There is no ‘cycle of violence’

[Mosby]

Three Israeli teenagers, Naftali Fraenkel, Gil-ad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach, were kidnapped and murdered in cold blood on their way home from school only because they were Israeli Jews. Their Palestinian Arab murderers, as identified by Israel, did not know their victims and they did not care. The objective was to attack some hated Israelis, and perhaps exchange them or their bodies for jailed murderers. Any random Jews would do.

So it has been for some 100 years in this long war against Jewish national sovereignty and equality among the nations. Long before the 1967 war and the “occupation” provided an excuse for hate and murder, such acts of inhuman violence were common. In 1929, when the Jewish community of Hebron was massacred (ethnically cleansed in modern parlance), there was no cycle of violence — this was an entirely unilateral act.

In November 1947, when all Arab leaders rejected the minimalist UN Partition Plan and launched a wave of mass terror against the Jewish community, there was no cycle. And the 1967 war, which led to the subsequent “occupation,” was triggered by Nasser’s renewed effort to destroy the Jewish state, and not part of an action-reaction cycle.

Similarly, today, there is no “cycle of revenge,” as many journalists, diplomats and self-proclaimed human rights activists often claim. A cycle means symmetry, automatic tit-for-tat, mindless action and reaction, in which all sides, and none, can be held morally responsible.

http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/there-is-no-cycle-of-violence/

[bemildred]

1. It says: "So it has been for some 100 years in this long war against Jewish national sovereignty..."

And then is says there is no cycle of violence.

Well, which is it? If a war is not a cycle of violence, what is it? It sure is not an isolated episode, is it?

[Spider Jerusalem]

2. Sure there's a cycle of violence.

If the IDF weren't killing dozens, hundreds, of Palestinian teenagers, every year, year in, year out? If the Israeli government weren't engaging in collective punishment of the families of suspected terrorists by bulldozing their houses? If the Israeli government weren't acting in bad faith by building illegal settlements, thereby making any kind of negotiated two-state solution an impossibility? Then far fewer things like this would occur. As it is? The death of these three teenagers is a tragedy, but it's a tragedy that could have been expected, that Israel has bought and paid for a dozen times over. (And, sorry, but I don't see why the lives of Israelis should be considered to be worth more than those of Palestinians.)

[Mosby]

4. what the author pointed out that you're ignoring

Is that the violence against Jews and Zionists started long before Israel came into existence.

The large majority of Israelis support a 2 state solution while the large majority of Palestinians support the destruction of Israel. It's been that way for a long time, it's where the violence against Israel stems from.

The cycle of violence narrative is just a really lame attempt to disguise the hatred expressed by the Palestinians (and other Arabs) towards Israelis and make it seem normal when in fact it's been constant for hundreds of years. The whole concept of dihmmi status in Islam reeks of contempt and hatred.

[Spider Jerusalem]

5. And?

Putting Palestinians in Bantustans and imposing a de facto apartheid state is probably not going to be moderating their hatred of Israel. Neither is opening fire on unarmed protesters. Nor for that matter is engaging in the building of illegal settlements, the destruction of olive groves, and so on; most of the actions of the Israeli state vis a vis the Palestinians, over the past few decades, only serve to make peaceful reconciliation impossible. Israel's hands are not clean, however much blood the Palestinians may have on theirs.

[Orrex]

3. Then they've tried and convicted the murderers?

Last I heard, the investigation into this tragedy was ongoing. Dangeous to make absolutist statements of certainty about "the objective" when so many facts are not yet known.

Unless we'd rather proceed to the "execution" phase of sentencing, of course...

[Comrade Grumpy]

7. No, but that hasn't stopped Israel from punishing them with one of those charming house demolitions.

Punishment first; maybe later they'll actually get around to convicting them of something.

[Orrex]

8. Better to be safe than sorry, after all.

Hopefully we'll see another two or three hundred "settlement houses" built by way of a measured response.

That'll definitely stop all future violence.

[Orsino]

6. The article describes a cycle of violence perfectly...

...but flails about trying to excuse one side.

#OPfail

[BlindTiresias]

9. Hahahahaha

Nice try, apologist.

[Electric Monk]

10. This thread isn't going the way you'd hoped, is it?

[Mosby]

12. its going exactly like I thought

Why do you think I posted it in GD?

If a significant number of the membership here want to express bigotry towards Jews and Israel why should it be hidden away in the IP dungeon?

[Electric Monk]

13. Not buying your revisionist history doesn't make DU a "hate site", but nice try. nt

[clarice]

11. I'll never understand it...and this thread is a perfect example....

Don't DARE to post about anything negative about a Middle Eastern Country.
I've submitted several posts/threads about the mistreatment of woman in some Arab countries.
I either get

1. No response at all
2. "Yeah..but America does the same...blah blah"
3. Let's blame Israel
4. Vilified for having some sort of "agenda"


Can someone PLEASE tell me why this is so?