By Jeremy
tim’s been thrashing an article published in The Age over the weekend that was fairly critical of Israel. So successfully that The Age has pulled the article and apologised.
Fair enough. Certainly, some remarks in the article were indefensibly, outrageously, offensively flat-out racist:
Nepalese people are some of the warmest, most hospitable in the world. Rather, they say that the young Israelis are rude, arrogant, and argue over trifling amounts of money even though they clearly have means.
Of course, just to sink the boot in, tim removes the “they say” part – although even if he had, it wouldn’t matter. You don’t publish racist crap like that, and “some anonymous people actually said it, not me” does not make it okay.
Backman also made a fairly stupid comparison with the Parsees of India being liked by their poor neighbours – to which an obvious retort would be, well, their neighbours never threatened to “drive them into the sea” the second their country was created.
Still, the other, main parts of the article – the ones that tim highlights in his original piece (and is still banging on about) – were not particularly unreasonable, unless you take the apparent Blair view that any criticism of any Israeli policy is by definition “anti-semitism”.
He takes issue specifically with this sentence of Blackman’s:
If the residents of Bendigo started firing rockets into Melbourne you would expect Melbourne to retaliate. But what must Melbourne have done to Bendigo to make them do such a thing?
tim’s trite retort to the analogy:
Could be any number of root causes, really. Maybe someone in Melbourne drew cartoons that were disrespectful of Bendigo prophet Colleen Hewitt. Or perhaps Bendigo’s charter simply demands Melbourne’s obliteration.
Fairly obviously the Palestinian fight with Israel has nothing to do with the Danish cartoons, and Melbourne didn’t just occupy the land where the Bendigoans were living sixty years ago. And Melbourne wouldn’t in that analogy be entitled to simply bomb Bendigoan civilians for the criminal actions of the nutters in charge, either.
(tim and his readers might be comfortable with Israel bombing Palestinian children for the actions of Hamas, but many traditional supporters of Israel aren’t.)
I know Blair’s readers need to believe there are goodies and baddies in any conflict, and since Hamas are clearly baddies, that must make Israel the goodies who are above reproach no matter what they do – but that’s neither accurate nor constructive. And this right-wing political correctness whereby any criticism of Israel is dismissed as “anti-semitic” undermines the real fight against actual anti-semites. (Nutters who don’t want peace and decent living standards for Palestinians, but the actual extermination of Jewish people in general – those are the “anti-semites”.)
Further, by encouraging Israel to do whatever the hell it likes to the people whose leaders many of its citizens by now (and quite understandably) absolutely hate, and by limiting debate in the way “political correctness” and childish name-calling always does (aren’t rightwingers always going on about the flaws of “political correctness”?), tim and people like him greatly complicate efforts to actually build a peace in the region.
Polarising people might sell newspapers/increase website hit counts, but it does come at a cost.
UPDATE For the benefit of tim’s cognitively-challenged readers, tim’s new “political correctness” is the one whereby criticism of Israel is shouted down and anyone who’d dare to put it shamed with the slur of “anti-Semitism”. Where a condemnation of Israel’s bombing of children is deliberately misrepresented as some kind of support for Hamas doing the same thing. Where anyone who departs from the party line (that Israel can do whatever it likes because Hamas is worse) is likened with the Nazis and run out of town.
No-one here is declaring Hamas to be “goodies” – the bombing of civilians is an appalling crime, full stop. Hamas members who order and fire rocket attacks against civilians in Israel are criminal, psychotic nutbags (as I noted above). As is anyone in the IDF who orders or carries out a strike against civilians in Gaza. There is no excuse for bombing civilians. There’s not “okay” bombing of civilians to be contrasted with “worse” bombing of civilians – THEY’RE BOTH BOMBING CIVILIANS.
What do you do when someone bombs civilians in your country? Well, you start by NOT COMPOUNDING THE TRAGEDY BY BOMBING CIVILIANS OVER THERE.
I reject the moral equivalence argument of rightwingers who defend anything Israel does by comparing it with the actions of Hamas, as if Hamas were some great moral compass and you’re beyond criticism so long as you’re not as bad as they are.
“They are even worse” is not a defence to a charge of killing children.
Well done!
This black/white good/bad simplification syndrome over Israel (amongst a huge range of issues) is just wrong and just causes more grief.
It just not that simple Tim.
A fuckwit is a fuckwit, wether they be Pallestinian, Isreali, American, Australian or Newscorp Social Commentator.
To simply label any opposition to Isreal bombing parts of Gaza to the stone age as being “anti-semite” is fuckwitery as well. Hamas will gain more support because the attack on all of Gaza, not just the Bendigo bit.
Using the same logic – Does this mean that as soon as Blair states anything against Obama we can claim he is racist against African-Americans?
No dam buster, that simply anti-americanism
remember the last 8 years where any criticism of Bush was shouted down as anti-americanism by rightards, time for them to taste their own medecine
so why does Tim Blair hate America?
the Backman article was crap, and timmy was right to call it out. and certainly the melbourne/bendigo analogy is stupid and typical irrelevency from blair.
but the fuckwittery that is OTT PC about criticising israeli government policy is not limited to the wingnuts on tim’s blog. the way in which The Age handled the ‘apology’ over the backman affair – distancing itself from the views of its writers, even though daily articles get published in papers that editors may not agree with – shows just how delicately the mainstream media tip-toes around issues concerning israel, while anti-muslim, anti-aboriginal, anti-african migrant rants from bolt, albrechsten, radio shock jocks, even timmy in case of muslims is perfectly acceptable, desirable even for these people having spoken Teh Truth. witness also that these peoples editors don’t distance their newspaper from them in the way the age did with the backman piece.
Who is the backman guy anyway?
Spot on. The Backman piece was ugly and unhelpful, but where’s the ire when News Ltd columnists make jawdroppingly racist comments on a daily basis?
I agree the bendigo analogy is crap. War should be declared on Werribee instead. All those who lived there (including Tim) shall be rounded up and put into a ghetto to have half of Melbourne’s sewer pour over them….
Using the same logic – Does this mean that as soon as Blair states anything against Obama we can claim he is racist against African-Americans?
YES WE CAN!
‘And this right-wing political correctness whereby any criticism of Israel is dismissed as “anti-semitic” undermines the real fight against actual anti-semites. (Nutters who don’t want peace and decent living standards for Palestinians, but the actual extermination of Jewish people in general – those are the “anti-semites”)’
Yes, you’re right about the war-porn obsessives devaluing the hurtfulness of ant-Semitism by throwing it at anyone to Ehud Barak’s Left, but anti-Semitic hate actually does come in softer forms than the Final Solution.
I read this Blackman twerp’s article. He’s an anti-Semite because he is repeating the old slur about ‘acquisitive Jews’.
Interestingly, I don’t think that the angriest modern day Israel-haters (in the West, at least) necessarily believe in the old Christian stereotypes of Jewry–the classical bigotry against the ‘chosen people’ or the ‘greedy yid’ is probably most often encountered these days among hard-right nativists, or Boltards, if you will. Or maybe in elite ‘public’ schools, like the one Timbaleena attended.
I think Leftwing anti-Semitism in the 21st century is less about pre-20th century social stigmas, and more about a perverted interpretation of anti-fascism–that is, they want us to believe Zionism is _fascistic_.
(E.g., was Leunig’s notorious Israelis-are-Nazis cartoon anti-Semitic? It was certainly edging over the line, IMO.)
“I think Leftwing anti-Semitism in the 21st century is less about pre-20th century social stigmas, and more about a perverted interpretation of anti-fascism–that is, they want us to believe Zionism is _fascistic_.”
Oh, so to you someone who is anti-Zionist, is an anti-Semite?
Uh, Jeremy, you might recall WWII. I am sure some of those German and Japanese civilians did not support everything their governments did and were not directly responsible for the war. But once their government started the war, we bombed and nuked the civilians regardless of their political beliefs. That is the way it always has been. If the Palestinians want the Israelis to leave them in peace, my suggestion would be to stop heaving rockets into Israel.
You want peace in the region. Tell Hamas to accept Israel’s right to exist.
And BTW-I do think you and Backman are anti-Semites.
Hmm, let’s see – the Left doesn’t like people who slam Israel being called “anti-Semites” , even when those people slip in some shopworn slurs against Jews, and when every anti-Israel rally attracts the “Adolf Hitler didn’t go far enough” crowd who apparently didn’t get the “it’s Israel, not Jews” memo.
But criticize a religion – a voluntary belief sytem – and you get branded as a “racist.”
Tell you what – I promise to limit my anti-Semite blasts to people who use the word “Jew” instead of Israel, if you lot promise to limit your “racist” blasts to people who are actually criticizing a race. Bonus points if you can manage to limit it to cracks about characteristics rather than behavior. For example, “Blacks are animals” is racist; “A bunch of Islamist animals just blew up a school bus in Tel Aviv” is not.
Deal?
I thought Backman’s piece was lucid and well written.
Yes it was critical of Israel and the Israelis but not unduly so.
