Comments on: IDF Chief Rabbi Teaches Torah to Terrorists, Advises Soldiers to Show Palestinian Civilians ‘No Mercy’

By: B.BarNavi

B.BarNavi — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:28:00 +0000

Certain elements that have previously commented on this blog have railed against Golus Jews for not moving to Israel in mass numbers, and for having a “Galut mentality”. Yet they wonder why we aren’t so enthusiastic about moving to a place tainted with the worst elements of our own faith.

By: Mike Ghouse

Mike Ghouse — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:57:58 +0000

These criminals wear the labels of Rabbi, Imam, Pastor or Pundit, but they are no good bums. Please separate Judaism, Jews and Israel from the criminal minds who may wear the labels, but have not gotten the religion in them. It is time for the majority to speak up and not let these rogues malign their nation and their religion. All it takes for evil to continue is for good men to do nothing. Muslims have continuously condemned the rogues among them, now the Jews need to take this up. All of us need to speak out against the rogues among us. Mike Ghouse

By: ellen

ellen — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:44:41 +0000

Richard,
You and your readers may be interested in this Fresh Air Segment which features interviews with Ethan Bronner and President Jimmy Carter (separately):

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/freshair/latest

Jan 27.

By: Richard Witty

Richard Witty — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:46:16 +0000

The reason for the willingness to abandon values and scruples is the perception that Israel is at war and that options for peace don’t exist.

Once one has committed to war, the only options are succeed or die.

When one has committed to peace, the challenge is “how do I make contact? How do I change hearts (mine and theirs)?

The same logic applies to how dissent is conducted, though obviously only in words and not in physical violence.

By: Lazynative

Lazynative — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:18:38 +0000

This to an extent explains the increasing willingness to resort to cruel tactics that might never have been approved by an army run by Yizhak Rabin during the 1967 War when he was chief of staff.

Given that Rabin authorised the beating with clubs of unarmed demonstrators during the first intifada I think we can perhaps exclude any concern for “cruel tactics” employed by him.

Israeli tactics have always relied on disproportionate force, with unarmed civilians as frequently the targets, the policy of reprisal raids carried out in the 1950s are a clear indication of this, the Quibiya massacre being a prime example.

It is time perhaps that this myth of the IDF as military force that did not commit persistent and basic human rights violations and atrocities be buried to rest. It didn’t just happening in 2003, or the Lebanon war of the 1980s, it has a long and ugly history.