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Is Peace Out of Reach? Thank 60 Minutes for Report on Israeli Apartheid

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This is an amazing must-watch segment on 60-minutes. It is UNBELIEVABLE that it was shown on 60-minutes. After viewing it, PLEASE thank CBS and add a comment under the video. This is VERY important. You can bet that CBS is getting hate-mail by the tons!  See CAIR alert below. H/T to our readers Mulsimah and James for pointing the video out.

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CAIR Action Alert #566

Thank CBS for ‘Powerful’ Report on Mistreatment of Palestinians Segment shows expanding settlements, evictions, humiliating checkpoints, ‘Apartheid’ roads and wall, families imprisoned in their own homes

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 1/26/2009) – CAIR today asked American Muslims and other people who seek peace with justice in the Middle East to thank CBS for last night’s “60 Minutes” program that outlined in detail the injustices suffered by the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israelis.

The 13-minute report by journalist Bob Simon showed the damage to the cause of peace caused by the ever-expanding and illegal Israeli settlements, the evictions of Palestinians from their homes, the humiliation they experience at Israeli checkpoints, the “Apartheid” roads and wall built by Israel, and the bizarre experience of Palestinian families imprisoned in their own homes by Israeli soldiers.

You can watch the video of the report here, or read the transcript here.

“We thank CBS and the producers of ’60 Minutes’ for having the courage to show the American people the truth about the injustices that are at the core of the Middle East conflict,” said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad. “This powerful report shows clearly that the only way to resolve the conflict and bring peace and stability to the region is to address the fundamental issues of justice that have been ignored by the world community for far too long.”

Awad said Muslims should thank CBS because the media are often criticized for not showing the full picture of the suffering of the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israelis.

IMMEDIATE ACTIONS REQUESTED:

1. CONTACT “60 Minutes” – They are getting a lot of “heat” from the vocal minority who support Israel’s brutal and counterproductive actions. It is important that those who value peace with justice in the region make the effort to support balanced media coverage.

Tel: 212-975-2006
Fax: 212-975-2019

E-Mail: 60m@cbsnews.com, kev@cbsnews.com
Copy to: info@cair.com

Mail:
60 Minutes
555 West 57th St.
New York, NY 10019

2. COMMENT ONLINE about the segment. (Always be polite and respectful.) Hundreds of people have already made their views known. Add your comments here or here.

3. SHARE this important alert with your colleagues, friends and family. Post to personal blogs.

4. CONTACT YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES to ask that they view the CBS report.

Contact Your Congressional Representatives: U.S. Senators and House of Representatives

– PLEASE ANNOUNCE, POST AND DISTRIBUTE –

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Abu Reem is one of the founders of MuslimMatters, Inc. His identity is shaped by his religion (Islam), place of birth (Pakistan), and nationality (American). By education, he is a ChemE, topped off with an MBA from Wharton. He has been involved with Texas Dawah, Clear Lake Islamic Center and MSA. His interests include politics, cricket, and media interactions. Career-wise, Abu Reem is in management in the oil & gas industry (but one who still appreciates the "green revolution").

42 Comments

42 Comments

  1. Amad

    January 26, 2009 at 7:30 PM

    The comment I left on the CBS site:

    I applaud CBS for airing this segment. This is not just hearsay or 3rd hand reporting. This is DIRECT reporting so fair-minded Israelis should have should have no beef with it.

    This is the fact on the grounds. Imagine having your own house taken over by soldiers at their free-will, using YOUR bed, YOUR rest-room to do their dirty work.

    STOP Israeli apartheid!

  2. Amad

    January 26, 2009 at 7:37 PM

    And I thank CAIR for jumping on this. I really believe this is a REVOLUTIONARY break in reporting on Israel. I would have not expected such a report in a hundred years on NPR, let alone CBS.

  3. Hidaya

    January 26, 2009 at 9:22 PM

    ”2. COMMENT ONLINE about the segment. (Always be polite and respectful.) Hundreds of people have already made their views known. Add your comments here or here.”

