Feedback from readers

Truth, Justice and Human Rights
in the Middle East

02 Nov 1998 10:49:02 +0300
From: Mazen H**

Salam,

..
You have an excellent page in which you have put a lot of time an effort.
If in the future you have trouble in hosting the site, please do not
hesitate to contact me.

I have linked your page to my page entitled "The Country of Palestine"
located at:
http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Lagoon/8522/palestine.html

Your is linked in "The Country of Palestine" under section: History :
THE TRUTH ABOUT ISRAEL which I have highlighted.

I hope you will have more visitors.

Regards
Mazen

You have a great site, excellent format and content....
I would like to put a link to you from the first page.  ....
I am so gald you that there are people like you in this world
 
Mahdi 
The Webmaster
(www.hamasonline.com, www.hezbollah.org)

13 Nov 1998 16:55:16 -0800
From: Jim Ennes 

Nice site.  The links in the Liberty section didn't all work for
me, but maybe that was a result of net traffic somewhere.

Your story, too, needs badly to be known.

Jim

Subject: your site
17 Nov 1998 17:21:44 GMT
From: "Joseph B***" 

Hello!
        I'd like to congratulate you on your site. It is really one of
the most thorough and comprehensive I've ever seen on  Middle Eastern
questions. I've found it while searching for "Saddam Hussein and Iraq"
on Alta Vista (the best search engine, in my opinion, and the only one
capable of registering a new site in a matter of hours).

namely, it was the first time I had the opportunity to read something 
detailed about the Israeli attack on an American ship  (and, believe me, 
I'm an avid reader of articles and books on the Middle East - yet 
nothing was ever available on that very significant incident!)
I wish you good luck and many hits. 
Best regards, 

JB

27 Nov 98 09:02:09 America/Fort_Wayne
From: Irwan W**
Subject: Your Excellent Page

Dear Sam,

Your page is truly excellent.  I see that you have put much time and effort in
to it and I congratulate you on its success.

Sincerely,

Amir

2 Dec 1998 00:21:49 -0800 (PST)
From: Max K***
Subject: awesome website

Hi.

Your CapitolHill/Senate/7981 website is totally awesome. I have
never seen such a huge collection of articles against Israel.

I and my friend are using many of your articles on the CNN
"mideast peace" message boards in debating issues. It is very
useful in silencing some of the Israeli extremists. (the quotes).

But I think your efforts would be complete if you also give the
actual "original" links of the articles you have on your pages
as well. (like those you already have put at the top of some of
the articles from Ha'aretz). Particularly that most of your
material is new.  

Take care.

From: "Walter R****" 
Subject: congratulations
12 Dec 1998 02:38:08 -0200

Excellent your homepage. From Argentine, good luck !

HISTORIA NR:     http://www.matrix.com.br/histornr

         (Deutsche Fahne aufdrucken - click british flag)

From: "jeffrey t** h**"
Subject: great site!!!
23 Dec 1998 20:40:37 -0800

this is fantastic work, i have just stumbled upon your site and see that
i will have to return often to be able to get through all of this
wonderfully compiled information.
 
keep up the good work!!!
 
peace,
jeff

From: Alex G****
Subject: Mid East Web Site
06 Jan 1999

Sam, 
Thanks for taking the time to create a most excellent web site. Please keep it
up, as I enjoy exploring some of the articles, and have use it frequently  in 
my research for my effort to lift the sanctions on Iraq. 

You have taken special care not to make it look like you are an anti semite
(even though I am certain you are being blocked by ADL's "hate" filters.) 

I have many loyal Iraqi Jewish friends. I used to have a blanket negative image
of American Jews in general, after having some bad experiences with some of
them. But after seeing that there are more Jews than Muslims in our Iraq
Bombing  demonstrations, I realize that there are good and bad people in every
faith.

.....

From: "Baudouin ****"
Subject: From Brussels
9 Jan 1999

Hello. I am a Belgian journalist, Middle East Editor of the daily newspaper
** **** since 1990, travelling often in the region. I have just discovered
your site "The Truth about Israel" and I just want to tell you how
interesting it is for people like me. Best regards.

Baudouin ****

From: "Fady T***" 
Subject: Great
20 Jan 1999

I've just discovered your site. I have been looking at it for only 10
minutes and I am already impressed with the vast amount of information and
the great number of respected authors and journalists.
This is great!!!

Fady

From ******@***.com Wed Feb  3 18:34:14 1999
Subject: wow
03 Feb 1999
 
Hi 
I was just in your web site it is amazing, I just browsed quickly
through it and only saw the tip of the iceberg, really impressive.
I will visit it whenver I can and try to see all of it.  It is nice to
see somebody doing an awsome job like that, keep up the good work!
I read some books on the subject but I'm not into the specifics, but I'm
interested in the subject but I do not have the time now, I was reading
a lot when I first came to Canada and during summer during my university
years.  Anyway, I'll send you some feedback if I may.  Once more nice
work!!
Take care
Sami K*****

From: "Bruno ** *****" 
Subject: Great site !
5 Feb 1999
 
Great Site !
Continue!
I'll try to advertise for your site.
Our mutual goal is to reveal the real situation in Middle peace to
the general public and to leak evidence of Isreali's agressions,
brutalism and savagery when it comes ti killing civilians.
Bruno
http://www.***.com/***

From: (Sameer Al*******)
Subject: great..!!
15 Feb 1999
 
dear sir ...
thank you for your efforts...this is a great site..that tells the truth
about palestine..
keep up the good work..god bless your heart...
salamat

From: *****@*****.net
Subject: Nice Website
18 Feb 1999
 
Nicely put together.  If I knew how to create a website I would have put
many of the same things on mine. I found your link on the USSLiberty
website that Jim Ennis and Joe Meadors maintain.
 
I'm on the board of directors of Deir Yassin Remembered website
http://www.deiryassin.org
 
DYR is 1/2 Jewish, 1/2 Gentile, 1/2 Male , 1/2 Female (The board)
 
I'm one of the male Jews.
 
I originally spoke in 1978 with Alfred Lillienthal, when an attempt was
made to prevent The Zionist Connection from being distributed.  He put
me in contact with Rabbi Elmer Berger, with whom I met in his private
study on several occasions.  I wish I knew what happened to his library
after he died.  He had given me Moshe Menuhin's book "Decadence" to
read, and I had never copied it, but Dan McGowan, the director of DYR
made a copy for me recently.
 
I have a suggestion for additional books you might want to recommend.
One was published two years ago and is extremely well written and
interesting.
 
(1) The Controversy of Zion - Jewish Nationalism, the Jewish State and
the Unresolved Jewish Dilemma by Geoffrey Wheatcroft 1996 by
Addison-Wesley Publ. Co.
 
(2) The Jewish National Fund by Walter Lehn with Uri Davis, 1988 , Publ.
Keegan Paul Int. London,New York
 
Adding hotlinks to your site would also be of great benefit to
neophytes.
 
Spread the truth and help destroy the heresy.
 
