Comments on: Starhawk on Gaza: “I Just Don’t Get It…Or Rather, I Do.”

By: Nirit

Nirit — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:00:46 +0000

Sorry, John, that’s not quite right. This is part of the story we all believed, but in fact we did not just purchase property from the “stupid” Arabs who didn’t know anything about farming, and then they attacked us because of envy. There is some evidence that the Jews have been acting not always in a very friendly way, even before they have been attacked – please read for example Tom Segev.

I experienced exactly the same painful change that Starhawk describes: We all believed in the pureness and moral and – how shameful – the ‘higher standard’ of our Jewish peolpe and the young Israeli state. But we have to face reality: We have made mistakes – which doesn’t mean that Hamas is out of responsibility. But we are occupiers since more than 41 years and we have to find solutions, now. If we don’t, we’ll come to the lowest standard a people can reach.

By: John

John — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:23:45 +0000

This Starhawk apparent does NOT know the history of the region very well…Jews have ALWAYS lived there…90 percent of Jewiish immigrants into Israel in the late 18th century and 19th were legal and encouraged. Jews PURCHASED property…then the Arabs attacked them…

Hamas has decided to attack Israel unprovoked, Israel responds

By: henry

henry — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:57:32 +0000

Great article it seems that the objective here, is to kill all the palistainians that israel can. then take over this smaal plot of land (gaza strip)and call it part of israel. the only problem is how will the world react to this. when we know what they are up to.

By: Andreas

Andreas — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:45:10 +0000

An excellent article. Thank you for sharing it. I am a little bit curious about Steve’s comment. If he does hold Jews to higher standard would that not mean that the Jewish state should be the great shining beacon of human rights? That Israeli peacekeepers would be dispatched to the furthest reaches of the globe to ensure that genocide and ethnic cleansing would never be repeated? In Darfur? Kosovo? At the very least in their own backyard? But that’s not the sense I get. When Israelis (not all… but unfortunately, most) say “Never again” they should add “… to us. But screw everyone else”. The cause and effect cycle laid out by Starhawk seems painfully obvious to me but apparently is missed by folks like Steve. Just as the realization that perhaps the apartheid policies of the Israeli government have created an environment rich for the breeding of hate and the continuing growth in popularity of hate-groups like Hammas? Sorry for the rambling post… I’m just trying to wrap my head around what “a higher standard” would actually look like.

By: Henk

Henk — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:36:01 +0000

Will no intelligent comment on the Israeli actions toward the Palestinians ever pass without someone saying; But but but Hamas or whomever? The answer is No, because so many see the horror and wrongness of what Israel is doing, in fact treating another people exactly as they have been treated and can only justify it in their minds by blaming those actions on someone else. It’s a very human way of ducking blame.

Its very similar to our war with Iraq. Bring up the fact that tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, or Iraqi civilians have died and someone invaritably brings up 911, as if that makes it all okay.

Really this is a very sick responce.