.

I'm not sure who that comment is directed at Chris, but if it be I, please state why.

Ruvy says...

"They did not perpetrate any crime against humanity then, seventy or eighty years ago, or now, if we compare what other countries have done, including Britain, to what Israel is doing to the Palestinians"

Reminds me of the criminal who claims he did nothing wrong because what he is doing is no worse than what others have done in the past.

The "much bigger dog" barks,

"Reminds me of the criminal who claims he did nothing wrong because what he is doing is no worse than what others have done in the past."

This from the "canine" who posts anti-Israel videos from Jew-hating Brits hiding their Jew hatred under the term "Zionist" - the latest word in England for "kike" - who then whines when a Jew complains that some dipshit British cameraman is violating HIS Sabbath on HIS land...

Hypocrite!

"Hypocrite!"

And that's one of his good qualities...

Honestly, why would anyone think Israeli intellegence would be complicit in this abduction? There are enough nutcases in Palestine operating on their own - they don't need any help from the Israelis.

Graham,

Dershowitz has his heart in the right place - he has threatened to sue the British boycotters - but he is a fool wedded to the Diaspora.

This is truly a pity. He could be so much more than he is.

In order to understand what I've written - that WE do not need YOU - you need to be a Jew living HERE, seeing the potential of what can be accomplished HERE.

I don't care what Israeli "academics" of the type you quote write. For the most part, they are self hating Jews who wish they could escape to exile. Give them a Green Card - or the Canadian, British or Australian equivalent - and they would run like the rats that they are. Ilan Pappe already has - fleeing to your domain. Keep the bastard - good riddance to bad garbage!

Just a small taste of why we in Israel do not need the rest of the world to get by - but why you need us:

From Allen Mallenbaum

Here are some of Israel's achievements in the first month of 2007 alone!

If you feel some element of pride, why not help spread the feeling by passing this along?

****************************

1. Scientists in Israel found that the brackish water drilled from underground desert aquifers hundreds of feet deep could be used to raise warm-water fish. The geothermal water, less than one-tenth as saline as sea water, free of pollutants, and a toasty 98 degrees on average, proves an ideal environment.

****************************

2. Israeli-developed designer eyeglasses promise mobile phone and iPod users a personalized, high-tech video display. Available to US consumers next year, Lumus-Optical's lightweight and fashionable video eyeglasses feature a large transparent screen floating in front of the viewer's face that projects their choice of movie, TV show, or video game.

****************************

3. When Stephen Hawkings visited Israel last week, he shared his wisdom with scientists, students, and even the prime minister. But the world's most renown victim of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, also learned something - due to the Israeli Association for ALS' advanced work in both embryonic and adult stem cell research, as well as its proven track record with neurodegenerative diseases, the Israeli research community is well on its way to finding a treatment for this fatal disease which affects 30,000 Americans.

****************************

4. Israeli start-up Veterix has developed an innovative new electronic capsule that sits in the stomach of a cow, sheep, or goat, sending out real-time information on the health of the herd to the farmer via email or cellphone. The e-capsule, which also sends out alerts if animals are distressed, injured, or lost, is now being tested on a herd of cows in the hopes that the device will lead to tastier and healthier meat and milk supplies.

****************************

5. The millions of Skype users worldwide will soon have access to the newly developed KishKish lie-detector. This free Internet service, based on voice stress analysis (a technique commonly used in criminal investigations), will be able to measure just how truthful that person on the other end of the line really is.

****************************

6. Beating cardiac tissue has been created in a lab from human embryonic stem cells by researchers at the Rappaport Medical Faculty and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology's biomedical engineering faculty. The work of Dr. Shulamit Levenberg and Prof. Lior Gepstein has also led to the creation of tiny blood vessels within the tissue, making possible its implantation in a human heart.

****************************

7. Israel's Magal Security Systems is a worldwide leader in computerized security systems with products used in more than 70 countries around the world protecting anything from national borders to nuclear facilities, refineries, and airports. The company's latest product, DreamBox, a state-of-the-art security system that includes intelligent video, audio and sensor management, is now being used by a major water authority on the US East Coast to safeguard the utility's sites.

****************************

8. It's common knowledge that dogs have better night vision than humans and a vastly superior sense of smell and hearing. Israel's Bio-Sense Technologies recently delved further and electronically analysed 350 different barks. Finding that dogs of all breeds and sizes bark the same alarm when they sense a threat, the firm has designed the dog bark-reader, a sensor that can pick up a dog's alarm bark and alert the human operators. This is just one of a batch of innovative security systems to emerge from Israel, which Forbes calls "the go-to country for anti-terrorism technologies."

****************************

9. Israeli company BioControl Medical sold its first electrical stimulator to treat urinary incontinence to a US company for $50 million. Now it is working on CardioFit, which uses electrical nerve stimulation to treat congestive heart failure. With nearly five million Americans presently affected by heart failure and more than 400,000 new cases diagnosed yearly, the CardioFit is already generating a great deal of excitement as the first device with the potential to halt this deadly disease.

****************************

10. One year after Norway's Socialist Left Party launched its boycott of Israel, the importing of Israeli goods has increased by 15%, the strongest increase in many years, Statistics Norway reports.

***************************


Despite the second Lebanon war, the divestments, and the boycotts, Israel's economy enjoyed the largest growth in its GNP of any Western country at 8% for the last quarter of 2006. Foreign investment hit a remarkable high of over US$13 billion and the budget deficit was under 1%. Industrial exports, excluding diamonds, rose 11% to $29.3 billion in 2006 with the hi-tech sector leading the surge, according to the Manufacturers Association of Israel. Israel's hi-tech industry exported $14.1 billion in goods last year, growing 20% from 2005.

In contrast to the efforts of tiny Israel to make contributions to the world so as to better mankind, one has to ask what have 1.3 billion followers of the rock-god of Mecca and the others who have strived to eliminate Israel from the face of the earth done other than to create hate and bloodshed?

- AEM

"In contrast to the efforts of tiny Israel to make contributions to the world so as to better mankind, one has to ask what have 1.3 billion followers of the rock-god of Mecca and the others who have strived to eliminate Israel from the face of the earth done other than to create hate and bloodshed?"

There is no question that Israel has brilliant scientists and makes significant technical contributions to the world and that is commendable.

However, it is unreasonable to reject the peace offered by Saudi Arabia and the 18 Arab nations who agreed to have full diplomatic relations with trade and other interactions with Israel if it withdrew to its pre-1967 borders.

Why is it not worth doing?