    Provide the link Please!

  4. Hidaya

    January 26, 2009 at 9:44 PM

    http://annainpalestine.blogspot.com/2009/01/sophies-choice.html

    Video keeps stopping…..not uploading quickly..=(

  5. Amad

    January 26, 2009 at 9:47 PM

    Its working good here… its coming straight from CBS, not MM.

    Also you can comment multiple times on the CBS site..

  6. mulsimah

    January 26, 2009 at 9:52 PM

    :-) I was thinking that this may go on a separate post..but I didnt know how to request it

    -jazakillahkhair for pointing it out… u’ll see the credit in the post in a few minutes :) -amad

  7. I Condemn Obama and his airstrikes

    January 26, 2009 at 9:53 PM

    And I thank you, Amad, for this post.

    And I will send notes of thanks to CBS and CAIR and ask others to do the same inshaAllah.

    This report is shockingly good in all the bad of the Yahood that it reveals.

    • Amad

      January 26, 2009 at 10:00 PM

      jazakallahkhair for taking the action Br. “I Condemn Obama and His airstrikes”… oops, was that handle a deliberate way to make me pronounce that statement? ;)

  8. mulsimah

    January 26, 2009 at 10:04 PM

    I was thinking…this is just a small version of the whole show…do you think youtube may provide the full version?

  9. I Condemn Obama and his airstrikes

    January 26, 2009 at 10:16 PM

    the comment i left:

    Bob Simon, thank you. CBS, thank you. Bob Simon, stay strong as the Zionists unleash their vicious onslaught of hate and criticism against you in response to your truth-telling. You know what you have witnessed; no one should be able to shake your resolve.

    Also, it is refreshing to see so many upright Jews writing comments in support of your journalistic masterpiece.

    CBS, please show us more pictures of Israeli settlements, and also show us more pictures of Palestinian living conditions.

    a Servant of the Allah

    Amad, no it wasn’t. My way is to invite you to deliberately pronounce the statement.

    Now, to email some contacts…

    • Amad

      January 26, 2009 at 10:33 PM

      “I condemn”… That was just a joke bro.

  10. Hidaya

    January 26, 2009 at 10:18 PM

    That was awesome but too short…I wish it was hour long..oh well something is better then nothing!

  11. Goerge Bush

    January 27, 2009 at 12:03 AM

    Dicky told me not to watch this episode. He said I’d get the wrong ideas. I told Dicky I am no longer President. Dicky said you never know, you may become secretary of state one day if Jibby becomes Prez. I asked Dicky what the Secretary of State does, cuz Condi never could tell me straight up. I sure hope it didn’t mean I’d have to learn how to use email. Dicky promised me that just like my Presidential days, I’d have to do nothing and just rely on Dicky to solve all of the world’s problems. I love Dicky so much. Its funny, Dicky did all the hard work, and now Dicky tells me how I’ll be remembered as one of the great presidents ever. Daaang. That sounds good. Thank you Dicky.

  12. abu abdAllah

    January 27, 2009 at 1:49 AM

    innalhamdolillah. bismillah. i dugg it. i forwarded it via e-mail. i commented at the digg site — when you think about the video, it’s amazing how little it takes to wow American Muslims when it comes to reporting on Palestine. we are so ingrained to expect heavy-handed bias, that we breathe a sigh of relief when the bias is only an undercurrent.

    though rip tides are also currents below the surface: notice the treatment CBS gave the woman who said “there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza”? which one was she, you ask? the Israeli foreign minister. no, that quote would not have meshed with the picture of her as standing up to settlers. from her perspective, her desire to be seen as a hawk among Zionist voters — the show was ammunition for her foes. but i would guess that the desire here was to make her more palatable to President Obama. paint a woman who is as guilty of war crimes as any Israeli army commander in the guise of a brave and fair politician who unbendingly refuses to cave in to settlers… SubhanAllah.

    when they pull the wool over our eyes, they will steal it from the backs of Palestinians, too.

