Where Have All the Flower Children Gone?
Many people have noticed an interesting phenomenon in Israel, which really isn't surprising. Many on the left who were seemingly doves are sounding a lot like hawks, due to the current war. A short article in Makor Rishon points out that a lot of the liberals in Israel claim that even though they hold left-wing views, they are still patriotic -which we call Zionists. Those of us on the right sometimes called them post-Zionists, and honestly questioned their patriotism.
Now we are beginning to see the camp that we thought was monolithic dividing itself. There are those who really are patriotic as they always claimed, and those who are proving themselves to be post-Zionists after all. (And yes, this will affect how I listen to the arguments from now on)
Some examples. Rozie Barkai on IDF radio is definitely left wing - but I heard him more than once argue that we must destroy 80% of Hizballah's ammunition and push the terrorists north of the Litani river. Avry Gilad, also on IDF radio, has sharply criticized the "Gush Shalom" movement who took out an ad in Haaretz claiming that we cannot win the war and posting a phone number where you can call and order a white flag. I won't detail here the type of language Avry used - but the gist was that those in Gush Shalom are seriously mentally ill.
Some doves are not satisfied with becoming hawks - too tame for them. For Yoel Marcus of Haaretz, only the king of beasts will do, as he says here in his article titled "With a Thunderous Roar".
But not to worry, there are those who still think we are living in the sixties. While most people across the political spectrum are doing what they can to help out the war effort - like opening their homes to people from the north, saying Tehillim (Psalms) and praying, donating blood and volunteering for Magen David Adom, there are some who are spending their time protesting, and are stubbornly clinging to their old ideas.
Some feminists for example. 1500 protested in Tel-Aviv against the war. One was quoted with this gem of wisdom "Women don't gain from war but men do" I won't go into what I think about this, I wrote quite enough here, but suffice it to say that I think they are misguided. (See, I can write about feminists in a cool, dispassionate way also!)
Many people have noticed an interesting phenomenon in Israel, which really isn't surprising. Many on the left who were seemingly doves are sounding a lot like hawks, due to the current war. A short article in Makor Rishon points out that a lot of the liberals in Israel claim that even though they hold left-wing views, they are still patriotic -which we call Zionists. Those of us on the right sometimes called them post-Zionists, and honestly questioned their patriotism.
Now we are beginning to see the camp that we thought was monolithic dividing itself. There are those who really are patriotic as they always claimed, and those who are proving themselves to be post-Zionists after all. (And yes, this will affect how I listen to the arguments from now on)
Some examples. Rozie Barkai on IDF radio is definitely left wing - but I heard him more than once argue that we must destroy 80% of Hizballah's ammunition and push the terrorists north of the Litani river. Avry Gilad, also on IDF radio, has sharply criticized the "Gush Shalom" movement who took out an ad in Haaretz claiming that we cannot win the war and posting a phone number where you can call and order a white flag. I won't detail here the type of language Avry used - but the gist was that those in Gush Shalom are seriously mentally ill.
Some doves are not satisfied with becoming hawks - too tame for them. For Yoel Marcus of Haaretz, only the king of beasts will do, as he says here in his article titled "With a Thunderous Roar".
But not to worry, there are those who still think we are living in the sixties. While most people across the political spectrum are doing what they can to help out the war effort - like opening their homes to people from the north, saying Tehillim (Psalms) and praying, donating blood and volunteering for Magen David Adom, there are some who are spending their time protesting, and are stubbornly clinging to their old ideas.
Some feminists for example. 1500 protested in Tel-Aviv against the war. One was quoted with this gem of wisdom "Women don't gain from war but men do" I won't go into what I think about this, I wrote quite enough here, but suffice it to say that I think they are misguided. (See, I can write about feminists in a cool, dispassionate way also!)
posted by westbankmama at 6:45 AM
4 Comments:
This is a good observation. My rabbi here has noted the same thing (he is an Israeli with lots of family still there).
I want people to understand though that Israel is getting beat up pretty bad in the PR battle.
Now if you could just stop misusing the term "The feminists" when you actually mean "Coalition of Women for Peace" at least one of your readers would be happier.
- Also, bear in mind that many organizations, feminist or otherwise, are thousand-strong, ie that there are far more people who aren't protesting than who are.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/743694.html
Tafka - you are absolutely right - I'm changing it now.
Please understand that the death of any innocents in times of war grieves my heart and I wish so much it wasn't so. However, we have a group, Hezbollah, taking refuge amongst innocent civilians.
How ironic that civilians in northern Israel are in bomb shelters while its IDF fights to stop the daily rocket deluge. Contrast this: across the border in southern Lebanon, it is Hezbollah terrorists who hunker down in underground bunkers while leaving the vulnerable, the elderly, women and children, in harm's way.
When terrorists, Hezbollah, take cover behind innocent children and women and the main stream media blames Israel for trying to defend its borders and protect its citizens, what are we to do?
I realize I am a Gentile female a world away in the relative comfort of my home, but I find myself so much farther than that from the 1500 women protesting for "peace" in Tel-Aviv.
Just what kind of "peace" is it they think they are protesting for? The right for the citizens in the north of Israel to live daily with rockets raining randomly down on them whenever some Hezbollah terrorist decides its time to climb out of the bunker he's hunkered down in to indescriminately lob a few more rockets Israel's way?
Or is the world supposed to continue its slanted in many instances and downright anti-Semitic in other instances, screaming for a "cease fire". Clearly, here, the only one they intend to "cease firing" is Israel, since they must know Hezbollah isn't fixing to "cease fire" (they've been at it for over a year now, as I understand it, firing rockets into the north of Israel at will long before the kidnapping of the 2 soldiers and the murder of 8 others).
Or does much of the world not care how many Israeli's are killed or maimed by continued rocket launches into Israel so long as Israel stops defending herself and no more Lebanese civilians are killed or wounded? Is that what much of the world is screaming for today?
If so, it is saying it is okay to indiscriminately kill and maim Jews at the whim of Hezbollah, Hamas and every other terrorist organization as long as Israel doesn't accidentially kill any non-Jewish civilians?
What else am I am supposed to make of it all but that? Where was the world's collective media broadcast outrage when northern Israeli's citizens were being terrorized, maimed and killed a month ago, three months ago or six months ago? Where were the world's media cameras then?
What am I to make of this except to be left with the frightening thought that, perhaps, the life and health of an innocent Jewish civilian is not the equal of an innocent civilian life in Lebanon, Gaza or the West Bank?
I guess I best stop for now before I dig in even deeper. Suffice it to say in closing that I well understand what the meaning of a false peace is ... and that is what those women in Tel-Aviv, I fear, as well as much of the world is calling for.
Again, I leave you with this: the screams for an "immediate cease fire" is directed only at Israel and her IDF. I think those who are demanding it ought to take a good, hard look at why they are so adamantly demanding Israel cease defending her people and her border from terror attacks.
G-dspeed the IDF and keep Israel and her people safe,
DWB
Post a Comment
<< Home