Israeli students demonstrate against IDF operations in Gaza

[DotCommunist]

kbj, kbj
how much shit did you endorse today

 

[laptop]

מחזיקים ידיים בהפגנות של יום שישי

Off that banner: http://hadash2009.org.il/

It's all squiggly, with no Greek or Roman or Russian in sight

 

[tangentlama]

Off that banner: http://hadash2009.org.il/

It's all squiggly, with no Greek or Roman or Russian in sight

You should be able to read this
29/12/2008: Sane Voices from Israel II: Dov Khenin
http://themagneszionist.blogspot.com/2008/12/sane-voices-from-israel-ii-dov-khenin.html

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Big cheers for Jewish speakers and mentions of Jewish and Israeli solidarity at the London rally today. I think a lot of people are still very concerned about the anti-semitism charge, even if intellectually they know it's bollocks.

 

[TAE]

That's great news FridgeMagnet.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/10/letters-gaza-uk

Wow, that's pretty strong.

 

[laptop]

500 signatories from Sderot
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2009/jan/08/gaza-israel

Total population 19,300. More impressive.

 

[cantsin]

Jewish Women Occupy Israeli Consulate in Toronto

that's totally divsersionary / ultra leftist, adventurism that plays into the hands of the state / the media / whoever , they should march from A - B . often .

 

[nino_savatte]

What's fucking sickening is that there is a list of things on the Movement for Reform Judaism's website to write to your MP about and say in your letters, and they are advertising zionist demos and telling people they will give out Israeli flags. I feel totally let down and betrayed by them tbh

Imagine if some totally tame organisation like the Muslim Council of Britain organised a "day of solidarity with al-Qaeda" after 9/11 and encouraged people to write to their MPs about some totally bogus reason why it was justified for people to fly planes into the twin towers?

((((((((froggy))))))))

 

[ViolentPanda]

One suspects that the spirit of Mordecai Anielewicz is holding his head in his hands, weeping, wondering why he bothered resisting if it were only to see the oppressed become the oppressors.

 

[frogwoman]

((((((((froggy))))))))

cheers mate

im ok - just so sickened and angry at these people

 

[Spion]

A Call from Within - signed by 540 Israeli citizens

"As if the occupation was not enough, the brutal ongoing repression of the Palestinian population, the construction of settlements and the siege of Gaza - now comes the bombardment of the civilian population: men, women, old folks and children. Hundreds of dead, hundreds of injured, overwhelmed hospitals, and the central medicine depot of Gaza bombed. The ship Dignity of the Free Gaza movement which brought emergency medical supplies and a number of physicians was also attacked. Israel has returned to openly committing war crimes, worse than what we have seen in a long time. . ."

http://www.freegaza.org/en/home/658-a-call-from-within-signed-by-israeli-citizens

 

[nino_savatte]

cheers mate

im ok - just so sickened and angry at these people

It would appear that your rabbi is increasingly out of step with much of the Reform movement. I saw a Reformist rabbi on the telly yesterday morning who spoke out against the continued Israelis strikes. I only wish that I could remember the man's name.

 

[tangentlama]

Jewdas strikes again!

Well yes, it was us. We sent the Board of Deputies Hoax email. Not some 'Islamist cell' 'or Hamas supporters' as many of you imagined. Just a group of nice yiddisher boys and girls, of the sort that you might run into in your local kosher delicatessen. We weren't doing it to be malicious, we weren't trying to 'upset' anyone, we weren't even trying to stop people going to the rally. We just thought we'd give people something to talk about over Kiddush, instead of discussing the poor quality of the gefilte fish. Moreover, we wanted, in this action, to show another possible reality, to suggest that 'another jewish community is possible'

Those who believed it, even for a moment, were being given a gift, a vision of the Jewish leadership who stood up for peace and justice, rather than standing for mindless ethnic solidarity. These people should not be considered gullible, rather they showed the imagination to see an inspiring, alternative vision. We offered a Midrash on Anglo-Jewish life, a dvar aher (another path), an aggadah for the Talmud of the present.

In this 'temporary imaginary zone' the Jewish Establishment opened up, listening to the voices it usually shuts out, thought outside the box, and took a brave decision on principle rather in accordance with political expediency. And many Jews agreed with this bold (imaginary) decision, as you can see in some of the responses received at the bottom of this email. Further, we have reports of a person believing the email for a whole shabbat, and describing that day as 'the best day of her life'. A shabbat in accord with the best of Judaism then, in sad contrast to the shabbat on which this war was launched.

