"In any debate involving questionable or controversial actions undertaken by Israel, the probability that one who opposes said actions will be labeled an "anti-Semite" rises towards 1 as the discussion progresses."I find this hilarious, because people on the other end of the political spectrum complain about exactly the same thing, only with respect to "racism".
Ben-Gurion was quite explicit, as in a 1937 letter to his son: “A partial Jewish state is not the end, but only the beginning. The establishment of such a Jewish state will serve as a means in our historical efforts to redeem the country in its entirety. . . . We shall organize a modern defense force . . .and then I am certain that we will not be prevented from settling in other parts of the country, either by mutual agreement with our Arab neighbors or by some other means. . . . We will expel the Arabs and take their places . . . with the force at our disposal.”You might want to read the entirety of that article, as it might open your eyes.
A year later, Ben-Gurion told a Zionist meeting: “I favor partition of the country because when we become a strong power after the establishment of the state, we will abolish partition and spread throughout all of Palestine.” And “Palestine,” as understood by the Zionists, included the West Bank, Jerusalem, the Syrian Golan Heights, southern Lebanon, and much of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
... indeed, I would absolutely believe that, unless the foundations of their religion were to make their [the Jews'] spirits effeminate, they will someday, given the occasion – as human affairs are changeable – erect their imperium once more, and God will choose them anew.But the foundation of Israel posed real problems for Rabbis who had opposed it – since opposing its foundation beforehand was an abstract, academic matter, but calling for its end once it had already come into existence could mean calling for the deaths of many. Given the particular circumstances at the point in our era at which Israel came to be, the Rabbis who had opposed the state of Israel saw little recourse but to support it as it stood, at least outwardly. And of course, over time, we've seen a growing bed of religious feeling among certain people within Israel based on the notion that Israel is a religious necessity to Judaism as a faith.
In its clarification, the IDF explained that the audio recording was edited to reduce long periods of silence and to eliminate incomprehensible comments. The IDF further clarified that though the recording was originally attributed to passengers aboard the Mavi Marmara, due to "an open channel, the specific ship or ships in the Freedom Flotilla responding to the Israeli Navy could not be identified."Unedited version on YouTube.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit further announced that they have posted the full unedited 5 minute and 58 second recording online.
The release of the audio recording was another step taken by the IDF to solidify the claim that the passengers of the Mavi Marmara were determined to attack the soldiers who boarded the deck, and that the soldiers were acting in self defense.
It's OK to make a post about a controversial topic, but we'd ask that you (a) check again that your post is not editorializing and (b) if you fear that the topic of your post may elicit a particularly fighty thread, it might be best that you post it during a time when the main site mods are active and can help ensure that the discussion is productive.posted by lalex at 5:32 PM on June 7, 2010
It just shows that your arguments have nothing to do with facts or consistency, they are only thrown up as noise to protect your basic premise of racial superiority. [...] You're the member of a victimized race, and therefore anything you do is excused, because it's necessary for your survival in the face of an entire world that hates YOU, YOU, YOU!!! Imagine how special you must be, if the ENTIRE WORLD hates you! I bet if aliens came to Earth, you'd be absolutely certain that they hated you, too.posted by Joe in Australia at 10:08 PM on June 7, 2010
Summary
This fascinating essay, written by King Hussein’s grandfather King Abdullah, appeared in the United States six months before the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. In the article, King Abdullah disputes the mistaken view that Arab opposition to Zionism (and later the state of Israel) is because of longstanding religious or ethnic hatred. He notes that Jews and Muslims enjoyed a long history of peaceful coexistence in the Middle East, and that Jews have historically suffered far more at the hands of Christian Europe. Pointing to the tragedy of the holocaust that Jews suffered during World War II, the monarch asks why America and Europe are refusing to accept more than a token handful of Jewish immigrants and refugees. It is unfair, he argues, to make Palestine, which is innocent of anti-Semitism, pay for the crimes of Europe. King Abdullah also asks how Jews can claim a historic right to Palestine, when Arabs have been the overwhelming majority there for nearly 1300 uninterrupted years? The essay ends on an ominous note, warning of dire consequences if a peaceful solution cannot be found to protect the rights of the indigenous Arabs of Palestine.
When Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva was practicing the profound prajna paramita, he illuminated the five skandhas and saw that they are all empty, and he crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty.posted by languagehat at 2:46 PM on June 9, 2010 [3 favorites]
Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. So, too, are feeling, cognition, formation, and consciousness.
Shariputra, all dharmas are empty of characteristics. They are not produced. Not destroyed, not defiled, not pure, and they neither increase nor diminish. Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, feeling, cognition, formation, or consciousness; no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no sights, sounds, smells, tastes, objects of touch, or dharmas; no field of the eyes, up to and including no field of mind-consciousness; and no ignorance or ending of ignorance, up to and including no old age and death or ending of old age and death. There is no suffering, no accumulating, no extinction, no way, and no understanding and no attaining.
Because nothing is attained, the Bodhisattva, through reliance on prajna paramita, is unimpeded in his mind. Because there is no impediment, he is not afraid, and he leaves distorted dream-thinking far behind. Ultimately Nirvana!
All Buddhas of the three periods of time attain Anuttarasamyaksambodhi through reliance on prajna paramita. Therefore, know that prajna paramita is a great spiritual mantra, a great bright mantra, a supreme mantra, an unequalled mantra. It can remove all suffering; it is genuine and not false. That is why the mantra of prajna paramita was spoken. Recite it like this:
Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha!
posted by kaibutsu at 1:42 AM on May 31, 2010 [12 favorites]