MBD, still barking up the wrong tree, asks,

"However, it is unreasonable to reject the peace offered by Saudi Arabia and the 18 Arab nations who agreed to have full diplomatic relations with trade and other interactions with Israel if it withdrew to its pre-1967 borders.

Why is it not worth doing?"

Answer:

Rejecting a plan for suicide is called survival. This plan is suicidal on several levels.

1. It provides NO guarantees other than the word of the Arab states. That just is not good enough. If the Arabs in Gaza can abduct a journalist of a friendly broadcast operation like the BBC, why should they live in peace with people whose death they call for daily? The Egyptians are armed to the teeth for a confrontation with an unnamed enemy to the north-east, which their books and media seek to have destroyed daily - Israel. This is after 25 years of "peace". Jordanian "professional" associations are always calling for the destruction of Israel - despite 10 years of "peace" and a generous allowance of 50 million cubic tons of water from the Kinneret yearly.

That is not peace. This is the illusion of peace.

2. Any solution that strips us of strategic depth is suicide. A country whose borders is 16 kilometers wide can be cut in half by a determined tank attack.

3. The "Palestinian" state that would result from all this - the second "Palestinian" state, by the way (Jordan is the first)- would be a tiny entity unable to support itself economically. The fact of the matter is that the entire area west of the Jordan River is one economic unit and will stand or fall that way. Thus, it would just be Gaza writ large - a huge slum that would be an economic drain on the region. It would start as what Bangladesh is already - a failed state.

Left to themselves, the Arabs in this tiny country MIGHT be able to find its way to some kind of modest prosperity. But the Arabs here would not be left to themselves. Daily, they would be bombarded with propaganda to "finish the job" and drive the Jews out of all of "holy soil of Palestine" - their rhetoric, not mine.

The fools in Tel Aviv cafés can delude themselves that Jerusalem and Gaza are far off. But nothing is far away from anything in Eretz Yisrael. This fact is pounded into me every time I look to the east and see the mountainx of Jordan and look to the west and see the smog and skyline of Tel Aviv. Peace agreement or no, the day will come soon that the Azrieli Tower in the rich suburbs to the northeast would be aflame, hit by guided missiles. Accepting this "peace" proposal" would just give the Arabs a good laugh before they launched into a final war of exterminating this country and its people. And to be blunt, millions of Europeans and Americans - people who think like you - would be cheering on the sidelines, like you always have when Jews die.

No.

Better that you should drop dead from apoplexy from us nuking Teheran, Riyadh, and Damascus while WE live.

It's us or them.

It's us or YOU.

If I have to die fighting, I want to die with a sporting chance of taking YOU and THEM down; just like Samson, who died killing more people in the temple of Dagon than in all the days when he was been alive with the immense strength given him as a nazír. At least he died with honor, instead of like a scared kike in a ghetto.

Personally, I believe that will not happen. I believe that G-d will bring you down in His Awful judgment, and that this nation will arise, chastened and purified at His Hand. And I'll bet my life on my beliefs.

I already have.

Received in an e-mail this afternoon:

"A counter-boycott of British goods to protest the British boycott of Israeli academicians is being organized. Don't buy British products. And if you were considering vacationing in London this year, go somewhere else instead.

Spread the word."

Every now and then good news does come into my inbox. ;o)

Ruvy you are lost to a fatal disease that has incarcerated your entire being.

Patriotism blinds its victims and in worst case senarios may even lead them to their deaths as they are driven towards an unjustifiable confrontation with their fellow beings. Such engagements make sense only to the patriot; as they waste vast sums of energy on defending an imagined concept until the last drop is spilt from their bodies and the last breath exhaled from their lungs.

Let us morn the loss of Ruvy and the many millions killed past and present by this horrid disease.

I find it entirely reasonable to assert that 'an Israeli state should not exist at the expense of an indigenous Palestinian one'.

Ruvy, I know you want the West Bank land but is it worth it?

The trouble is you want the land and you want peace. The last 40 years is lost on you.

Since them things have only gotten worse. Now the moderate Fatah which Israel supports is losing out to Hamas. Is that progress?

The Israeli position of not returning to the pre-1967 borders is what keeps the Middle East on the verge of more wars.

You want a deal where you get both the land and peace. That appears to be unrealistic.

Are you unrealistic?

How many in the Israeli population are unrealistic?

MBD,

I do not want peace: there can be no peace with savages determined to kill me. I want victory. After victory, maybe there will be peace.

At this point, it appears more and more likely that the smog in Tel Aviv will turn to dark smoke, the dark smoke of buildings burning from Arab or Iranian missile attacks. At this point, it appears more and more likely that this country's army will not be able to handle what is thrown against it. Another force will be needed to save the country.

The secular fools will turn to America or Europe. I will turn to G-d. The secular fools will be disappointed; their gods will fail them, their élites will die. They will massacre Arabs out of bitterness. I may survive, if I'm judged worthy - that is all I expect. The job I'll have in the coming conflict, the one I expect to have, is to try to stop my fellow Jews from massacring solely out of anger and vengeance. So I always keep the promise of Isaiah 60:6-7 before me. I'll let you look it up.

THOSE VERSES IN THE TANA"KH ARE MY GOAL.

Ruvy, you quote:

Isaiah 60:6-7...

"A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord."

"All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall be acceptable on my altar, and I will glorify my glorious house."

Please explain...

Ugh. What an ugly corner of the internet I have stumbled upon. What an ugly person this Liam Bailey must be.

If there was a way to discredit your blog and your "magazine" any faster, I can not think of a way. Way to go Liam, you are in Rosie O'Donnell "steel can not melt" territory now.

"Please explain..."

First, understand this:

Israel and Jerusalem receive far too much publicity. They receive far more attention than they rightly deserve from the media. The deaths in the Sudan or India or China are far more important than the third rate missiles that a fourth rate pack of terrorists sends to attack a government of criminals in Jerusalem. This is not an accident. This is the meaning of the Biblical phrase "Jerusalem shall be like a stone..."

Now...

Nevayót and Kedár are the first and second sons of Ishmaél. Ishmaél is the ancestor of the Arabs - the people who live down the hill from me here.

