The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #111572 Message #2371152
Posted By: John on the Sunset Coast
20-Jun-08 - 08:30 PM
Thread Name: BS: Israeli Jews/Israeli Arabs
Subject: RE: BS: Israeli Jews/Israeli Arabs
I am not interested in enlarging this discussion beyond what you originally posted, Nickhere,else it can go on forever, and I for one don't have forever.
My point is that Finkelstein is using emotionally charged words to describe events when more neutral terms can convey the same meaning. Of course, after all these years, and all his discussion he wants to blame Jews, Zionists and Israel for all the problems of the immediate area in question, so I understand why he chooses the words he chooses. Perhaps he is not hateful towards Israel, but he has made a near second career denigrating it.
As a Jew, and a human being, I believe that there can and should be a Jewish Homeland within the historic Jewish Homeland. I do not believe that he, either a a Jew or a human being, believes that. I believe that he looks at Israel in a pure academic sense devoid of the humanity of situation.
As a Jew and a human being, I believe that Palestinian Arabs should have a country of their own. They could have had that country prior to 1967...but they didn't for many reasons, most of them discussed at Mudcat over the years. The imperative for a Palestine came only after Israel absorbed the West Bank which had lain fallow (in a political sense) under Jordanian control.
I have said many times (well several times, at least) that I think the only non-negotiable part of a two state agreement is Jerusalem. It will be the Israeli capital, and the Jews will not allow any agreement that has the potential of denying them access to Jewish Holy places, as prior to 1967.
As to the charities we support: The Wiesenthal Center, The Museum of Tolerance (LA), City of Hope Medical Center, National Jewish Hospital and Research Center (which despite its name is non-sectarian), American Diabetes Assn., American Heart Assn., Boy Scouts of America, UCLA Annual Fund, and LA Pet Adoption. Indirectly, through my Synagogue, we provide aid for Darfur and a local Home for emotionally disturbed children. In other years we have supported the US Holocaust Museum, the US Wildlife Federation, the Anti-Defamation League and a few others. In the past we have actively worked to raise money for some of these groups, but not at present. You asked for it you got it! And, as you say, mostly we just read the literature they send out on a regular basis. I give you this list so that you know there is a world for me beyond Judaism and Israel, not to show you how generous we are.