Anne Bayefky Furious with our President: "Obama's stunning offense to Israel and the Jewish people "

[SuperTrouper]

I do not understand where is all this anger coming from...President Barack Obama went to Cairo to advocate for a solution to the Israel-Palestine stalemate. It was an opening for debate and discussion to reach a satisfactory solution. Unfortunately, Zionist activist Ann Bayefsky http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Bayefsky has written a provocative and inflammatory article in the Jewish World Review criticizing President Obama . I think that she is wrong and her article is a stunning offense to all Americans; her points should be debated and her false accusations should be rejected.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Excerpt:

President Obama's Cairo speech was nothing short of an earthquake — a distortion of history, an insult to the Jewish people, and an abandonment of very real human-rights victims in the Arab and Muslim worlds. It is not surprising that Arabs and Muslims in a position to speak were enthusiastic. It is more surprising that American commentators are praising the speech for its political craftiness, rather than decrying its treachery of historic proportions.

Obama equated the Holocaust to Palestinian "dislocation." In his words: "The Jewish people were persecuted. …anti-Semitism …culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust…. Six million Jews were killed…. On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people — Muslims and Christians — have suffered in pursuit of a homeland." This parallelism amounts to the fictitious Arab narrative that the deliberate mass murder of six million Jews for the crime of being Jewish is analogous to a Jewish-driven violation of Palestinian rights.

Obama thought he would prove his even-handedness towards Israel by boasting of Friday's trip to a concentration camp and rejecting Holocaust denial. In this context, however, the move of doing Jews these supposed favors appears to be cynical political opportunism, especially having just set the Holocaust side-by-side with the "suffering" and "pain" of Palestinians "for more than 60 years." After all, the president made no emotive references to the "intolerable" "suffering" of Israeli victims of Arab terror "for more than 60 years." The word "terrorism" never left his lips. Far from bolstering the fight against terror and the anti-Semitism driving it, such maneuvers embolden more hate and violence against Israelis.

Bereft of the most basic understanding of Judaism and Jewish history, Obama claimed that "the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied," for "around the world, the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries." A Jewish homeland in Israel is not rooted in tragedy or in centuries of persecution around the world. It is rooted in a wondrous, unbroken, and spiritual relationship to the land of Israel and to Jerusalem for thousands of years. Coupled with the president's stress on "European responsibility" for the Holocaust, his words reinforced the lethal belief that Israel is the creature of transplanted, alien Jews.


Obama's stunning offense to Israel and the Jewish people went farther. Israelis have come to occupy territory in response to Arab-initiated wars of intended annihilation, but Obama analogized Palestinian "daily humiliations …that come with occupation" to the "humiliation of segregation" of black slaves in America and the "moral authority" of "people from South Africa." His Arab audience understood that the president of the United States had just given a nod to the single most potent defamation of the Jewish state today — the allegation that Israel is a racist, apartheid state.


http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0609/bayefsky060909.php3

[DJ13]

1. I do not understand where is all this anger coming from..

I do.

The Israeli hardliners arent used to a US administration that stands up to them.

[LaurenG]

2. People are angry for basically two reasons...

The aren't getting exactly what they want without compromise, and they aren't getting exactly what they want right now.

edited to "two" reasons instead of "one"

[jillan]

3. These people are the rw extremists of Israel.

They are like Rush, Newt.

[chimpymustgo]

4. Unfortunately, they are becoming the majority - based on their voting patterns.

[SuperTrouper]

8. I agree and it is a shame...just when other countries, ie. Lebanon and Iran

are rejecting or about to reject their extremist elements

[Bonobo]

12. Link? Or is it official Make Shit Up Day?

Jews overwhelmingly vote Democratic. Put up or shut up.

[dionysus]

14. i think the poster means in israel, electing RWers like netanyahu, not jewish folks in the US

[Bonobo]

17. Israel is filled with Jews that hate Netan-shit-who.

We "elected" Bush twice. That doesn't mean we deserved to be judged as a whole by that.

