Nadene Goldfoot
Thomas Friedman works for NY Times, who has the reputation for being anti-Israel. They recently ganged up on an Israeli diplomat telling him they didn't like his country. These CEO's were even Jewish, as Friedman is, and one is an Israeli. What is this world coming to? Havoc, I see. I think the NY Times people are from Chelm.
According to Friedman's opinion piece in the Oregonian Thursday-Egypt delivers shock and awe, Friedman accuses Netanyahu for finding excuses for not coming up with a peace plan. According to Friedman, the Americans, meaning no doubt Hillary and Obama, know it. Wow! What planet has Friedman been visiting lately? He thinks Abbas has offered so much to Israel.
Isn't it wonderful that a reporter, already set in his bias, can decide so much without being a soldier, a diplomat or even live in the area? We're not talking about Canadians, here. We're dealing with the Arabs who have been fighting Israel for the past 62 years plus. They have a mindset that's much different than Canadians, you know. You can't apply rules that are general for all peoples. I guess he's just been too busy to know that Netanyahu has been begging Abbas to talk about a peace deal but that Abbas wants pre-conditions first which means he won't talk until Netanyahu gives in to his demands first and foremost. Oh yes, I see Friedman knows this already when he finally mentions that Obama should put his own peace plan on the table and the two sides should negotiate on it without any preconditions. Well, good luck, Obama. Netanyahu and Clinton have been trying to do this with no avail, and it must be hard not to give in to Hillary.
Another thing Abbas wants, probably as another precondition is that he wants the millions of Arabs that have grown from the 600,000 original number or less to return and live in their Palestine. Of course! That's one way to take over the land and gain Israel. This is unreal and a death threat to Israel. How would you enjoy all of the Mexicans in Mexico to come and live in the USA? Isn't there room for all?
First off, Netanyahu has probably been angering you because he asks the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. You probably think this is the reason for calling it messianic. You had the chutzpa to say "if Israel remains paranoid and messianic and greedy, it will lose all its Arab friends. Now that is a laughable statement that makes me cry. The reason Israel's fathers picked the land of Israel to return to is that we do have a religious and cultural tie to the land, though it has taken us 2,000 long years to get back to it. For all those 2,000 years religious Jews have been praying that they would not forget Jerusalem lest they would lose their right hand. It's a way of saying that they would not forget the land of their forefathers. They had tons of feeling and history there. They had no feeling for Africa. Thus, the deal with the English for the land took place after the Ottoman Empire fell. All of this led to official recognition in 1948 in the UN of the state of Israel. The final piece we got was less than half of the original offered, but Israelis to be were not greedy, they accepted it. Remember, the Palestinians didn't. They were greedy in wanting it all. It was all or nothing and war with their leadership.
Let's take these accusations one at a time. Paranoid? Yes, we do know that Iran has called for Israel's destruction and that scientists think they will have atomic weapons by 2012. The Muslim Brotherhood has already called for Egypt to prepare for war against Israel and kill all Jews. Yes, Egypt may no longer have the stake it had in keeping the peace. They're going to miss the Israeli tourists that gave their people some jobs. They're going to miss the tranquil peace they've maintained since 67. You'd better watch out, Thomas. You're still considered Jewish, regardless of your far out opinions and self denial. Not only that, but Gaza on the West has said they're out for Israel's destruction. They have continued to shell Israel with Grad missles, smaller missiles, and mortars. Egypt is no longer restrained and the peace treaty may dissolve quickly, Lebanon is in the hands of terrorists, Gaza and Abbas would most likely join the others and would join in, Jordan is doing all it can do to stay afloat and that peace treaty also is in danger, being their population is 65% Palestinian, and do you need more reason for being paranoid? As the patient said to his psychologist, "Doctor, I think my neighbors hate me." Can you give me a pill?" "They do hate you," replied the psychologist. Pills won't help at all.