  13. anonymous

    January 27, 2009 at 1:58 AM

    Well here we have it.. At 1:15 it comes straight from the donkey’s mouth. The settlers are there so Palestinians are driven out. they dont even hide it . And yet our american government supports these cowards and their oppressive tactics. May allah destroy every settlement and return the land to the rightful muslims. AMEEN

  14. vindicated

    January 27, 2009 at 8:59 AM

    This URL has been reported by users to be in violation of Digg’s Terms of Use and cannot be submitted at this time. Please refer to our Terms of Use (digg.com/tou) for more information.

  15. Ayesha Fatima

    January 27, 2009 at 9:19 AM

    CBS did a wonderful job …If my memory serves right isn`t it CBS who first aired the news about Abu Ghraib prison too.May Allah swt help all the oppressed brothers and sisters.

    Salaam.

  16. Hassan

    January 27, 2009 at 10:36 AM

    Watch out for part 2 next week showing the “other” perspective. (portraying Israeli to be victims and hamas and some Palestinians to be villain)

  17. mulsimah

    January 27, 2009 at 12:27 PM

    I think you misunderstood my post! It was asking how to quickly contact you if you think of a new topic? and I still want to know?

  18. I Condemn Obama and his airstrikes

    January 27, 2009 at 12:30 PM

    Most of the comments about this report on the CBS site are very positive.

    So what are those Jews who don’t like this report writing in their comments?

    Here I’m pasting the first 14 comments against the video I noticed as I jumped around CBS’s comments pages. Very illuminating.

    It is so great to be a Muslim. To know the truth and believe it. And to speak the truth. Alhamdulillah.

    1.

    Did Israel kill the civilians or did Hamas? Hamas hides behind the skirts of women and children. Brave warriors

    Posted by god-is-true at 08:23 PM : Jan 23, 2009

    2.

    The fact is John, you are just as evil as HAMAS and the rest of the Islamic fundamentalist world. You, and your brand of evil, will eventually be defeated, and peace, justice, and Good will prevail. You can count on it, joker.

    Posted by Truthin2009 at 06:33 PM : Jan 23, 2009

    3.

    Uhoh Hungry, you”ve been labeled as evil in the white/black simple world of Truthin2009”s two sided coin.

    If Truthin2009”s was a tiny bit better versed in the language of the mind he would realize that good and evil are concepts, not entities.

    Simple people are often forced to view the world in simple ways because they cannot or will not see the inherent complexities. It”s certainly easier to view the world as made up of good and evil. But the truth is, life is not a Hollytwood movie, and the lines are far more blurred, if there are any lines at all.

    I don”t expect Truthin2009 to understand this, but it”s important to correct religious propoganda when it is voiced.

    Posted by Centerfall94 at 06:38 PM : Jan 23, 2009

    4.

    The Palestinians need to grow up and learn to act like adults. You dont bit the hand that feeds you !

    Posted by MatrixRX2003 at 04:34 PM : Jan 23, 2009

    5.

    you have to be kidding,, you are acting like the Israel Army is doing something wrong,,,why not address the fact all of the water and power being used in the west bank and other areas is provided by Israel for free.. Or how about the cowards who cannot stop the Hamas from firing 200 missiles a day at Israel… If you live there and want it to stop, than stop allowing Hamas from firing missiles daily for the last 5 years into Israel…
    This news program is very misguided

    Posted by brubrav at 12:59 AM : Jan 27, 2009

    6.

    I was horrified on Sunday on hearing the biased reporting on 60 Minutes with regard to the two state possibility as a solution to Mid East problems. I have watched 60 Minutes since its inception and I have never witnessed a more one-sided biased report. I was so incensed that I shut the program off for the first time since I began watching 60 Minutes. I never dreamed that you could present such biased reporting on US TV. I am ashamed of 60 Minutes for its presentation and of myself for watching your program.

    Posted by HeleneC2 at 01:13 AM : Jan 27, 2009

    7.

