A couple of months ago I was introduced to Mel, a distant relative. Well, we didn’t meet in the flesh but I did become acquainted with her “work.”
Mel came to Israel, ostensibly to see the land and view both sides of the story – Israeli and palestinian. One day, Mel contacted my family here in Israel with disturbing news – her program had taken her to Ramallah and here she was, stuck there for days. She told of her desire to leave and hopefully see her family. But we did not end up meeting up with Mel.
A few months later, my wife found an “interesting” article on the net, edited by Mel and reproduced below:
The Israeli government and it’s leaders when discussing Israeli security they have as many tricks as one can imagine. It reaches a high level, to increased value, in that it changes the facts and the fatal trick occurs. This stupid trick expresses in a closure ideology, 1) proud and sacred the power. To reach a level that even they cannot see. The unlimited level of power at the face of the Palestinians who decided to get their rights, at whatever the cost. 2) IOF regard the security of their citizens as a sacred issue. They take the right to use any power that they desire; helicopters , F16 ,.demolishing; all of these practices translate into constant systematic terrorism against the Palestinian people. It takes the form in a racist dimension to confront the Palestinians’ resistance. The mix between ownership of high power and closure ideology create an insanity mentality. This insanity is case for the losing of the real concept of security to any resolution or political issues. That means they put themselves against the historical movement, and for that they will lose. In reaction to this mentality the Palestinian people created their mission: to attack the security concept. It being the symbol of the heart of the occupation
A current example is the situation at the Nativity Church. It’s negotiations (regardless of whether I agree) is they spend the time and gain interest. Israeli Occupation and their militant negotiators want to impose their vision. First they get a lists of names of people inside church, then they find that most of people who are held up by the IOF are civilian, so the IOF start the arresting campaign in the Bethlehem region, and under arrangements brokered by the United States and the European Union, the 13 most wanted Palestinian militants on Israel’s list will be sent into exile in Italy (or where ever they decide) while 26 others will be send to the Gaza Strip. All other Palestinians surrounded inside the church will be set free (after the investigation at the Israeli government’ leisure). Hence an end to the 37-day stand off at the Church of the Nativity. This agreement has two dimensions. First, it is shameful on all of countries because this holy place cannot offer a safe place to those who ask for justice for the 8 martyrs inside the church and more than 30 injured by IOF’s snipers. Second, national exile is against of the Right of Return which it as a holy right for Palestinians and the core of the historical conflict. The people inside the Church of the Nativity have been told to prepare to leave; however it is still not clear exactly when anyone will leave which they have said many times before. Those going to Gaza are expected to come out first, the civilian and exiled will remain inside. Why this way? Does this mean they will remain exiled at the last moment, but why? Could there be another plan for them? Will they be arrested? At this moment there is no signature for any agreement. This act pushed us to say that IOF DO NOT LIKE TO BEING REGIMENTED with any agreement. In addition have the “IOF” arranged to storm and invade Gaza? Are the people of Gaza lives threaten by the “IOF”? The occupation mentality is that the USA and Israel call for: REFORMATORY OF THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY STRUCTURE. Wow, now they are going to choose a suitable leadership for the Palestinian society. They want the people of Palestine just follow what IOF want and suits their interest. Where is Democracy now? hah. And now USA and IOF ARE GODS and are not limited by what is right and what is wrong. At the end, we have to say that the occupation mentality is a racist disease and they look to their blood as more expensive than others’ and they thought that our martyrs not just bombers’ are not . We want life and for it we die. WE ARE THE FUTURE / AND THE OCCUPATION WILL LOSE SOON.
Obviously inflamed by Mel’s treachery, I penned the following response:
Having read the article from May 9, 2002 , I have the following comments:
1. “IOF regard the security of their citizens as a sacred issue..” Yes, the sanctity of human life is a very sacred issue and any responsible world government safeguards the safety of its citizens from heinous acts of terror. It is interesting that the opposite view – the sanctity of killing oneself – manifests itself from the Palestinian side and, more generally, the Arab world. Yet I seem to recall the words “Thou shall not kill” mentioned somewhere……….
