Comments on: Israel: President Bush Visits Israel http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/ The world is talking. Are you listening? Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:14:08 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Maya Norton http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-1347870 Maya Norton Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:48:05 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/#comment-1347870 Hi Todd, Another aspect to consider is that Hamas, at the time it was elected, was seen as a full service provider to the people of Palestine. If you look at the Hamas charter, what stands out to you and me might be the politics of destruction is contained therein, but there was wide consensus that Hamas was going to make changes to improve the lives of the Palestinian people. Link to Hamas Charter: http://www.mideastweb.org/hamas.htm. Consider the advantages of a strong king over a weak president. Sure, you may not like everything that the king decrees, but you can be sure that he will remain in power and rule authoritatively. On the other hand, a weak president may not be able to control any sector of society and all may go to chaos. Of course I am not advocating dictatorship, but simply suggesting its advantages when viewed in a vacuum. I believe that the Palestinian people voted for Hamas over Fatah because they saw Hamas as the strong king and Fatah as the weak president. Perhaps we can get some of our Palestinian writers to weigh in on this as well. Maya Hi Todd,

Another aspect to consider is that Hamas, at the time it was elected, was seen as a full service provider to the people of Palestine. If you look at the Hamas charter, what stands out to you and me might be the politics of destruction is contained therein, but there was wide consensus that Hamas was going to make changes to improve the lives of the Palestinian people.

Link to Hamas Charter: http://www.mideastweb.org/hamas.htm.

Consider the advantages of a strong king over a weak president. Sure, you may not like everything that the king decrees, but you can be sure that he will remain in power and rule authoritatively. On the other hand, a weak president may not be able to control any sector of society and all may go to chaos.

Of course I am not advocating dictatorship, but simply suggesting its advantages when viewed in a vacuum. I believe that the Palestinian people voted for Hamas over Fatah because they saw Hamas as the strong king and Fatah as the weak president.

Perhaps we can get some of our Palestinian writers to weigh in on this as well.

Maya

]]> By: todd http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-1346250 todd Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:40:13 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/#comment-1346250 What is up with the report of Jon Wedeman regarding the horrors of Gaza as if somehow Israel and the US are to blame while Hamas is also an isolated group of militants that somehow took over Gaza leaving the real Palestinians stuck in a bind. As I recall, the Palestinians voted for Hamas, knowing full well Hamas wanted to lead the fight in the destruction of Israel. So you vote for a group of individuals that wants to destroy the very government that is funding them, employing them and and feeding them. I hear that there are good people who want a peaceful existence at the end of the day, who want a place to call home with their own government, welfare system, port, etc... But if that government wants to destroy their neighbors, then I think the neighbors have a right to defend both actively and preemptively themselves. The view of this is bad, but so is the isolated view of a mother yelling at her child, until you realize the child was about to walk into the street. So we can talk about the impoverished existence of people, but give a postmodernist exploration of the individuals you report about. How many of them are acknowledged Hamas supporters and for that matter, how many of them are Fatah supporters for that matter (as Fatah under the leadership of Abbas) is responsible for many of the missiles that hit Sderot daily. And how many of them that are innocent bystanders have a family member or a child involved in the organization. We are not talking about a small offshoot of society like the KKK or skinheads. This is the government voted in by the people. What is up with the report of Jon Wedeman regarding the horrors of Gaza as if somehow Israel and the US are to blame while Hamas is also an isolated group of militants that somehow took over Gaza leaving the real Palestinians stuck in a bind. As I recall, the Palestinians voted for Hamas, knowing full well Hamas wanted to lead the fight in the destruction of Israel. So you vote for a group of individuals that wants to destroy the very government that is funding them, employing them and and feeding them. I hear that there are good people who want a peaceful existence at the end of the day, who want a place to call home with their own government, welfare system, port, etc… But if that government wants to destroy their neighbors, then I think the neighbors have a right to defend both actively and preemptively themselves. The view of this is bad, but so is the isolated view of a mother yelling at her child, until you realize the child was about to walk into the street. So we can talk about the impoverished existence of people, but give a postmodernist exploration of the individuals you report about. How many of them are acknowledged Hamas supporters and for that matter, how many of them are Fatah supporters for that matter (as Fatah under the leadership of Abbas) is responsible for many of the missiles that hit Sderot daily. And how many of them that are innocent bystanders have a family member or a child involved in the organization. We are not talking about a small offshoot of society like the KKK or skinheads. This is the government voted in by the people.