So back to the rather less inspiring reality. The demo was described as a 'peace rally'. Now we at Jewdas recognise good satire when we see it, and this is particularly hilarious. But come on guys - Peace Rally? Sadly it was anything but. The slogan was End Hamas Terror; Peace for the People of Israel and Gaza. So no mention of the Israeli army then. Its not like they've been involved have they? They've just been sitting around, playing Kalooki. A rally that puts all the blame on one side (and arguably on the weaker one at that) and fails to call for a ceasefire, can hardly be described as being for peace. The fact that an Israeli embassy spokesperson could sum up the rally, on the Jewish Chronicle's website as "They understand we had no chance but to go forward with a military operation" tells you all you need to know. We will not allow the notion of 'peace' to be bastardised, to become 'peace on our terms'. Let us repeat the proposal in our email, this time under our own name:

We call for an immediate ceasefire, immediate negotiations between Israel and Hamas, and for lifting the economic blockade of Gaza, in order to allow the Gazan and Israeli people to live together in peace. There is no military solution, only a political one.

The proposal put out in our email was eminently reasonable, it was not a demonisation of Israel, rather a call for an immediate ceasefire and for negotiations, trying to end the cycle of violence. This is what calling for peace actually entails and we stand by the proposals outlined within it.

And as we looked through the responses from those who believed they really had received a message from the BOD, some expressing vile anti-Islamic abuse and condemning supposed 'appeasement', it was proved that brave leadership from a diasporic Jewish body to oppose these views is a necessity. We understand those who responded from within Israel, we feel your fear deeply, but until a two-way peace process on fair terms is initiated, you'll never be free from fear. But an urgent corrective is needed for those based in Britain saying such things as "this plays directly to the hands of the Islamo-fascists", "I will bless those that bless you and curse those that curse you. They don't want to be at peace with you" and "By cancelling tomorrow’s event you are telling the world that we are no match for the Palestinians. Your statement regarding the Jewish community not wanting to be seen as a participant in the conflict is a brazen untruth. WE ARE participants in the conflict".

Where is the representative body who will tell these people that it's not about being a match for 'them' or being a one-sided 'participant', that there is no 'them and us', that the fate of Israeli-Palestinian populations are bound together - indeed, just as Jewish-Muslim populations in the UK are? This is a voice that is urgently required.

The Jewish establishment has been trying to create the illusion of unified solidarity behind Israel. But they are losing. A growing number of Jews are not happy to be the PR foot soldiers of the Israeli embassy, and they do not want to be represented as such. As much as anything else, this action is a call for new, or radically reformed Jewish communal organisations, ones that promote peace and justice over solidarity, and pluralism and democracy over hierarchy and backroom politics. There's a great desire within the British Jewish community to express and support alternative views; our message was sent, not via some undercover email stealing operation, but by using our own mailing list. We call on all those members of the Jewish community opposed to the carnage in Gaza to have no fear and to stand against self-appointed leaders and to call for peace and dialogue NOW - not just in Gaza, but within the Jewish community.

Jews Sans Frontieres adds:

We'll leave it to a prominent member UK Jewish playwright to sum it up in his response to the original email.
"

You have made a wise decision to cancel the demonstration, and your reasoning is clear and admirable."

If only such an admirable communal leadership existed beyond a hoax.

http://www.jewdas.org/contents.htm

 

[tangentlama]

Protesters chain selves to LA Israeli Consulate
The Associated Press
Posted: 01/14/2009 09:47:24 AM PST


LOS ANGELES—A protest at the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles has ended after temporarily stopping traffic on Wilshire Boulevard.

Wednesday's protest disbanded peacefully after police talked to the Jewish protesters who oppose Israel's military action against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Police Sgt. Charles Halliburton says a half-dozen protesters had chained themselves to the building as another 60 protesters carried signs and chanted.

Egyptian and Palestinian officials say they are negotiating a 10-day cease-fire in Gaza, where the Palestinian death toll has passed 1,000 in the 19-day-old offensive.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11451697

 

[frogwoman]

It would appear that your rabbi is increasingly out of step with much of the Reform movement. I saw a Reformist rabbi on the telly yesterday morning who spoke out against the continued Israelis strikes. I only wish that I could remember the man's name.

