Don't pity the Palestinians

[Bushknew]

By Adi Dvir

Observers worldwide have been expressing great pity for the people of Gaza, many of whom have been killed, injured, or forced to flee their homes during the ongoing IDF operation. This pity may be a natural emotional reaction, yet it is unethical and immoral.

To pity the people of Gaza is to patronize them, in essence implying that they do not control their fate, the state of their government, or their own actions. It is to assume one of two things: Either that Gazans are too stupid to oust the cancerous Hamas presence in their midst, or that they are unable to do so.

Just as a crying baby who only elicits pity will continue to cry, the citizens of Gaza will continue to cry out to the world instead of taking matters into their own hands. As long as they are told that they are helpless victims or mere pawns at the hands of terrorists, Gazans will only see their suffering prolonged.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0%2C7340%2CL-3649878%2C00.html

[anonymous171]

1. This is by far the dumbest article I have read about this subject.

[know_your_enemy]

2. Wow

Was this composed by a teenager?

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Sultana]

4. VILE

:puke:

[madrchsod]

5. what is the reason to post such vile hate?

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Sebastian Doyle]

15. self delete

thanks mods! :hi:

[silverojo]

18. Thanks for the link

I know that Israel has done things wrong, but after being so oppressed for so long, the line between right and wrong does tend to get blurred.

[Bushknew]

19. Welcome to DU & I'll check your link!

[Contrary1]

7. The same could be said about the last eight years here:

To pity the people of America is to patronize them, in essence implying that they do not control their fate, the state of their government, or their own actions. It is to assume one of two things: Either that Americans are too stupid to oust the cancerous Bush Administration presence in their midst, or that they are unable to do so.

[Sebastian Doyle]

11. Technically that's true.

Though it wouldn't account for the massive election fraud and corporate whore media.

[rwheeler31]

8. This is disgusting inhumane hate, why post this?

[ProgressiveMuslim]

26. It's only hate if it contains the words "nazi" "ghetto" or "concentration camp."

Welcome to I/P land in the DU.

[Cronopio]

39. It'a evidence of the blame-the-victim mentality of the Israeli occupiers. nt

[tblue]

10. Your post will probably elicit a lot of flames but

I thank you for at least offering an alternate view. I oppose all the death and destruction, period. I am not going to argue one side or the other here -- it's just too inflammatory and emotional, and most people on DU seem to have already chosen sides. But I know Israel has lost the global PR war -- again. The AP reported that Hamas broke the truce in July and Israel responded without violence. Hard to find that in the news. CNN, for one, reported that it was Israel who started the attacks.

Palestinian rockets threaten truce
Israel forgoes military response, eyes prisoner swap
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2008/06/25/palestinian_rockets_threaten_truce?mode=PF

Who Broke the Ceasefire? CNN's "Fact Check" Falls Short
http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=3&x_outlet=14&x_article=1577

[wellst0nev0ter]

13. That Rocket Attack Was Claimed By Islamic Jihad

I didn't remember them agreeing to any ceasefire. Funny how the hasbara brigade conveeeniently leaves that out.

[wellst0nev0ter]

12. Words Fail Me Right Now.

I feel retarded now just reading that horseshit.

[madrchsod]

14. this woman has two articles listed on google search

she`s hardly worth commenting on.

[madeline_con]

17. "... the cancerous Hamas presence in their midst ..."

The democratically elected Hamas presence.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

45. That is not really the case

Hamas won the majority of seats in the assembly, it did not win exclusive rights to Gaza.

In Gaza it did the military coup thing complete with executing their opponents, something that goes on even today.

They refused to participate in the next set of elections.

[Idealism]

46. The 2006 election was determined free and fair by international observers, yes?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

50. Yes, for the assembly

Abbas remained the president

Hamas did not win exclusive power in Gaza by ballot, but by a coup

[Idealism]

51. It was a parliamentary system, yes?

[Jamastiene]

20. Even I think that article was written by a cold hearted bastard.

:thumbsdown:

[scarletwoman]

21. I don't know when I've ever read anything so vile and twisted.

This would do Donald Rumsfeld proud.