2. “They take the right to use any power that they desire; helicopters , F16 ,…..demolishing….” If the Israeli government wanted to unleash its full power on the Palestinians, it could and it would. The Israelis use these means for self-defense purposes, and in a muted fashion. The demolishing of houses is not an arbitrary act but an act designed to deter terrorist activity. I wonder if you would think twice about bombing innocent men, women and children in a cafe if you knew that doing so would affect your family’s living arrangements. I would assume that this would bother you, even if you were sitting up there in heaven with 72 virgins (which I doubt, given the whole “Thou shall not kill” issue).
3. “..all of these practices translate into constant systematic terrorism against the Palestinian people.” It is interesting how the Palestinian propoganda machine employs the very terms applicable to them and attempts to turn them against the Israelis. Case in point: “systematic terrorism against the Palestinian people.” This propoganda technique has been employed by the pro-Palestinian camp, on many other occasions. After the Passover massacre of innocents at a religious celebration, the Palestinians made allegations about a &”massacre” at Jenin. It turns out about 50 people were killed, the vast majority of whom were terrorists. 23 israeli soldiers were killed in fierce fighting. Of course, had Israel merely sent in helicopters and F16s (see point 2 above), then not one Israeli would have been killed. But, despite your assertions, Israel is not trying to harm innocent civilians.
4. “In reaction to this mentality the Palestinian people created their mission: to attack the security concept.” I do not believe for a second that this is the mission. Their mission is to obliterate Israel from the face of the map. Who was talking about the “attacking the security concept” in 1949 or when the PLO formed in the early 1960s (incidentally, this was many years before Israel took over the disputed territories as a result of its war of self defence in 1967. So why was the PLO formed?).
5. “..it is shameful on all of countries because this holy place cannot offer a safe place to those who ask for justice for the 8 martyrs inside the church and more than 30 injured by IOF’s snipers.” Martyrs, huh? That is what you call terrorists who have killed and maimed innocent people? The people in the church were nothing more than murderers who took priests hostage and defiled one of Christianity’s holiest sites. Yet you call them martyrs. Israel’s compromise was too good for these people, who now have the chance to live, which is more than can be said for their numerous victims.
6. “They want the people of Palestine just follow what IOF want and suits their interest.” No, what Israel wants is for the Palestinians to stop their murderous rampage and to get back to the negotiating table which the Palestians chose to leave after turning down Barak’s generous offer at Camp David.
7. “We want life and for it we die.” Very poetic, or should I say pathetic. If you truly valued life, you would not kill yourselves and murder others. What you want is for the Jews to be killed. You value this more than your own lives. You invented terrorism. You invented the homicide bomber. You want death to the Jews and for it you are willing to die. These comments are on the substance of what was written, which did not contain much substance at all. I would also like to comment on the fact that the editor of this article (and judging by the poor English, what editing?) values the life of terrorists over the lives of her family, currently serving in the IDF, and of her family living under constant fear in Israel. It is a poor reflection of the Pro-Palestinian camp that you enlist the help of people like this, people without any sense of what is right . .and what is wrong.
A few readers have emailed me about this unbelievable expose of the ISM, written by Lee Kaplan.
Do yourselves a favor and read it now.
Here is a sample:
Jamie told us a story of how 100 “internationals” had surrounded six Israeli soldiers and besieged them at a roadblock set up to prevent suicide bombers from getting into Israel. The soldiers, all young boys and conscripts in the Israeli army, tried to control the mob until they ran out of non-lethal weapons and were forced to withdraw. The trainers all snickered at the story.
Not once all day, in any way, did members of our group ñ trainers or trainees ñ express a negative word about suicide bombings, or the shooting of women and children by Palestinian terrorists. But we were told repeatedly not to tell the Palestinians how to “resist.”
At the conclusion of our session, Jamie used her training as a social worker to prepare us to deal with long term trauma once we returned to the Bay Area. I thought it was an interesting lesson for people going to the Middle East to engage in ìnonviolentî activities for peace. ìBe ready for lots of violence,î she said.
This article should dispel any doubts you may have about the real intentions of this activist terrorist group.
And by the way, I have some indirect experience with the lies and deception of this group. Here is what I wrote about it in my pre-blogging days.