Today, these Arabs are the hammer of hatred in the hands of the European and American elites. They are determined to kill us dead. What the Arabs want - now - is not to be the hammer in the hand of the European and American elites - they want to be the hand AND the hammer; they want to destroy American and European civilization, as well as us, and to be the rulers of Arabia, Europe and America, and eventually the world. That, in reality is their goal - now. But they are caught up in a war over resources, which is what all the conflict in the Middle East is really about, or more precisely, what it appears to be about - which elites control which resources. Now, the tools of these Arabs - and for the purposes of this description of concepts, we can throw in the Iranians as well, even though they are not Arabs at all - are pitiful. Iran seeks to upgrade hers to imperial grade, and the family of ibn Saud seeks to protect itself from invasion from Israel; the Egyptians seek our destruction.

Are you still with me here?

The promise of Isaiah looks beyond all of this to the day when there will be reconciliation between the ALL Children of Abraham, Israel, and Ishmael alike. It says that the Arabs will bring sacrifices to the Temple on the Temple Mount - this is the House of G-d's Splendour. The implication of the text is that the day will come when all of the Children of Abraham will be together as one, brothers as they should be.

I would have liked to have brought that day earlier than it appears it will now arrive. That had been my goal when I first started writing on Blogcritics. Maybe it still can be. But since the attack from Lebanon last year, I do not think this can happen. Now, it appears to me that before that day does arrive, unfortunately, there will be much blood spilled. The prophecies in Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah, and of Bila'am in the Book of Numbers are shorthand describing, in the terms that a man of those ages would understand, the events that will transpire. They are already transpiring - though too many fools refuse to take what is in these books seriously, or understand them the way they are meant to be understood.

Unfortunately, now there will be war. It will come slowly, involve the entire world, and appear to some as a war on terror that is going wrong (see all the articles and argument over Iraq and Afghanistan), or as a war over resources that kills too many people (see the articles over the price of oil and other resources and the instability of the economy). In reality, it will be the war that involves everyone on the planet, a war between Good and Evil, and which ushers in the Redemption of the People of Israel.

And the events described in Isaiah 60:6-7 (as well as the rest of Isaiah 60) will occur after that war is over.

This "writer," Bailey, is suggesting that the device Israel would use to battle the Palestinian "unity government" and the Arab "peace initiative" is to kidnap a British reporter - not an American reporter or a UN diplomat, but a reporter from a second rank power - in Gaza, where they no longer have forces. Brilliant! I mean, of all the devices they could have used, the wily Israelis picked some mildly known reporter that no Palestinian cares about to sow the seeds of civil war and strife among Palestinians who have been fighting with each other prior to his kidnapping to the degree that the Saudis tried to step in to negotiate a resolution. Of course this will do it.

What I don't get is why the Israelis didn't kidnap the Mickey Mouse clone on Hamas TV and make it look like it was Fatah did it. Now there would be a real reason to start a civil war and destroy the unity government. Clearly, the Israelis are not as clever as we all think they are.

What next? I know, somebody will blame 9/11 and 7/7 on the Mossad. Oh wait, and the Entebbe hijacking of 1976 on the Shin Bet.

Bawahahahaha!!! Funniest article I've read in awhile. Another terrorist apologist bending over and taking it up the arse.

Are you on crack?

The reason that this "Army of Islam" wasn't heard of before is because it's generally believed to be an ideological group within one of Gaza's large clans. Now that Israel is out of Gaza, the clans are having quite a time going at each other and trying to look like the toughest guys on the block.

"So, either the Army of Islam is a Palestinian militant group that has suddenly sprung up with the capabilities to capture and hide someone as prominent as Alan Johnston somewhere, as small as the Gaza strip is, and acting independently of all other Palestinian groups and all Palestinians. Or Israeli intelligence is somehow behind the abduction, to harm the Palestinian cause, and help permanently shatter recent hopes that the Palestinian unity government combined with the Arab Peace (Saudi) Initiative might force Israel to return the land it took almost exactly 40 years ago in the six-day war. I'll let you make up your own mind."

Wrong. The Army is Islam is linked to Al Queda. You give a false choice between two options that don't apply.

Your conspiracy theories about Israel with no proof are disgusting. You are an anti-semite and a racist.

You make me sick.

I had planned to just sit back, ignore the personal one line attacks and let you guys fight it out. But Polar Wind, you've gone too far!

Read my comments from further up the thread, I've already answered the claims that the Army of Islam being an Al Qaeda wannabe answers the anomilies in the abduction. One of Al Qaeda's main demands is the end of the Israeli occupation, so why have the Army of Islam, a Palestinian militant group, and according to you an Al Qaeda affiliate, not demanded the liberation of their people, they could have demanded whatever else they wanted but nothing explains why they didn't demand that. And as I also said in the article and above in my comments, with all the problems people in Gaza are living in, these people have gone to such great lengths to free people, who, in British jails are in far better conditions than most Gazan's, getting three decent meals a day and as far as I know there are no air-strikes planned on any British jails.

And another thing, to all you right wing nuts attacking me, maybe I am wrong about Israeli intelligence abducting Alan Johnston, I saw anomilies in the story and wanted to present the possibility to the world. No one will stop me from writing what I am inspired to write.

Furthermore, as Ruvy attacked the British academic boycott of Israel, and he attacks all the Israeli academics who regularly speak out against their own state, why do you think most (if not all) academics are against Israel? Because anyone with more than half a brain realizes that Israel is the mightier force here and between thier might and the U.S. it is grievously wrong that they continue to deny the Palestinians a homeland, that they were granted at their expense. Even worse... they are denied basic human rights. Even before the Wall, Israel had the Palestinians locked into their little space, the Wall increased their control, and with complete control over Palestinian exports and border control of who goes in and out, so the Palestinians chances of making money are limited from the get go, but that isn't bad enough, Israel wants to strangle them completely so they start the financial blockade, tell me how starving hundreds of innocent Palestinian families and children can be called a justified response to the killing of innocents through terrorism. TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT.

I am not an anti-semite I am an anti-bullshit and the tide is changing, Israel and their supporters won't be able to hid behind their calling everyone who can see their actions in their true light an anti-semite and Bush won't be in the White House for much longer. I just hope I live to see the Palestinians gain their state.

And to whoever was making out like... what reason would Israeli intelligence have to take Alan Johsnton, when they have bigger guns and Gaza is ripping itself apart anyway, I'll tell you... Alan Johnston was telling the truth about the conflict and Israel is scared of the truth, scared that their grip on the world media is slipping and with it their hold on Palestinian land. With Citizen Journalism growing in power it won't be long before there will be too many voices of reason to silence, good luck Zionism, you're in for a white knuckle ride.