*********

From: Hassane N********* 
Subject: a
25 Feb 1999
 
allah maakum [May God be with you]

From: Alteedag@******.*****
Subject: crap
28 Feb 1999
From alteedag@*****.**** Sun Feb 28 19:02:29 1999
 
your page his horendous, besides from blatantly taking 99% of the "findings"
out of context, a nice sized chunk is totally inaccurate.

From: "B N" (bnaked5@*******.******)
Subject: Zionism
01 Mar 1999

Dear Sir,
I have read your articles with a great interest.
You don't seem though, to suggest a solution to the problem.
What do you think the solution is, if such a solution exists
at all? The elimination of Israel? A proper peace agreement?
A bi-national state? What is the solution?
Hatred is an easy escape for the masses. War is a waste of time,
money, and many many human lives. Don't you think?
 

Response

Please read the site's Mission statement. There, I summarized what I believe
to be justice to decades of Palestinian suffering caused by Zionism and Israel.

No right-minded HUMAN being, except some extremists here and there, would
call for the elimination of Israel, since it will likely include mass-murder
and mass-expulsion.  Be mindful though, that the number of these extremists
increases in direct proportion to the injustice Israel inflicts on the
Palestinians.

I don't know whether the best solution is a bi-national state or a two-state.
My guess is more towards a bi-national state, since Israel has penetrated
all the occupied territories with settlements that make Palestinian land
highly disconnected.  I do know, however, that justice for the Palestinians
is an important component of the solution.  Israel is occupying Palestinian
land and occupation must end or proper compensation, perhaps via a bi-national
state solution.

One of the reasons a solution is difficult is that Israel makes it so.
For example, Israel has, and is, creating settlements on Palestinian land,
as we speak, because "they constitute an obstacle, an unsurmountable obstacle
to the establishment of an independent Arab State west of the river Jordan"
in the blunt words of Knesset member and son of the late PM, Benyamin Begin.

Israel does not care about justice for the Palestinians; it just wants
their land, period.  Moshe Dayan clearly indicated that he preferred "Sharm
el-Sheikh [in Sinai] without peace to a peace without Sharm el-Sheikh."  Although
he relinquished it later to Egypt, it was at the generous price of eliminating the
most powerful Arab nation facing Israel: Egypt, from the conflict and hence
helping Israel immensely to solidify its occupations of Palestinian land.

Since the beginning of the peace talks in 1992, settler population on
Palestinian land has increased by 50%.  The Palestinian poverty has increased
by 40%, as well, since Oslo.  Israel continues to suffocate Palestinians with
closures and curfews, and continues to deprive them of 81% of their badly-needed
water.  It continues to torture them, demolish their homes, etc.  Unless all of
that stops a solution is far, far away.  My site serves to INFORM people about
these things so that they will ACT, a necessary pre-requisite to a solution. 

Is Israel willing to give reparations to refugees?  Will Israel relinquish
all W. Bank water resources to Palestinians?  Will it give back East
Jerusalem?  Unless the answer is "Yes" (or perhaps proper reparations
instead, accepted by Palestinians), then Israel is not interested in
justice, and hence, one shouldn't waste time thinking about a solution.

In short, the aim of my site is not really to propose a solution, but rather,
to emphasize what the western media has chosen to de-emphasize regarding
Israel's injustices towards the Palestinians; to remove tons of gloss and
make-up, the only purpose of which is to make Israel look like a "defender"
against Palestinian "aggression."

Just like Israel/Jews scream "the world must know/remember" regarding the
Holocaust, and erect memorials at every corner, so must the world KNOW
about Palestinian suffering taking place as we speak.  Knowing the truth -->
Work for Justice --> Find a Solution.   My site emphasizes most on the first. 


>Hatred is an easy escape for the masses. War is a waste of time,
>money, and many many human lives. Don't you think?


Amen.  However, I reject your implication that by INFORMING about Israel
this site is inciting HATRED/WAR.  I prefer equating INFORMING/KNOWING the
truth with working for JUSTICE and HUMAN RIGHTS.  Some say "the truth will
make you free" (John 8:32).  For example, you aren't going to care about the
5000+ children under five dying every month in Iraq due to sanctions, (an
apparently unimportant topic to U.S. media) unless you first KNOW about it.
You aren't going to ACT unless you know first that there is an injustice, and
the details about that injustice.  From what I've read and seen, the people in
the U.S. are poorly informed, not to mention very mis-informed. This exactly
is where this site fits in.

But a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict will not come about unless
Israel is pressured into stopping its practices.  Only when the world/U.S.,
and U.S. Jews especially, KNOW the truth about Israel that they will put
pressure on the Israelis instead of the Arabs.

Sam  
 


From: "Scott *****"
Subject: Re: Site
3 Mar 1999
 
Sam,
 
Your page on Middle Eastern issues is a great service.  Many thanks for your
efforts.  I wish I had the time to read all the articles right now.
 
I'll pass along the URL to others.
 
Thanks again.  Your site is a great reference.  I'll visit it often!
 
                                        --Scott

From: Eric 
Subject: Link
05 Mar 1999
 
I just found your site.  It is excellent.  I will be adding a link this
weekend from www.antiwar.com
 
http://www.antiwar.com is sponsored by the Committee Against U.S.
Intervention and is updated daily.  Please check it out and consider a link
from your site.
 
Thanks, and keep up the good work.
Eric 

From: Roger 
Subject: Your web page
10 Mar 1999

A tour de force.  A winner.  Just saw the URL on talk.politics.mideast.
Thanks for doing this.
Roger A*******

From: (Unknown)
To: "mother fucker" 
Subject: Yo momma so short she poses for trophies!
13 Mar 1999
 
hello fuchers ,
go fuck your fucking ass, you   fucking  fuckers
hope israel will bomb your fucking little liar ass you maniacs
see you all in hell....


(Replica of this letter was sent countless times.)



From: John A
Subject: Your MiddleEast Pages
14 Mar 1999
 
Sam
 
Thank you so much for your excellent compellation of Palestine related
articles.   The layout and presentation is supurb and make the pages
easily accessable.   I shall put a link in my home page to your site.
 
I study the Israel/Palestine question carefully.   Your pages are most
helpful.   I frequently discuss Middle East matters on the
Jewish-Palestinian Encounter Forum
http://www.yudel.com/salam-shalom/salamforum1.htm and would like to
invite you to visit and share your knowledgeand committment.
 
All the best,
John 

From: "Michael ******" (From Israel)
15 Mar 1999
 
IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE YOU ARE ALL DEAD
 
WE ARE THE CHOSEN PEOPLE GOD IS WITH US!
 
WE WILL BEAT YOU DOWN YOU DOGS OF SATAN
 
WE WILL BURY YOU IN PIG SKINS

From: Charles M 
Subject: Some criticisms of your site
14 Mar 1999

Dear Sir,

I have dual citizenship as an Israeli and an American. I want to comment
on your website. First, the necessary introductions: I support a
two-state solution with Jerusalem as the capital of both states. I
believe Israel should recognize its historical responsibility for the
Palestinian catastrophe, recognize the Palestinian right to return to
pre-48 borders, and provide compensation for homes, lands, etc.
expropriated, etc. There is a lot more to be said and done, but already
you see where I am coming from. I am not happy with Oslo in itself -- I
see it only as a first step to a genuine rapprochement which will have
to go way beyond Oslo. I believe that there can be no peace without
security AND justice for BOTH parties.

