Israel must choose between right and wrong

[Classical_Liberal]

Israel must choose between right and wrong

By Avraham Burg
Special to the Baltimore Sun


The Zionist revolution has always rested on two pillars: a just path and an ethical leadership. Neither of these is operative any longer.

The Israeli nation today rests on a scaffolding of corruption and on foundations of oppression and injustice. As such, the end of the Zionist enterprise is already on our doorstep. There is a real chance that ours will be the last Zionist generation. There may yet be a Jewish state here, but it will be a different sort, strange and ugly.

There is time to change course, but not much. What is needed is a new vision of a just society and the political will to implement it. Nor is this merely an internal Israeli affair. Diaspora Jews, for whom Israel is a central pillar of their identity, must pay heed and speak out. If the pillar collapses, the upper floors will come crashing down.

The opposition does not exist, and the government coalition, with Ariel Sharon at its head, claims the right to remain silent. In a nation of chatterboxes, everyone has suddenly fallen dumb, because there's nothing left to say. We live in a thunderously failed reality. Yes, we have revived the Hebrew language, created a marvelous theater and a strong national currency. Our Jewish minds are as sharp as ever. We are traded on the NASDAQ. But is this why we created a state? The Jewish people did not survive for two millennia in order to pioneer new weaponry, computer-security programs or anti-missile missiles. We were supposed to be a light unto the nations. In this we have failed.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2001786520_sunmideast09.html

[lindashaw]

1. This is so wonderfully true that it takes my breath away. I can only

hope that Truth can flourish better in Israel than it can here in the US. At what point do those who have propogated lies get found out? I believe they will be exposed, both here and there, I only hope I live to see it.

[Muddleoftheroad]

4. Takes my breath away

Leaves me feeling sick.

Blame Israel this, blame Israel that. Hmmm, seems like we're missing some folks.

[Resistance]

10. Blame Israel for committing terrorist crimes?

What's the problem with that?

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Muddleoftheroad]

15. Every nation makes mistakes

One of Israel's is to assume that it can make peace with the Palestinians under the current Palestinian leadership.

They should have stopped trying long ago and built the wall then and let the Palestinians be reminded of how much they need Israel.

[DuctapeFatwa]

2. When is the last time you saw Burg on CNN or Fox?

Anyone on any of the CrusadeNets they bring in to give the "Jewish view" is invariably a shrieking banshee who thinks Bibi is da bomb.

[bluesoul]

3. Or

Uri Avnery, Chomsky....

[silverlib]

5. a good link

Here's a link to Women in Black, a group of Jewish women from Israel who are now active world wide.

They have a wonderful video that tells the story of Palestinian oppression and gives many details, backed up with statistics and sources for their beliefs. They protest for world peace at the Capital here in Austin every Wednesday.

This is probably a dupe, but hopefully informational for those who do not know about this group.

http://www.womeninblack.net/

[Jim Sagle]

14. I like the women in green a whole lot better. But that's just me.

[RuB]

6. "Neither of these is operative any longer." According to who? You?

Thats your opinion but don't expect me to agree with a word of it!

"The Israeli nation today rests on a scaffolding of corruption and on foundations of oppression and injustice."

Hogwash!! Do the words 'self defence' mean anything to this writer?

"There may yet be a Jewish state here"

There HAS been a Jewish state, there IS a Jewish state and there WILL be a Jewish state long after the so called states around her are long gone. For one thing totalitarian muslim states HAVE to disappear. People will eventually despise the freedom their leaders have and the poverty they must endure. Those states around Israel MUST desolve and Democratic ones rise up in their places or the world is doomed no matter what the writer of the article sees as the faults of Israel. Israel is a Democratic nation, the only one in the region.

"but it will be a different sort, strange and ugly"

And I'd be willing to bet the writer would just love for the whole region to be strict Islam. I'd rather die fighting than live under any form of Islamic gov't.

"What is needed is a new vision of a just society and the political will to implement it."

Isn't it amazing with all the corruption around Israel somehow its only the percieved corruption of Israel they see. Kind of reminds me of the Jimmy Swaggarts, the Jerry Fallwell's, the Pat Robertsons pointing out the faults of others yet so dead inside they can't see the awful horrible debased faults of their own.

ect.
ect.
ect.

[Classical_Liberal]

7. I doubt that if all the middle east became democratic

that arabs would just suddenly accept Israelis taking their homes. That excuse is just a distraction. If all the Palestinians on the West Bank who are ruled by Israel could vote in Israel do you think they would vote to be evicted from their property. Get a life. These distractions that impose petty criminal dictators like Chalibi on Arabs aand calling it democracy aren't going to create peace in Israel.

[RuB]

8. Democracy works everywhere but in Arab nations

...hmmmm wonder why that is?

Regarding your last line I agree, in fact if this was a just world Chalibi would be on trial facing the rest of his life in prison responsible for the deaths of thousands of Iraqi's and American soldiers. Of course his co-horts Bushie and his cabal would be on trial with him. I have never thought that argument put forth by the idiot Bushie that taking out Saddam would bring peace to the M.E. If taking out a Arab nation would accomplish that I would start with Saudi Arabia or Iran first. But Bushie couldn't do that because they would fight back so Bushie had to pick on a fred flintstone pre-historic country that couldn't even get a plane off the ground to fight back. Of course that fits the mo of a coward (that is what Bushie is of course) pick on those who can't fight back.

[Classical_Liberal]

9. America has overthown democratically elected leaders there

because they threatened to nationalize the oil industry.

[Cassandra]

11. Iran is Persian

Which democratically elected Arab leaders were you thinking of?

[sushi]

13. True, but it's in that area,

the Middle East, so considered "one of them."

[dai]

16. What do you mean "they"?

You said this:

---

Isn't it amazing with all the corruption around Israel somehow its only the percieved corruption of Israel they see.

---

And also this:

---

And I'd be willing to bet the writer would just love for the whole region to be strict Islam. I'd rather die fighting than live under any form of Islamic gov't.

---

But if you were paying attention, you would have noticed this:

---

Avraham Burg was speaker of Israel's parliament from 1999 to 2002 and is a Labor Pary member.

---

[rini]

18. You are correct

Life and death I have set before you, blessing and curse. And you shall choose life.

Israel chose life.

[brainshrub]

17. Thanks for posting this.

Since this person is speaking out against the settlements & Zionism...is he considered an anti-semite? There is a huge thread about this very question.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=35114

[tinnypriv]

19. self-hating jew

Because he's Jewish.

Here is the equation:

Goyim criticises Israel = anti-semite
Jew criticises Israel = self-hating

Can't go wrong with that if you want to divert any rational discussion of the issues.