The faux-horror and accusations of anti-semitism displayed any time legitimate critisism of Israel is made are tiresome and disingenuous.
I disagree the remarks made by the Nepalese and repeated by the author are racist; they serve to support the author’s prior argument that some Israelis appear to have trouble making friends with their neighbors: and not just the Palestinians.
Backman’s piece was fair and should have been published. The Age should not have apologised for it.
Hmm, let’s see – the Left doesn’t like people who slam Israel being called “anti-Semites” ”
Because to be ‘anti-Israel’ doesn’t necessarily make one an anti-Semite, just because you can’t understand such a simple concept doesn’t make that concept false.
“even when those people slip in some shopworn slurs against Jews, and when every anti-Israel rally attracts the “Adolf Hitler didn’t go far enough””
They’re clearly anti-Semitic, are you claiming that that’s the opinion of everyone who rallied?
if you lot promise to limit your “racist” blasts to people who are actually criticizing a race.
lol!! another tool who isn’t up with scientific fact. tell me, how many ‘races’ are there in the world?
Oh, so to you someone who is anti-Zionist, is an anti-Semite?
In most cases the answer is yes.
And my question to you is, why would anyone in Australia, Britain or any other place in the world (who’s not Arab in or around Israel, for argument’s sake) be anti-Zionist to begin with?
What have the Palestinians done for you lately?
Why not distribute the love and be anti-Turkish (oppress the Kurds), anti-Moroccan (Oppress the West-Saharans), anti-Sudanese (their own people), anti-Russian (Chechens), anti-Sri Lankan (Tamils) etc.?
Why is the plight of Palestinians so special to merit more attention than other millions not less deserving around the world ?
Give us one good reason.
“And my question to you is, why would anyone in Australia, Britain or any other place in the world (who’s not Arab in or around Israel, for argument’s sake) be anti-Zionist to begin with?”
Because some of us believe that the Palestinians have been shabbily treated by Zionists, ie they’ve been evicted from their homes by the likes of Zionist Settlers. What it boils down to is that some of us are capable of empathising with the down trodden.
“Why not distribute the love and be anti-Turkish (oppress the Kurds), ”
Come back when you find some posts I’ve made that supports the oppression of anyone. Or start another topic, we’re discussing Israel/Palestine here.
“Why is the plight of Palestinians so special to merit more attention than other millions not less deserving around the world ?”
Like I say, start another topic, stop making rash assumptions about what others believe.
“Come back when you find some posts I’ve made that supports the oppression of anyone.”
Answer the question.
It wasn’t whether you support oppression or not.
It’s why aren’t “some of you capable of empathising with the down trodden” *who are not Palestinians*.
Show me one post made by you *condemning* any other oppressor- the Russians (killed 10,000′s civilians), Sudanese (hundred of thousands), Congolese (tens of thousands), Moroccans, Chinese, Pakistanis, Syrians…. you name it.
All of the above have committed and are still committing human rifgts violations and humanitarian suffering unmatched by the Israelis both in order of magnitude and of methods.
“we’re discussing Israel/Palestine here.”
A good one.
You: Zionists are treating Palestinians badly.
Me: Other nations are treating other people a lot worse.
You: Don’t change the subject.
If you can’t come up with an answer as to why you don’t protest much worse offenders, and focus exclusively on Zionist when you have nothing to do with the region yourself, then I conclude that your anti-Zionism has to do with the identity of the Zionists and not your empathy with the down trodden.
“It’s why aren’t “some of you capable of empathising with the down trodden” *who are not Palestinians*.”
I can only speak for myself. Ask the others, I’ve given my response.
“Show me one post made by you *condemning* any other oppressor- the Russians (killed 10,000’s civilians), Sudanese (hundred of thousands), Congolese (tens of thousands), Moroccans, Chinese, Pakistanis, Syrians…. you name it.”
Show me the topics?
I haven’t noticed you condemning paedophilia lately, should I, like you make a crass assumption that you must support it? If you don’t support it you’ll have no trouble linking me to posts where you’ve condemned it.
“You: Zionists are treating Palestinians badly.
Me: Other nations are treating other people a lot worse.
You: Don’t change the subject.”
Oh, you do get it then… You had me going for a while.. ;o)
His name was Backman, not Blackman. Details details…
“I know Blair’s readers need to believe there are goodies and baddies in any conflict, and since Hamas are clearly baddies, that must make Israel the goodies who are above reproach no matter what they do – but that’s neither accurate nor constructive.”
You realise, of course, that if you switch the words “Hamas” and “Israel” you’ve pretty much summed yourselves up rather nicely…
“Like I say, start another topic, stop making rash assumptions about what others believe.”
To make my point clear.
I refer to anti-Zionism vs anti-Semitism and not whether what the Zionists are doing is justified or not. That’s why I ask the comparative question- If anti-Zionists show such concern to other people’s suffering than it’s safe to say that anti-Zionism is not necessarily anti-Semitic.
But given the fact that no other nation gets the treatment Israel is receiving (by people around the world who have nothing whatsoever to do with the region), then it’s hard to find any explanation other than obsession (for whatever reason) with Jews.
That’s why it’s relevant to this topic. And you still need to give a good reason for the discrepancy in attention given to the Zionists vs the rest of the oppressing world.
I haven’t noticed you condemning paedophilia lately, should I, like you make a crass assumption that you must support it?
Look, I don’t discriminate. I don’t particularily like herring (of any color not even red), so no point waving it around.
I haven’t made any assumpsions about your intentions and it’s not the point anyway. Let’s assume what you say is right, and the Israelis are terrible.
You asked “Oh, so to you someone who is anti-Zionist, is an anti-Semite?”
My answer is yes in most cases, and I explained why.
Just give me a good reason for the differential treatment of the one smaller opressor (which doesn’t justifies its conduct) in comparrison to much bigger opressors. Maybe I’m missing something. I’m open to suggestions.
Jeremy and other responders demonstrate one common property of liberal thinking, which is its lack of perspective. This is in part due to a lack of objectivity, but it is more than that. It is characterized by a magnification of some facets of a situation, together with complete inability to see others. The result is a worldview that has distortion like that found in a Dali work, but less pleasant.
How do you ignore that Hamas brought this on the Palestinians by rocketing Israel in the first place? What is Israel to do, if they want this to stop? They clearly waited long enough, and finally went to the source of the trouble.
Does this constitute Zionism yet? If so, then the eventual US response to Pearl Harbor was Zionism too. Perhaps it bothers you that the response seems more drastic than the provocation. Maybe, but without the provocation, the response would not have occurred. Compare the US response to Pearl Harbor. It must be said to have been effective, and to argue that it was too drastic is pointless. It was received because it was asked for.
But then this does disclose the motives of the “not anti-Semites, but anti-Zionists”. Israel is Zionist – because it engages in self defense. So what bothers the “anti-Zionists” is that Israel defends itself. To distill this further: you have no objection to the provocation of hostilities by rocketing civilian populations on the part of a group one of whose stated objectives is the obliteration of Israel (this is the part you ignore). You do object to a response to the rocketing. (This is the part you view as if it occurred in a vacuum, at no instigation). This kind of nonsensical mental contortion is usually an attempt to hide an agenda. Your agenda is not that you are anti-Zionist. Your agenda is that you are anti-Semites.
“Just give me a good reason for the differential treatment of the one smaller opressor (which doesn’t justifies its conduct) in comparrison to much bigger opressors. Maybe I’m missing something. I’m open to suggestions”.
There are many books that highlight the proficiency with which the Palestinian propaganda machine has geared itself to appealing to the West. You will find that no-one in Russia or Sudan has anywhere the same resources. It has been carefully planned for decades and they know how to exploit it perfectly from the rock throwing children to the wailing widows.
For some reason, it is lost on most Westerners that not only do these “concentration camps” have Mercedes Benzes parked out the front of many houses and nearly every building has satellite broadband internet, but also that the borders are closed BEHIND them to prevent them from getting into Egypt of Jordan. They are far better for popaganda purposes inside the “refugee” camps than living somewhere else. Yet the proaganda machine succeeds in making the vast majority of Westerners, who have never seen the place for themselves, think that it is a concentration camp.
“Look, I don’t discriminate.”
Nor do I, you were demanding I give examples of me condemning other oppressors, there are plenty, they aren’t on this blog but they exist, I’ve been ranting for the last decade on various blogs.
“I haven’t made any assumpsions about your intentions and it’s not the point anyway.”
You wrote:
“Answer the question.
It wasn’t whether you support oppression or not.
It’s why aren’t “some of you capable of empathising with the down trodden” *who are not Palestinians*.”
That’s an incorrect assumption, I’m fully capable of empathising with non-Palestinians, (if you were referring to me) and dare I say a red herring, hence my response with another red herring (paedophilia)
I can empathise with any human being suffering and the older I get the more I empathise.
“Just give me a good reason for the differential treatment of the one smaller opressor (which doesn’t justifies its conduct) in comparrison to much bigger opressors.”