I went into that whole spiel, because I think your site does damage to
the cause of the Palestinian people. It mixes fact and propoganda, and
by overstating and misstating the case, fuels the Zionist propogandist
cause.. In fact because of these inaccuracies your site is a right-wing
Zionist dream. You have enough to indict zionism and Israeli governments
without stooping to such tactics. (But then again, I suppose you one of
those who feel that Ed Said is a zionist apologist because he feels that
Arabs should not minimize the holocaust -- yes, believe it or not, Said
has been criticized of Uncle Tomism!)

One small example: the claim that Israel is, or can become, a haven for
criminals. You suggest the hypothetical case that somebody could commit
a crime, run to Israel, become an Israeli citizen and escape
extradition. Why don't you say the truth, that this trick was tried time
and time again, and each time Israel extradited the suspects to the
country of origin.. What about Rachel Manning and her husband, the
Jewish Defense League terrorists who sent a letter bomb to the Arab
organization, ran off to Israel, became citizens, and were extradited to
California (Rachel Manning died in prison). What about the Jewish
gangster, Meyer Lansky, who was refused Israeli citizenship when he
tried to seek refuge. I personally know of a man, Joel Davis, who ran
off to Israel after conspiring to murder, and he was extradited, and he
is now in a U.S. jail. Israeli law is explicit on this count. If you
are not an Israeli citizen when you committed the crime, and the statute
of limitations has not expired, you go back. This is not theoretical, as
I said, I could give you dozens of cases. What do you gain by lying?

Now, I think the Israeli law that protects Sheinbein is immoral for many
reasons. I also think the same for the French ban on extraditing French
citizens, etc. I also know that there are Israeli extremists who oppose
the extradition of any Jew to the Gentiles (Why don't you put them up on
your website?) But I am talking here about Israeli law, and you hurt the
Palestinian cause when you misstate this.

Of course, I could go on and on. Take the Goldstein shrine. It is a
blasphemy and a desecration against Judaism that the shrine continues
(just as it is a blasphemy against Islam that there are Palestinian
suicide-bombers who delight in blowing up Jewish children on buses. If
I thought that the price of the state of Israel was to DELIGHT in the
killing of Arabs, then I would say the hell with Israel. And the same
goes for most Palestinians I know, who are decent people, and who
haven't been blinded by revenge, which is only counter-productive. But
then again, I would not be surprised if the Hamas suicide bombers are
Zionist provocateurs who have been trained by the right-wing Israeli
government to destroy any chance of peace. Everybody know that Hamas was
funded and encouraged by Israel, and its military actions all serve the
interests of Israeli fascists like Netanayahu, who was elected because
of the suicide bombing..) But all the politicians have spoken against
the shrine, the Knesset has acted against it, and when it is removed,
your only comment will be "this was probably done because of World
attention." If that is your only comment, then all I can say is there
are right-wing militant settlers that must be funding your website. Your
whole site doesn't mention like the Israelis Uri Avnery and the members
of the Gush Shalom (Peace Bloc) who protest the government's immoral
policies against Palestinians, who help Palestinians rebuild their
homes, etc., etc. Who are the people you cite who provide evidence and
criticism of government policies? Israelis! Well, I suppose I shouldn't
mind...the Palestinians know and respect Avnery, so who cares what other
people think. You paint all zionists as devils, then you quote the
zionists who oppose the racist policies of the Israeli government. You
quote racist remarks by ultra-orthodox rabbis (good for you) as if they
are indicative of Israeli racism (ha!ha!) , then you want us to feel
sorry for government discrimination against the ultra-orthodox! (I
don't. They are not discriminated against; they run the country.)

My only consolation is that the Palestinian cause will triumph despite
your efforts, and the efforts of your allies-in-propaganda, the fascist
Zionists, who want to crush the will of the Palestinian people.
Together, in peace, Palestinians and Israelis will work together to
create a just solution -- not the solution of Oslo, which reinforces
Israel's grip of the Palestinians -- but a solution based on mutual
recognition, and Israeli's recognition of its historical obligation to
the Palestinian people?. Where do you stand? On the Palestinian side? Or
on the side of the Propagandists?

Yours truly,
Charles M*******

>You have enough to indict zionism and Israeli governments
>without stooping to such tactics. (But then again, I suppose you one of
>those who feel that Ed Said is a zionist apologist because he feels that
>Arabs should not minimize the holocaust -- yes, believe it or not, Said
>has been criticized of Uncle Tomism!)


Response

Quite impressive, and well formulated response.  Thank you.  Your argument
had enough to convince me to make some changes.  And there was even no need
on your part for statements like: "stooping to such tactics..", "But again
I suppose..." that assume malice on my part.

Before I begin, my stand on Zionism is this (see mission statement): Zionist
ideology, as a plan to save the Jews from persecution, is not faulted.  Its
faults lie in what it did to the native Palestinians.

Now, exactly what material in the site led you to believe that I am minimizing
the Holocaust?  References to the Holocaust are limited to two categories:
First, its use by Zionists as a propaganda tool: doing so gravely minimizes
it, it must be noted.  Second, Zionist's indifference to Jewish suffering
during the Holocaust.

In fact, the only reference in my site that might make one think, wrongly,
that I am minimizing the Holocaust  --namely, the reference to chapters about
Palestinian dispossession and Israel's Lobby, in the book by Holocaust denier
Roger Garaudy-- is followed by a clear disclaimer, that Garaudy's other views
are not endorsed.  Did you run across that, by any chance?  Second, where did
you find material that led you to believe that I would feel that "Ed Said is a
zionist apologist"???  Perhaps it was just a hunch?  Are you sure you aren't,
unintentionally, practicing what you just preached against: "mixing facts with
propaganda"? 

(Actually I do have a "complain" about Ed Said, and it is that I have to carry
a dictionary around while reading his materials.)

You present a good case regarding "Israel: a Haven for criminals." (As an
aside, I am moving that section to the Miscellaneous page.)  I will consider
some of the modifications you mentioned.  It wasn't "lying" or "not telling the
truth," on my part, as you conveniently assumed.  It was, basically, not knowing/
caring to know about cases where Israel extradited some criminals.  It is for such
constructive and informative criticism by readers that I provide the means to send
feedback.  If indeed this site advocates intentional propaganda, as your words
implied ("what do you gain by lying?") then certainly your feedback would not have
appeared in it nor the errors you pointed to, corrected.

Nonetheless, extraditing criminals must be a *consistent* Israeli policy.  In
the Sheinbein case Israel refused to extradite him, until Congressman
Levingston threatened a halt in aid to Israel.  Unless extradition is done in
a consistent manner on the part of Israel, it is bound to send the wrong
message to diaspora Jews/Israeli citizens. This is evident in the many cases
listed in that section, where accused Jews/Israelis immediately run to Israel.
Surely they must think they are somewhat safer there from justice than they
are at the scenes of their crimes.  (Check out a related Yediot Ahronot
article: Israel is a Paradise for Money Launderers by Sever Plotzker 04/27/1997.)