It wasn't my rabbi - it was the head of the reform movement i wrote to.

Im a bit scared of writing to my rabbi to be honest!


I wrote them a reply:

From: froggy [mailto:xxxxxxxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: 09 January 2009 22:27
To: Admin (MRJ)
Subject: RE: The Movement for Reform Judaism: Israel and Gaza


Thank you so much for taking the trouble to reply to my email, which I greatly appreciate.

However, I did not write to you because I wanted to be "controversial" or make some sort of standpoint. I thought very long and hard before writing to you and it saddened me so much to feel the need to take such a drastic stance. From talking to many people within the Jewish community, including many in my own family, I have realised that many Jews do in fact share my opinions, but feel unable to speak out publically due to the supportive atmosphere towards Israel within the community. The behaviour of Israel, and the deep embarrassment and shame that many Jews feel at the behaviour of this state, has been one of the main factors leading to a decline in religious observance and an increase in Jewish assimilation, which I know from my own personal experience.

You do not need to hold the view that Israel is solely to blame, or to think that the recent attack is not justified, to be able to call for restraint on its part, or for proper observance of the rules of war, when neutral organisations such as Amnesty International and the Red Cross are accusing it of being in violation of these rules, and the recent reports of ambulances being shelled and prevented from giving aid, and homes where civilians were told to flee to, are plainly abhorrent and must not be tolerated in a civilised society. It is not necessary to "support the Palestinians" in order to recognise that some things are wrong, and must be condemned. Organising a demonstration in "solidarity" with Israel does not send a message of peace, and I am outraged that the Movement for Reform Judaism invited people to join such a rally instead of calling for an immediate ceasefire and a more even-handed approach.

I understand the problems in tackling such a difficult issue, but several prominent British Jews have spoken out over the years over Israel's behaviour, and made it quite clear that the Israeli state does not represent them. I am concerned that the failure of the leaders of Jewish denominations to condemn Israeli actions in this instance, as well as many others, will cast a very dark shadow over Judaism in the years to come, and simply cheerleading the "right" of Israel to do anything it wants will not lead to security for any Israeli citizens, something that many Israelis themselves recognise.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to reply to me over this important and difficult issue.

Yours sincerely,

froggy

But - and this is very interesting, the guy (I think it was prob. tony bayfield) wrote back saying this:

Thank you for your reply which is much appreciated. Please take a look at the letter I signed in the Observer, it was far less than you would have wanted but at least it was something.

Kind regards

Interesting wording there - don't you think? I get the feeling that he might be under a considerable amount of pressure from the zionists ...

 

[nino_savatte]

It wasn't my rabbi - it was the head of the reform movement i wrote to.

Im a bit scared of writing to my rabbi to be honest!


I wrote them a reply:





But - and this is very interesting, the guy (I think it was prob. tony bayfield) wrote back saying this:




Interesting wording there - don't you think? I get the feeling that he might be under a considerable amount of pressure from the zionists ...

Yep, very interesting and it's quite clear that the Zionists are labouring under the delusion that Israel is only 'defending itself'.

 

[quimcunx]

Link to protest in Israel on 3rd January.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mc9DN2Oi0-w

Apparently 10,000 turned up for the protest on the 10th. An unprecedented number.



http://www.tv.social.org.il/eng/stv-aza-refuseniks-8-1-09-eng.htm


Israel Social TV might be an interesting resource for those of you who may speak hebrew.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Interesting wording there - don't you think? I get the feeling that he might be under a considerable amount of pressure from the zionists ...

It's a fair bet that most of the power structures of British Jewry are under pressure from Zionist elements, either internally or externally, probably using the old lie of "we must present a united front to the Goyim". You only have to look at the way Sachs bent over for the Zionists, or the craven way the BDBJ acts every time the Zionist dog barks to know that our "establishment" are ultimately in the "Israel right or wrong" camp.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Yep, very interesting and it's quite clear that the Zionists are labouring under the delusion that Israel is only 'defending itself'.

Not so much a delusion as an excuse.

 

[nino_savatte]

Not so much a delusion as an excuse.

For sure.