:puke:

sw

[LeftishBrit]

22. The author practically defines 'patronizing'

'earning a state – a piece of land to call your own – takes much more than incessant whining to the international community coupled with a desire to drive out the Jews. It requires inner strength and the ability to create rather than destroy. This is what Israelis proved time and again for over 60 years, and this is what Palestinians have yet to prove.'

Statehood is not something you *earn* by good works. Which makes the rest of the paragraph pointless and patronizing.




'Yet before the people of Gaza are able to build, Hamas must be obliterated. Moreover, Hamas' ultimate defeat must not be at the hands of the IDF, but rather, it is an endeavor that must be undertaken by Gaza residents themselves.'

Hamas are a revolting crap government, but what does the author mean by 'obliterated'? Are the Gazans expected to defeat Hamas in an election, or to stage some sort of military coup (and how?)

'Those who believe that Gazans are capable of this should do away with their pity. As to those who do not believe Gazans can do it - why waste time pitying them in the first place?'

More patronizing rubbish.

Why do so many writers on both sides keep attacking the other for 'whining' and asking for 'pity'? Typical way of dismissing complaints:


"You don't like terrorist attacks against your country - you are whining'.

'You don't like 40 years of occupation and want your own state- you are whining'.


In any case, this article sounds like a mirror-image of one from Counterpunch.

[cali]

23. yes, yes. we're wasting our sympathy on all those dead CHILDREN

and babies who created their own problems. That author is a sick piece of work.

[bunnies]

24. That is the most fucked up thing Ive ever read.

What kind of hateful, heartless ASS would write such garbage...

[Marrah_G]

25. What a disgusting article

Views like this are an enormous part of why things are so bad in Israel.

[Cronopio]

27. Adi Dvir: Don't Pity the Palestinians

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3649878,00.html?1

Observers worldwide have been expressing great pity for the people of Gaza, many of whom have been killed, injured, or forced to flee their homes during the ongoing IDF operation. This pity may be a natural emotional reaction, yet it is unethical and immoral.

To pity the people of Gaza is to patronize them, in essence implying that they do not control their fate, the state of their government, or their own actions. It is to assume one of two things: Either that Gazans are too stupid to oust the cancerous Hamas presence in their midst, or that they are unable to do so.

Just as a crying baby who only elicits pity will continue to cry, the citizens of Gaza will continue to cry out to the world instead of taking matters into their own hands. As long as they are told that they are helpless victims or mere pawns at the hands of terrorists, Gazans will only see their suffering prolonged.

The residents of Gaza, and the Palestinians as a whole, say they would like their own state. Yet such state must be earned. And earning a state – a piece of land to call your own – takes much more than incessant whining to the international community coupled with a desire to drive out the Jews. It requires inner strength and the ability to create rather than destroy. This is what Israelis proved time and again for over 60 years, and this is what Palestinians have yet to prove. ...

-----

His metaphor of the Palestinians as crying babies (and his implication that the cry-it-out response is best) is particularly telling. Specifically: like many of the people who share his ultra-nationalist mindset, he had a very screwed-up childhood.

[Chulanowa]

28. So is ynetnews.co just a propaganda clearinghouse?

'Cause I keep seeing this stuff from that source

[LeftishBrit]

29. This has already been posted - perhaps the threads should be combined.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x239404

[ProgressiveMuslim]

31. Better yet, deleted.

[Crunchy Frog]

30. Already been posted.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x239404

[ShadesOfGrey]

32. Wow! Just Wow!

What an inhumane asshole!

[azurnoir]

35. That metaphor I was thinking along the same lines

allowing a baby to "cry it out" can be harmful to the baby on all levels, emotionally, psychologically, and if you do it enough physically causing "failure to thrive" syndrome.

[StudsT]

33. this article is unethical and immoral

and so it goes...

StudsT

[mmonk]

34. Rather a simplistic approach to a complex history as well as lacking

human empathy which will be needed at some point to end continued conflict (if even possible anymore).

[Vegasaurus]

36. I don't like the tone of the article

but at some point, people are going to have to own up to Palestinian responsibility.

It takes strength to unite and build a state.

No one can do it for them.

And certainly no one can do it for them while Gaza is being run by fanatical militants who refuse to consider peace.

But there has to be some honesty about the situation, no matter how hard it is to face.

On both sides.