Another issue. Would, say, Israel be willing to extradite Jewish terrorists
who murdered Palestinians, to the  Palestinian Authority?  I think not.
Furthermore, if you are truly a pro-peace and pro-Palestinian rights, you
shouldn't defend Israel's legal system, knowing, I assume, that under it
the Palestinians were/are being dispossessed and denied THEIR right to return.
(Palestinians' home demolitions are "legal," aren't they?)  This was the same
legal system that punished Israeli soldiers for killing a Palestinian by fining
them one agora (less than $0.01), was it not?  Many of Israel's inhumane practices
against the Palestinians, such as the demolition of homes and torture (moderate
physical pressure), are "legal."  This is a little more true, perhaps, under the
current "fascist" government.

Israel has violated more UN security resolutions than any other nation ever.
Therefore, the way I see it, and you may disagree, Israel has forfeited its
right to being "innocent until proven guilty."  To me, the opposite --Israel
is "guilty until proven innocent"-- applies, hence the implications of being
a "haven for criminals," and other aspects you viewed as "propaganda."  Only
consistent and strict (even not-so-strict) adherence to international laws by
Israel will entitle it to the benefit of the doubt.


> your site is a right-wing Zionist dream.


Then find me one right-wing Zionist who would agree with you.  However, since,
in your words, I "have enough [material] to indict zionism," especially right-
wing one, your task will be difficult.


>.... Take the Goldstein shrine. It is a
>blasphemy and a desecration against Judaism that the shrine continues
>(just as it is a blasphemy against Islam that there are Palestinian
>suicide-bombers who delight in blowing up Jewish children on buses.
>If I thought that the price of the state of Israel was to DELIGHT in
>the killing of Arabs, then I would say the hell with Israel.


The tomb was built as a shrine, and has been visited and prayed at for five
years now.  It is safe to predict that had it been a Palestinian home instead,
the removal would be much swifter.  Furthermore, if the Palestinians were to
build a similar shrine for some Hamas murderer, Israel is sure to flood the
media outlets with pictures of it to make political gains out of it.  (Usually
though, Hamas terrorists' remains do not get returned to their families).  I
am sure the PA would quickly remove it, under international pressure, if it existed.

What branch of Judaism is this shrine a blasphemy and a desecration against?
The Rabbi's statements at the tomb are not highly inconsistent with Talmudic/
Orthodox Judaism's doctrine --the one that "run[s] the country"-- and its
general attitudes towards the Goyim (non-Jews).  The shrine is sure to be a
blasphemy against human values and other branches of Judaism.

My site serves to make the world see Israel's grave sins.  It is not concerned
with Palestinians' ill doings against Israel, not only because they are mainly
*responses* to Israel's terror, but because they are amply documented and loudly
trumpeted around the world. (However, I do show Arafat's corruption).   Only
when the world --particularly American supporters of Israel-- see the countless
sins of Israel that it will move to pressure it to end the oppression.


>Your whole site doesn't mention like the Israelis Uri Avnery and the members
>of the Gush Shalom (Peace Bloc) who protest the government's immoral
>policies against Palestinians, who help Palestinians rebuild their
>homes, etc., etc. Who are the people you cite who provide evidence and
>criticism of government policies? Israelis! 


The first part of the paragraph above somewhat contradicts with the second.  First,
you say the site doesn't mention Israeli peace advocates who criticize Israeli government
policies against the Palestinians, such as Avnery (which is incorrect).  Then you say I
DO cite Israelis for criticizing Israeli policies (correct).

I cite Israelis because many of them are true peace advocates and, on the whole,
I trust their views.  This --sometimes-- includes Avnery, although, sadly, he
doesn't truly address the corruption of Arafat and his PA.  (In fact he praises
Arafat for pushing for deomcracy efforts!)  Those peace-lovers, however are
not to be confused with their government --Labor/Likud-- and its practices, as
well as the extremists. You missed my reference and link to Gush Shalom in the
news resources page.  It reads

   Gush Shalom (Peace Block) an ISRAELI "bi-partisan" organization established
   by Knesset member, Journalist, and peace activist Uri Avnery in 1992 with
   the goal of Israeli withdrawal to the June 4th, 1967 , and the establishment
   of a Palestinian state with E. Jerusalem as its capital. [emphasis added]

Also, you missed my use of Gush Shalom's document regarding Israel's violations
of Oslo under the Peace Process page.  (I didn't even bother to read it before
including it, by the way, because I trusted their views and had a great
admiration and respect for Avnery.)  I also included a link to the site there.
Just because I didn't get the chance to include more of their material or that
you didn't see it, does not mean I am hiding Israeli peace actions.

Furthermore, if you were to look somewhat harder you would, have seen
the reference to the B'Tselem Israeli human rights group, as well as some
of their articles.  If you notice as well, my highest compliments for news
resources go to the Israeli press, mainly Ha'aretz. (You can easily tell by
the number of Israeli-press articles included.)  And have you, incidentally,
looked at the site's dedication?  It says that this site is partially dedicated
to Jews who work for Palestinian rights.  I also intend to include material,
once I locate some, by/about other Israelis, besides Avnery, who call for
Palestinian justice, such as Matti Peled.

In fact, just a quick comparison of the amount of material included from Arab
versus Israeli peace groups, will make you realize how much respect I have for
Israeli human rights groups.  

Nonetheless, your comments tell me that perhaps I have to make the reference
to the Israeli/Jewish nature of Israeli peace groups a little clearer.  I will
include more of the Gush Shalom material because I remember liking what they
presented.  (If you wish to suggest some of their articles for inclusion in
my site, then by all means do so).  In fact, after reading your letter, I
added one from the Gush Shalom/Avnery site, titled "Dear Bill" in the
Policy/Media section.  Thanks for directing my attention that way.

However, except for their stand against settlements, I don't hear much coming
from the Peace Now movement.  I feel they have pretty much become a front/tool
of Labor party/Rabin/Peres, which are wrongly thought of as pro-peace.  I hope
your comment about Netanyahu's Fascism does not imply that Rabin/Peres/Labor are
much less so, since their record of dispossessing the Palestinians is also
monumental, although their mellow tone deceives one into thinking otherwise.


>You quote racist remarks by ultra-orthodox rabbis (good for you) as if they
>are indicative of Israeli racism (ha!ha!) , then you want us to feel
>sorry for government discrimination against the ultra-orthodox! (I
>don't. They are not discriminated against; they run the country.)


Racist remarks by ultra-Orthodox rabbis could very well be indicative of Israel's
racism, since, again, "they run the country."  Where does the site mention
that one should/shouldn't feel sorry for the ultra-Orthodox?  Perhaps you
mean the non-Orthodox?!?  Please note that whatever my site lists, is there
for the purpose of exposing Israel's wrong-doings as a grave abuser of human
rights, and an oppressive colonizer.  Period.  The references you mention, as
well as Zionists and others quoted, are there for that end.  