Obviously the Army of Islam is a lot smarter then you. If they demanded that israel withdraw from the west bank in exchange for alan johnston, israel would just laugh. Why do you think israel would do anything for a british palestinian propagandist.
The british on the other hand have proven to give in to terrorist demands at the drop of the hat. They have a much bigger chance of getting Arabs out of british jails then israel to do anything.

I am interested to find out the sources that you base your understanding of the Israeli-Arab conflict on, Liam. You and I do share some political beliefs, it seems.

As for this particular conspiracy theory, I am not so sure.

Perhaps, the real kidnappers were the British Journalist organization that called for the boycott of Israel. Realizing that they totally lost any respect as real journalists by picking sides as an organization and basing all their writings on those biases or Arab propaganda
( same thing), the journalist organization made an arrangement with the British Muslim groups that paid it off for its boycott ( or threatened the British journalists if they did not support a boycott). Kidnap one of our reporters. It will show the power of British Muslims to arrange such a kidnapping in Gaza and it will allow our journalist organization to gain some sympathy that we might have lost for staunchly supporting the boycott of a democratic nation.

How's that for a conspiracy theory Liam?

By the way, it's hard to make peace with a people that for decades have taught their children from an early age, to hate Jews, to live for the killing of Jews, that Jews are the world's evil who must be driven from the Middle East.

Also, in 1948, the KIng of Egypt and Grand Mufti of Jerusalem told the "Palestinians" to leave their lands and get out of the way so that the Arab armies could crush the new State of Israel and drive all the Jews into the Sea. They lost.
But from 1948-1967, the Palestinian land that they now claim is their God given right to a state, was 100% politically, economically, militarily and religiously Arab/Muslim controlled. Why did the Arab/Muslim world spend the next 19 years forcing the Palestinians to remain in refugee camps? If the Arab world had given them their state then, just think how thriving the Palestinian state might be today.

Why is it Israel's responsibility to give such a violent, hateful people a state along side Israel with no guarantee of peace only double speak to their Muslim brethren on how the destruction of Israel can be the only ultimate goal.

Of course, hating jews is so gauche these days. The in-thing is to hate zionists. Never mind that jews have been living in jerusalem for centuries, that jews lived in hebron before being wiped out in '29, or being kicked out of sfat. That zionists pre-48 BOUGHT the land from arab land-owners. We'll also forget how britain turned back refugees fleeing europe and sent them to their death in europe.

The funny thing is that according to a poll the vast-majority of American-muslims dont support terrorism against the US, whereas in britain where they bend over backwards to demonize israel, a large percentage of muslims still hate you.

In a way i feel bad for the palestinian 'refugee camp' in lebanon. If they were in israel they'd have a thousand television cameras capturing their every breath with legions of lefty "progressive" demonizing israel. But since its Arabs who are shelling their village no one cares.

Liam,

I see that someone finally broke the dam of that English reserve and the anger is flowing now. Frankly, knowing what I do about you, were I you, I'd have been incensed by the fellow in comment #4 who said you "chose your side along with the rest of London's cosmopolitan elitist 'Islam means peace' double-speaking.....etc."

While I might agree with his characterization of London's elitists, I do not think you are a London elitist. When you write on other topics, you make too much sense.

In my opinion, Alan Johnston told the truth as much as any BBC reporter does - he stretches it so that the Arabs look good and Jews look bad. But the Israelis would never kidnap a non-Jewish reporter. They are too afraid of Europeans and Americans to try to pull that shit off. They want your approval too much - so unlike this nasty Brooklyn Jewboy writing to you now. I don't care about your approval. Though, paradoxically, I admire your pluck and focus in trying to make a writer of yourself.

The Israeli mentality, and for the most part the galut Jewish mentality, vitiate against seizing Johnston and people like him and holding them for ransom. Jews don't go in for that sort of thing. By contrast, Arabs dislike you westerners enough to grab one of you and hold you for ransom. The ransom money would come in handy, but more important would be the bragging rights. Money only lasts until you spend it. Bragging rights last a lifetime...

"Ahmed, did I ever tell you about the time I held an English reporter and scared him so much he pissed his pants?"

Poor Ahmed, having heard this story at least 8 times had the sense to say, "no grandfather..."

What about the london bombings liam, maybe that was also a zionist plot.

Back to reading your Protocals now, or maybe you want to call for backup from your pals at stormfront

Mr. Bailey, your claims have no support. Those familiar with Israel know that your hypothesis is not only irrational, it unfair and counter productive if your goal is peace.

You clearly have an agenda, and your posts indicate that you hated Israel before you published your conspiracy theory. It is amazing the extent to which you will go to demonize Israel. You are unfortunately willing to sacrifice the truth and your own credibility in the service of your biased and uninformed partiality.

You "sir" reveal your ignorance, immorality, and lack of objectivity through your article and comments. Maybe you should go to Gaza, and see how the Palestinian terrorists treat you. Let us see if Israeli agents are the ones who kidnap you, and force you to convert to Islam or die. Try telling them that you are on their side.

What I think is amazing is that you condemn Zionism, and Israel, and fail to recognize the 6 million people that live in Israel. You want to destroy them too? What do you propose happens to them?

You are cold, and uncaring toward the Israeli people, so how do you have any moral authority. You suggest that the "poor Palestinians" are the only victims, without talking about the legitimate rights of Israelis. THIS MAKES YOU A RACIST, IF NOT ANTI-SEMITIC.

Look at the facts. Israel has made numerous offers of peace, which the Palestinians have rejected. Palestinians deny their own state by refusing peace, and by committing terrorism.

In summary: Liam Bailey is a liar, a terrorist supporter, a racist and an anti-Semite. That much is clear. Too bad the only thing he failed to do while ruining his reputation was to help the Palestinians.

"I just hope I live to see the Palestinians gain their state"?!

Are you $#@%*^! kidding us? The Palestinians have turned down every one of MANY chances to "gain their state" as long as it didn't include every single square inch of "their" sacred precious soil. This is the only case I can think of when the oh-so-civilized lefty lovers of diplomacy and negotiation reserve all their admiration for the side that utterly refuses to compromise.

I never wanted to believe this, but the evidence since 1993 makes it unmistakable: The "Palestinian people" and their "noble cause" are utterly artificial, nothing but a stick that the "civilized" world uses to beat the Jews. And every time you rattle your keyboard you prove it all over again.

As I was reading your article and your answers to the comments posted by readers, I really wonder how you can call yourself a journalist who has even the most basic clue about what's going on in the world around him.

This is not a personal attack, it is an objective observation based on reading your blog. People have tried again and again to teach you some basic facts of the realities of Gaza, but you don't let the facts break through your preconceptions.