    Of all the sickening, lopsided propaganda CBS has run over the years, this one may be the most egregious. If you can find one “palestinian” who wants a two-state solution, you would also be able to find the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, and a unicorn. The “palestinians” want a one state solution with no Jews. Maybe your reporters filed their stories using the same typewriters that CBS used in the story to claim that Bush pushed for an exemption from the draft.

    Posted by joetheplumbe at 01:32 AM : Jan 27, 2009

    8.

    I can”t believe 60 minutes stooped so low with anti Israeli one sidedness as seen from the cheers you get from all the Arab and their supporters.
    Let me give an examples: Showing the wall and not explaining the reasons for it (terror attacks).
    Interviewing a lunatic like Daniella Weiss for long time as representing Israel and giving only few minutes to Livni.
    Showing soldiers taking over a house without investigating why.
    In short it was sad to see CBS broadcasting this journalistic piece of trash.

    Posted by ELIHOO1 at 03:09 AM : Jan 27, 2009

    9.

    This is the worst piece of journalism I have ever seen. Simon does not deserve to be called a journalist. All the most basic journalistic standards have been thrown out of the window in favor of a pure propaganda piece. CBS should fire Simon for professional incompetence and extremely partisan pseudo-reporting. He just terminally tarnished whatever reputation of reliability 60 minutes still had left. This was a total joke.

    Posted by Angel9991 at 04:29 AM : Jan 27, 2009

    10.

    The program is quite biased against Israel. But in addition, it omits one important fact.

    It failed to ex[pose the myth of the “Palestinian People.”

    Occasionally, their spokesmen are candid and reveal the truth about this myth.

    PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein, stated in Trouw (Dutch newspaper), on March 31, 1977.

    “The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct ”Palestinian people” to oppose Zionism.

    “For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan.”

    They don”t want an additional PA state. They want Israel destroyed and they don”t care what they have to do to “push it into the sea.”

    Posted by iralaser at 07:00 AM : Jan 27, 2009

    11.

    Most of these comments are as depressing as the story. The settlers are a vocal minority but a minority none the less. Most Isaelis long for peace and a two state solution. Unfortunately, there is no one for Israel to negotiate with. Hamas can”t even bring itself to call Israel by name, preferring to refer to it as “The Zionist Entity.” Fatah has no power and credibility among its own people. Palestinian people are suffering but unilateral Israeli withdrawal results only in more weapons smuggling and rocket/suicide bombing attacks on Israeli civilians. This story was horribly one-sided and vastly inferior to Tom Friedman”s column in the Sunday NY Times that outlines today”s dilemma with much greater depth and clarity.

    Posted by rbarron81 at 08:36 AM : Jan 27, 2009

    12.

    How biased and one sided was the story of the Israeli”s taken over the house of poor PALS. Maybe they should read the article today about a little boobytrap bomb blowing a soldier to bits.
    Maybe 60 minutes should read this article and then re-think why Israeli soldiers have to watch from everywhere even people”s houses.
    http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Sa
    tellite?cid=1232643759070&pagename=JPost
    %2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
    It so easy to be a wise *** critic from the cheap seats. 60 minutes has gone so far downhill it has almost become Captain Kangaroo like.

    Posted by clipper331 at 08:52 AM : Jan 27, 2009

    13.

    Isn”t this fun. Hamas shows nothing but children being carried to hopsitals. The reporters from AP UPI the NY times and the BBC are scared to report the truth because they will either beheaded or kidnapped.
    Let”s blaim the jews, they are always good for scapegoat of the month. The inhabit land the size of Rhode Island and the Arabs live on land the Size of Russia but of cause, the Pals want what the jews have. Sure Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iran or Saudi Arabia don”t want them living near them. Why. Because there main product is Terrorism and blame. Smart Arabs dumb world. propaganda works. See Hitler, Stalin and Marx if you need better historicla examples.

    Posted by clipper331 at 08:57 AM : Jan 27, 2009

    14.