Second, according to Israeli professor Israel Shahak, (another Israeli peace
and human rights activist I refer to many times in my site), there is a
correlation between classical Judaism's racism against non-Jews and
Israeli/Zionist policies (see his book "Jewish History Jewish Religion," linked
to from my site.)

This site, as stated in the mission statement and elsewhere, is directed
at American Jews and other backers of Israel, whose blind support for the
Jewish state is allowing it to continue its policies of oppressing the
Palestinians.  They need to wake up and find out what kind of a state
Israel is, in order for them to stop their support, in fact pressure Israel to
alter its policies.  The combined actions of all the Israeli peace groups
would not equal one serious call from the U.S. (after a green light from American
supporters of Israel) to "stop it or U.S. aid will stop," coupled perhaps with
threats of sanctions on Israel.  This will make Israel change things overnight,
an achievement that would require decades and decades of Israeli pro-peace activism.

If you truly are against Israeli policies of oppression you would celebrate
my site, (especially if I made some of the changes you recommended), but
mostly since it has "enough to indict zionism and Israeli governments."

Sam 



name: Yahel G (from Israel)
subject: the term: anti-Zionist Jews
03/20/1999
 
I am an Israeli citizen, and I object to some of the criticism
about Israel. But that isn't the reason I'm writing this
comment/question.
 
According to what I know, Anti_Zionist Jews are not the ones who work
for Palestinian rights. Even parties like "Merez" and "Shalom Ahshav"
(Peace now) who work for human rights, including the Palestinians'
consider themselves Zionists.
 
Anti_Zionist jews are mostly ultra-Orthodox people, who think israel
should not be controled by the jews, UNTIL the massaiah will come
and take the land back to the jews, and he will rule there forever
and ever. Until then, jews should not betray god, and should not
control Israel, because god sentenced them to "galut". These
poeple have no trouble living in Israel, because they see this
country as any other country, and thats why they don't go to the
army.

I think there is some mix of terms, and I hope you can fix that.
Yahel.


Response

Thank you Yahel for your comments.

The anti-Zionist Jews I was referring to -- perhaps not clearly -- were those
who opposed the ideology of Zionism based on its impact, not only on the
local Palestinians, but on Jews everywhere.

Such anti-Zionists are the likes of Noam Chomsky, Alfred Lilienthal, Norman
G. Finkelstein, Moshe Menuhim, Elmer Berger and the AJAZ group (American Jews
Against Zionism), as stated in the mission statement.  They stood against
Zionism's establishment of a Jews-only state on Palestinian homeland, while
expelling the local population, as prescribed by Herzl's Zionist ideology
(although using a more gentle vocabulary).  In other words, my "anti-Zionists"
are those who oppose Zionism as the root of the whole conflict, and those who,
today, stand for true Palestinian justice --which entails an end to Zionism--
as defined in my mission statement.  They are not necessarily those who object
to Zionism for religious reasons.

But I see your point about the blurriness and possible confusion with
anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews (e.g. Neturei Carta and Satmar, who also have spoken
against Israel's oppression of the Palestinians). Thus, some changes and
clarifications are in order.

Sam


03/22/1999

Dear Arabist. First i don't give a shit if you worship a jew named Jesus. Second
if i am a Khazar, well then thank God they gave me white skin, blue eyes and
light brown hair. You people blow up airplanes. You blow up cafes. You kill
women for violting the "koran".
You support notorius white nationalists like Sobran and Reese. You lie about Der
Yiessen (sp?). You give praise to terrorsists yet criticize some jews for
supporting Baruch Golstein. Your culture has never known democracy. Your culture
has NO History. NONE!!!!! You have to make one up. You speak about Pollard
sying. Guess what? Ameeicans have been convicted for spying for Egypt and Saudi
Arabia. Mention that. My people, the great jews pay more in taxes than you'll
even know. Now go ahead and print this you worthless sand wog.
 
Me
NYC
The jew

>You people blow up airplanes. You blow up cafes.

Response

The purpose of this site is to expose what the Western media has chosen to hide,
or water down, of a brutal Israeli occupation and decades of oppression of
the Palestinians people, which are the cause of Palestinian terrorism.

Your letter reflects the need for the information presented in my site to
balance your severely imbalanced stand, most likely caused by first your
up-biringing then your choice of news source(s).  I invite you for a serious
visit through the site.  Check out the Zionism II and other pages.  Read Israeli
leaders' quotes as well as some of the articles.  Print them out and take them
home.  Spend some time listening to the Palestinian >intellectual< side of events,
rather than just the mainstream media one.  I strongly encourage you to read the
ISRAELI press, especially Ha'aretz (where most of my articles came from anyway).
When you do, you'll understand that the pathetic and desperate terrorist bombings
of some Palestinians are just infinitesimal REACTIONS of an ant to the ACTIONS
of an Israeli elephant.

Take for example, the (in)famous Ma'alot terrorist act by some Palestinians
in 1974 -- an event that became synonymous with Palestinian terrorism.  While the
media reported it as it should, it refrained from telling the audience, however,
that just prior to this unjustifiable massacre, Israel had bombed Palestinian
refugee camps in Lebanon for two consecutive weeks, with Napalm and bombs,
leaving 200 dead and tens of thousands homeless.  Still, the media spoke of
just Ma'alot. (Paraphrased from Edward Said's "Question of Palestine," 1979).
Only when one views events in their proper context that he/she will form the
more correct understanding of the conflict.

Or did you know that in 1985, 4 out of a total of 7 terrorist activities in
the U.S. were committed by "Jewish Extremists," as reported by the FBI?
The New York Times and Washington Post dedicated ONE line to this fact.
Of course Israel is not responsible for all Jewish groups, but just in
the same way, say, Arafat isn't responsible for all Palestinian groups,
such as Abu Nidal's who committed many of the infamous terrorist acts
presented in the media, and who is an enemy of Arafat.  But the media does
not care to make that clarification for you. (Chomsky: Pirates & Emperors, 1986).  

Take the current Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, the reason for
which, we were told, is Israel protecting its northern borders from Hizbullah
shelling (a total of seven Israelis died due to this shelling in the last 14
years, according to the IDF website, a link to which is available through my
page.) What we were spared by the media, however, were many disturbing facts.

Aside from Hizbollah being a byproduct of Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982
(which killed 17,000 civilians, at least, by Israeli accounts, more than ALL
the Israelis killed by Arabs in ALL the wars and by Arabs in general, through
terrorism, infiltration, and what have you, of the past FIFTY YEARS,) Israel
markets its goods into Lebanon custom free. Whenever Lebanon set custom borders
north of the Zone Israel would bomb.  The excuse for the bombing is, of course,
the usual "bombing SUSPECTED guerilla sites." Other facts the media didn't tell
us about was that for seven years Hizbollah didn't shell Israel until Israel
assassinated a Shiite leader in 1992 killing his family, in "self defense"
and to "fight terrorism," according to the customary Israeli cliche's.  The
same assassination scenario repeated last August, which was again followed
by a Hizbullah shelling.