Your blog and your answers show an absolute ignorance of the facts on the ground in the Middle East, and in Gaza in particular, which I never observed in anyone but children under the age of 4.

And by the way, the people who kidnapped Alan Johnston are a terrorist family who make millions a day by smuggling weapons, prostitutes and drugs into Israel and Gaza through the illegal tunnels under the border into Egypt. They literally make money off the blood of their fellow Palestinians and if you want to know, one of the main tribes involved is the Jubbrush family.

I have to apologize.

Previously I said that Liam Bailey ruined his reputation with his numerous lies and distortions in this article.

After reading his other moronic articles I realized that he lost all credibility and neutrality long ago.

I wonder if Mr. Bailey ever knew or cared about the truth?

If he did, a long time ago, I wonder how he lost his way, and if he will ever return to reality, and sanity?

I hope so.

If not I'm sure the Jubbrush family would be happy to have him for a visit.

"I'll tell you... Alan Johnston was telling the truth about the conflict and Israel is scared of the truth, scared that their grip on the world media is slipping..."


There we go, and the truth is out for all of us to see.

I think Polar Wind has crossed the line and ignored the 'personal attacks are not allowed' rule.

Whilst I agree that Mr Bailey has got some facts wrong in this article and in others, I believe we must see him for what he is and realise that there is less at stake in his 'getting the facts wrong' than when a proffessional mainstream journalist does.

Mr Bailey is not a proffessional journalist that holds the authority often attributed to broadsheet journalists in mainstream media publications. He is entitled to get his facts wrong and will should not be subjected to such vile personal attacks as those issued by Polar Wind.

Mr Bailey will realise himself, with persuasion rather than insult, that if he wishes to reach a larger readership he must step up his analytical skills and not waste his valuable time on such conspiracy theories unless he has access to sources such as members of the Jubbrush family et al in Gaza.

Liam is not entitled to get the facts wrong when he makes such terrible accusations.

Looking at his claims rationally, either Liam is lying on purpose, or he is merely ignorant of the facts.

All you have to do is look at his past articles.

Liam openly lies (ex: Iran is not a threat to Israel or the U.S.), supports terrorists, and cares little for the lives of Israelis (that makes him a racist) on a number of occasions.

This is not an accident.

Forgive me for calling a spade a spade.

Liam is a liar, a racist and an anti-Semite.

Graham McKnight, your criticism is misplaced. Instead of Liam's feelings, you should show compassion for the Israeli's Liam is spreading lies about, and the Israeli people that Liam unfairly demonizes.

Dear sir,

As I am directly privvy to some information that you should be aware of, Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character! Fictional, just like your article. I most respectfully ask that you re-file your "News/Editorial" in the fictional sections of reading materials availible on the web.

Most respectfully yours,

Dr. Watson
Personal Assistant to Sherlock Holmes.
London, England

I'm sitting here laughing at you alll. My article has got all your backs up so much...

I am safe in the knowledge that most (if not all) the world's academics are on my side. All you lot are just too blind, stupid and ignorant to see whats really happening in the Middle East.

Keep it coming. [Edited by Comments Editor]

Just blame it all on the Jews. The rest of the world does.

Iran and Russia you can kiss your sorry asses goodby. Vladimir, your a peace of shit you KGB frecking dog. Israel will destroy you.

Is this article a joke? The facts are so wrong and the bias is so high. Does anybody know?

Liam seems to have attracted himself a stalker.

Dave

"Anything worn under the kilt?"

"No, it's all in perfect working order".

Liam claims that: 'I am safe in the knowledge that most (if not all) the world's academics are on my side.'

I'm sorry but that claim is rubbish. I am studying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as an undergraduate and can tell you that the academic world is divided on this issue as it is on other issues.

How can 'most if not all' of academia be on your side if it does not even side with itself?

The mind boggles Liam!

P.S.- I would still like to see some of those sources that you base your articles on, I am sincerely interested to know.

As to Jews losing their grip on the world media, what grip? Another fantasy of the Hitler generation that is still prevalent among the anti-semitic left. Is that the media whose biggest owner is Rupert Murdoch-stein or that of the CNN founder and long time owner, Ted Turner-berg? Major US media is not run by Jews and rarely has been. The NY Times and the Sulzberger family? They are so scared to have anyone editorialize in favor of Israel vs. the Palestinians. They'd be called the prime example of just another Jew owned media supporting Israel. They're too scared to lose their liberal left support, especially among academia.

As to Liam's "the world's academics are on my side", is that the same academia whose control of college media makes Hugo Chavez look like Venezuelan media's best friend. The same academia that has shown tremendous support for the many professors who call for the destruction of Israel and that equate the killing of Jews by Palestinians with the colonies fight for freedom during the American Revolution. The same academia that does not allow Jews or supporters of Israel to attend such classes and allow for their removal if they try to voice a differing opinion. The same academia that has on numerous occasions banned their student run college newspapers from commenting on these matters. The same academia that will allow Muslims to write hateful, threatening articles about Israel and Jewish students on campus but have banned the same newspapers from printing articles that support Israel or condemn the hateful articles that have been printed. The same academia that will allow Muslims to bring speakers to campus spewing hate, violence and lies about Jews and Israel and supporting violence but will ban Israeli supporting speakers for fear that "allowing such speech would cause violence on campus among groups that believe Israel is evil".

The dictators of the world have nothing on the world's academia. It figures that that is the support Liam is proud of.

I don't know what academia you are describing PDK, but it seems rather alien to the academic environment that I find myself in.

Let us be clear on one point: discussions and arguments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are not about Jews and Arabs. It is about people who self define as Israeli or as Palestinian. This is an important distinction, since conflating Israeli with Jew or Palestinian with Arab would suggest that all Jews are in agreement with one another and that all Arabs are united in their hatred of Israel.

This, of course, is not the case. There exists an Israeli arab population (about 20% of Israel's citizenry are of Arab ethinicity last time I checked). Likewise, the Arab world is not united in how it intends to interact with Israel, some Arab states are more moderate than others (Egypt for example). The Palestinians have been left out in the cold by the Arab states themselves as often as the Israelies have rejected their right to self-determination.

Liam,

I return to the advice I gave you several articles ago; write about how the Arabs in Judea and Samaria can make money. Analyze their clan structure - a lot of their live revolve around that clan structure. And, I beg you, try to look at the issue from the point of view of Jews and Arabs making money together.