[dionysus]

35. i don't judge them on that, FYI

[SemiCharmedQuark]

21. Yeah but if we are judged by who we elect, then we are a center nation...and on DU I read every day

we are a left leaning nation.

[xocet]

31. Irony or Hypocrisy or Both?

The irony in your post is that you yourself post unreferenced information. Could you please back up your statement with a link?

"Or is it official Make Shit Up Day?"
--Bonobo

[SuperTrouper]

10. and they elected Netanyahu

[Me.]

5. Tantrums

Will be ever more apparent as Obama stands his ground

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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

[ieoeja]

7. Were I anti-Israel ... I would quote HER not Obama.

Obama's statement that, "the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied," is the very reason that most people support Israel.

Her statement that it, "is rooted in a wondrous, unbroken, and spiritual relationship to the land of Israel," could come straight from the Zionist Papers which were devised as anti-Israeli propaganda. She appears to be saying Israel should belong to the Jews because they are God's Chosen People. Does that spiritual relationship end at the current borders of Israel, or at the borders of a "Greater Palestine"?


Ms. Bayefki, Hamas is calling. They would like to thank you for your assistance.

[LooseWilly]

9. This is a voice that represents those who would assassinate anyone who brought peace.

I find this point "This parallelism amounts to the fictitious Arab narrative that the deliberate mass murder of six million Jews for the crime of being Jewish is analogous to a Jewish-driven violation of Palestinian rights." to be the most telling.

In other words, she is judging the Holocaust to have, a priori, trumped any and all other human rights violations. Period. Hence, the Jews in Israel are metaphysically-incapable of doing anything wrong-enough-to-be-held-accountable...

It's one thing, in my opinion, if you hold that philosophy on a personal level after exposure to something like the Holocaust... but to delude oneself into thinking that it makes for a viable state-wide justification for policy?... to quote Stephen Colbert: "That's the craziest fucking thing I've ever heard!"

[BeyondGeography]

11. Sorry, Anne, but Obama has a wondrous, unbroken, and spiritual relationship with the truth

and his version of reality is far more relevant and credible to most of the planet than yours.

[Thrill]

13. He's an American President. He suppose to kiss their ass

Obama must have missed the memo

[joeybee12]

15. Zionist activist?

Do you realize you should have left that it of propoganda out, don't you.

[SuperTrouper]

18. it is not propaganda, she describes herself as such and a scholar, too

it is also in her Biography @ Wikipedia.

<< Bayefsky is a Zionist and a defender of Israel. Anne Bayefsky takes up the defence of Israel against the attacks by Arab and Muslim interests in issues such as the Gaza and West Bank occupation and the treatment of Palestinian Arabs by Israel. In her criticism of Durban I and Durban II Conferences Anne Bayefsky stressed her opposition to specific "attacks" on Israeli policies>>

[joeybee12]

20. Yeah, but the term is often used by those on the other side to equate

with racism...she seems like a real piece of work, and even though she refers to herself as that, I think it would be best left out to not sort of muddy the waters. That said, let her yell, she's not winning any converts, just like Limpballs...screeching to his already converted.

[SuperTrouper]

24. Point well taken, thanks...

;)

[joeybee12]

27. No problem...thank you for posting this...n/t

[Lena inRI]

16. Likud party and this fanatical woman are ranting because. . .

. . .they have had it so easy for so long getting carte-blanche support from the US government since 1947.

New era now, Ms Bayefki. . .move over and make way for a new generation looking to even out the playing field. Nice try insinuating that President Obama is anti-Semitic but your prejudice card just doesn't trump US hand anymore.

There's a new game in town.

No more US blank checks for fanatical Likud party. US is going broke!

No more US soldiers dying for Likud's pre-emptive war policy. Americans are sick of sending our soldiers to die for Israel's defense.

Put out for a peaceful compromise with Palestine or expect to lose even more of your US free-ride.


Wall separating Gaza and Israel



web source: More maps of settlements and wall http://www.vtjp.org/background/wallgraphics.htm

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

[LeftishBrit]

38. From what hate-sites have you got the truly VILE allegation..

that any American soldiers have EVER died to defend Israel??????