To mention a few Israeli "adventures" in Lebanon, in 1978 Israel invaded
Lebanon killing 2000 (apparently does not count as an invasion by media
standards), in 1982 it invaded again killing 20,000 using cluster and implosion
bombs, and Napalm. In 1993 Israel killed 130 Lebanese in operation accountability.
 In 1996 200 people were slaughtered, 106 of which while hiding in a UN compound
(courtesy of PM Peres).  Throughout many of these operations, Israel drove hundreds
of thousands of civilians from their homes.  Last November Israel was caught
stealing Lebanon's fertile top-soil. Last December a women and her six children
were killed by an Israeli rocket.

Read through the articles and books, many of which provided in this site,
about Israel's dispossession of the Palestinians, (which continues today
through house demolitions on OCCUPIED W. Bank and E. Jerusalem, and through
denial of residency permits, virtually an ethnic cleansing of the place.)
Read about the destruction of 418 of Palestinian villages in 1948, the
routine and intentional bombing of civilians, the killing of POWs, the violation
of more UN resolutions than any other nation, the assassination of opposition
leaders, the long and painful detentions without due trial, the many massacres,
including Kufr Kassem, Deir Yassin (courtesy of Shamir and Begin), Kibya and
Sabra/Shatila (courtesy of the current FM Sharon), the destruction of tens of
thousands of Palestinian homes in the few years following 1967 war, the expulsion
of Bedouins from Sinai.... most took place long before the PLO was created.

Read about the legalized torture, the stealing of 81 percent of Palestinian W.
Bank Water resources which help settlers fill their swimming pools and water
their gardens, while Palestinians thirst and their crops die.  Read also about
the countless curfews and the suffocating closures, where people in need of
hospitalization succumb to a needless death, while their helpless families
watch.  Read about the order by "prince of peace" Rabin to break the bones of
Palestinian teens and children rock-throwers, or his order, 51 years ago, that
the "inhabitants of Lydda must be expelled quickly without attention to age."
(approx 50,000 of them were expelled).

I could go on for a long time, or I could refer you to the books and facts
presented in this site.  Check out ISRAELI historians' accounts of the events,
such as Benny Morris, Tom Segev, Simha Flapan, Ilan Pappe, Benjamin Beit-
Hallahmi.  Read the diaries of former Israeli prime minister Sharett, that show
a man struggling with Israel's immoral behavior.  (Actually, you may want to
read instead the much shorter study based on Sharett's diaries, called "Israel's
Sacred Terrorism" by Livia Rokach, available in its ENTIRETY in this site.)
Listen to Israeli leaders admit to starting "at least 80 percent
of the incidents" or how Palestinian villages were destroyed and new Israeli
ones built in their place.  Here are select clips by DM Moshe Dayan:

    "I know how at least 80% of all the incidents with Syria started. We
    were sending a tractor to the demilitarized zone and we knew that the
    Syrians will shoot.  If they did not shoot, we would instruct the tractor
    to go deeper, till the Syrians finally got upset and start shooting. Then
    we employed artillery, and later also the air-force... I did that... and
    Yitzhak Rabin did that, when he was there..." 

Or

    "Jewish villages were built in the place of Arab villages. You do not even
    know the names of these Arab villages, and I do not blame you because
    geography books no longer exist, not only do the books not exist, the Arab
    villages are not there either. Nahlal arose in the place of Mahlul; Kibbutz
    Gvat in the place of Jibta; Kibbutz Sarid in the place of Huneifis; and
    Kefar Yehushu'a in the place of Tal al-Shuman. There is not one single
    place built in this country that did not have a former Arab population."

The bloody record incriminating Israel is literally colossal.  Moreover, its
history of oppressing and dispossessing the Palestinians -- whose only guilt is
existing on the land that the Zionists coveted -- certainly makes one understand
--not justify-- Palestinian terrorism, which now, suddenly, pales in comparison.
Under such conditions of desperation, to which the Palestinians have been
driven, "the amazing thing is not the occurrence of the suicide bombing, rather
the rarity of them," in the words of Palestinian Dr. Iyad Sarraj.  But if none
of what's in this site makes you change your stand, then your support of Israel
is not based on reason and logic, not to mention moral duty to human rights.

Sadly, however, to many Jews (and to some other supporters of Israel), Israel,
not Judaism, has become their religion, thus eliminating the chance for a
rational and mature debate, as the content of your letter reflects.  In defense
of Israel all you could say about the inifinite charges against it was to list
some bad actions by some Palestinians, as if that legitimizes Israel's apartheid
behavior anyway.

Finally, could your dislike of Sobran and Reese be related to their presenting
of a different image of Israel than the one you prefer?  If you disagree with
anything they wrote about Israel, (or if you have proof of their "white
nationalism,") then why not present it here for discussion.  However, I doubt
you could, because what they wrote/write about Israel are proven and
undisputable FACTS, which would understandably bother supporters of Israel --
those who do not want to come to terms with its crimes.  I am guessing that
the attempt to smear them as "white nationalists" is a direct result of their
writing facts about Israel.  And by the way, you really shouldn't call them
"white nationalists," in the same context that you "thank God" for having your
"white skin, blue eyes and light brown hair!"

It is unfortunate that your message paints a bad image of the true justice-
and peace-loving Jews I so much revere.

Sam


03/24/1999

... Your  web site is a goldmine of information -- thanks for all of it.
-- Frank Kr.

03/27/1999

salam alykum, 
I must say humdillah for this exellent site which brings the truth to the 
american public. I am curious to why the kurds and iraq can't work out 
a "fair deal" for autonomy or something. alykum wa as salam
maziar 

31 Mar 1999

Hello sam, I wish we can have 100s of you in the Arab world.  This is real good
work..

Mohamed K. N., PhDEE

WWW.JARASH.COM

31 Mar 1999

It is nice to see a christian arab refering to him self as a Arab it 
makes me feel good because alot of christain arabs have a serious
identity crisis for some reason they feel that they belong to the west but
what they fail to relize is that Muslim and christines are on they same
boat the west doesn't love christine arabs ,the west and the Jews use
religion to cause friction between us. 

salam
Don M.

8 Apr 1999

I'm a university student from Turkey.I only visited your site for
the reason to make easy doing my homework of Comparative Middle East
Politics,but I saw a great result of hard work. Congragulations! I want to say
something about Turkey -Isreali alliance. There is a widespread discomfort
related to this alliance. I believe that the cause of wound in Middle East is
Israel and and its western friends-US&UK.For this time it is enough I think.
Essalamun aleykum.  

17 Apr 1999

Sam,

  hi! Good job! this page is really awesome. I have linked it to my page and
sent the address to everyone i know. I fight for these issues almost everyday in
school. I go to high school and people are very very sterotypical about Arabs. I
try my very hardest to switch many people's opinions about Arabs....that the
media is not always correct. I have changed many yet this page will help me
alot. May God be with you! 

              Lina

27 Apr 1999

Dear Webmaster,

Thanks for a very informative site.  I work for the Center for Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS) and I'm writing to request a link to our Middle East
online web page (http://www.csis.org/mideast/online.html).

