Palestine: The Word of the Israeli Against that of an Arab
A few days after the release of Lebanese Samir Kuntar from three decades in an Israeli prison, Palestinians bloggers are reminded that when it is the word of an Israeli against that of an Arab, the Israeli's will always be the ones to be considered.
Jews Sans Frontiers refutes the allegations and says that Kuntar did not smash the skull of an Israeli four year old:
“Why no mention of forensic evidence regarding the distance from which Danny Haran was shot? And why would Quntar, under fire, for whom the hostages represent his best chance to survive, kill them? And how did BOTH he AND his mate find the time, while police was closing in upon him with guns ablaze, to hit the girl repeatedly, and in few view of the police? And finally why were the police shooting in the direction of Quntar, knowing that he had or might have had hostages with him?… In the end, it comes down to Kuntar's word against the word of unidentified police officers and a physician who works for the Israeli government. Quntar seems to have had no reason to lie. The police who botched their mission and might have been responsible for the death of the hostages did have a reason to lie. He was then convicted in an Israeli kangaroo court that makes the Guantanamo justice system look good in comparison, and the whole trial was so convincing that it was made “top secret.” This looks so far as a tale spun out of facile assumptions, potential lies, and blatant lies–and of course the willful credulity of journalists and commentators… Whatever Quntar did however, Israel has no moral authority to judge him. Killing children is effectively legal in Israel as long as the child is Palestinian.”
American Palestinian Terry Scot draws attention to more unbalanced reporting.
While Nahariya, Israel, reports that “Thousands of Israelis prayed and cried at funerals Thursday for two soldiers whose return from Lebanon in black coffins touched off a nationwide wave of anguish,” Terry Scot points out the unabashed irony of it all:
“My heart breaks for that nation of sensitive souls that is so anguished over the dead bodies of state soldier-terrorists “Udi and Eldad”. What noble cherishing of human life, what sensitivity and empathy that the entire world must be made to watch the drama of this funeral while just a few kilometers down the road an entire nation is systematically brutalized and massacred. Alas, you never hear the first names of “Palestinian Terrorists” in Gaza, Nablus, Jenin or the rest of occupied Palestine. The cronnies at AP and other new agencies continue to validate the bitter reality that an Israeli life is worth more than a thousand Arab lives by placing such phoney news as front page stories on the AP wire. Where are those truth-seeking journalists and editors when it comes time to documenting the coffins of slain Palestinians (please, let's just call them non-Jews, because being an Israeli is not sufficient for exalted status, you have to be a Jew).”
Terry Scot then links us to the website Cross Cultural Understanding to remind us of the death of Ayah Al Najjar, the eight year old Palestinian girl that was killed by an Israeli Air land Rocket:
“The body of 8-year-old Aya al-Najjar was mutilated on Thursday afternoon by a rocket fired from an Israeli airplane while she was playing in the garden outside her house in the village of Khuza'a in the southern Gaza Strip. The little girl had just finished her school exams and went home eager to play as she had no more revision to do. She asked her mother if it was ok for her to play in the garden and the mother agreed. An apache helicopter hovered over the place, Aya looked at it and carried on playing. Neither her nor her mother expected to be the target of a rocket fired from the apache. It seems, however, that Zionist hate for everything Palestinian has no limits as Aya was hit directly with the rocket causing her young body to be shredded into little pieces. Aya was not the first Palestinian child to be targeted by the IOF and will not be the last; Muhammad al-Dora, Iman al-Hams and Iman Hijjo are but three names, of Palestinian children killed by the IOF, in a list of about 1000 Palestinian children killed by the IOF since the start of the Aqsa intifada out of a total of 5000 Palestinians killed during the same period. Earlier, Palestinian resistance fighters fired a home made missile at an Israeli colony in retaliation to an IOF incursion into the Gaza Strip during which the troops bulldozed tracts of land and uprooted trees. The attack resulted in the death of one Israeli settler and the wounding of three others, according to Israeli sources.”
Terry Scot finally states the obvious when he writes:
“I challenge the brave journalists of the free and not-so-free press to be equitable in their reporting of the news of deaths of Arab and Jew alike.”
16 comments
Dear Daniel,
I very much thank you for your sincere letter.
First of all, Israelis do tend to become paranoids. When one have a history of 2000 years of massacre by Cristine nations, one get the habit of being very paranoid. Secondly, 60 years ago, the Germans killed 1/3 of all the jews in the world! This really make you fill paranoid. Third, when from the start of the Israeli state, It has been attacked by much larger countries, which did not obey the UN resolution, and tried for many years to destroy Israel, I think you should be super-human, not to be paranoid in such situations.
about the media:
Israeli media for many years was controlled by the left. every evening you could have seen how un-morals we were. If you will look at Israeli movies in the 80’s and 90’s you will see how Israel is depict by Israelis as the villein in the game. I do not think any other culture portrayed here-self so badly.
This had stopped, when Israelis understood that there is much more evil in the other side, and the other side do want to destroy us.
Now lets go back to the ground. I do think that the hysteria mood that Israelis have, is not a good mood for making peace. I do not think that peace or a settlement will come from the violent way Israel react against Palestinians’ violence.
We have to think together what can be done to solve this problem. I urge all of us to talk together and try to find a solution. Maybe the light will come from the blogers :-)
Dear Tal,
I must recognize I’m not completely aware of how the Israeli media and artistic expressions were in the past, and how much soul searching, reflection or shame it encouraged on Israeli people. But I think this “new moment” of turning away from your own mistakes by pointing to the others’ is not called for, although I can try to understand what’s happening by reading your lines.