I never made such a differentiation.
“Maybe I’m missing something”
I’m not trying to be rude but I think you are, just because I’ve not condemned for example Turkey’s treatment of Kurds in this particular thread doesn’t mean that I haven’t made such a condemnation in the past.
Show me one post made by you *condemning* any other oppressor- the Russians (killed 10,000’s civilians), Sudanese (hundred of thousands), Congolese (tens of thousands), Moroccans, Chinese, Pakistanis, Syrians…. you name it.
LOOK OVER THERE!!!
It seems Rad lives on in spirit through the looniness of timmy’s sheep.
and speaking of tim’s sheep, they have certainly declined in ability to put forward logical arguments on the topic at hand. oh for the good ol days when sheep weren’t quite….well, sheep!
“lack of perspective. ”
“a lack of objectivity”
“Your agenda is that you are anti-Semites.”
LOL – You’d think there was no such thing as an illegal settlement the way cosmeticadjuster is carrying on.
So cosmeticadjuster, my friend, an Israeli, a Jew who abhors Zionism is an anti-Semite? That’s news to me and him.
Your agenda is not that you are anti-Zionist. Your agenda is that you are anti-Semites.
Err, dude. Ay-rabs are Semites, too. I thought us “liberals” were supposed to be allied with them Ay-rabs (eg. Hamas) so how can we be anti-Semites?
just arrived at this blog and see the usual going round in circles arguments when it comes to the Israel-Pali Conflict.
Simply ask yourself “what does each side want here?” I don’t mean in the immediate term. I mean in the longer term. What does the Israeli leadership want? What does Hamas want?
I can say with a lot of confidence that what Israel and it’s government wants is very basic: A country, with a predominantly Jewish culture, where the population (Jewish or Not) can live their lives in peace and freedom without fear of rockets and terrorism. If that can occur while living next to a proper Palestinian State, then that’s fine.
With Hamas, it is also very easy to understand what they want, since they tell us all the time. It is written in their charter, it is spoken in their speeches, it is shouted in the mosques at Friday prayer: Death to the Jews. Note that i put the word “Jews” there and not “Israelis” or “Zionists”. When a Palestinian or Hezbollah rocket kills an Israeli Arab this illicits an apology. If it kills a Jew it results in celebration. It is blindingly clear what Hamas wants – an Israel without Jews.
I’d like to hear if anyone has another opinion about what Hamas wants in the longer term?
I blame the Peoples Front of Judea
Or is it the Judean Peoples Front ?
No, maybe the Popular Front of Judea…
Monty Python was right.
I’d like to hear if anyone has another opinion about what Hamas wants in the longer term?
There are a range of factions within Hamas, often with competing agendas. See this, for instance:
http://www.newstatesman.com/middle-east/2009/01/israel-hamas-gaza-palestinian
“I’d like to hear if anyone has another opinion about what Hamas wants in the longer term?”
LOOK OVER THERE!!!
why don’t you write to hamas and ask them. this thread is not about what hamas want.
“Oh, so to you someone who is anti-Zionist, is an anti-Semite”
Thats’s what Martin Luther King asserted, for what it’s worth.
Max and DK have pretty well demolished the subtefuges of bloggers like RobJ etc.
If the anti-Zionists were as vehemently anti-Indian because “they’ve grabbed Kashmir” or anti-Philipino because “they’ve grabbed Mindanao”..or much more analogous, anti-Turkish “because they ran the Greek population which had been there for thousands of years, out of Asia Minor in 1921″ then maybe I’d accept there to be some real humanitarian sentiment toward Palestinians.
However, the selective outrage suggests it matters WHO is doing the “oppressing”, rather than the “acts of oppression” themselves.
The other concern I have is that the “anti-zionists” are very uncritical (indeed supportive) of outright anti-semites like Hamas. Something like saying you aren’t anti-black when you criticise Obama’s policies..and that you reckon the KKK is doing a great job!!
Anyway enough said..except that I STILL don’t understand why lefties are so enamored with Hamas seeing as barely any decent government or international organisation approves of it. Cheers.
RobJ,
You wrote:
“I can empathise with any human being suffering and the older I get the more I empathise.”
Then you must empathize with the Israeli soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome from the various operations and wars they have fought. With the Israeli citizens, including men, women, pregnant women, children and soldiers who have been killed or wounded in suicide bombings in Israel and in the West Bank, and drive-by shootings in the West Bank. For the Israeli population of southern Israel who for eight years have been running to bomb shelters. 30% of the children in these areas suffer from PTSS. Also, you must feel for the 7000 Israelis who were forcibly evacuated from their homes by Israeli soldiers when Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005. For the entire population of Israeli mothers whose sons serve in the army and who can’t sleep nights until they have completed their service without being killed or wounded. (Army service is compulsory so you are talking about the entire population). With the families of thousands of soldiers throughout Israel’s history who have been killed in wars. With soldiers who have been injured, paralyzed and incapacitated in the various wars and operations and live with the scars.
Does your empathy extend here too? I hope so.
“Oh, so to you someone who is anti-Zionist, is an anti-Semite”
Thats’s what Martin Luther King asserted, for what it’s worth.
Dr King could have elaborated a little.
Firstly, it’s possible to be opposed to the brutality of the IDF without reference to Zionism.
Secondly, Zionism has a number of facets. Most reasonable people would not oppose Zionism insofar as it is an emancipatory political project for Jews. There are plenty of other such political projects for other, historically oppressed social groups.
On the other hand, Zionism used as intellectual cover for colonial expanion and imperialism is unjustifiable. Saying as much in no way equates to anti-Semitism.
I agree.
Luckily, Zionism is not being used for that purpose. That is, unless you count simply “living in Israel” as being colonialism. Hamas and Hezbollah believe that. The state of Israel, they claim, by its very existence constitutes a colonial occupation of Palestinian land.
I count settlements in the West Bank as colonialism. This point should be pretty uncontroversial. I also count the IDF’s treatment of Gaza as much the same. Yes, there are no settlements, but the Israeli Government does as it pleases with the land.
However, the selective outrage suggests it matters WHO is doing the “oppressing”, rather than the “acts of oppression” themselves.
that’s rightard meme number 1. i’m betting the next one will go something like “how come you never criticise hamas?”
The other concern I have is that the “anti-zionists” are very uncritical (indeed supportive) of outright anti-semites like Hamas.
yep, bang on cue, rightard meme 2. you people need to find more cogent, precise arguments, rely more on evidence and less on what you assume other people think. every time you flock here it’s the same old same old.
Max and DK have pretty well demolished the subtefuges of bloggers like RobJ etc.
no. all max and DK have done is fly the usual debunked bullshit common from the right, and tried to steer the thread onto something completely different, by not addressing the actual post of Jeremy’s.
as Dam Buster said at the top of the comments, if timmy’s new standard is to call those who are critical of israeli government policy anti-semitic, or jew haters, then by his own standards everytime he is critical of obama he is fair game to be called racist. or anti African-American.
There are two themes here, that seem to be repeated ad-infinitum by people who assume they will become fact if repeated often enough.
1) Confessions writes: “the way in which The Age handled the ‘apology’ over the backman affair – distancing itself from the views of its writers, even though daily articles get published in papers that editors may not agree with – shows just how delicately the mainstream media tip-toes around issues concerning israel, while anti-muslim, anti-aboriginal, anti-african migrant rants from bolt, albrechsten, radio shock jocks, even timmy in case of muslims is perfectly acceptable”
–
Nonsense. The Age has never had any trouble raising the hackles of the Jewish community. On the other hand, The Age refused to print the Danish Mohammed cartoons, preferring instead to show photos only of the reactions to them (i.e. a bunch of Islamists rioting and setting fire to things).
Similarly, it is left to News Ltd to report on Islamists within Australia. Fairfax won’t even repeat police media releases in full (see: Men of No Appearance).
It seems to me, they tiptoe a lot more around the Religion of Fatwas, than they do Israel.
Misguided theme 2) That Jews reflexively call all criticism of Israel antisemitic.
This is utter bullshit. There is an abundance of robust criticism of Israel, as there should be of any country. As Thomas Freedman noted in an article I otherwise disagree with: “Criticizing Israel is not anti-Semitic, and saying so is vile. But singling out Israel for opprobrium and international sanction — out of all proportion to any other party in the Middle East — is anti-Semitic, and not saying so is dishonest.”
Case in point, a sophisticated military machine attacked militant strongholds with an indiscriminate use of force, decimating infrastructure, bombing private homes, bombing schools, bombing hospitals.
Over a thousand civilians including many women and children caught in the fighting were killed, thousands more wounded.
Journalists were banned from entering the battle zone.
Israel attacking Gaza?
Err… No. Actually, it was Sri Lanka’s army attacking the Tamil Tigers.
You probably just read about it for the first time. Yet there were so many of those who said nothing about that. Said nothing about Zimbabwe. Said nothing about Darfur. Said nothing about the Congo. Said nothing when Hamas shot dozens of Fatah members in the street, last week.