    Bob Simon”s report last Sunday evening was such an unbalanced hatchet-job that it is evident that he has gone over to the dark side and joined the minions of Jimmy Carter and Christiane Amanpour who, without a doubt, are enemies of Israel. There is nothing more pathetic than a self-hating Jew.

    Posted by pmschulz at 10:07 AM : Jan 27, 2009

  19. Amad

    January 27, 2009 at 12:57 PM

    Mulsimah, use the “contact us” link.

    Unfortunately, we can’t jump on stuff sometimes as we’d like to.

    We are hoping to expand our horizons and start a news portal where we can have readers like you add directly. Inshallah, we’ll have a plan soon where we’ll be asking for volunteers…

  20. Miako

    January 27, 2009 at 2:32 PM

    Most Zionists, most Israelis abhor the settlements. as a purely political move, they are dumb beyond all belief.
    So it sounds strange to my ears when people say “look at what the Zionists Write!”
    Forgive my bafflement, and accept my reality check. ;-)

    Do people here believe in a two state solution?

  21. Organica

    January 27, 2009 at 10:39 PM

    Most important thing is the holy land? It’s not even theirs.

    No no to Israeli Apartheid!

    Israel is a terrorist state.

  22. Skeptical

    January 28, 2009 at 12:11 AM

    Finally a real piece of Investigative Journalism!!! Bravo to CBS for having the guts to investigating this story then broadcasting it! I don’t know if I believe that Israeli’s will ever be “forced” to leave the West Bank, but at least people were able to see the injustices afflicted upon the Palestinian people.

    For all the Muslims and Non-Muslims, I thought about the following poem by David W. Virtue:

    When the Nazis came for the communists,
    I remained silent;
    I was not a communist.
    When they locked up the social democrats,
    I remained silent;
    I was not a social democrat.
    When they came for the trade unionists,
    I did not speak out;
    I was not a trade unionist.
    When they came for the Jews,
    I did not speak out;
    I was not a Jew.
    When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out.

  23. S Khan

    January 28, 2009 at 3:01 AM

    Amazing video.. shows a reality and facts prevailing in this region.. GOD know who will Help the settlers from Jews regime …

  24. Faisal Riaz

    January 28, 2009 at 3:46 AM

    USA and whole Europe should understand who the real enemy is. Its not Muslims but JEWS.

  25. Nada

    January 28, 2009 at 1:43 PM

    My compliments to those who voice the truth no matter what. May God bless the CBS and all its workers and staff.

  26. MANAL

    January 28, 2009 at 3:33 PM

    THANK YOU CBS

  27. Miako

    January 29, 2009 at 2:51 PM

    Faisal, am I your enemy? I am a Jew. It is my words, like your own, that cry out for justice in Gaza. It is my tears that are shed, when the innocent lie dying. G-d listens to the tears of women.

    • Amad

      January 29, 2009 at 3:17 PM

      Miako, if you hadn’t responded, we would have moderated Faisal’s comment out. There is no room for broad-brushing and stereotyping on these boards. I think what people need to think about before making sweeping comments is how they would feel if that comment was directed at them. Just like we abhor comments such as, “Muslims are the problem”, “Muslims are the terrorists”, etc., etc., in the same way we should also not feel justified in saying the same thing about others, whoever that “other” is.

      I can list many Jews who have written and acted in favor of Palestine/Muslims (as far as human rights and justice is concerned)… Haaretz is one example. Also many of the leading attorneys who are fighting terrorism cases against Muslims in America are Jewish. Some of the leading progressive voices for peace are Jewish.

      Finally, I would like to ask how it helps to make such statements? Would it hurt the Jews? No. Would it benefit the Muslims? No. Rather, they are counterproductive and all it takes is one Jew, like Miako, to belie such sweeping claims.

  28. ahmed

    January 29, 2009 at 11:05 PM

    Many Thanks to CBS and the producers of ’60 Minutes’ for having the courage to show the American people the truth about the injustices that are at the core of the Middle East conflict.