This is indeed the only route, if there is one at all, to any kind of peace before the violent convulsions of the Redemption take place. A Jewish-Arab enterprise, backed by a regional council (like the Benjamin Regional Council, for example) is the only way to get around the Israeli blockade of all enterprises that are not connected personally to the Israeli contacts in the PLO.

As for the "academics", basically they are a large group of grownups who still need their diapers changed for them - particular the "juvenile left" left over from the late sixties and early seventies... You waste your time even talking to them. For all that you do not know (and it is a lot), you probably know more than a lot of them.

If the Muse yet inspires you to write about war, use your instincts and skills and try to find the people who really count - the ones who have lived, fought and survived this series of wars.

Of course the Jews did. The Jews did everything even sinking of the Titantic. Greenberg, Steinberg, Iceberg, all Jews.

I suggest you go to Gaza and investigate for yourself. I'm sure your Palestinian friends will greet you warmly and wlecome into their free and democratic society that enjoys such a free press and so complete a rule of law.

Graham,

Liam Bailey has not suffered vile personal attacks from anybody here. He should get used to it. There are a lot of us who clearly understand that attacks on "Zionists" are attacks on Jews - in England (I've read articles to this effect), people will say "that is so Zionist" when they mean something vile or disgusting - like a Jew...

This is something Liam ignores when he chooses the words of his articles - articles aimed for the people who want to see us die and destroyed - readers of Arab journals, and many readers of Global Research.ca, where Liam's articles appear. Finally,he has hit a sore point, and OUR anger is flowing - it is about time.

Essentially, the people who are skewering Liam come from MY side of the political spectrum; they do not know Liam as well as I do (and my knowledge is only virtual, unfortunately), and they have no use for his views, and no respect for him as a person or fellow writer.

Whatever our own opinions are of the Israeli regime (note that mine are more than a tad critical), many of us are sick and tired of the same damned lies and bullshit being passed along as fact by the same propagandists who shout in Arabic "slaughter the Jews!!" or "the Jews are our dogs!!" and think we do not know.

We do.

A reservoir of hatred and and a desire for massive retaliation is being built up by this steady rocketry of Jew-hatred aimed at us, so that the day will come when Israelis will throw off the constraints and restraints of their commanders and massacre those who have daily called for their deaths. You've never seen a crazed mob of Israelis screaming for justice. I have.

When our dam of resentments finally breaks and the massacres of the DO Arabs begin, it will be my job (along with others who have relatively cool heads and cold eyes on the future) to try and stop them.

We are tired of being accused of genocide, ethnic cleansing, racism, massacres and all manner of crimes that we have NOT committed.

THE NAZIS COMMITTED GENOCIDE! NOT US!!

THE RUSSIANS COMMITTED GENOCIDE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING!! NOT US!!

THE NIGERIANS COMMITTED ETHNIC CLEANSING!! NOT US!!

THE MOSLEMS IN EUROPE COMMITTED GENOCIDE!! NOT US!

THE CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT COMMITTED GENOCIDE!! NOT US!!

THE SUDANESE ARE COMMITTING GENOCIDE AS I WRITE THIS!! NOT US!!

THE SOUTH AFRICANS COMMITTED APARTHEID AGAINST THE MAJORITY OF THEIR CITIZENS!! NOT US!!

To the "deep thinkers" out there, a total lack of evidence is the absolute proof that a conspiracy exists.

There's no convincing them otherwise.

Liam,

I realize that you are probably sick of this article by now, and wish it would go away. But I would like to drive my point home about the "Palestine" Arabs being a pack of ingrates. The Israeli pack of traitors, "Piss Peace Now" visited Hevron today to demonstrate against Jews residing in the City of Abraham. And guess what?

The local Arabs did not give these Israelis tea and cakes in thanks for their support. They hurled rocks at their bus, as well as demonstrating in other ways their high opinion of Jews. Fortunately, (for the "pissniks") these traitors arrived in an armored bus and none of them were hurt.

From my point of view, this could not have happened to a more deserving pack of scummy bastards - these are Ilan Pappe's political brethren. But the point is that the Arabs hate us so much that they don't distinguish between those of us who will support their demented murder of Jews and those with the good sense not to. To them, every single kike stinks alike, and the only good Jew is a dead Jew.

Ruvy,

I attack Zionism relentlessly, yet I am not an anti-semite. How can you possibly conflate anti-zionism with anti-semitism, for there exists Jews that are anti-zionist.

Anti-Zionism is Racism

Many condemn anti-Zionism for being a flimsy cover for anti-Semitism. I disagree. The order is wrong. I condemn anti-Semitism for being an instrument for a worse form of racism: anti-Zionism.

In other words, I submit that anti-Zionism is a form of racism more dangerous than classical anti-Semitism.

Anti-Zionism earns its racist character from denying the Jewish people what it grants to other collectives (e.g. Spanish, Palestinians), namely, the right to nationhood and self-determination.

Are Jews a nation? A collective is entitled to nationhood when its members identify with a common history and wish to share a common destiny. Palestinians have earned nationhood status by virtue of thinking like a nation, not by residing where their ancestors did (many of them are only three or four generations in Palestine). Jews, likewise, are bonded by nationhood (i.e., common history and destiny) more than they are bonded by religion.

The appeal to Jewish nationhood is necessary when we consider Israel's insistence on remaining a "Jewish state." By "Jewish state" Israelis mean, of course, "national Jewish state," not "religious Jewish state" -- theocratic states (like Pakistan and Iran) are incompatible with modern standards of democracy and pluralism.

Jewishness is more than just a religion. It is an intricate and intertwined mixture of ancestry, religion, history, country, culture, tradition, attitude, nationhood and ethnicity, and we need not apologize for not fitting neatly into the standard molds of textbook taxonomies -- we did not choose our turbulent history.

As a form of racism, anti-Zionism is worse than anti-Semitism. It targets the most vulnerable part of the Jewish people, namely, the people of Israel, who rely on the sovereignty of their state for physical safety, national identity and personal dignity. To put it more bluntly, anti-Zionism condemns 5 million human beings, mostly refugees or children of refugees, to eternal statelessness, traumatized by historical images of persecution and genocide.

Anti-Zionism also attacks the pivotal component of our identity, the glue that bonds us together -- our nationhood, our history. And while people of conscience reject anti-Semitism, anti-Zionist rhetoric has become a mark of academic sophistication and social acceptance in Europe and in some U.S. campuses.