]]> By: Maya Norton http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-1343479 Maya Norton Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:46:55 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/#comment-1343479 Dave, Thanks for the video link. I am currently experiencing problems with YouTube, but I'm looking forward to seeing it. In the meantime, maybe you have some other suggestions for me. I am in the process of creating a YouTube channel that will serve as an aggregate for a broad range of quality videos about Jewish and Israeli issues. You can see my efforts here and let me know if you have anything to add: http://www.youtube.com/TheNewJewBlog. Maya Dave,

Thanks for the video link. I am currently experiencing problems with YouTube, but I’m looking forward to seeing it.

In the meantime, maybe you have some other suggestions for me. I am in the process of creating a YouTube channel that will serve as an aggregate for a broad range of quality videos about Jewish and Israeli issues. You can see my efforts here and let me know if you have anything to add: http://www.youtube.com/TheNewJewBlog.

Maya

]]> By: Maya Norton http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-1343455 Maya Norton Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:43:13 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/#comment-1343455 Ron, If only it were that simple. I don't think that I would ever agree to the idea that someone or a group "kill[s] because they like it." Everyone has reasons to what they do, which they justify in their own ways. Yes, we may think they are wrong, but all actions having meaning to the doer. You said: "If they had to quit killing they wouldn't have anything to do." They sure would. The quality of life in Palestine is notoriously low from an economic standpoint. The work of building civil society and developing communities is more than a full time job. I, for one, can't wait until it becomes more of a priority. The Palestinians deserve better and it is the responsibility of their leaders to take steps to improve it. Maya Ron,

If only it were that simple.

I don’t think that I would ever agree to the idea that someone or a group “kill[s] because they like it.” Everyone has reasons to what they do, which they justify in their own ways. Yes, we may think they are wrong, but all actions having meaning to the doer.

You said: “If they had to quit killing they wouldn’t have anything to do.” They sure would. The quality of life in Palestine is notoriously low from an economic standpoint. The work of building civil society and developing communities is more than a full time job. I, for one, can’t wait until it becomes more of a priority. The Palestinians deserve better and it is the responsibility of their leaders to take steps to improve it.

Maya

]]> By: Ron http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-1342369 Ron Thu, 10 Jan 2008 20:54:33 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/#comment-1342369 It sounds to me like the security measures that Isreal put into place for the palistineans is working. The people know who the terriorists are who are firing off the rockets, if they want the tight security to halt they must give up the terriorists. The world has had enough of terriorists blowing up innocent people, killing babies for a non existent cause. They kill because they like it. if they had to quit killing they would'nt have anthing to do, so, they kill in the name of God!!! how depraved is that?? It sounds to me like the security measures that Isreal put into place for the palistineans is working. The people know who the terriorists are who are firing off the rockets, if they want the tight security to halt they must give up the terriorists. The world has had enough of terriorists blowing up innocent people, killing babies for a non existent cause. They kill because they like it. if they had to quit killing they would’nt have anthing to do, so, they kill in the name of God!!! how depraved is that??

]]> By: dave http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-1341712 dave Thu, 10 Jan 2008 18:07:37 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/09/israel-president-bush-visits-israel/#comment-1341712 any one who cars about israel should watch this movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBt-LxzXllA any one who cars about israel should watch this movie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBt-LxzXllA

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