Yet they scream about Israel – the world’s only Jewish state. And they wonder why some people might question their motivation.
Nonsense. The Age has never had any trouble raising the hackles of the Jewish community.
that is a subjective view. and it still doesn’t address the issue of how the Age dealt with Backman, which is the issue i raised. whether you like it or not, columnists such as andrew bolt, who has even tried to promulgate dodgy statistical analysis in order to vilify Sudanese community doesn’t have the Hun turn its back on him, no matter how racist he was on that particular front. that was the overall point I was making.
Similarly, it is left to News Ltd to report on Islamists within Australia.
indeed. however unfairly. see the topic of jeremy’s next post on the matter. and on that matter, why do you think that timmy and the mainstream media he represents would be so unwilling to report the entire facts of that matter?
Misguided theme 2) That Jews reflexively call all criticism of Israel antisemitic.
not so misguided. and not just jews – stop trying to misrepresent the dialogue.
You probably just read about it for the first time. Yet there were so many of those who said nothing about that. Said nothing about Zimbabwe. Said nothing about Darfur. Said nothing about the Congo. Said nothing when Hamas shot dozens of Fatah members in the street, last week.
and so many who say nothing about atrocities meted out to aborigines – on your side aborigines continue to get vilified. but on this site all those you mention have been condemned. BTW in one of the better posts of timmy’s, he acknowledges aboriginal occupation going back 40,000 years. now how do you think his sheep responded to that? ponder and come back to me – i’ll link you to the actual thread so you can see the vile responses for yourself.
making assumptions about people is wrong. and yet so many of your fly-in fly-out comrades have done nothing but make assumptions about the views of the regular readers here. you have at least made an attempt to discuss the issue – your comrades could learn from your actions – but please lose the assumptions next time.
There is no Palestine, so there are no Palestinians.
They are the troublemaking descendants of refugees after losing a war against Israel. Is refugee statuis hereditary?
HAMAS stated goal is the death of Israel.
Thatisall.
Rob J said,”Oh, so to you someone who is anti-Zionist, is an anti-Semite?”
No, I didn’t say that ‘coz I was hoping that I’d conveyed some nuance when I wrote,
“I think Leftwing anti-Semitism in the 21st century is less about pre-20th century social stigmas, and more about a perverted interpretation of anti-fascism–that is, they want us to believe Zionism is _fascistic_.
(E.g., was Leunig’s notorious Israelis-are-Nazis cartoon anti-Semitic? It was certainly edging over the line, IMO.)”
I should qualify: Leftwing anti-Semites (as well as some non-Left anti-Semites) are obsessed with conflating all Israelis with Zionists, and hence all Zionists with Nazism.
Obviously people like Chomsky or Lowenstein aren’t anti-Semitic opponents of Zionism (but I’ll leave it to the crazier Likudniks here to tell us how every non-Zionist Jew is actually OBL’s lovechild.)
Normally I don’t believe in ideological moderation as an end in itself, but Israel/Palestine is one issue in which I have no choice but to be middle of the road.
Shame 95% of people who insist on talking about it aren’t.
BTW, I have no interest in commenting in the other Israel/Palestine threads here, I just don’t see the point in ‘fisking’ those warporn fans, Bolt and Blair–but the controversy of the Blackman piece is more pertinent, IMHO, because it entails _unconscious_ hate.
The fact of the matter is that all this talk is meaningless. Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, Iran, The Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Queda, etc. . . will never cease their efforts to destroy Israel regardless of what ANYONE does or says. There will inevitably be another big battle a la 1967. Afterwards, the argument will likely be moot. Hopefully, Israel will emerge intact. Agnostic or Atheistic Liberals simply cannot comprehend the idea of what it means for a person to swear an oath to God that they will obliterate another people.
This is pretty obviously true. Those peoples and organisations say it repeatedly, but Westerners don’t take them at their word. Their goal is to get Israel off the map.
Yet somehow the fuckwits at the UN keep trying to broker “peace deals” with people who are not interested in peace. Then they wonder why their ceasefires and peace accords keep getting broken.
Exactly. They think that the answer is “dialog” and “understanding”, like some 1970′s therapist.
confessions:
It’s not that you personally don’t criticise Hamas. You can make concerned and critical statements all day and it won’t change a thing.
The problem is, for example, that Hamas was firing rockets at Israeli civilians for months, and the world yawned.
But as soon as Israel said “we’ve had enough! We’re going to go in and destroy the rocket launchers”, European diplomats and UN delegates were in overdrive, getting red-eye flights to New York so they can have emergency meetings and try to broker a ceasefire. Suddenly when it was Israel, not Hamas, taking military action, everyone was in a flap about the “unsolvable middle east problem.”
Confessions (23rd 6.30PM). You have serious personal issues. This is totally independant of whatever your “political views” are.
Someone who reads a post and then “predicts” what is in that post is a charlatan….a BS artist of the first order.
No further needs to be said.
Ummm.. “politically correct”? Tim Blair? You are obviously not reading the same blog I am.
And “limiting debate”? I thought Tim was… er… debating…
Or is it just the other side of the debate that is not allowed to speak?
For your benefit, James, there’s an update to the post.
“I know Blair’s readers need to believe there are goodies and baddies in any conflict, and since Hamas are clearly baddies, that must make Israel the goodies…”
Well at least part of your post is correct. In this weasel world of moral equivalence you live in it must be inconvenient that there actually are goodies and baddies. I reiterate your excellent point Hamas are evil from almost any moral perspective except that of the indiscriminate left.
Zombie Mao: “It just not that simple Tim.”
Actually Zombie yes it is.
Confessions (23rd 6.30PM). You have serious personal issues.
yes, it’s true. i abhor the racism of the right, take issue with the hypocrisy of timmy and andy and can’t stand the ignorance of the majority of their fans. i need help.
Jeremy,
Thank you for the smugly superior insult. Do you even realise what you just did? You criticised Blair for “childish name calling” and then childishly name-called…
Is that what passes for debate here? I won’t respond in kind. I will, instead, indulge the debate you say has been stifled.
Moving right along.
Blair quite reasonably lampoons Backman’s Melbourne-Bendigo comparison because it is plainly asinine. You then try to debate why Blair is wrong in what is clearly a “piss-take”. Backman’s original analogy is a brain-fart and deserved to be treated as such.
Israel is not targeting civilians. It is targeting Hamas fighters and bombers who are deliberately using sensitive the civilian population as cover. Against this type of enemy there can be no victory without civilian casualties. The alternative for Israel is to sit and cop it, and let its civilians keep dying without a care or a peep from the likes of Backman.
Please point out the unprompted post of yours that condemns Hamas. I’m not talking about condemning Hamas so you can make the point that Israel has done bad things too. Just point to the place where you have posted an item critical of the bombing of Israel purely because you thought that was wrong… without then going on to condemn Israel.
“They are even worse..” is not an argument that Blair makes. Blair uses fewer than 70 words of his own, the rest of his piece is quotes of others. He only objects that Backman “blames israel for everything.” Which he does. Hamas gets no criticism at all from Backman.
The Age article was pulled because it was ill considered and racist – and someone called them on it.
See, debate has not been stifled. It has been stimulated. And no, it is not political correctness to believe that Hamas started this thing (this time) and continue to use tactics designed to bring death to their own people for propaganda purposes.
Dean, in your weasel world do good guys bomb schools and hospitals?
Goodies and baddies my arse. All I see is a lot of victims.
Make no mistake, I was brought up as a religious christian as a child, but rejected the strictures (Protestant) of my ancestral religion based upon personal reflection and questioning of doctrinal beliefs, no matter how ‘sacred.’ That said, it is easy for me to choose sides when Hamas produces children’s shows (for 6 year olds) that teach hatred, lies, and that the ultimate goal in life is to become a Shahid. Finally, if any of you posting here have not seen the videos I am referencing, you have no business commenting on the ‘moral equivalence’ of Israel and Hamas.
By the way, Toaf, just because you put a sign on the door that says “UN School” does not make it so. In my humble opinion, the UN is such a dishonest ‘broker’ on the international scene that I would prefer that the UN go F*^k itself.
Lastly, Toaf, even if the IDF intentionally targeted a bus full of Fifth Grade theatre students, it would not justify a world wide ‘jew-killin’ campaign.
“Blair quite reasonably lampoons Backman’s Melbourne-Bendigo comparison because it is plainly asinine. You then try to debate why Blair is wrong in what is clearly a “piss-take”. Backman’s original analogy is a brain-fart and deserved to be treated as such.”
That is spot on.
Gordon, do you have evidence to support your claims?
“Gordon, do you have evidence to support your claims?”
Sounds like a conspiracy theorist to me, I mean, what about this:
“just because you put a sign on the door that says “UN School” does not make it so.”
As it turns out they were UN schools, the IDF even knew they were UN Schools and gave assurances that they wouldn’t attack them, then, they went and attacked them. Of course Gordon, feel free to provide evidence to the contrary.