  29. almozar

    January 30, 2009 at 5:46 AM

    Thank you for showing a glimpse of the reallity. Israelies are theif, barbarian and nazi. Justice will prevail. That is for sure. The land will return to its original people.

  30. Miako

    January 30, 2009 at 2:51 PM

    Amad,
    pardon me if i stepped on your toes? I see many similar comments being made about ‘Zionists’ or ‘Israelis’ — both groups which contain many members outraged at the settlements.
    I can understand how Zionist may seem like the appropriate word to use, but many American Jews consider themselves Zionists — believing that Israel should exist. Almost all of them believe in a two state solution.

    I personally think that apartheid is a word that is extremely loaded, and I would very much like to discourage its use, as it gets fellow-peace-seekers’ backs up unnecessarily (and whenever I see someone using it without support, I think they don’t understand Israel OR Palestine very well — too much time on dailykos for me!). Nonetheless, I can understand its use as a rallying cry, and as a moralistic motivator. ;-)

    betwixt and between,
    Miako

    • Amad

      January 31, 2009 at 12:44 PM

      Amad,
      pardon me if i stepped on your toes?

      I am not sure how you got that Miako. My last comment on this post was in support of you.

      but many American Jews consider themselves Zionists — believing that Israel should exist.

      But that is not what zionism is about, about believing that Israel should exist. Zionism was the entire basis for “forcing” the establishment of Israel by transferring Jews to a land which was not theirs, and in reciprocation for a crime (the holocaust) that was not committed by the Palestinians. There were Palestinian Jews and Christians and Muslims who lived in peace with each in the holy land for hundreds of years. And all this changed until the state of Israel, born out of Jewish terrorism (these are not my words, but the words of the Jewish MP in Britian).

      Of course, that is history now. But it is important to understand why the word zionism is so loaded, and is now the primary justification for continued occupation. It may mean different to you and others who are for peace in Israel. But I am not sure if that is entirely the appropriate word to use for the Israelis who are pro-peace. While I believe the 2-state solution is probably the most just, I don’t see Israel abiding by what would be needed to establish this (removing settlements, removing check-points, moving back to the 1967 borders, sharing Jerusalem, etc.). And one cannot say that Palestinians won’t “allow” establishment of this, because they are the less powerful ones in this.

      Ultimately, and I’ll write about this one day, is that I feel that the wisest, though controversial and probably unrealistic means to peace, is the leverage of Arab population, and I won’t say more about it right now. Because little information may lead folks to misunderstand my thoughts.

  31. sincethestorm

    January 31, 2009 at 3:37 AM

    I watched the segment and I was shocked really that this was aired. I am especially happy that this day came and that there may be many more days like this where we actually see some sort of change. If there is ever to be peace in the Middle East, I hope I am alive to see it. Insha-Allah.

  32. Hadil

    January 31, 2009 at 10:22 AM

    Thank you very much for this video. I am sure it took a lot of effort to air this video. Please let me know if I can help in anyway in the future.

  33. Debbie in America

    January 31, 2009 at 11:31 AM

    As an American citizen, I am really pleased to see that CBS has taken the courage to air this on their 60 minutes show. Having watched multiple media sources, I am 100% sure that our media, here in the USA, has been biased for years regarding the plight of the Palestinians and the brutal occupation of Israel over the Palestinians. This 60 Minutes segment has touched upon only the very tip of the iceberg though (so to say). There is so much more going on in Palestine and I encourage CBS to continue its exposure of the Israeli government and what they have been doing to the Palestinians for over 60 years now. And for those that think this is just to the Muslims, you need to do some more research. The Israeli government and its Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has also oppressed, persecuted, and murdered Palestinian Arab Jews and Christians as well as destroyed their Christian homes, churches, etc. purely for the theft of their lands in order to expand the Israeli settlements. There are still Palestinian Christians suffering under this Israeli brutal occupation as we speak today. For those that claim that God gave Israel this land, you need to know that the majority of the Israeli population are “self admitted” atheists from Europe. They are not from the bloodline of Abraham nor are they “semetic”. The “anti-semetic” cries of the Israelis in Israel are a farce used to gain the world’s sympathy. The facts are out there for sure but one needs to take the time to research them as our USA government and media have made it a habit to hide these facts. Thumbs up to CBS!!