Moreover, anti-Zionism disguises itself in the cloak of political debate, exempt from sensitivities and rules of civility that govern interreligious discourse. Religion is ferociously protected in our society -- political views are not.

Just last month, a student organization on a UC campus hosted a meeting on "A World Without Israel." Imagine the international furor that a meeting called, "A World Without Mecca," would provoke.

So, in the name of "open political debate," administrators would not think twice about inviting MIT linguist Noam Chomsky to speak on campus, though his anti-Zionist utterances offend the fabric of my Jewish identity deeper than any of the ugly religious insults currently shocking the media. He should be labeled for what he is: a racist.

Charges of "racism" highlight the inherent asymmetry between the Zionist and anti-Zionist positions. The former grants both Israelis and Palestinians the right for statehood, the latter denies that right to one, and only one side.

"Anti-Zionism = Racism"

There is a dangerous confluence between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, though the two concepts are not always identical. Anti-Zionism is often used to conceal hatred of Jews. Anti-Semitic views can be easily distinguished from legitimate criticism of Israel.

Consider the source. Is the speaker someone with a history of anti-Jewish attitudes?
Critics who habitually single out Israel for condemnation while ignoring far worse actions by other countries (especially other Middle Eastern countries) are anti-Semitic.
Likening Israel to Nazi Germany, or to traditional anti-Jewish stereotypical behavior is another sure sign of Jew-baiting.
Attacks on the merits of Israel's existence rather than individual government policies are anti-Semitic.
When approached by a student who attacked Zionism, Dr. Martin Luther King responded: "When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews. You're talking anti-Semitism."

(From Seymour Martin Lipset, "The Socialism of Fools--The Left, the Jews and Israel," Encounter, (December 1969), p. 24.)

Zionism is the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, which holds that Jews, like any other nation, are entitled to a homeland.

History has demonstrated the need to ensure Jewish security through a national homeland. Zionism recognizes that Jewishness is defined by shared origin, religion, culture and history.

The realization of the Zionist dream is exemplified by more than four million Jews, from more than 100 countries, including dark-skinned Jews from Ethiopia, Yemen and India, who are Israeli citizens. Approximately 1,000,000 Muslim and Christian Arabs, Druze, Baha'is, Circassians and other ethnic groups also are represented in Israel's population.

Many Christians have traditionally supported the goals and ideals of Zionism. Israel's open and democratic character and its scrupulous protection of the religious and political rights of Christians and Muslims rebut the charge of exclusivity.

The Arab states define citizenship strictly by native parentage. It is almost impossible to become a naturalized citizen in many Arab states, especially Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Several Arab nations have laws that facilitate the naturalization of foreign Arabs, with the specific exception of Palestinians. Jordan, on the other hand, instituted its own "law of return" in 1954, according citizenship to all former residents of Palestine, except for Jews.

The presence of thousands of black Jews in Israel is the best refutation of the calumny against Zionism. In a series of historic airlifts, labeled Moses (1984), Joshua (1985) and Solomon (1991), Israel rescued almost 42,000 members of the ancient Ethiopian Jewish community.

To single out Jewish self-determination for condemnation is itself a form of racism. "

How one person could make the leap that since his beloved Palestinian terrorists didn't ask for certain things that Palestinian terrorists normally ask for, means that Israel is behind this, shows the utter bankruptcy of the anti-Semitic crowd amongst the liberal left.

Why Jews continue to vote Democrat in the United States, when they enable this kind of irrational thinking, is beyond me. Jews might as well vote for Nazis - they get the same response.

People are confusing my left-leaning politics for racism. I am and will continue to be anti-zionist, as I am against imperialism, colonialism, nationalism and patriotism.

The author of post #76, in his/her own definition of anti-semitism excuses my anti-zionism when they state that: 'Critics who habitually single out Israel for condemnation while ignoring far worse actions by other countries (especially other Middle Eastern countries) are anti-Semitic.' For anyone who has read any of my articles on this website will know that I do not reserve critism exclusively for Israel.

I refuse to conflate my hatred of zionism with anti-semitism, it just does not make sense.

I think I follow the author's reasoning, but I'm still wondering about the Knight Templars' and the Freemasons' part in this conspiracy?

"I am and will continue to be anti-zionist, as I am against imperialism, colonialism, nationalism and patriotism."

MYTH

"The Zionists were colonialist tools of Western imperialism."

FACT
"Colonialism means living by exploiting others," Yehoshofat Harkabi has written. "But what could be further from colonialism than the idealism of city-dwelling Jews who strive to become farmers and laborers and to live by their own work?"28

Moreover, as British historian Paul Johnson noted, Zionists were hardly tools of imperialists given the powers' general opposition to their cause. "Everywhere in the West, the foreign offices, defense ministries and big business were against the Zionists."29

Emir Faisal also saw the Zionist movement as a companion to the Arab nationalist movement, fighting against imperialism, as he explained in a letter to Harvard law professor and future Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter on March 3, 1919, one day after Chaim Weizmann presented the Zionist case to the Paris conference. Faisal wrote:

The Arabs, especially the educated among us, look with deepest sympathy on the Zionist movement....We will wish the Jews a hearty welcome home....We are working together for a reformed and revised Near East and our two movements complete one another. The Jewish movement is nationalist and not imperialist. And there is room in Syria for us both. Indeed, I think that neither can be a real success without the other (emphasis added).30

"Our settlers do not come here as do the colonists from the Occident to have natives do their work for them; they themselves set their shoulders to the plow and they spend their strength and their blood to make the land fruitful. But it is not only for ourselves that we desire its fertility. The Jewish farmers have begun to teach their brothers, the Arab farmers, to cultivate the land more intensively; we desire to teach them further: together with them we want to cultivate the land -- to 'serve' it, as the Hebrew has it. The more fertile this soil becomes, the more space there will be for us and for them. We have no desire to dispossess them: we want to live with them. We do not want to dominate them: we want to serve with them....."

-- Martin Buber31


In the 1940s, the Jewish underground movements waged an anti-colonial war against the British. The Arabs, meanwhile, were concerned primarily with fighting the Jews rather than expelling the British imperialists.

Re: #79 Graham McKnight

"I am against imperialism, colonialism, nationalism and patriotism. "

"I do not reserve critism exclusively for Israel."

"I refuse to conflate my hatred of zionism with anti-semitism, it just does not make sense."

Do you hate French just as fiercely as you do Israel? They are national country, fiercely patriotic, right? If your hatred for the French is weaker, why is it then? Try answer this for yourself honestly.