“In my humble opinion, the UN is such a dishonest ‘broker’ on the international scene that I would prefer that the UN go F*^k itself.”
Yeah, well your humble opinion is a bit of a joke. The UN is only as effective as it’s members allow it to be, on the Israel/Palestine question the US will not allow it to be affective, they veto any condemnation of Israel time and time again. The problem is not the UN, the problem is some of it’s members.
“F*^k ”
LOL – Wont your mummy let you write ‘fuck’? After all that’s what you meant!
I’d find your arguments against Israel killing children much more persuasive if Hamas didn’t put their own kids in booby-trapped schools and houses, and train them up to be suicide bombers.
They know exactly why they put their kids in the danger zone and it’s not to give them protection!
One of the sons of a Hamas leader converted to Chrisitianity and fled to the US. He says anyone who follows the Koran is sick. I’ll take his analysis over anything written in this pompous little blog.
What do you have to say about Hamas stealing UN aid from their own people? Anyone? Bueller?
Just clear up any confusion about Hamas’ goals, here is their covenant:
Hamas Covenant 1988
The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement
18 August 1988
In The Name Of The Most Merciful Allah
“Ye are the best nation that hath been raised up unto mankind: ye command that which is just, and ye forbid that which is unjust, and ye believe in Allah. And if they who have received the scriptures had believed, it had surely been the better for them: there are believers among them, but the greater part of them are transgressors. They shall not hurt you, unless with a slight hurt; and if they fight against you, they shall turn their backs to you, and they shall not be helped. They are smitten with vileness wheresoever they are found; unless they obtain security by entering into a treaty with Allah, and a treaty with men; and they draw on themselves indignation from Allah, and they are afflicted with poverty. This they suffer, because they disbelieved the signs of Allah, and slew the prophets unjustly; this, because they were rebellious, and transgressed.” (Al-Imran – verses 109-111).
Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it” (The Martyr, Imam Hassan al-Banna, of blessed memory).
“The Islamic world is on fire. Each of us should pour some water, no matter how little, to extinguish whatever one can without waiting for the others.” (Sheikh Amjad al-Zahawi, of blessed memory).
In The Name Of The Most Merciful Allah
Introduction
Praise be unto Allah, to whom we resort for help, and whose forgiveness, guidance and support we seek; Allah bless the Prophet and grant him salvation, his companions and supporters, and to those who carried out his message and adopted his laws – everlasting prayers and salvation as long as the earth and heaven will last. Hereafter:
O People:
Out of the midst of troubles and the sea of suffering, out of the palpitations of faithful hearts and cleansed arms; out of the sense of duty, and in response to Allah’s command, the call has gone out rallying people together and making them follow the ways of Allah, leading them to have determined will in order to fulfill their role in life, to overcome all obstacles, and surmount the difficulties on the way. Constant preparation has continued and so has the readiness to sacrifice life and all that is precious for the sake of Allah.
Thus it was that the nucleus (of the movement) was formed and started to pave its way through the tempestuous sea of hopes and expectations, of wishes and yearnings, of troubles and obstacles, of pain and challenges, both inside and outside.
When the idea was ripe, the seed grew and the plant struck root in the soil of reality, away from passing emotions, and hateful haste. The Islamic Resistance Movement emerged to carry out its role through striving for the sake of its Creator, its arms intertwined with those of all the fighters for the liberation of Palestine. The spirits of its fighters meet with the spirits of all the fighters who have sacrificed their lives on the soil of Palestine, ever since it was conquered by the companions of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, and until this day.
This Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS), clarifies its picture, reveals its identity, outlines its stand, explains its aims, speaks about its hopes, and calls for its support, adoption and joining its ranks. Our struggle against the Jews is very great and very serious. It needs all sincere efforts. It is a step that inevitably should be followed by other steps. The Movement is but one squadron that should be supported by more and more squadrons from this vast Arab and Islamic world, until the enemy is vanquished and Allah’s victory is realised.
Thus we see them coming on the horizon “and you shall learn about it hereafter” “Allah hath written, Verily I will prevail, and my apostles: for Allah is strong and mighty.” (The Dispute – verse 21).
“Say to them, This is my way: I invite you to Allah, by an evident demonstration; both I and he who followeth me; and, praise be unto Allah! I am not an idolator.” (Joseph – verse 107).
Hamas (means) strength and bravery -(according to) Al-Mua’jam al-Wasit: c1.
Definition of the Movement
Ideological Starting-Points
Article One:
The Islamic Resistance Movement: The Movement’s programme is Islam. From it, it draws its ideas, ways of thinking and understanding of the universe, life and man. It resorts to it for judgement in all its conduct, and it is inspired by it for guidance of its steps.
The Islamic Resistance Movement’s Relation With the Moslem Brotherhood Group:
Article Two:
The Islamic Resistance Movement is one of the wings of Moslem Brotherhood in Palestine. Moslem Brotherhood Movement is a universal organization which constitutes the largest Islamic movement in modern times. It is characterised by its deep understanding, accurate comprehension and its complete embrace of all Islamic concepts of all aspects of life, culture, creed, politics, economics, education, society, justice and judgement, the spreading of Islam, education, art, information, science of the occult and conversion to Islam.
Structure and Formation
Article Three:
The basic structure of the Islamic Resistance Movement consists of Moslems who have given their allegiance to Allah whom they truly worship, – “I have created the jinn and humans only for the purpose of worshipping” – who know their duty towards themselves, their families and country. In all that, they fear Allah and raise the banner of Jihad in the face of the oppressors, so that they would rid the land and the people of their uncleanliness, vileness and evils.
“But we will oppose truth to vanity, and it shall confound the same; and behold, it shall vanish away.” (Prophets – verse 18).
Article Four:
The Islamic Resistance Movement welcomes every Moslem who embraces its faith, ideology, follows its programme, keeps its secrets, and wants to belong to its ranks and carry out the duty. Allah will certainly reward such one.
Time and Place Extent of the Islamic Resistance Movement:
Article Five:
Time extent of the Islamic Resistance Movement: By adopting Islam as its way of life, the Movement goes back to the time of the birth of the Islamic message, of the righteous ancestor, for Allah is its target, the Prophet is its example and the Koran is its constitution. Its extent in place is anywhere that there are Moslems who embrace Islam as their way of life everywhere in the globe. This being so, it extends to the depth of the earth and reaches out to the heaven.
“Dost thou not see how Allah putteth forth a parable; representing a good word, as a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed in the earth, and whose branches reach unto heaven; which bringeth forth its fruit in all seasons, by the will of its Lord? Allah propoundeth parables unto men, that they may be instructed.” (Abraham – verses 24-25).
Characteristics and Independence:
Article Six:
The Islamic Resistance Movement is a distinguished Palestinian movement, whose allegiance is to Allah, and whose way of life is Islam. It strives to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine, for under the wing of Islam followers of all religions can coexist in security and safety where their lives, possessions and rights are concerned. In the absence of Islam, strife will be rife, oppression spreads, evil prevails and schisms and wars will break out.
How excellent was the Moslem poet, Mohamed Ikbal, when he wrote:
“If faith is lost, there is no security and there is no life for him who does not adhere to religion. He who accepts life without religion, has taken annihilation as his companion for life.”
The Universality of the Islamic Resistance Movement:
Article Seven:
As a result of the fact that those Moslems who adhere to the ways of the Islamic Resistance Movement spread all over the world, rally support for it and its stands, strive towards enhancing its struggle, the Movement is a universal one. It is well-equipped for that because of the clarity of its ideology, the nobility of its aim and the loftiness of its objectives.
On this basis, the Movement should be viewed and evaluated, and its role be recognised. He who denies its right, evades supporting it and turns a blind eye to facts, whether intentionally or unintentionally, would awaken to see that events have overtaken him and with no logic to justify his attitude. One should certainly learn from past examples.
The injustice of next-of-kin is harder to bear than the smite of the Indian sword.
“We have also sent down unto thee the book of the Koran with truth, confirming that scripture which was revealed before it; and preserving the same safe from corruption. Judge therefore between them according to that which Allah hath revealed; and follow not their desires, by swerving from the truth which hath come unto thee. Unto every of you have we given a law, and an open path; and if Allah had pleased, he had surely made you one people; but he hath thought it fit to give you different laws, that he might try you in that which he hath given you respectively. Therefore strive to excel each other in good works; unto Allah shall ye all return, and then will he declare unto you that concerning which ye have disagreed.” (The Table, verse 48).
The Islamic Resistance Movement is one of the links in the chain of the struggle against the Zionist invaders. It goes back to 1939, to the emergence of the martyr Izz al-Din al Kissam and his brethren the fighters, members of Moslem Brotherhood. It goes on to reach out and become one with another chain that includes the struggle of the Palestinians and Moslem Brotherhood in the 1948 war and the Jihad operations of the Moslem Brotherhood in 1968 and after.
