Comments on: Should we question Obama, or Israel?

By: Nissim Dahan (Israel/USA)

Nissim Dahan (Israel/USA) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:34:31 +0000

Time will tell, Esra’a. Things will either get better, or they’ll get much worst. But we shouldn’t confuse the past with the future. We all know that the past sucks. But we don’t have to be the prisoners of the past.

There was a time when African Americans were slaves. And then there were Jim Crow laws which legalized racism. And then there was just plain old racism, some of which is still with us. And now there is an African American elected President.

If this could happen here, then it could happen in Israel as well. And if you visited Israel, as I hope you will one day, I think you would see that most Israelis not only want peace, but are willing to do what it takes to get there. A lot of what makes news, makes news precisely because it is controversial, but not necessarily reflective of the heart of the people.

I met a professor of the environment the other day, from a leading Israeli University, and told him about my crazy idea of a green energy factory in the West Bank. He didn’t laugh. He seemed quite enthusiastic in fact, and said he would get back to me after discussing it with his colleagues. That attitute, believe it or not, is far more in keeping with what most Israelis feel.

By: Esra'a (Bahrain)

Esra'a (Bahrain) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:36:28 +0000

I know it’s hard to believe, but I think that the coming years, and I mean soon, will prove me right.

You may be right about the capability part, but you are NOT right about Israel being “willing” to do anything for the Palestinians. 60+ years of recorded evidence has that against you. Israel needs to make some serious changes for such a thing to be possible. When everyone in Israel stands up against racism and human rights abuses we will have hope, but so far this isn’t happening. I am proud and inspired by all the Israelis who are, but unfortunately they are far from the majority and because of that, there isn’t much we can be optimistic over.

By: Nissim Dahan (Israel/USA)

Nissim Dahan (Israel/USA) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:29:23 +0000

It’s easy to throw labels around, Jina. It’s a bit more difficult, and at times somewhat awkward, to search for the truth. People take some comfort in labeling one another. “Oh, he’s just a Nazi.” End of story. Time to move on. No need to worry about whether we’re right or not. The label itself will suffice to put our lazy minds at ease. And that’s how it goes. But the labels just set us even further apart, instead of bringing us together.

Whether you like it or not, Israel and the U.S. do share values, and it has nothing to do with killing Arabs. Values like democracy, or freedom of expression, or free enterprise, or freedom of worship, have nothing to do with killing Arabs. Do the U.S. and Israel always live up to their values? No. But who the hell does?

In terms of the Nazi comparison, it may be convenient and provocative for you to use that label, but I’m sorry, it does not hold. I studied history as well, and while I’m sure that some Americans supported Hitler, the vast majority of Americans hated his guts, and were willing to do whatever it took to take him out. And the world is better for it. And I don’t see Israel, as powerful as she may be, rounding up millions of Arabs and exterminating them in cold blood, and with utter percision. Yes, innocent people on both sides of the conflict are getting killed. Yes, there is injustice being perpetrated on both sides of the fence. But there is no wholesale attempt to eradicate a people, on the part of Israel, based on their religion, or their ethnicity.

I said it before, and I’ll say it again until I turn blue in the face: There is no one in the Middle East, that is better able or more willing to help Palestinians then Israel. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. I know it’s hard to believe, but I think that the coming years, and I mean soon, will prove me right.

By: Jina

Jina — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:07:28 +0000

Maybe you have a point that Israel does enjoy a somewhat priviliged status in the U.S. But such a relationship, to my mind, must have been grounded in a substantive sharing of values, and in a common interpretation of the past, and in a common aspiration for the future

Yes yes shared values… like killing Arabs, killing Muslims, killing Arab children, killing Muslim children, taking over other countries, claiming that country as their own, plundering that country, killing Ara… hold on I already said that…. ok I think thats it for now.

I also don’t understand how being nazis and being victims of Nazi equates to having common past. I mean US was one of the biggest advocates of Hitlers if I remember the unedited version of history correctly. But I do understand the common aspiration for the future both countries have… you know the whole being nazi thing.

By: Nissim Dahan (Israel/USA)

Nissim Dahan (Israel/USA) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:22:04 +0000

There are words, and there are the meanings behind the words. The words don’t always hit the target, with respect to the intended meaning. In fact, sometimes, the words themselves get in the way of the meaning behind the words. You say the word “God,” and people get all bent out of shape. But you say “The Big Bang,” and people could care less. I say, what’s the difference between The Big Bang, and God? Some 13.7 billion years ago there was nothing, not even time or space. And then there was an explosion, and suddenly there was everything, the entire universe in all its glory. Doesn’t that explosion smack of God, the Creator, or the “creative energy,” which brings forth everything out of nothing?