And since when hatred is "criticism"? Is it not what it is, pure and simple - in your own words: HATRED? Blinding, maddening, besotting, stupefying?

South Gaza border is wide open for smuggling of arms and people. There are tons and tons of munitions already smuggled in.

Hamas itself complained since 2005 there is Al-Qaeda groups in Gaza.

Al-Qaeda never spoke of Palestine as their cause in the beginning. They just added it to their propaganda because they saw it's so important for the Western Israel-hating media. Their agenda is Pure Islam, it is the Califate. What do they care for some simple Palestinians? They care for the big picture, theirs is the strategic game.

They never spoke of Palestine at the start, but since then they corrected this oversight. Now Western media is content again.

Okay folks, look forward to the publication of my latest article entitled 'Zionism: Past and Present'.

Hatred may very well be a strong word, but I feel that I am able to justify myself adequately as a hater of nations that oppress a people's right to self-determination. I have made it perfectly clear in the past that this hatred is extended to any and all nations that unjustifiably oppress, in this case it just so happens that we are discussing Israel.

"I have made it perfectly clear in the past that this hatred is extended to any and all nations that unjustifiably oppress, in this case it just so happens that we are discussing Israel." And I guess one of your best friends is a Jew.

It may suprise you to know, Baltiron, that my univeristy tutor is diaspora Jew...

... but why oh why must you make this race thing an issue? I am discussing politics with you, not race relations.

Graham,

You appear to have picked the most inopportune time to have declared your sympathies on this matter. Several British organizations have decided to boycott us, and many Jews world-wide are thoroughly pissed off. Counter-boycotts are being organized and eventually you fools in Britain will learn what happens when Jews do get mad. It doesn't happen often, so take note.

Politics is an ugly game, and many of my co-religionists are looking for a victim. And there you are. You have stuck yourself in the front line. And the key point in this is that you appear to have something to lose - tenure. The "personal attack" in comment #89 above (and comment #87) is the least of your worries. You are like a tree that is several meters higher than its neighbors. It is far easier to lop off your head then the others.

There are many Jews who do not believe in G-d either, Graham. But they believe in power. And you are about to see what that means in real terms. In real terms, Israel is our national home. It is our refuge from a world that has been extremely hostile to us over 2,500 years. And whatever your personal views, you are attacking that refuge, seeking to destroy it. This is simply unacceptable, and you have made enemies with your comments. You do not have my enmity, mind you. I live here and a weapon will defend me against physical attack; so I can afford to be reasonably polite in arguing, when I choose to argue.

But the person who threatened you lives in the UK and has the perception that you are a real threat to them - and you will pay the price for that.

I told you in comment #1 of your own article that you are attacking something precious to many Jews, and you will be attacked in turn. Get used to it.

But what will really serve you now is an open mind. You need to be open to ideas that you presently dismiss as nonsense - like G-d. I'm not preaching to you. I used to be an atheist. So, I've been where you are intellectually. And when I began to understand reality, I had the sense to move on.

The person who threatened you threatened your reality. So a piece of advice from Robert Ringer for you this morning, from his book "Winning Through Intimidation."

"Reality is what it is, not what you would like it to be, or what you think it is."

Think on that, young man.

Ruvy,

Whilst I thank you for your civility and restraint in coming to terms with your ideological opponents such as myself over the internet, there are those who simply refuse to meet me on the same level as you or other critics.

Also, if they believe that Finkelstein is a holocaust denier they obviously have not read any of his work. This man is not a denier and to suggest such would be to distract ourselves from those who do deny.

David Irving is a British historian who denies the holocaust, Norman Finkelstein does not.

P.S. - I am of the belief that one forges their own reality.

Reality is not an entity seperate from ourselves. We are reality.

This is an angry denunciation of the British boycotts of Israel by a popular blogger, Melanie Phillips. It is rather long, and I will merely quote its final paragraphs for the benefit of the author of this article, for Graham McKnight, and most particularly for the benefit of those Jews who would side with the Arabs in destroying this nation.

"What is happening to England, once the most civilised, humane, fair-minded country on earth, but now consumed by hatred of its allies and the desire to grovel to its mortal enemies, is a tragedy. And we've been here before. A reader has sent me the following:

When Patrick Leigh Fermor, on his journey across Europe in 1933, was questioned in some bierstube on the result of the Oxford Union vote that 'under no circumstances would they fight for King and country' he described the atmosphere thus:

'I was surrounded by glaring eyeballs and teeth. Someone would shrug and let out a staccato laugh like three notches on a watchman's rattle. I could detect a kindling glint of scornful pity and triumph in the surrounding eyes which declared quite plainly their certainty that, were I right, England was too far gone in degeneracy and frivolity to present a problem. But the distress I could detect on the face of a silent opponent of the régime was still harder to bear: it hinted that the will or the capacity to save civilization was lacking where it might have been hoped for.'

It is indeed the loss once more of that will that is the real tragedy."

Now I HAVE seen everything, a lecture on having an open mind from one of the most set in stone brains I've ever encountered! ROFL? I'll never walk again!!

By the way, all personal attacks have been deleted, so certain references above to numbered comments may not track accurately.

Generally, when someone asks their opponent to consider a subject with 'an open mind' what they really mean is 'your opinion on the matter is wrong, adopt mine.' As such I think of this phrase as being somewhat hollow.

As for Melanie Phillips, she purposefully picks upon racist arguments and blows them out of proportion. One of the racists that she cites calls for the destruction of Israel.

I do not call for the destruction of Israel, neither do such academics as Finkelstein (who has been attacked on these forums as much as myself). Finkelstein said in an interview with Ali Cimen that '[Israel] should acknowledge the crime and accept the right of the refugees to return. In return, the Palestinians, the Arab world and the Muslim world should accept the right of the Jewish community in what is Israel today to become a legitimate part of the Middle East.' (august 6th, 2006: www.zaman.com)

I cannot argue with Finkelstein's logic here. The State of Israel ought to apologise for the crimes that it has committed. The Jewish population that live within Israel are not being attacked here, rather their oppressive government (whom I believe Ruvy has just as much dislike for than myself).

P.S. - When I mentioned that Melanie Phillips 'purposefully picks upon racist arguments and blows them out of proportion.' I mean that she talks of them in such a way as to suggest that these racist opinions are common currency in the UK.

They are not.

Would the author of post #94 like to explain why they believe Liam to be a racist scum bag?

You can't drop the 'R' bomb without an explanation first.

Response to #95

That should be obvious to anyone reading this...except anti-semites like you Graham.