The following was published on Haaretz Israeli paper a few hours before the killing of Sheik Ahmed Yassin, Hammas spiritual leader, by the Israeli Army:
The land is slowly filling up with more and more victims - Jerusalem, Khan Yunis, Ashdod, Gaza, Netanya, Jenin, Hadera, Rafah, Tel Aviv.
When a national conflict permeates every home and becomes a personal conflict, it's difficult to remove it from the domestic environment.
When the leaders finally put an end to this cursed war, and the fighters lay down their weapons, we will discover that the land is filled with hatred, fear and violence.
Last August, a comprehensive study on the impact of the first 20 months of the intifada on the adult Israeli population was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Article comments
1 - Al Barger
Thankfully, the Israelis have removed one of the top sources of wicked hatred from the scene by taking out Yassin. The removal of that center of spiritual cancer helps. It's a start.
Now if they'd just take out Arafat, as they should have many years ago...
2 - Corinna Hasofferett
Oh, no, dear Al - it's a very short-sighted act, ruinous.
Do note my additional posts to-day and the link and you might get another perspective from Israel, which, by the way, is shared by the exhausted silent majority here.
3 - Ripper
If you can't support the dismemberment of vermin like Yassin and Arafat, you are not fit to vote. So you and the rest of your "silent majority" can Shut the Fuck Up, while real Americans and real Israelis clean up.
4 - Ms. Tek
If you can't support the dismemberment of vermin like Yassin and Arafat, you are not fit to vote. So you and the rest of your "silent majority" can Shut the Fuck Up, while real Americans and real Israelis clean up.
Well, thank God people like you are not in charge. Small favors, I guess.
5 - Al Barger
Absolutely any possible thing the Israelis do or don't do will be ruinous, causing Palestinians to want to kill them. If the Israelis said, "Hi, Palestinian neighbor, sure is nice weather today, huh? Would you like some ice cream?" the Palestinian would most likely respond, "DIE JEWISH SCUM" then blow them both up.
I appreciate that a lot of Israelis are weary to death of the struggle, and I respect the right of the Israelis to show as much forbearance as they wish. I would not propose to tell them how they HAVE to act.
However, in their place, Americans would have goddam destroyed these people years ago. What, they should let this guy Yassin sit there year after year personally sending suicide bombers to kill more Israelis?
If you kill enough of them bastards, the rest of them WILL take a hint. And if they don't, they can get roasted too. Remember, a dead terrorist can't hurt you.
The Israelis have every right in the world to stop people from killing them- by any means necessary. They're right, and the Palestinians are wrong, at least 99.9%.
Screw Kofi Annan and any other jackass in the entire world who says they should just sit there and take this. How would (or should) Americans react if we whack Bin Laden and the rest of the world condemns US?
Despite great efforts over some years, nothing that the Israelis can do will convince the Palestinians to quit killing Israelis. In practice, the one thing that has halfway worked and minimized the killing of Israelis has been kicking ass, and killing as many of the specific perps as they can track down.
Short answer, Israelis = Good Guys. Palestinians mostly = Evil Death Cult
You may object that this description is not nice or "racist." I will counter simply that it is ACCURATE, which I rate as a much more important value than niceness.
6 - Mark Saleski
I will counter simply that it is ACCURATE
the only thing 'accurate' about it is that it came out of your head and that you're convinced of its truth.
as far as killing enough of 'em so that they'll take the hint...how long has all of this been going on?
anybody taking the hint yet?
7 - Ms. Tek
Short answer, Israelis = Good Guys. Palestinians mostly = Evil Death Cult
Wasn't there a time when:
Aryan = Good Guys. Jews = Evil, they killed Jesus, crooks?
Or maybe
White = Good. Black = Negative.
Oh wait... we already went over this.
8 - Al Barger
That's just a dumb comparison, Victoria. These Jews that were being oppressed for being supposed Christ-killers were doing nothing violent. They were accused of being related to people who supposedly killed this one guy 2K years ago.
That ain't even VAGUELY the same thing as being members or supporters of Hammas. The difference is, in fact, black and white.
