Jewish Peace Group Criticizes Dean Comments

[pberq]

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/07/27/1423230

Jewish Peace Group Criticizes Dean Comments

Dean’s comments are coming under criticism. In a statement released to Democracy Now, Mitchell Plitnick of the San Francisco-based Jewish Voice for Peace said: “Israel opens itself up to legitimate criticism with its killing of so many civilians on top of 39 years of occupation of Palestinian lands. It is shameful to hide these misdeeds behind specious accusations of anti-Semitism. Mr. Dean and others like him belittle centuries of Jewish suffering by using accusations of anti-Semitism to shield Israel from legitimate criticism.”

[itzamirakul]

1. You might want to read the Mearesheimer/Walt paper...

"The Israel Lobby" to gain some perspective on the "alledged" Israeli control of the American government. Read it here:



www.londonreviewofbooks.com/v28/n06/mear01_.html

[madeline_con]

16. thanks for the link. n/t

[sui generis]

2. yikes -

it is really sad when people start confusing the public policies of the state of Israel with the faith of some of its citizens. Even sadder when it's one of our own failing the distinction.

I already have Israel fatigue. I just don't understand the go for broke mentality when it's pretty clear that broke is a really good possibility. Guess we'll just have to wait and see . . . but at least the U.S. will have company in the corner of squandered good will.

[savemefromdumbya]

5. people assume that all Jews agree with Israel's fascist government!

Jews don't all agree with what govt is doing in Israel

[madeline_con]

17. ABSOLUTELY NOT!

That would imply that the cries of "anti-Semitism" every time something critical is said about the Israeli government are true.

Please keep the two separate. "Israeli government policy" does not equal "Jewish people", or "all Israelis".

That's the same thing as sayting ALL Muslims want to kill All Americans because All Americans are Christian. It's absurd. :)

[Clark2008]

19. Of course they don't.

I'm married to a Jewish man who thinks the government of Israel is full of doggie turds (and that's putting it nicely).

[Douglas Carpenter]

3. good of them to speak up against this nonsense

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. "Israeli peace activist says military campaign is justified"

SHE lives it. Does Mr. Plitnick?


Israeli peace activist says military campaign is justified
By Matthew Kalman, Globe Correspondent | July 21, 2006




<snip>For the past six years, Aharoni's view of Lebanon has been enhanced by a sense of personal achievement. She founded the Four Mothers, a grass-roots movement that led a decisive public campaign to withdraw Israeli troops from Lebanon.<snip>




<snip>
This week, as she heard and felt the explosions from Hezbollah rockets falling around her home and saw the smoke of battle drifting across the northern horizon, Aharoni was more convinced than ever that Israel did the right thing in pulling out of Lebanon. She was also convinced that Israel's current military campaign against Hezbollah was completely justified.

``We are all for it," Aharoni said of herself and her like-minded friends. ``We are liberating our northern frontier, and we are liberating the Lebanese from the extremists and the Iranians who control them. I think it had to be done."

``I always think speaking together and negotiating is much better than any military action, and even now we should be talking," she said. ``But they started this. They didn't try to talk. It's a situation where you either defend yourself or you're dead."<snip>

edited to add link:

http://www.zionism-israel.com/log/archives/00000169.html

[Ignoramus]

6. Former peace activist, renounces her principals under duress

That would be the accurate headline.

[Mandate My Ass]

9. As always, the claim that they're doing Lebanon a service

by ridding them of Hezbollah. Get over the loss of your lives, families, friends, homes, sanity, livelihood, infrastructure because we're helping you. :eyes:

[madeline_con]

18. " But they started this. They didn't try to talk."

:puke:

Why do so many supporters of Israel in this war not see their policy of cruel heavy handed tactics?

Hezbollah exists because of Israel's inhuman treatment of human beings.

[RethugAssKicker]

7. What did Dean say ?

[rman]

23. "Iranian PM is anti-semite for not critisizing Hezbollah"

Or something along those lines.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

29. That's like saying I'm Brazilian because I'm more than 6ft tall. -nt

[madfloridian]

8. Question: If Republicans are blasting Dean about this...

and Democrats are blasting Dean about this, and Israelis are blasting him, does that make him right or wrong.

Newhounds has Maliki's statements.
http://www.newshounds.us/2006/07/27/fox_trashing_dean_for_maliki_comments_ignores_statements_made_by_maliki.php

I just got to thinking what a strange situation. Dean is being attacked by both sides for this statement.

So does that put him in the middle or what?

[heidler1]

10. IMO it's another dippy plan from Bush that won't work, but he can count

on Israel to keep licking the hand that feeds them. Maliki had to straddle the fence to survive by, on the one hand keep his new job in Iraq by being pro Hesballa while playing along with Bush's dippy plan to get more money lick lick. The real question about the reasonabeness of the plan is can Israel kill off more so called terrorists than the killings will accelerate new recruits joining up. I doubt it.

[Clark2008]

20. He's really irrelevant in this, Mad.

I know you love him, but what he says doesn't matter a hill of beans. He doesn't have the FP experience to measure something. He's a great guy, but he really hasn't a stake in this at all.

[Sparkly]

11. What was the "legitimate criticism" Dean supposedly shielded Israel from?

As I read it, Dean criticized al-Maliki for not condemning Hezbollah, and that's where his "anti-semite" remark came in.

I didn't see that as "using accusations of anti-Semitism to shield Israel from legitimate criticism.”

[eridani]

14. It is just absolutely nuts to expect al-Maliki to criticize Hezbollah

That's not antisemetism; it's avoiding assassination.

[rman]

22. undue use of force, crimes against humanity

If Israel continues this it might become genocide.

[Superman Returns]

12. self-haters

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

13. You forgot the tag.

:sarcasm:

[Clark2008]

21. Say that to my husband's face.

Pssst... he was a US Army Ranger and Special Forces.

I don't think your assertion would last very long.

:eyes:

[Behind the Aegis]

25. .

:crazy:

So is my father!

[rman]

26. BS. The Israeli government is not the same thing as all Jews.

The critique is directed at the Israeli government, not at Jews in general.

[madeline_con]

15. Thank you, Mitchell Plitnick!

Thank you SO much for an honest dialogue opener!!!


:applause:

[Behind the Aegis]

24. .

:puke:

[niallmac]

27. Thank you Mr. Plitnick.

I am gratified. This kind of reality check over our politicians who fear
legitimate criticism of Israel at any cost is vital to a meaningful dialogue.
Every coin has two sides.

[burythehatchet]

28. Jewish Voice for Peace - Total campaign donations

$0.00