Moreover, if the links have been distant from each other and if obstacles, placed by those who are the lackeys of Zionism in the way of the fighters obstructed the continuation of the struggle, the Islamic Resistance Movement aspires to the realisation of Allah’s promise, no matter how long that should take. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, has said:
“The Day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. Only the Gharkad tree, (evidently a certain kind of tree) would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews.” (related by al-Bukhari and Moslem).
The Slogan of the Islamic Resistance Movement:
Article Eight:
Allah is its target, the Prophet is its model, the Koran its constitution: Jihad is its path and death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of its wishes.
Objectives
Incentives and Objectives:
Article Nine:
The Islamic Resistance Movement found itself at a time when Islam has disappeared from life. Thus rules shook, concepts were upset, values changed and evil people took control, oppression and darkness prevailed, cowards became like tigers: homelands were usurped, people were scattered and were caused to wander all over the world, the state of justice disappeared and the state of falsehood replaced it. Nothing remained in its right place. Thus, when Islam is absent from the arena, everything changes. From this state of affairs the incentives are drawn.
As for the objectives: They are the fighting against the false, defeating it and vanquishing it so that justice could prevail, homelands be retrieved and from its mosques would the voice of the mu’azen emerge declaring the establishment of the state of Islam, so that people and things would return each to their right places and Allah is our helper.
“…and if Allah had not prevented men, the one by the other, verily the earth had been corrupted: but Allah is beneficient towards his creatures.” (The Cow – verse 251).
Article Ten:
As the Islamic Resistance Movement paves its way, it will back the oppressed and support the wronged with all its might. It will spare no effort to bring about justice and defeat injustice, in word and deed, in this place and everywhere it can reach and have influence therein.
Strategies and Methods
Strategies of the Islamic Resistance Movement: Palestine Is Islamic aqf:
Article Eleven:
The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up. Neither a single Arab country nor all Arab countries, neither any king or president, nor all the kings and presidents, neither any organization nor all of them, be they Palestinian or Arab, possess the right to do that. Palestine is an Islamic Waqf land consecrated for Moslem generations until Judgement Day. This being so, who could claim to have the right to represent Moslem generations till Judgement Day?
This is the law governing the land of Palestine in the Islamic Sharia (law) and the same goes for any land the Moslems have conquered by force, because during the times of (Islamic) conquests, the Moslems consecrated these lands to Moslem generations till the Day of Judgement.
It happened like this: When the leaders of the Islamic armies conquered Syria and Iraq, they sent to the Caliph of the Moslems, Umar bin-el-Khatab, asking for his advice concerning the conquered land – whether they should divide it among the soldiers, or leave it for its owners, or what? After consultations and discussions between the Caliph of the Moslems, Omar bin-el-Khatab and companions of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, it was decided that the land should be left with its owners who could benefit by its fruit. As for the real ownership of the land and the land itself, it should be consecrated for Moslem generations till Judgement Day. Those who are on the land, are there only to benefit from its fruit. This Waqf remains as long as earth and heaven remain. Any procedure in contradiction to Islamic Sharia, where Palestine is concerned, is null and void.
“Verily, this is a certain truth. Wherefore praise the name of thy Lord, the great Allah.” (The Inevitable – verse 95).
Homeland and Nationalism from the Point of View of the Islamic Resistance Movement in Palestine:
Article Twelve:
Nationalism, from the point of view of the Islamic Resistance Movement, is part of the religious creed. Nothing in nationalism is more significant or deeper than in the case when an enemy should tread Moslem land. Resisting and quelling the enemy become the individual duty of every Moslem, male or female. A woman can go out to fight the enemy without her husband’s permission, and so does the slave: without his master’s permission.
Nothing of the sort is to be found in any other regime. This is an undisputed fact. If other nationalist movements are connected with materialistic, human or regional causes, nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement has all these elements as well as the more important elements that give it soul and life. It is connected to the source of spirit and the granter of life, hoisting in the sky of the homeland the heavenly banner that joins earth and heaven with a strong bond.
If Moses comes and throws his staff, both witch and magic are annulled.
“Now is the right direction manifestly distinguished from deceit: whoever therefore shall deny Tagut, and believe in Allah, he shall surely take hold with a strong handle, which shall not be broken; Allah is he who heareth and seeth.” (The Cow – Verse 256).
Peaceful Solutions, Initiatives and International Conferences:
Article Thirteen:
Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Abusing any part of Palestine is abuse directed against part of religion. Nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement is part of its religion. Its members have been fed on that. For the sake of hoisting the banner of Allah over their homeland they fight. “Allah will be prominent, but most people do not know.”
Now and then the call goes out for the convening of an international conference to look for ways of solving the (Palestinian) question. Some accept, others reject the idea, for this or other reason, with one stipulation or more for consent to convening the conference and participating in it. Knowing the parties constituting the conference, their past and present attitudes towards Moslem problems, the Islamic Resistance Movement does not consider these conferences capable of realising the demands, restoring the rights or doing justice to the oppressed. These conferences are only ways of setting the infidels in the land of the Moslems as arbitraters. When did the infidels do justice to the believers?
“But the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neither the Christians, until thou follow their religion; say, The direction of Allah is the true direction. And verily if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, thou shalt find no patron or protector against Allah.” (The Cow – verse 120).
There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with. As in said in the honourable Hadith:
“The people of Syria are Allah’s lash in His land. He wreaks His vengeance through them against whomsoever He wishes among His slaves It is unthinkable that those who are double-faced among them should prosper over the faithful. They will certainly die out of grief and desperation.”
The Three Circles:
Article Fourteen:
The question of the liberation of Palestine is bound to three circles: the Palestinian circle, the Arab circle and the Islamic circle. Each of these circles has its role in the struggle against Zionism. Each has its duties, and it is a horrible mistake and a sign of deep ignorance to overlook any of these circles. Palestine is an Islamic land which has the first of the two kiblahs (direction to which Moslems turn in praying), the third of the holy (Islamic) sanctuaries, and the point of departure for Mohamed’s midnight journey to the seven heavens (i.e. Jerusalem).
“Praise be unto him who transported his servant by night, from the sacred temple of Mecca to the farther temple of Jerusalem, the circuit of which we have blessed, that we might show him some of our signs; for Allah is he who heareth, and seeth.” (The Night-Journey – verse 1).
Since this is the case, liberation of Palestine is then an individual duty for very Moslem wherever he may be. On this basis, the problem should be viewed. This should be realised by every Moslem.
The day the problem is dealt with on this basis, when the three circles mobilize their capabilities, the present state of affairs will change and the day of liberation will come nearer.
“Verily ye are stronger than they, by reason of the terror cast into their breasts from Allah. This, because they are not people of prudence.” (The Emigration – verse 13).
The Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine is an Individual Duty:
Article Fifteen:
The day that enemies usurp part of Moslem land, Jihad becomes the individual duty of every Moslem. In face of the Jews’ usurpation of Palestine, it is compulsory that the banner of Jihad be raised. To do this requires the diffusion of Islamic consciousness among the masses, both on the regional, Arab and Islamic levels. It is necessary to instill the spirit of Jihad in the heart of the nation so that they would confront the enemies and join the ranks of the fighters.
It is necessary that scientists, educators and teachers, information and media people, as well as the educated masses, especially the youth and sheikhs of the Islamic movements, should take part in the operation of awakening (the masses). It is important that basic changes be made in the school curriculum, to cleanse it of the traces of ideological invasion that affected it as a result of the orientalists and missionaries who infiltrated the region following the defeat of the Crusaders at the hands of Salah el-Din (Saladin). The Crusaders realised that it was impossible to defeat the Moslems without first having ideological invasion pave the way by upsetting their thoughts, disfiguring their heritage and violating their ideals. Only then could they invade with soldiers. This, in its turn, paved the way for the imperialistic invasion that made Allenby declare on entering Jerusalem: “Only now have the Crusades ended.” General Guru stood at Salah el-Din’s grave and said: “We have returned, O Salah el-Din.” Imperialism has helped towards the strengthening of ideological invasion, deepening, and still does, its roots. All this has paved the way towards the loss of Palestine.
It is necessary to instill in the minds of the Moslem generations that the Palestinian problem is a religious problem, and should be dealt with on this basis. Palestine contains Islamic holy sites. In it there is al- Aqsa Mosque which is bound to the great Mosque in Mecca in an inseparable bond as long as heaven and earth speak of Isra` (Mohammed’s midnight journey to the seven heavens) and Mi’raj (Mohammed’s ascension to the seven heavens from Jerusalem).
“The bond of one day for the sake of Allah is better than the world and whatever there is on it. The place of one’s whip in Paradise is far better than the world and whatever there is on it. A worshipper’s going and coming in the service of Allah is better than the world and whatever there is on it.” (As related by al-Bukhari, Moslem, al-Tarmdhi and Ibn Maja).
“I swear by the holder of Mohammed’s soul that I would like to invade and be killed for the sake of Allah, then invade and be killed, and then invade again and be killed.” (As related by al-Bukhari and Moslem).