...

Thank you in advance,

Erin C.,  CSIS

1 May 1999
 
hi folks
I find your site very informative.
I always thought you were all just animals , but I see now that there is 
SOME sense in your idiology.
Still ,as long as you continur to try and kill our sodiers in lebanon,
and destroy Israel , I will continur to hope for your soon demise.
Inshalla .
 
gog .

Those damn Lebanese, they should just quit bothering the OCCUPYING Israeli army!
 
In addition, noting Israel's military power -- virtually an extention of the United States' --
as compared to its Arab neighbors', then saying that "the Arabs are trying to destroy Israel" 
is not much different saying "the ant is trying to destroy the elephant."  In 1967 Israel was
much weaker than today's Israel, relative to its Arab neighbors, and did not have the kind of
U.S. backing and pacts it does today.  Yet it defeated Syria, Jordan, and Egypt in 6 days. 
Even with the element of surprise on their side the Arabs couldn't liberate their land --not
destroy Israel-- in 1973.  Making Israel look like the underdog is a smart strategy by
Israel's leaders aimed only at keeping the world's cash and weapons flowing in. 


24 May 1999
i would like to truly thank you for the hard work that you have put in here on this site.
 
it is a tremendous resource, especially when i needed it most.  i found the site off of
infoseek, search: zionism
 
as the undergraduate prez at ****, our council was recently attacked as anti-semitic for
funding an "Anti-oppression week," a program sponsored by our muslim students association here.
 
i had already learned about the struggle of palestinians, prior to these events, but needed
more information...
 
we are currently drafting a resolution in support of the palestinian people, in an effort
to educate our campus of the facts of matter...  since too many are too misled.
 
thanx
stacy h. 
undergraduate president, '98-'99


From: Lane R
 
       Salam!
  
     I quite accidentally blundered across your page and was delighted to find a
genuine 
piece of information by the opposition. I have found what I have expected to
find, 
presented in a way I did not expect to see--blatant propaganda presented 
with a heartfelt and very real appeal for some sense of fairness.
     Unfortunately, reality must set in.
     I do not enjoy looking at pictures of dead and maimed children, 
who die for reasons that they may not understand. God be merciful--it is supreme
sadness.
However, the reality of the situation must be faced--that when
two parties have opposing viewpoints, and take to hostilities, innocent 
bystanders will be harmed. When Adonai Elohenu ordered the children of Israel 
to invade Canaan, he specifically commanded for everyone to die--men,
women, children, and even animals. And He is righteous, for life 
is His to give as well as to take. And it pleased Him to make His covenant with
Isaac
and give his children the land, for it is His to give as He will. And through
the troubled history of that land, it pleased Him to prosper or punish 
His people Israel as they honored or disrespected Him.
     And always He let them come back.
     And finally, after approximately fifteen hundred years of world-wandering,
He 
recalled them to the land He had promised them.
     Before there were Palestinians, there were Philistines, and before they
served Allah, they served Dagon.
And he who is called Iblis, and Satan, saw that Dagon could not stand before the
power of
Adonai Elohim Tzeva'ot, and he sent a pretender to a man in a cave, and 
the pretender pretended to be Gabriel, and bade the man recite a new gospel, 
hundreds of years after the Christ gave the Truth to mankind. And it pleased the 
one who was called Iblis and Satan, to promote one of his demons, a god of the 
moon--Allah by name--who had a "wife" and two "daughters"--and give him an
important mission:
to impersonate God Almighty.
    Now Allah wishes all the world to believe that he and (Adonai) are the same. 
But ask yourself--if these two were the same, why would their respective people
not live in peace?
But Allah seeks the destruction of Israel, for such is the completion of his
mission.
And while Yasser Arafat trumpets "Peace and Safety," and the children in America
watch "Barney the Purple Dinosaur",
the children of the Palestinians watch programs that teach them to be suicide
bombers.
WHAT RIGHT TO OUTRAGE DO YOU CLAIM OVER YOUR YOUNG ONES MAIMED AND KILLED
WHEN YOU PUT THEM THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?
    But Allah cannot stand against the might of the LORD our God, for 
our God created the one who came to be known to us as "Allah", and our 
God could destroy him.
    And Arafat wants to establish a Palestinian state on Israeli land--
well, the Muslims controlled Palestine for centuries, and they should have
declared statehood when they had the chance!
But Allah must now give place to Adonai Elohenu, for His plan may shortly come
to fruition. And it hath pleased
Adonai Elohenu to return Israel to the land he has given them, and they 
will possess Jerusalem, and the Temple is going to be built, and none can stop
it,
for it was written, and it is spoken, even before the foundation of the world,
and
my God has promised His people blessings yet to come. And it has pleased Him to
bless
those who bless Israel, and curse those who curse them, and with
all my heart, all my soul, and every fiber of my being, I bless Israel, for my
God has promised to save them with an everlasting salvation!
 
              Y'varechechah Adonai V'yshmarechah.
              Yair Adonai panav elechah vy'chunechah.
              Y'sa' Adonai panav elechah v'yasemlechah shalom.

Response
 
Check out this link, which should reveal to you how
misinformed you have been.  This link is one of many showing that it has always
been an Israeli policy to bomb civilians.  This is not an American TV-ready
truth; only the courageous *Israeli* press addresses it, which tells you that
you should start reading the Israeli press.  So not only am I recommending to
you to change your news source, but also to read Israeli, --not Arab--
one.  (I would recommend some of the Arab press, but you will say it is
biased.)  Start with Ha'aretz (www.haaretzdaily.com) available in English on
the Internet.  I have tried to simplify the task for those who really want to
learn, by creating this site.  Please surf through it again, but this time
spend quality time.  Read the articles by reputable sources, many of which Israeli.
 
A quick overview:
 
120 years ago Jews were a numerically-negligible minority in Palestine.  80 years
ago, when Balfour made his declaration -- recommending the establishment of a
"home" for Jews, on a land that wasn't his in the first place -- Jews represented
10% of the population, all due to emigration.  In 1948 Jews were 30% of the
population, also due to immigration which was illegal, even by the British-occupier
standards.  Right before the 1948 war, Jews owned less than 7% of what today is
considered Israel.  Today, Jews are 80% of the population, owning 96% of the land,
while 3 million Palestinians languish in refugee camps, 1 million are an inferior
minority, and 2 millions live under a brutal Israeli occupation in miserable conditions,
providing slave-like labor to Israel.   These Palestinian are not just Muslims, it
must be noted, but also Christians.
 
Was this convenient change in demography a miracle for Israel, or does the phrase
"ethnic cleansing of Palestinians" beg the use?  In 1948 there were 30,000
Orthodox Christians in Jerusalem; today they number 2,000.  Where is YOUR outrage??? 
 
Just because Jews had a brief control over Palestine LONG ago, does not mean it is
now rightfully theirs.  Nor because their holy book says so.  If every group in the
world is going to try to grab some land somewhere on earth because its ancestors,
once upon a time, had a brief control over it, or because some holy book of theirs
says so, then chaos will break loose and all the people of the world will start
killing one another.  The house where you live will probably be claimed by someone
else.  But anyway, should someone persist in raising the criterion of ancestral
control, then Palestine belongs to the Canaanite not the Jews, which shows how
ridiculous Israel's claims to legitimacy are.