The point is, even though we may be stretching things somewhat, is that we should not worry that much about the specific words we use, especially words that are inordinately burdened by heavy connotations. We should worry instead about the meaning behind the words, so that we can begin the painful process of coming together about ideas, ideas that can make sense to all of us, and that can therefore begin to make a difference.

By: Madmax

Madmax — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:19:59 +0000

I am sorry if I came off as rude Madmax, but the sarcasm was a bit offensive. It’s kind of like if you were criticizing a suicide bomber and we said “yeah whatever, Muslims are violent pigs right?” wouldn’t you feel a bit violated, like you can’t even express an opinion without anyone assuming that you feel that way?

I found Murad’s remarks sickening – they were literally the same old shit used by numerous Arab and European extremists to demonize Jews and portray them as the manipulators of everyone around them. I’m getting sick of that tactic. I find that offensive just like you find my dismissal of his slander to be offensive. As for being misunderstood, that has happened to me here on many of posts here. Sometimes I choose the wrong words or phrase my point incorrectly. Sometimes the opinion I express has a stigma attached to it that I do not identify with. Other times people are out to get me. The best I can do is try to clarify my opinion for them – which gives us a chance to talk more. Sometimes I do take offense, but preconceived notions are not something that can be avoided, because everyone approaches each statement from a different mindset.

My apologies.

By: Amir (Israel)

Amir (Israel) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 13:36:19 +0000

Here’s an analysis I wrote of an imaginary QA session inside the Israeli cabinet once Obama takes over as President.

http://forecasthighs.com/2008/11/06/yes-we-can/

By: eric/canada

eric/canada — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 01:35:24 +0000

I spent the election in upstate New York (family business) and watched the whole thing unfold. Religion not only played a critical role in this landmark event, it was a crux. The Christian community in the US chose the authentic church affiliation of Obama over the strained political piousness of McCain. This was a crucial swing vote that the Democrats needed to grab, and they are also fully aware that, in the next two years they need to keep it in order to keep control of the House of Representatives. That is going to mean, basically, yes, preferring Israel over other Middle East nations. This is a trend that has building along with the ever-increasing influence of evangelical and extreme Christianity in the US, and in what promises to be a particularly grim recession, it will get even stronger. To be quite honest, one of the big fundamentals of this movement is the whole Judgement Day thing, and, to a very large section of this community this means that it will be Muslims that they will be fighting (converting or killing Jews will just be kind’ve a bonus).
Now, even though I don’t believe that Barack Obama buys into this crap for a second, I do believe that he is intelligent enough to concentrate on ending US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan over opening any religious cans-of-worms in Israel, having quite enough on his plate trying to keep his country from going completely bankrupt. It will be far easier to play diplomatic footsie with Iran and Syria and claim it a breakthrough than to get Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and assorted subdivision-fortress building Jewish settlers to agree on anything. Any kind of stance other than the occaisional diplomatic equivilant of an embarrassed cough when it comes to Israel would most certainly call President Obama’s “Husseinity” into question, which is something the Democrats have worked very hard to get around.
It’s a pretty irrational way to conduct an ongoing foreign policy, but that’s what happens when belief replaces reason….

By: Ann F

Ann F — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:27:48 +0000

Obama is, above all, a practical and pragmatic man. He might have idealistic dreams, but he moves towards them in a pragmatic and practical way. He’s also very, VERY good at getting what he wants and he does want peace in the Middle East.

I have high hopes, therefore, that he will recognize that a one-sided support of Israel’s hawks is simply not a practical step towards helping to resolve Middle East conflict.

Despite being depicted as a far-left liberal, it seems he’s truly a moderate liberal. He may well have the capacity to bring all the moderates together in the Middle East to build an equitable and lasting peace, one that can withstand the attacks of the extremists who would rather visit death and destruction upon the others than to enjoy peace.

By: Grant Devereaux

Grant Devereaux — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 23:01:07 +0000

I found this blog mentioned in the New York Times. I wanted to stop by and say, Americans want peace in the Middle East. I am speaking of my people. We want Palestine to have their own country and to live in peace with Israel. Obama definitely shares that desire.

Americans do not wish harm to any people of the world, though we are aware at times our government has acted counter to our values and wishes. All people experience this disconnect with their leaders who seek war not peace.

Trust that we really are a loving and inclusive people. There are Arabic American citizens and Jewish American citizens and Christian American citizens – we live together in peace. We want the same for you.