Repost: Matti Friedman, "An Insider’s Guide to the Most Important Story on Earth"
2013, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict claimed 42 lives— roughly the monthly homicide rate in the city of Chicago. Jerusalem, internationally renowned as a city of conflict, had slightly fewer violent deaths per capita last year than Portland, Ore., one of America’s safer cities. In contrast, in three years the Syrian conflict has claimed an estimated 190,000 lives…
Repost: Stephen Pollard, "It's often the self-proclaimed anti-racists who are the foulest of the lot"
If a bigot says “I’m not antisemitic” three times to a bathroom mirror, with the lights off, then Roger Waters pops out to defend them as just being honest about {{{the Zionists}}}.
Repost: Seth J. Frantzman "What articles on Israel's 'one-state reality' get wrong - analysis"
I do not agree with the conclusions of the following text. I agree with the premise and reality that there are major double standards in reporting on the Islamist Holy War.
Repost: Emily Schrader, "From Ramallah to Tehran: Palestinian ties to Iran throughout history"
This fanatical emphasis on Israel has not gone unnoticed by everyday Iranians. Mina, an Iranian from Tehran area, told Ynet that “despite the IRI trying to brainwash the population in Iran into hating Israel from a very young age, going as far as teaching kids in primary schools that Israel is our biggest enemy, Iranians remain aware that the IRI funds 'revolutionary fighters' (Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad) in Palestine…instead of caring for Iranians, the IRI uses its assets to fund Hamas.”
Repost: Zack Rothbart, “Everyone knows about Herzl. Is it time for Max Nordau, the intermarried father of Zionism, to get his due?”
He also coined the term “Muscular Judaism” — a redefinition of what it meant to be a Jew in the modern world; a critical shift away from the traditionally insular, “meek” Jewish archetype devoted solely to religious and intellectual pursuits. The “Muscular Jew” in theory and practice was necessary in order for a modern Jewish state to be established.
Repost: Silvan Shalom, "A fence built for peace"
The general assembly request recalls the famous observation of Abba Eban that "if Algeria introduced a resolution declaring that the earth was flat and that Israel had flattened it, it would pass by a vote of 164 to 13 with 26 abstentions".
Repost: Emma Goldman, "On Zionism"
I have been taught that the land should belong to those who till the soil. With all of his deep-seated sympathies with the Arabs, our comrade cannot possibly deny that the Jews in Palestine have tilled the soil. Tens of thousands of them, young and deeply devout idealists, have flocked to Palestine, there to till the soil under the most trying pioneer conditions. They have reclaimed wastelands and have turned them into fertile fields and blooming gardens.
Repost: Sam Harris, "Islam and the Future of Liberalism"
There is a sense today that we are all obligated to repeat, “This does not represent all Muslims!” Sam actually specfies who is and is not an Islamist, only for the likes of Ben Affleck to insist he really means, “Kill the extremists!” Strawman arguments are a common defense against real criticism of organized religion.
Repost: List of Levant-area Massacre of Jews before 1948
622 – 627: ethnic cleansing of Jews from Mecca and Medina, (Jewish boys publicly inspected for pubic hair. if they had any, they were executed); 629: 1st Alexandria Massacres, Egypt; 622 – 634: extermination of the 14 Arabian Jewish tribes; 822 – 861: Islamic empire passes law that Jews must wear yellow stars…