Jerusalem expert attacked: 'No rock can move me to hate'

[shira]

Daniel Seidemann, one of the country’s top experts on the politics of Jerusalem and a longtime activist who founded the NGOs Ir Amim and Terrestrial Jerusalem, was struck by a rock thrown through his car window on Saturday. He was wounded in the back of his head, requiring stitches. Danny has many colleagues and friends who, like me, were terribly saddened by the incident. Being who he is, Danny himself had many things to say that are characteristically insightful and sensitive. With his permission, I am re-posting the texts he wrote for status updates on social media.

Saturday, November 23.
This afternoon, I paid a working visit to a friend in the Palestinian neighborhood of Sur Bahir, barely a kilometer from my home. When we took leave of one another, I headed home in my car. I had the misfortune of ending up in a traffic jam in the center of the village, just as school was getting out.

I didn’t see it coming, but should have: I was a sitting duck. The rock was probably thrown at point blank range; it smashed the side window with enough force to leave a deep gash in the back of my head. I was fortunate: I did not lose consciousness, nor my sense of orientation. Thankfully, the traffic jam loosened up a bit. Within a minute or so I was out of danger and on my way to get treatment...

Sunday, November 24.
A short while ago, a group of prominent residents of Sur Bahir paid me a visit, expressing regrets over the incident in which I has hit by a well-aimed rock. Most of them are friends, people I have known for years. Some I met for the first time. Their consternation was genuine.

They told me that they had gone today from classroom to classroom in the schools, telling these young men and women: “We don’t want to apprehend or reprimand anyone. But whoever did this: do you have any idea whose skull you bashed in? Only because of him you are sitting in this classroom, because he is the guy who got it built.”

These are people I know and respect, and their visit was very moving (baklawa anyone?). But it was also very sad. Worse than sad – it was colonial. The rock that hit me yesterday was not directed at me, personally. Most likely, it was hurled because I am an Israeli – the occupier. It’s also possible that it’s because I am a Jew, irrespective of the occupation. We will never know...

more @ http://972mag.com/jerusalem-expert-attacked-no-rock-can-move-me-to-hate/82380/

[shira]

1. More from Seidemann...

Full-out, idiot rambling...

But the wonderful people who visited me today are living under occupation. My occupation. I deserve no special dispensation for my “good behavior.” They owe me no apologies. As long as the occupation exists, events like this will happen and no one is exempt from them.

I don’t romanticize the prick that cracked my head open. But I don’t find it particularly important if he is or is not apprehended. (OK – I do fear that he might have just been practicing on me, and that more deadly violence can be expected of him in the future).

But this ends not when Palestinians behave better, or when our Shin Bet becomes more efficient. It ends when occupation ends. Until then, I remain a symbol of that occupation, and not without reason. And no good deeds, as it were, will redeem me or protect me.

[Scootaloo]

2. So he professes that he won't hate people because he got hit by a rock...

And acknowledges his role as part of the occupation...

So that makes him an idiot.

Well, at least you restrained the urge to call him a race-traitor, I guess.

[Scootaloo]

4. It is. And he says it is.

He also says he's not going to hate people over it. Which is, apparently, so far beyond your ability to comprehend that you think it's idiotic.

[azurnoir]

5. but on the bright side it gave her a chance to post 2 of her fav-o-rite vids

how many times do you think those 2 have been posted?

[Scootaloo]

6. I dunno, but the obsession with Arafat is getting a little creepy by this point

[oberliner]

7. Thankfully someone got them hidden!

Wonder who...

[azurnoir]

8. seriously not me I'm not good at writing alerts

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

10. Wonder who? The jury did, silly.

[oberliner]

11. Good job on the alert!

Whoever had the foresight to do so.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

12. Well, if it wasn't alert worthy it would not have been hidden.

And no, it wasn't me. I've been far too busy.

[delrem]

13. Does it matter who?

My transparency page is as open as shira's, and for sure I've heard myself whine to myself that "it's not fair". Nevertheless in the long run I think the jury system is fair and not only fair but a better system than I could dream up for keeping thousands of interacting posters more or less civil.

The jury system demands that however heated we can get, we should think twice before hitting "send".