[mmonk]

37. Someone who doesn't keep advocating violence

needs to provide adequately for Palestinians. Those that have proposed continued violent solutions learned this. You would think peaceful or good Palestinians would also learn it. But maybe it's more complicated that I think or can imagine. I don't live under their conditions.

[Vegasaurus]

38. They need leadership that believes in peace

not eternal war.

At the moment, the Gazans don't have that leadership.

[Idealism]

47. Neither does Israel

And no one that has a chance to win the Prime Minister spot in the upcoming elections want peace either.

[sixmile]

42. Could you overthrow your government?

The answer is no. Hasbara.

[Blue Meany]

40. Sure, Gazans are to blame for what's happening

to them because they voted against the notoriously corrupt party in power and had the audacity to elect another party to govern their "state." Of course they deserve to bombed and shot! And, by the same logic, Americans are respnsible for 9/11 becuase they elected governments with foreign policy that al-Qaeda didn't like, and Israelis are responsible for suicide bombings because of the govts. they have elected.

[PerfectSage]

41. Wow, I had no idea it was possible to stack patronizing BS that high.

[conscious evolution]

43. Goebbels would be proud

of the author of this article.
To sum it up:Lets run the untermenschen out cause we need the liebensraum.

[Taverner]

44. Wow - by the same logic we shouldn't feel sorry for the 16 Israelis who died

By Hamas Attacks

After all, don't they control their destiny too?

[IndianaGreen]

48. Or the 4,000 people inside WTC that were killed on 9-11

They could have influenced US policy in the Middle East! :grr:

The OP's logic is another example of how desperate Israel's megaphones have gotten in trying to defend their Gazan Crusade.

[piesRsquare]

49. Yes, they do.

The Israelis DO control their destiny.

Hence, the current military operation to take out Hamas.

We could, in narcissistic rage, demand all the world's pity and sympathy, crying and weeping of our terrible plight and misery and our perpetual state of victimhood by a single "evil enemy". But we don't.

Israelis neither need nor want your pity, nor for you to "feel sorry".

I believe in the State of Israel, and I support the current military operation against Hamas.

[Idealism]

52. On the contrary

I have heard more times than I can count about how Israel is the 'victim' here. From editorials posted, to rabid DU'ers agreeing on how "anti-Semitic xxx was" or "how Pro-Hamas xxx is."

To criticize one side does not mean you are 'for' the other. No one, including the State of Israel, is infallible. We as citizens must keep a watchful eye over our government because they often do not do the right thing, nor the best thing. Whatever your reasons for supporting the siege of Gaza are unimportant, those are your opinions and we are all entitled to those. I do hope that you see the average citizens of Gaza as being oppressed by the decisions Israel and Hamas has made in the past and that you can have compassion for them, just as people who disagree with your views should hold that same compassion for the innocent Israeli civilians harmed.

[IndianaGreen]

53. Don't be such a chicken hawk! Join the IDF and go off to war!

I don't know what you meant by your "believe in the State of Israel," but somehow it reminds me of P.W. Botha, South Africa's staunch defender of apartheid.

[LeftishBrit]

55. I don't think piesrsquare is Israeli.

And actual Israelis don't have much choice about whether to join the IDF.

[Taverner]

57. Yes, but if they really wanted to put their money where their mouth is

They could convert to Judaism, and gain Israeli citizenship by serving in the IDF

Go ahead! Do it!

Otherwise you are a p***y

[Idealism]

58. Le sigh.

[Taverner]

60. Well I'm, sick of folks saying they are all tough

Without seeing the real consequences of their actions

[Idealism]

62. That is the exact reason why this conflict came about in the first place

[Donald Ian Rankin]

56. The Israelis control both their own destinies and those of the Palestinians.

In this conflict, Israel has all the choices. The Palestinians only choice is to attack Israel and suffer, or to lie down passively while their country is stolen and suffer.

Israel can choose whether to have peace or to have occupation and war. The Palestinians have to put up with the occupation no matter what they do.

[backscatter712]

54. self delete.

I'll just say this article is a special kind of hateful trash.

[Desertrose]

59. Disgusting.

Absolutely untrue.

[lightningandsnow]

61. Don't pity innocent civilians, who are displaced, injured, and killed?

A government does not equal all the citizens of its country. What the hell?