It's one thing to condemn Israel's actions toward the Palestinians; another to blame them for American wars.

That is just as much of a vile lie as the implications that Iraq was linked to 9-11, etc. Blame people and countries for their own actions, not other people's.

[Bonobo]

19. Where is all the "Anger"? Why do you want to perpetuate the meme? Throwing "Zionist" label around...

When I hear some people say "Zionist". The next thing I expect to hear is the word "Dog".

Kind of like "Uppity" and the XXXgger.

[here_is_to_hope]

25. Thanks for the laugh. eom

[Bonobo]

26. You deserve so much more. Wish I could hand deliver it. nt

[here_is_to_hope]

30. No, you don't. eom

[Bonobo]

32. You have no idea, friendo. EOM

[here_is_to_hope]

36. Thanks for more laughter, now hold my beer....

And sit tight.
Wait for Jesus.
Go ahead, start your car.
Turn left.
Turn left.
Another left.
Go fifty feet and park.
And there you are.
Right back where you started.


Now excuse me, I seem to have something stuck to my shoe.

[cascadiance]

22. She complains about "equivalencing" the Jews' experience with the holocaust to the Palestinian's...

... experience now?

And then she turns around and equivalences the violence felt by Israelis to those felt in places like Gaza, which by the way Obama did in a way too to favor the Israelis in his speech that a number of Muslims have taken exception to. Hey Ann, TONS more Palestinians have been injured, killed, or otherwise brutalized than Israelis have been lately! So why doesn't she complain about that comparison too!

No, none of these experiences are truly equivalent. But I think it is important to point out harrowing experiences on both sides to illustrate the costs that both sides have had to endure through this endless conflict that doesn't get solved by more violence!

I think Obama had to point out these various different experiences in the past to let both sides know that he recognizes how both of them have had to deal with hell in their collective life experiences. But if he had to "measure" each comparison he made and make all kinds of "qualifications" for each, his speech would be tons longer, and wouldn't have focused on the real issue of trying to solve the endless cycle of violence.

I've been critical of Obama not taking risks in other areas enough for my tastes, but I have to give him credit for a decent speech that is both praised by many who WANT to have a decent solution to these endless problems, and getting criticism from BOTH Zionists and hardcore Palestinians. It's a sign that he's hitting issues where they need to be hit!

[LeftishBrit]

40. Agreed

[GeorgeGist]

23. Congratulations Anne,

Your missive makes a strong case for the Jewish people winning the Persecution Contest. However, the indigenous people of the New World, Australia, Asia, and Africa are still in the running.

[Sebastian Doyle]

28. "Jewish World Review" - Likudist Shit Distribution Network

Same source the Gaffney crap came from yesterday.

[SuperTrouper]

29. and her hateful oratory is also syndicated in many US newspapers

I saw her diatribe today on my hometown daily, the Waterbury Republican-American

[ecstatic]

33. She sounds like a racist. She's angry that Obama

actually acknowledged the suffering of Palestinians. The truth hurts, I guess.

[SuperTrouper]

34. Here is her photo (Anne Bayefsky)

[here_is_to_hope]

37. Hasn't 'dropped her nail file' in years. n/t

[LeftishBrit]

39. Anne Bayefsky is a right-winger and has never supported Obama

She is a member of a fairly disgusting organization called the Hudson Institute which describes its policy as 'commitment to free markets and individual responsibility, confidence in the power of technology to assist progress, respect for the importance of culture and religion in human affairs, and determination to preserve America's national security'. Full of right-wing code-words and right-wing ideas.

She isn't Israeli by the way - she is North American (I am not quite sure whether USA or Canada, as she seems to have some links with both).

[SoCalDem]

41. Sounds like a LOT of people need a chill pill, and a long nap

The man has a LOT to do, and he cannot do it ALL at the same time.. We all need to cut him some slack, and remind ourselves of how things would be running if Mccain had won..or Mittens..or Huckleberry:)