The Education of the Generations:
Article Sixteen:
It is necessary to follow Islamic orientation in educating the Islamic generations in our region by teaching the religious duties, comprehensive study of the Koran, the study of the Prophet’s Sunna (his sayings and doings), and learning about Islamic history and heritage from their authentic sources. This should be done by specialised and learned people, using a curriculum that would healthily form the thoughts and faith of the Moslem student. Side by side with this, a comprehensive study of the enemy, his human and financial capabilities, learning about his points of weakness and strength, and getting to know the forces supporting and helping him, should also be included. Also, it is important to be acquainted with the current events, to follow what is new and to study the analysis and commentaries made of these events. Planning for the present and future, studying every trend appearing, is a must so that the fighting Moslem would live knowing his aim, objective and his way in the midst of what is going on around him.
“O my son, verily every matter, whether good or bad, though it be the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and be hidden in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will bring the same to light; for Allah is clear-sighted and knowing. O my son, be constant at prayer, and command that which is just, and forbid that which is evil: and be patient under the afflictions which shall befall thee; for this is a duty absolutely incumbent on all men. Distort not thy face out of contempt to men, neither walk in the earth with insolence; for Allah loveth no arrogant, vain-glorious person.” (Lokman – verses 16-18).
The Role of the Moslem Woman:
Article Seventeen:
The Moslem woman has a role no less important than that of the moslem man in the battle of liberation. She is the maker of men. Her role in guiding and educating the new generations is great. The enemies have realised the importance of her role. They consider that if they are able to direct and bring her up they way they wish, far from Islam, they would have won the battle. That is why you find them giving these attempts constant attention through information campaigns, films, and the school curriculum, using for that purpose their lackeys who are infiltrated through Zionist organizations under various names and shapes, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, espionage groups and others, which are all nothing more than cells of subversion and saboteurs. These organizations have ample resources that enable them to play their role in societies for the purpose of achieving the Zionist targets and to deepen the concepts that would serve the enemy. These organizations operate in the absence of Islam and its estrangement among its people. The Islamic peoples should perform their role in confronting the conspiracies of these saboteurs. The day Islam is in control of guiding the affairs of life, these organizations, hostile to humanity and Islam, will be obliterated.
Article Eighteen:
Woman in the home of the fighting family, whether she is a mother or a sister, plays the most important role in looking after the family, rearing the children and embuing them with moral values and thoughts derived from Islam. She has to teach them to perform the religious duties in preparation for the role of fighting awaiting them. That is why it is necessary to pay great attention to schools and the curriculum followed in educating Moslem girls, so that they would grow up to be good mothers, aware of their role in the battle of liberation.
She has to be of sufficient knowledge and understanding where the performance of housekeeping matters are concerned, because economy and avoidance of waste of the family budget, is one of the requirements for the ability to continue moving forward in the difficult conditions surrounding us. She should put before her eyes the fact that the money available to her is just like blood which should never flow except through the veins so that both children and grown-ups could continue to live.
“Verily, the Moslems of either sex, and the true believers of either sex, and the devout men, and the devout women, and the men of veracity, and the women of veracity, and the patient men, and the patient women, and the humble men, and the humble women, and the alms-givers of either sex who remember Allah frequently; for them hath Allah prepared forgiveness and a great reward.” (The Confederates – verse 25).
The Role of Islamic Art in the Battle of Liberation:
Article Nineteen:
Art has regulations and measures by which it can be determined whether it is Islamic or pre-Islamic (Jahili) art. The issues of Islamic liberation are in need of Islamic art that would take the spirit high, without raising one side of human nature above the other, but rather raise all of them harmoniously an in equilibrium.
Man is a unique and wonderful creature, made out of a handful of clay and a breath from Allah. Islamic art addresses man on this basis, while pre-Islamic art addresses the body giving preference to the clay component in it.
The book, the article, the bulletin, the sermon, the thesis, the popular poem, the poetic ode, the song, the play and others, contain the characteristics of Islamic art, then these are among the requirements of ideological mobilization, renewed food for the journey and recreation for the soul. The road is long and suffering is plenty. The soul will be bored, but Islamic art renews the energies, resurrects the movement, arousing in them lofty meanings and proper conduct. “Nothing can improve the self if it is in retreat except shifting from one mood to another.”
All this is utterly serious and no jest, for those who are fighters do not jest.
Social Mutual Responsibility:
Article Twenty:
Moslem society is a mutually responsible society. The Prophet, prayers and greetings be unto him, said: “Blessed are the generous, whether they were in town or on a journey, who have collected all that they had and shared it equally among themselves.”
The Islamic spirit is what should prevail in every Moslem society. The society that confronts a vicious enemy which acts in a way similar to Nazism, making no differentiation between man and woman, between children and old people – such a society is entitled to this Islamic spirit. Our enemy relies on the methods of collective punishment. He has deprived people of their homeland and properties, pursued them in their places of exile and gathering, breaking bones, shooting at women, children and old people, with or without a reason. The enemy has opened detention camps where thousands and thousands of people are thrown and kept under sub-human conditions. Added to this, are the demolition of houses, rendering children orphans, meting cruel sentences against thousands of young people, and causing them to spend the best years of their lives in the dungeons of prisons.
In their Nazi treatment, the Jews made no exception for women or children. Their policy of striking fear in the heart is meant for all. They attack people where their breadwinning is concerned, extorting their money and threatening their honour. They deal with people as if they were the worst war criminals. Deportation from the homeland is a kind of murder.
To counter these deeds, it is necessary that social mutual responsibility should prevail among the people. The enemy should be faced by the people as a single body which if one member of it should complain, the rest of the body would respond by feeling the same pains.
Article Twenty-One:
Mutual social responsibility means extending assistance, financial or moral, to all those who are in need and joining in the execution of some of the work. Members of the Islamic Resistance Movement should consider the interests of the masses as their own personal interests. They must spare no effort in achieving and preserving them. They must prevent any foul play with the future of the upcoming generations and anything that could cause loss to society. The masses are part of them and they are part of the masses. Their strength is theirs, and their future is theirs. Members of the Islamic Resistance Movement should share the people’s joy and grief, adopt the demands of the public and whatever means by which they could be realised. The day that such a spirit prevails, brotherliness would deepen, cooperation, sympathy and unity will be enhanced and the ranks will be solidified to confront the enemies.
Supportive Forces Behind the Enemy:
Article Twenty-Two:
For a long time, the enemies have been planning, skillfully and with precision, for the achievement of what they have attained. They took into consideration the causes affecting the current of events. They strived to amass great and substantive material wealth which they devoted to the realisation of their dream. With their money, they took control of the world media, news agencies, the press, publishing houses, broadcasting stations, and others. With their money they stirred revolutions in various parts of the world with the purpose of achieving their interests and reaping the fruit therein. They were behind the French Revolution, the Communist revolution and most of the revolutions we heard and hear about, here and there. With their money they formed secret societies, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, the Lions and others in different parts of the world for the purpose of sabotaging societies and achieving Zionist interests. With their money they were able to control imperialistic countries and instigate them to colonize many countries in order to enable them to exploit their resources and spread corruption there.
You may speak as much as you want about regional and world wars. They were behind World War I, when they were able to destroy the Islamic Caliphate, making financial gains and controlling resources. They obtained the Balfour Declaration, formed the League of Nations through which they could rule the world. They were behind World War II, through which they made huge financial gains by trading in armaments, and paved the way for the establishment of their state. It was they who instigated the replacement of the League of Nations with the United Nations and the Security Council to enable them to rule the world through them. There is no war going on anywhere, without having their finger in it.
“So often as they shall kindle a fire for war, Allah shall extinguish it; and they shall set their minds to act corruptly in the earth, but Allah loveth not the corrupt doers.” (The Table – verse 64).
The imperialistic forces in the Capitalist West and Communist East, support the enemy with all their might, in money and in men. These forces take turns in doing that. The day Islam appears, the forces of infidelity would unite to challenge it, for the infidels are of one nation.
“O true believers, contract not an intimate friendship with any besides yourselves: they will not fail to corrupt you. They wish for that which may cause you to perish: their hatred hath already appeared from out of their mouths; but what their breasts conceal is yet more inveterate. We have already shown you signs of their ill will towards you, if ye understand.” (The Family of Imran – verse 118).
It is not in vain that the verse is ended with Allah’s words “if ye understand.”
Our Attitudes Towards:
A. Islamic Movements:
Article Twenty-Three:
The Islamic Resistance Movement views other Islamic movements with respect and appreciation. If it were at variance with them on one point or opinion, it is in agreement with them on other points and understandings. It considers these movements, if they reveal good intentions and dedication to Allah, that they fall into the category of those who are trying hard since they act within the Islamic circle. Each active person has his share.
The Islamic Resistance Movement considers all these movements as a fund for itself. It prays to Allah for guidance and directions for all and it spares no effort to keep the banner of unity raised, ever striving for its realisation in accordance with the Koran and the Prophet’s directives.