 

[tangentlama]

Ok, so Jon Stewart was student once,
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=213380&title=strip-maul

and Max Blumenthal too ...
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FABqq_jjRRo


The first link to Daily Show video to make you laugh...and the second link to make you cry

 

[laptop]

The 25-year-old paratrooper was about to tell his commanders that not only would he refuse to join Israel's war in Gaza but would not serve in any capacity that helped perpetuate the conflict.

He reported for duty and was ordered to erect tents for combat soldiers.

"I told my officer, I am not going to do this. The next morning I was sent home. They told me they'd call me again if there was need. They have not called yet. In the past the army used to put refuseniks in jail for weeks. When they were released, sometimes they would be arrested again and this would go on for months.

"But now it seems the army doesn't want to admit publicly there are refuseniks. [It] is embarrassed. It would go against the image of the whole army and country united behind this war."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/17/refuseniks-israeli-dissent-military

 

[tangentlama]

It wasn't my rabbi - it was the head of the reform movement i wrote to.

Im a bit scared of writing to my rabbi to be honest!


I wrote them a reply:

But - and this is very interesting, the guy (I think it was prob. tony bayfield) wrote back saying this:


Interesting wording there - don't you think? I get the feeling that he might be under a considerable amount of pressure from the zionists ...

It's a fair bet that most of the power structures of British Jewry are under pressure from Zionist elements, either internally or externally, probably using the old lie of "we must present a united front to the Goyim". You only have to look at the way Sachs bent over for the Zionists, or the craven way the BDBJ acts every time the Zionist dog barks to know that our "establishment" are ultimately in the "Israel right or wrong" camp.

11th Jan, 5 days before froggy sent her second letter:

A group of Britain's most prominent Jews has called on Israel to cease its military operations in Gaza immediately, warning that its actions, far from improving the country's security, will "strengthen extremism, destabilise the region, and exacerbate tensions inside Israel".

Describing themselves, as "profound and passionate supporters" of Israel - and supporting its right to defend itself against the "war crime" of Hamas rocket attacks - they added that the current tactics threatened to undermine international support for Israel.

The intervention, in a letter published in today's Observer, came as fears grew that Israel was to launch a "new phase" of its military offensive inside the Gaza strip. Yesterday warplanes dropped leaflets warning Gazans "not to be close to terrorists, weapons warehouses and the places where the terrorists operate". The two-week-old campaign has already killed more than 800 Palestinians, while 13 Israelis have died, three of them civilians killed by Hamas rockets.

Although individual Jewish writers and religious figures have expressed their opposition to the conduct of Operation Cast Lead, the letter represents the most significant break with Israel's tactics from a group of UK Jews.

Prominent rabbis, academics and political figures are among the signatories, including Rabbi Dr Tony Bayfield, head of the Movement for Reform Judaism; Sir Jeremy Beecham, former chair of the Labour party; Professor Shalom Lappin of the University of London; Baroness Julia Neuberger; Rabbi Danny Rich, chief executive of Liberal Judaism; Rabbi Professor Marc Saperstein, principal of Leo Baeck rabbinical training college; and lawyer Michael Mitzman, who set up Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for the Home Office.

Their demand comes amid increasing pressure on Israel from the diplomatic community to halt its operations, and rising criticism of the humanitarian impact on Palestinian civilians, including allegations of potentially serious breaches of international humanitarian law. Demonstrations around the world yesterday called for a ceasefire.

"We look upon the increasing loss of life on both sides of the Gaza conflict with horror," reads the letter. "We have no doubt that rocket attacks into southern Israel, by Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups, are war crimes against Israel. No sovereign state should, or would, tolerate continued attacks and the deliberate targeting of civilians. Israel had a right to respond and we support the Israeli government's decision to make stopping the rocket attacks an urgent priority.

"However, we believe that now only negotiations can secure long-term security for Israel and the region."

The letter was written before the escalation of ground fighting in Gaza City itself signalled by Israel yesterday.

"There can be no alternative to a negotiated solution," said Beecham. "Israel should be demonstrating, along with the Palestinian Authority, that there are economic and political benefits to be gained from peaceful engagement rather than violent confrontation."

His sentiments were echoed by Lappin: "Relying on overwhelming military force to respond to terrorist provocations invariably imposes horrendous suffering on innocent Palestinian civilians while entrenching the agents of terror in their midst. We have no alternative but to pursue rational, long term political options that promote moderation and marginalise extremists."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/11/gaza-israel-letter-british-jews