I'm learning that when my posts gets squelched it isn't always because I had no point to make and that in some sense I didn't have a "reason", a justification, it's because I crossed a line that six randomly selected DUers recognize as being necessary for civil conversation.

So, I've learned to put a little cranberry sauce on it...

[Violet_Crumble]

17. If it mattered, alerters and jurors wouldn't be anonymous...

And big kudos to you for learning from posts of yrs that have been hidden. I wish others would also have a bit of a learning moment like that

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

9. At least they have been expunged for the time.

So much hate.

[Scootaloo]

14. Yeah, but now we'll be obligated to have calm, thoughtful discussion of the subject

I can't even imagine what horrors lay in wait. First we're calm, next we'll be agreeing on things. THis goes against everything the internet stands for!

[azurnoir]

15. we could try role playing

I've thought it would be easy really

[Violet_Crumble]

18. Nah, haven't got time. I'm too busy getting into the BDSM thing...

I don't know who talks about it more; Shira or the folk upstairs in the GD porn threads..

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

19. I would love to have a calm and thoughtful discussion

on any I/P subject, but there is just too much denial about what is happening...what has happened.

[Violet_Crumble]

21. Those calm and thoughtful discussions are few and far between...

I've been here a long time and when they happen, they're pretty good. The chances of this OP kicking off some thoughtful discussion have been raised a fair bit though, especially if people focus on the positive message of the OP

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

20. I'm not surprised that you have the mindset to call him an idiot.

I'm sure that there were a lot of people who called Ghandi or MLK idiots for their peaceful behavior.

I guess that your venomous reply demonstrates the view of the occupier, IMHO, and I can only really feel a profound sense of sadness for those of your position who go through life constantly missing the point.

As long as the occupation exists, events like this will happen and no one is exempt from them.

This is a fairly simple lesson to learn, Shira, and I would be best if you and others try and learn It before it comes back to bite you in the arse.

[Israeli]

22. does not surprise me in the least R. Daneel Olivaw....

shira takes another stab at yet another Israeli Left wing NGO :

ref : http://t-j.org.il/AboutTJ.aspx

TJ’s founder and director is world-renowned Jerusalem expert Daniel Seidemann. His team includes Lara Friedman, a DC-based policy expert and consultant, Israeli urban planners Yehuda Greenfield and Karen-Lee Bar Sinai, Hagit Ofran, Peace Now’s settlement watch expert, and Israeli analyst and mapping expert Dan Rothem. TJ’s credibility is based not only on the expertise and reputations of its team and the quality of their analyses, but also on the fact that TJ represents a proud Jewish/Israeli voice. This voice is well-respected and well-received not only in Israel and the West, but also by Palestinians and in the Arab world.

Cant be many left for her to try and discredit

" This is a fairly simple lesson to learn, Shira, and I would be best if you and others try and learn It before it comes back to bite you in the arse. "

It wont bite her " in the arse " ......her " arse " is safe and sound in America and votes Democrat .

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

24. From the way said poster carries on

one might imagine that she lives in Israel.

To be honest, I don't live there either, but I believe that I understand the plight of the Palestinian diaspora, those who would continue it and policies of colonization.

I am a member of a diaspora, and although time has separated many from their origins they have the right to return, albeit briefly, but more importantly they have human rights denied to many in the West Bank + Gaza.

[Israeli]

26. one might ...unless one knew better .

shira is not defending my country R. Daneel Olivaw......she is defending her religion .
there is no other logical explanation .

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

29. Most likely. Possibly. Religion is the basis for so many wrongs.

One could also imagine that some posters may be either an agent provocateur, intent on manipulation, or adolescent teen that likes to con their way through an adult world.

[Israeli]

30. its not called ' The Holy Land ' for nothing you know ;) nt

[Violet_Crumble]

16. That OP should have been inspiring. It spoke out against hate...

Instead it got twisted into something else, which is a real shame. If more Israelis and Palestinians didn't use violence by a few as a reason to hate 'the other' then there'd be less violence. Stories of victims of violence who don't react with hate are few and far between, but over the years I've seen some involving both Israelis and Palestinians...