    >I do not enjoy looking at pictures of dead and maimed children,
    >.... innocent bystanders will be harmed.
 
    >WHAT RIGHT TO OUTRAGE DO YOU CLAIM OVER YOUR YOUNG ONES MAIMED
    >AND KILLED WHEN YOU PUT THEM THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

The disturbing pictures of the maimed, that bothered you, were those of the
Lebanese and Palestinian refugees IN LEBANON, who thought they were hiding from
Israel's US-made bombs in a UN shelter.  They were anything but "bystanders" who
got hurt.  Israel bombed the shelter, deliberately/carelessly, according to the
UN.  A 102 people were killed/maimed, mostly children in that shelter.  About 75
others also were killed and 400,000 displaced in the whole operation (called
"Grapes of Wrath," ordered by peace-man Peres, and whose only purpose was to make
himself appear tough to voters), not to mention that these picture should further
bother you if you are an American, because you financed the whole thing with your
tax money (as I have).
 
Where do you recommend these people go to, so that you will stop thinking that
"we" "PUT THEM THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?"  Cyberia?
 
This again shows a severe deficiency in your knowledge about the whole topic, and
that you need an immediate change of news resource.

    >And while Yasser Arafat trumpets "Peace and Safety,"

Comparing the criminal record of Arafat, to that of Sharon, Shamir, Begin,
Netanyahu, Rabin, and others in this "blessed" crop, Arafat is not only way
more qualified to talk about peace than they are, he is an angel!! (Not to
mention that the CIA and even Israel are now louding Arafat's effort in
fighting terrorism, which might explain why Netanyahu wants less CIA
intervention).
 
An example is Sharon, who in a single massacre, has killed more Palestinians than
ALL the Israelis killed by Palestinian terrorists combined.  You may add to that
all Israelis killed by cross-border shelling from Lebanon, and you'll still be far
below what Sharon alone has committed.  And this is by right-wing accounts!! Did
you know that?? I didn't think so.  (Check here for one right-wing Israeli account,
which may even include some deaths that wouldn't fall under the category of "terror
attacks").
 
See, your news sources have suppressed the crimes of Israeli leaders, but amplified
Arafat's.  Can you firmly attribute any specific terrorist act to Arafat the way you
can to Israeli leaders?  Many Palestinian terrorist acts are attributable to other
Palestinian leaders such as Abou Nidal, but Israel's leaders and your news sources
thought you wouldn't notice the difference between Arafat and other Palestinians.
How easy it is for us to just lump everything together, especially if it snuggly fits
a mind set/stereotype that we have.  (Note: today's despot Arafat, a virtual Israeli
puppet and guard, is not to be confused with yesterday's freedom fighter Arafat.) 
 
Not to mention that Arafat's crimes were those of a dispossessed man who was trying to
go back to his homeland.  He was fighting those who dispossessed him, so those "crimes"
could very well fall into "armed resistance to occupation" versus "terrorism" category.
While Israelis' crimes are those of ethnic cleansers trying to possess a land they never
lived in but coveted, that was inhabited for over a millenia by another people.  Invoking
divine right to the land (coupled with the occurrence of the Holocaust) helped the early
Zionist gain world support for their cause, which totally ignored the presence of a people,
human beings, living on that land.

   >the children of the Palestinians watch programs that teach them to be suicide bombers.

Again, this calls into question your source of news.   If that were truly the case,
Netanyahu would make all gains out of that by telling it over and over.  Actually he
only dares say it when he's in a forum that is safe from responses, such as in the
company of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell (is that where you're getting your news, by
the way?  Hmmmm!?!).  Netanyahu's silence on that issue in mainstream media is perhaps
a testament to its falsehood.  
 
But God knows, I/you may one day become suicide bombers if we see our life destroyed,
our women violated, our fathers beaten, our brothers tortured, our houses demolished,
our children killed or exploited for cheap labor at Israeli factories.  One should wonder,
not just blindly condemn, as to why a person decides to end his life.  But I think one
will chose the easy course of just condemning, rather than spending the effort and time
to look behind the "obvious."  
 
By the way, define the "Israel" which God blesses.  Just because some Zionist thugs
decided to ethnically cleanse Palestine of Palestinians, trick the Jews of the world
to go there, and build a state on it called Israel, does not mean it is the Israel
that God has spoken of (assuming he did.)
 
The God I know is a God of mercy, compassion and love, not one of war, destruction,
torture, abuse of human rights, assassination, killing, ethnic cleansing, dispossession,
... etc, that Israel is.  When I see human suffering -- the Palestinians' in this case --
my God tells me to extend a helping hand and alleviate their suffering, not to sit by
and watch his supposed will of killing and dispossessing the Palestinians at the hands
of the "chosen" Israelis, so that the sublime race can take over.  I leave such thinking
for Hitler & Co.
 
You are perhaps still thinking of God in the Old Testament.  I however, am thinking of
God in the New Testament, who has given his life for others, and who can never bless
such a nation as today's Apartheid Israel, which has no respect for human rights and
human life.
 
If you choose to continue thinking that Israel is blessed and the land is theirs by
divine right, fine, but at least get the facts -- of who's guilty today -- straight.
Don't go around passing false news to support your arguments of the innocence of
today's Israel and its actions.
 
In conclusion, please check out in my site the section Miscellaneous
under Fundamental Christians header.  I am interested to find out how the "blessed" status
of Israel changes, in your opinion, when you note Israel's ban on Christian proselytizing, or
that you, as a non-Jew, will be discriminated against in Israel based, not on your
character and behavior, but on your religion.  Such a nation will make Hitler, not God
-- that is the God I know -- happy.  Also look at the section of the Non-Semitic origin of
Ashkenazi Jews, which should forfeit, according to your system of belief, their blessed
status and their divine rights to "the land of Israel".  From that page I selected for
you the following paragraphs from an article by Jon Zens, so that you may see God's
truth, only which will set you free:
 
   In the former days God did separate Israel for Himself and give her the land promised
   to Abraham. Israel was special among all the nations of the earth (Deut. 7). But
   ultimately the blessing upon Abraham was to be given to all the nations (Matt.
   28:19-20). With the coming of Christ God fulfilled all the promises to the fathers
   (Rom. 15:8). In this age, "God does not show favoritism, but accepts people from
   every nation who fear Him and do what is right" (Acts 10:34).
 
   All of Israel's institutions were fulfilled in Christ -- including the land concept
   (Heb. 3-4). The Old Testament clearly states that God kept His work and gave the land
   to Israel. The notion that God had to give the land "again" is without Biblical foundation.
 
   There is nothing wrong with Jews living in a certain land, but to claim a "divine right"
   to it and to employ this claim as a basis for disrupting, hurting, and killing others
   is wrong. God is not with people when they manipulate and intimidate others. God uses the
   wicked actions of people in His purposes, but He does not sanction them
 
Sam



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