“And cleave all of you unto the covenant of Allah, and depart not from it, and remember the favour of Allah towards you: since ye were enemies, and he reconciled your hearts, and ye became companions and brethren by his favour: and ye were on the brink of a pit of fire, and he delivered you thence. Allah declareth unto you his signs, that ye may be directed.” (The Family of Imran – Verse 102).
Article Twenty-Four:
The Islamic Resistance Movement does not allow slandering or speaking ill of individuals or groups, for the believer does not indulge in such malpractices. It is necessary to differentiate between this behaviour and the stands taken by certain individuals and groups. Whenever those stands are erroneous, the Islamic Resistance Movement preserves the right to expound the error and to warn against it. It will strive to show the right path and to judge the case in question with objectivity.
‘Further, by encouraging Israel to do whatever the hell it likes to the people whose leaders many of its citizens by now (and quite understandably) absolutely hate,’
But (quite understandably) not the vast majority who totally support and vote for these terrorist scum but then in saying that I have to confess I do come from ‘one nation of infidels’ that-
‘formed secret societies, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, the Lions and others in different parts of the world for the purpose of sabotaging societies and achieving Zionist interests’
so I’ll take their sound advice to ‘contract not an intimate friendship with any besides yourselves: they will not fail to corrupt you.’
Rob J- I am allowed to write ‘fuck’ now that my mommy has left for the grocery store.
holocaust-denying anti-semite bishop has just been re-embraced by the catholic church.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iQIJoUn9PMoY__fvU-gHPiR4Ku0QD95TFS580
let’s see if timmy and his fans are willing to criticise the pope to the extent the decision is reversed and the church distances itself from him once again.
“Rob J- I am allowed to write ‘fuck’ now that my mommy has left for the grocery store.”
Oh goody, but can you provide any evidence to back up your ridiculous conspiracy theory about UN schools in Gaza?
Do you people who think Israel can do no wrong even realise that Hamas has said they will recognise Israel within it’s 67 borders? I understand your favourite media rags always fail to report this little inconvenient fact but as far as I’m aware Hamas have not changed their stance since making this declaration (in 2006). Thing is Israel wont move back to the ’67 borders even though the UNSC has ruled that they should.
“Hamas Covenant 1988″
LOL – that’s up to date.
“…persuasive if Hamas didn’t put their own kids in booby-trapped schools and houses, and train them up to be suicide bombers.”
“What do you have to say about Hamas stealing UN aid from their own people? Anyone?”
Links to evidence of these statements
Anyone?
Confessions. Sorry it took me a while to get back to your glib reply (24th 11.14AM) . After throwing in your lot with the only openly antisemetic “govt” on earth, Hamas, you pretend to be anti-rascist.
It puzzles me how you can be so enamoured (that word again) with an outfit which desires a return to repression..medieval mores…and rule by religion. Are you one of those non-”progressive” lefties? if so…good on you for being straight with the facts. Cheers.
speaking of glib replies! show me where i have ever said i support hamas you lying fuckwit. prove it or shut up.
and while we’re on the subject of supporting anti-semitism, where is your condemnation for the catholic church and the pope in particular? or is it only anti-semitism when its muzzies and arabs attacking israel.
hypocrite.
that should be attacking jews which is what the newly embraced, holocaust-denying bishop has done.
Hi Confessions.
The anti-semite bites!!
Confused as always (two posts fot half a thought??)… I suspect you are something like the great PJK… Full of spiteful bile by day; biting the pillow at night.
It is always thus with those who worship at the altar of violence.
Good one!! Have a nice day. See you in church,
knew you wouldn’t be able to produce the goods. your lot never can – big on rhetoric, short on substance.
and how quaint that your faux outrage over supposed anti-semitism doesn’t extend to the catholic church which apparently embraces holocaust deniers, ie actual jew hating. looks like you’re substance-challenged on that front as well.
“I suspect you are something like the great PJK… Full of spiteful bile by day; biting the pillow at night.”
having never spent a night with keating i can’t attest to his nocturnal habits. but otherwise i’m flattered by the keating comparison – he’s smart, funny, has excellent taste in clothes and has it in spades over pouter costello in parliament. so thank you. lol!!!
Uh-oh:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/hamas-tried-to-hijack-ambulances-during-gaza-war/2009/01/25/1232818246374.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Not a good look.
OK, Confessions, I’ll bite: The Pope is a prick.
Don’t bite Gordon, just provide evidence to back up your conspiracy theory regarding UN schools in Gaza.
lol!! it turns out the pope’s new man is a 9/11 troother as well as a xenophobe.
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/01/25/8347
what the fuck is the pope thinking?
Uh oh.
The IDF attacks red cross ambulances…
…not a good look!
(.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1054492.html)
(.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1231774446417)
Hi Confessions,
Williamson is a true head case, but I think he was excommunicated over the issue with the break-away group, I guess if he has recanted that then to lift the excommunication is probably fair enough — being a mental case doesn’t neccessarily mean excommunication.
The real problem will be what position he will now hold in the Catholic church — I reckon the Pope should sack him, but I’m not holding out a lot of hope for that….I only hope he isn’t given a parish, or access to parishioners anywhere.
“If the Palestinians want the Israelis to leave them in peace, my suggestion would be to stop heaving rockets into Israel.”
You are a moron Artwebster … since when is the entire population of any country collectively responsible for the actions of their governments.
Same logic as Al Queda isn’t it?
P.S. when are you BlairBolt watchers going to give some scrutiny to the mad ramblings of right wing nutter Darrin Hodges (fan of Bolt)?
http://www.darrinhodges.com/
“The real problem will be what position he will now hold in the Catholic church — I reckon the Pope should sack him, but I’m not holding out a lot of hope for that….I only hope he isn’t given a parish, or access to parishioners anywhere.”
yes, that is my problem too gavin, along with what this says more broadly about the catholic church and the pope in particular. although i don’t think he is allowed to ‘practice’ if that’s the right word, this is more about what this move says about the catholic church and pope.
the other issue i have is why it took so long for this story to break here in australia’s mainstream media? a whole 2 days after i posted the story here, and nothing like the coverage that was given the 6 yo muslim wife bashing story. in the scheme of things the pope is a much more important religious figure than hamza (or whatever name he is), and this re-embracing of williamson has far greater significance in terms of world events than hamza.
it seems the australian MSM think one suburban rebel muslim nutcase in a 6yo rant is more newsworthy than the pope’s recent and inherent anti-semitism and willingness to embrace ignorance and bigotry. for shame.
and speaking of predictable responses, timmy gives the story some air and just look at the wingnuts rush to the defence of the catholic church. the irony is just too much to handle without a dry martini.
http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/timblair/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/sounds_like_a_presbyterian/#commentsmore
Sue Gant asks “since when is the entire population of any country collectively responsible for the actions of their governments.”
Israel isn’t bombing the whole population of Gaza.
If they were, the whole event would have taken a few seconds, and not resulted in a single Israeli casualty. Instead, Israel went in on foot, at massive risk, to avoid civilian non-combatant fatalities wherever possible. Remarkable in that most countries would have simply turned Gaza into a carpark, given similar provocation.
You should look up what Jordan did to the Palestinians in the 1970s, when they got annoyed with them. It’s called Black September, and saw more Palestinians killed by Jordan in a single day, than by Israel in the last 60 years.
Most people won’t have heard about it, of course, because the Jewish state wasn’t involved.
Having said that, the Palestinians *do* need to accept responsibility. We keep being reminded that Hamas were “Democratically elected”. What’s Arabic for “You’ve made your bed, now sleep in it”?
GavinM: more on the williamson issue.
http://amywelborn.wordpress.com/2009/01/24/your-move-2/
it seems he won’t have bishop status, and won’t be responsible for ‘flock’ (the church knew this would be discussed in a blair/bolt context!!!). But blair sheep will nonetheless make this distinction in a blinkered refusal to condemn what is a really fucked decision: williamson isn’t really ex-excommunicated therefore it’s ok.
except it really is not.
at the end of the day it boils down to this: the catholic church will not accept as legitimate (ie at the throne of the pontiff) a loving, monogamous relationship (nee marriage) between 2 consenting adults of the same sex. but it will accept at the throne a holocaust denier, a 9/11 troother, a denier of women’s rights in a civilised society and a fucking bigot. and what timmy’s readers don’t acknowlege is that anti-semitism is rife amongst SSPX members. Crikey today has more on that.
is this the future of the catholic church? and why do blair’s readers think this stance is acceptable when it comes to catholicism, but deplorable when it comes to muslims? surely we as australians need to make a stance against all forms of bigotry, catholic and muslim alike?
Hi Confessions,
I’m with you…The inconsistency of the posters on Blair’s site confounds me too, I guess in the end it just boils down to the simple West v’s Islam argument for them.
As to the future of the Catholic Church, it’s decisions like this one, as well as it’s antiquated views on contraception, same-sex marriage, even celibacy for its priests that makes me wonder how much of a future it really has…I think the church needs to re-vamp itself to become more relevant to today’s world and to try to appeal to the modern generation….Although of course I’m not goinmg to hold my breath for that to happen.