  34. J

    February 1, 2009 at 2:02 AM

    Brother Amad, may Allah [swt] reward you for your moderate stances. There are many Jews who are opposed to Zionism, and in fact, these anti-Zionist Jews have probably done more for spreading awareness on the issue than any single group of Muslims. Names like Noam Chomsky, Jews Not Zionists, True Torah Jews, Jews Against Zionism, etc. come to mind.

    Fi Aman Allah

  35. Miako

    February 4, 2009 at 2:59 PM

    Amad,
    [the pardon was for overstepping myself onto your moderation duties. i am not the moderator, so if what I do interferes with what you wish to do with your site, then pardon!]

    Respectfully, I disagree with your interpretation of what Zionism was. Yes, it was certainly about persuading Jews to move to the land of Israel, to make a Jewish Homeland. As Zionism started in the late 1800’s, I find it hard to believe that it was at all concerned with the Holocaust, something that happened over fifty years later! It is a plain fact that the English Authorities made promises in the Balfour Declaration concerning the Establishment of a Jewish Homeland in Israel. This was a response from pressure from influential Zionists. And then the British made other promises to the Arabic Palestinians. So I do not claim that the Jews have some sort of inherent right to Israel.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1936%E2%80%931939_Arab_revolt_in_Palestine
    Yes, the Irgun was a terrorist organization. Nobody denies that. However, there appears to be culpability on both sides.
    [and, from what I was taught in school the Jews were in favor of partitioning (speaking of the 1947 ideas proposed), when the Arabs did not wish to divide Palestine, or to broker some sort of settlement in which both sides could prosper.]

    I really don’t want to try and sift through what is real, and what is not, without consulting primary sources, but I do wish to say that things are more muddled than anyone would like. In composing this response, I ran across this book, which you may find interesting (I do not vouch for its veracity) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_Shadows,_Palestinian_Collaboration_with_Zionism,_1917-1948

    I understand that there is substantial evidence to show that Israelis removed Palestinians at gunpoint from their villages. Not appropriate nor condonable, in the case of peaceful villagers.

    If you asked 99.9% of the Jews in America, they would say that they are Zionists. And most of them favor a two-state solution. I can appreciate that you believe the term is loaded. However, to use it indiscriminately, or as an insult, is to offend many people who would partner with you in peace. Might I suggest a trifle more nuance, perhaps ‘extremist Zionists’ or ‘hard-right Zionists’ or ‘rightwing Zionists’?

    I understand that you, as do I, have a problem with the occupation. And that some crazy people think that Zionism is the reason they should be occupying other people’s land, without providing just compensation.

    I hope and pray that Israel can be persuaded to do the just thing, here. I think that Jerusalem is an especially tricky point, and that some more delicate negotiations should be undertaken for it, rather than a simplistic “cut it in half” strategy. I believe that American Jewry and America have more leverage than they have often used, and that this might be just the key to a better, joint Palestinian Israeli future.

    I guess what I’m trying to say is that your view of what a Zionist is, is very different from what an American Jew’s view of what a Zionist is. And that what you write may cause otherwise sympathetic people to conclude that you are not to be listened to (yes, sometimes we Jews are hypersentitive, too. it comes from thousands of years of persecution.).

    I appreciate that some words on this site are said while people are angry, and that sometimes they don’t mean to tar every single Israeli with curses (even if that is sometimes how it sounds!). However, you are the moderator, and so to you, I feel compelled to speak my mind, in order that you might moderate to your best ability, and with full knowledge of the consequences of your actions.

  36. Khaled

    February 7, 2009 at 12:47 PM

    Very enlightening, thank you CBS !

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