Above all, I must recognize that your tone is a very sane and thoughtful one, and I apologize for my passionate speech.
I think we agree on the absolute need for understanding and mutual peace-making efforts, that starts by looking back to ourselves and understand what each one is doing to perpetuate the conflict. That’s part of the “why?” I was asking. “Why is it so? What can be done by each part to change it?
I understand too that the history of the Israeli people is hard, and that they have a lot of motives to fear and be paranoid when they look back. But caution is advised when we deal with our feelings, for strong feelings can lead one to be unfair and even homicidal, and they are no excuse for these behaviors. I recognize maybe I was being unfair by pointing so harshly to the Israeli mistakes. But I think some more self-criticism is highly called for in the Israeli media and State foreign affairs.
This is a complex world. It’s not easy to live in it. But that’s no excuse for our mistakes. We are all responsible for the world we live in.
Best,
Daniel Duende.
Dear Daniel,
I am not responsible for the Israeli media. I am responsible to my self. I do try to change here in Israel, what ever I can. In the meanwhile, I’m looking for change where ever I can.
About recognizing my fault.
Yes, I am an Israeli, and Israel had done and still is doing a lot of harm. I think even in her very problematic situation, she could have used much more sense, and could avoid much harms.
I see the the misdeeds that Israel is doing to innocent Palestinians. I know how much she is breaking people’s respect and dignity. I know she is much too violent and ignorant of other people beliefs and thoughts.
All this I know, and I am trying to change with my very limited power.
I need your help to change things here. I think the best way is to open a forum of bloggers from around the world that really wants to solve this problem. maybe through this forum, we will be able to find paths to the harts of Palestinians and Israelis, and may be we can find a way to live together or as neighbors.
Cheers,
Tal
Dear Jillian,
I had responded to you comment very lengthly, but from some reason this respond was not approved, or failed to appear.
I’ll be brief now, but I hope it will be good enough.
Israel is not the best democracy in the world. in the corruption standards we are placed in the 30th place in the world (when 1st is the less corrupted). I believe corruption democracy can not live together.
Israel do control 2.5 million Palestinians without democratic rights. but Israel for the last 20 years through democratic struggles, try to find a solution to this problem.
You have to remember, that Israel is in a state of war from the day she was born. every 7 years we have here a war.
John Stuart Mill wrote in his book “On Liberty”, that liberalism and democracy is not good practice for small states surrounded by many enemies.
If you will look on the map, you will see that Israel is a very small state surrounded by vast Arab countries, which most of them wish to destroy her.
For such circumstances, Israel is a very liberal and Democratic place
I look at the post and the reactions (esp. Daniel’s) and shudder. Shudder at the complete misperception on either side of this “battle”.
Many Israelis are still shocked at why their country decided to accept this deal. I, frankly, have hope that Israel is trying to close all remaining loose ends with the Lebanese government in order to reach a peace agreement. Israel is smart, and realizes that the most efficient way to wipe Hezbollah off the map would be to sign a peace agreement with Lebanon, finally normalize a strong relationship, and help rebuild trust.
I am still puzzled at some of the text I see above:
– “Quntar seems to have had no reason to lie… ?” – that’s the most naiive line I’ve heard. He has every reason to.
– “Killing children is effectively legal in Israel as long as the child is Palestinian.” – perhaps this is what the Arab world would like to think, a way to satanize their enemy. But the truth of the matter is splattered all across that same mainstream media you complain about – Israeli army attacks specific targets, aiming to hit terrorists and Hamas fighters. These fighters hide within civilian population whom they use many times as human shields. It is their responsibility to keep civilians out of harm, yet they choose to bring the battles within these locations in order to draw media attention.
This is not always the case, of course. There are always unfortunate incidents, as with every war situation. But the importance here is the intention: Israeli army targets Hamas fighters and terrorists while they target Israeli civilians. Israeli army aims at their rival’s fighters, while Hamas celebrates detonating bombs in major civilian population areas. The rule of thumb is simple – when you intentionally target civilians, you are a terrorist.
Daniel: I agree that the situation is absurd but strongly object at your choice of words. Israel is still in survival mode – has been attacked and has attacked over the years. There are real, daily threats to its people, and it has to act accordingly to protect them. Maybe you should re-check your media sources, but what ARE these “false menaces” you speak of? Unfortunatly, they are very real.
Systematic massacre? I have no response for that. All it takes is reading some of the news, or several wikipedia articles to grasp the sheer complexity of the struggle.
I can’t stress enough the importance of media here. It is deceptive on both sides of the border. This is the importance of projects like GVO. I agree with Tal that more dialogue should be encouraged. I am definitely learning more about the Arab perspective. Hope you see mine.
Dear Jillian,
I had responded to you comment very lengthly, but from some reason this respond was not approved, or failed to appear.
I’ll be brief now, but I hope it will be good enough.
Israel is not the best democracy in the world. in the corruption standards we are placed in the 30th place in the world (when 1st is the less corrupted). I believe corruption democracy can not live together.
Israel do control 2.5 million Palestinians without democratic rights. but Israel for the last 20 years through democratic struggles, try to find a solution to this problem.
You have to remember, that Israel is in a state of war from the day she was born. every 7 years we have here a war.
John Stuart Mill wrote in his book “On Liberty”, that liberalism and democracy is not good practice for small states surrounded by many enemies.
If you will look on the map, you will see that Israel is a very small state surrounded by vast Arab countries, which most of them wish to destroy her.
For such circumstances, Israel is a very liberal and Democratic place