Greedy? There's no way that Israel is greedy. They're a tiny country surrounded by enemies of a culture from centuries ago who are not willing to allow one teeny Jewish state in the neighborhood. Who are the greedy ones? Greedy? There are over 1 million Arabs enjoying citizenship and freedoms they never had before living in Israel. Someone is shooting words around like arrows into our hearts when this is said. Who is trying to take this little piece of land? The greedy ones who live in 47 other Muslim countries want Israel.
So General Friedman would have the country give in to anything the Palestinians say just to get them to sign a so-called peace treaty. JUST DO IT sounds like his motto. I wouldn't give you a nickel for that type of meaningless treaty that would be a give-away of Israel.
I am so disappointed in Friedman since I have read his book, from Beirut to Jeruslam that was copyrighted in 1989 and 1990. It seems I read it before 1980, however when I was reading everything I could find on Israel before making aliyah. The nerve to tell Obama to walk away from Israel before the Egyptian riot of about 10 days ago. That was really rotten. What a way to stand with us who support the right of Israel's existence.
Anyone that compares Netanyahu with Mubarek is showing just how little they know about Israel's constitution. Maybe you need to hear again that Israel is a dramatically democratic party. The over a million Arabs that live there and that are citizens have the same rights as all Israelis. The one thing they may be left out of, however, is having to serve in the IDF, although I know of many who are. Israel is the #1 Start-Up Nation in the world, coming up with all sorts of businesses. I know of a Palestinian from Judea/Samaria who works with a high tech company in Israel. Netanyahu just said he will do more for them economically in starting up businesses. Do you remember when all Israelis pulled out of Gaza? They left businesses for them to work in and continue, but they destroyed them all. I guess they enjoyed being on the dole with UN relief much more than working. Can we make a lasting peace with the Arabs? I'd like to see it last more than a day. That's why a peace treaty can't be signed in a day. I, for one, would like to see the two states be in a peaceful state for a certain amount of time to see if it's possible, a trial run, so to speak. However, that's up to Netanyahu and the Knesset as they know a lot more than I. What bothers me is the the Camp David accord treated Gaza and Judea/Samaria as a whole, and Gaza simply won't come around. Is a peace treaty going to work with half the Palestinians constanty at war with Israel out to destroy and kill? What do you all say about that?
I'm sure Obama and all Israelis realize that a huge huge storm is coming and they're doing their best to protect themselves. They're realized it for some time now, and this is like hearing that an unknown hurricane is about to strike.
Friedman came up with a few truths; there is a global campaign to deligitimize Israel, a clever way its enemies fight since so many people love to buy into any bad propaganda about Jews.
What I try to do it is tell the truth about the relationship between Israel and the Arabs, not just disentangle Israel from them. He finally sees that Israel is surrounded by a huge population of young Muslim Arabs who have been living in the 7th Century with cell phones. It's quite a mix. What he doesn't get is that Netanyahu has delivered a great life for Israelis, being the only democracy in the Middle East. It hasn't been easy what with every man being called up on a yearly basis to do his milueem, interrupted from his work, or all the shelling that goes on. Boys and girls that graduate know they go into the army to serve for at least 3 years before college, or even picking up the paper to hear what American Jew has just bashed them and their country, refuge for Jews in peril. Yes, Israel probably feels like the general interviewed in Tel Aviv that what he thought for the last 30 years is no longer relevant with the Middle East now in turmoil of their own making in deciding they finally want to be a democracy. But they'll quickly adjust their thinking and come up with a plan of survival. They're not in a coveted position, we know, but when have they? It would just help more if people with power and able to reach the public with the free press would take off their rose colored glasses to see who the good guy is for a change. After all, you said it, don't become a part of the global campaign to deligitimize Israel.
http://gatewaypundit.rightnetwork.com/2010/12/tom-friedman-ny-times-editors-ambush-attack-israeli-diplomat/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-shmuley-boteach/tom-friedman-slanders-isr_b_630483.html
http://972mag.com/maariv-on-thomas-friedman-obamas-escort-boy-just-jealous-of-bibis-career/
Oregonian 2/2/11, Egypt delivers shock and awe by Thomas Friedman
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