9 - Ms. Tek
Al, I think that totally depends on what side of the fence you are looking out on.
I would suggest to you to really dig back on history of that region... all the way back to Victorian times. But I know that would be asking you too much.
At one moment, we condemn the UN for not saying that it is okay to Invade Iraq and in the next we say that it is okay for the UN to make counties and give land to people. Which is it?
Oh, shucks... I am now just learning that the world operates on a double standard at all times...
Depending on what side of the fence you are on.
10 - Al Barger
So you wish to argue that Israel has no right to exist?
11 - Ms. Tek
No, I do not think Israel, for the reasons why it was set up and how it was set up after WWII, it was legitimate.
It really is no different than if the UN decided to gather up all the gypsies in Europe and then decide to give them the state of New Jersey. Now, I am sure the citizens in New Jersey would not behave as the Palestinians do, but they would be pretty pissed off, never the less.
As usual, it when Europe decided to get involved that things get fucked up. Once again, look that the history of the area. Start when it was under British rule, then cross reference that with the rise of Zionism in Europe and Esp. Russian just before WWI. Also, cross reference that with India and British military bases. The original idea for that area was for it to be co-ruled by the Arabs and JEWISH ARABS who already lived there and were getting along. It wasn't until the English saw an opportunity to secure the area and use less of the crowns funds that you see the real introduction of money from Europe and Russia that the idea of Zionism really takes hold.
Now, before you decide to twist what I just said, I'll spell it out in black and white:
I am not anti-jewish nor anti-Semitic. I AM anti-Zionist however.
Still, that doesn't help as that they are there now and we have to address the how and now. In this case however, we have to understand why the Palestinians are so angry and the complete history of the region and the conflict.
Are YOU telling me, Mr. Barger that you do not understand the full history of that territory from before 1850?
You like to play off how foolish and dumb you think I am Mr. Barger, but let me ask you, how much do you really know and understand about the history of the region pre-WWII? It makes for fascinating reading... esp if you can find a book that just gives facts without analyst.
I may be dumb and foolish you your eyes Barger, but is seems that I might be a little bit more well read when it comes to history instead of spending my time perusing racist websites.
12 - Al Barger
Ms Tek, I do wish you'd quit slandering me. Your admittedly well deserved sense of intellectual inferiority is not my fault. You can't expect me to let such ridiculously illogical and intellectually dishonest comparisons as comment #7 stand just so as to spare you embarrassment.
Be more honest. Think more before you write. Don't say such obviously ill founded stuff.
[Edited because Al is sometimes a jackass]
13 - Ms. Tek
Actually Al, I'm not embarrassed but you should be. You don't even know your world history, so who is the idiot.
Or perhaps you chose to ignore it.
*shrugs* Not my problem. You did more damage to your character tonight with your flat out lies in black and white.
When I first started on this site, I thought you were smart but kept to yourself... then I saw that you really aren't all that smart. All of your knowledge seems to be based on the past 50 years but going further back, you may know dates and where, but you don't know history. Throw something at you that doesn't quite fit into the drivel that you spew, then it becomes "Danger, Danger Will Robenson" time.
But you go on... My grandmother taught me something about letting people hang themselves. You're doing an excellent job of that.
14 - Al Barger
Ms Pitt, you seem to think that my lack of interest in challenging you to some public game of Middle East history trivia proves me to be an idiot.
As may be, but I don't care what kind of bad time their grandparents had, or what kind of bad childhoods the current Palestinians had, this constant genocide against the Israelis is totally wrong and unacceptable. No history book will make it otherwise.
15 - Ms. Tek
Ms Pitt, you seem to think that my lack of interest in challenging you to some public game of Middle East history trivia proves me to be an idiot.
Actually... no... Your general demeanor does that well enough without proving your lack of knowlege on general world history.
You can't pick and chose and be fair. Either you agree with the UN or you do not. Either you honor deals or you do not. There is no, "well I don't like it so you must be wrong". Well, maybe there is... but that is also why the fighting will never cease until everyone is dead.
16 - Ripper
We're not in charge of the missiles? Then why do terrorist nobles keep 'splodin ?