That you labelled a man who said the following about residents of Sur Bahir 'idiotic' is disgusting, imo

They told me that they had gone today from classroom to classroom in the schools, telling these young men and women: “We don’t want to apprehend or reprimand anyone. But whoever did this: do you have any idea whose skull you bashed in? Only because of him you are sitting in this classroom, because he is the guy who got it built.”

[Israeli]

23. agreed ...it got twisted .

Stories of victims of violence who don't react with hate are few and far between, but over the years I've seen some involving both Israelis and Palestinians...

You should read here Violet_Crumble :

http://www.theparentscircle.org/

Complete contrast to shira's message of hate .

BTW ... disgusted me to .

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

25. TY 4 the link.

[Israeli]

27. you are very welcome . NT.

[Violet_Crumble]

28. They're a fantastic group of people. Thanks for posting that link...

It had been posted here in the past, but I didn't carry my bookmarks over when I switched computers a while back and that was one I lost and didn't think about again till you just posted it. I hope Shira takes some time and looks through that site, because if she could gain something hopeful from it, then that'd be a good thing...

btw, I was just reading the story from the father who lost his son in a suicide bombing and helped form The Parents Circle. He's an incredible guy...

One day, while walking in the street I saw an advertisement which belonged to one of the extreme right wing campaign headquarters. My son's name was there together with pictures of all the victims since the signing of the Oslo agreements. The headline of the add was "The Bloody Agreement" and in the middle was a photo of Rabin and Arafat shaking hands. Rage surrounded me, my son died because there isn't peace. How does anyone allow himself to take my own private pain and use it to stop the peace process?

A few days later I received a letter from Yitzhak Frankenthal inviting me to join his intiative in organising bereaved families who are in favour of peace and negotiation, as opposed to bereaved families urging the government not to talk with the enemy. One phone call with him and I became involved, doing my best to gather people who have expressed a desire to act. Together we formed a small group of bereaved parents thus the name Parents Circle, when other bereaved members joined who weren't parents we both expanded the name and added Families Forum, that was the beginning.

http://www.theparentscircle.org/Story.aspx?ID=258

[Israeli]

31. yes they are a fantastic group of people......

all of them Violet_Crumble

" I hope Shira takes some time and looks through that site, because if she could gain something hopeful from it, then that'd be a good thing... "

Well.....unless she is willing to accept that the Palestinians are no different than she is and that their pain and grief is as relevant as ours ....basically that we are all human ....then I very much doubt it .

[Violet_Crumble]

34. Given what I just saw her say in the OP I started about an attack on a Palestinian, I doubt it too..

She's now attacking the Palestinians for daring to go round schools and talk to the kids about throwing stones at vehicles...

In fact, even the Palestinians who came to console Seidemann after the attack said that they had scolded school kids only for targetting Seidemann. If it had been another Israeli, that would have been fine.

Do you think it would have been fine had it been a settler instead of Seidemann?

Seidemann's friends think so.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1134&pid=52429

That anyone could take the following and twist it into something ugly and blatantly not true is really disturbing...

A short while ago, a group of prominent residents of Sur Bahir paid me a visit, expressing regrets over the incident in which I has hit by a well-aimed rock. Most of them are friends, people I have known for years. Some I met for the first time. Their consternation was genuine.

They told me that they had gone today from classroom to classroom in the schools, telling these young men and women: “We don’t want to apprehend or reprimand anyone. But whoever did this: do you have any idea whose skull you bashed in? Only because of him you are sitting in this classroom, because he is the guy who got it built.”

If I didn't know any better, I'd be thinking I must have missed the bit in the article where those Palestinians said it was just fine to throw rocks at Israelis. But I do know better in this case and am quite aware that I didn't miss anything because that claim was totally fabricated out of thin air...

[Israeli]

35. you got me thinking with this Violet_Crumble.....

ref : " It had been posted here in the past, but I didn't carry my bookmarks over when I switched computers a while back and that was one I lost and didn't think about again till you just posted it. "

Have you ever read Neve Gordon's website ?
@ http://israelsoccupation.info/

He is not as well known as Amira Hass or Gideon Levy or Gush Shalom ....but , still he deserves some credit .

If I can help out with any other links you would like to bookmark just whistle