Perhaps I just missed it, but how is it possible for anyone, Jewish or not, to pen the above and not mention Oct. 7 and its' details. The Israelis did not wake up one morning and decide it was too rainy to golf, let's invade Gaza.
On Oct 7, the per capita equivalent of 40K Americans, mostly young people, women and children were murdered in the most horrendous circumstances imaginable, since WWII gas chambers. Soldiers were not targeted, but innocent women and children raped to death and/or burned alive. Hundreds were taken hostage to be starved, raped and abused for years.
Imagine, Americans awaken tomorrow to 40K dead in El Paso or Seattle, mostly women and children, because the Mexicans or Canadians crossed the border and attacked. Bodies of women raped to death, with their bloody panties pulled aside, line the streets. Babies are found in ovens. Would we worry about a proportional response or would a large part of Mexico or BC simply be smoldering holes in the ground the next day. I am betting the latter.
The Israelis left Gaza 2 decades ago. They simply pick up a large chunk of the tab for electricity, water, sewer . . . while providing jobs for some Palestinians. The settlements have existed for decades. Assuming but not agreeing they are all illegal, the notion settlements excuse the mass rape, murder and kidnapping of innocents is insane.
Again, maybe I misunderstood, but the idea of a Truth Commission over the response to Oct 7, sounds like something dreamed up in a wealthy antisemitic sorority, over too many Margaritas. A college girl notion of justice, because no one has informed them, civilians have long been used as shields by whoever governs Gaza. Nor do they understand, the tens of billions of dollars donated to Gaza by Israel, the UN, the US, wealthy Arab nations and others, were never utilized to improve Palestinian life, but to enrich a select few who dwelled in Qatar opulence. All, while building hundreds of miles of tunnels and producing thousands of munitions, for the next attack on Israeli women and children.
Nor would our sorority sisters realize if they had the poor luck to dwell in Gaza, would they ever leave the house unaccompanied by a male escort or enjoy protection from martial rape. Neither would their gay sister or brother be visiting, anytime soon.
What has happened to the Palestinians is horrendous, but it was undertaken by Hamas, the Gazan government. More than a 1/2 billion Arabs reside in the ME, many are obscenely wealthy. After the initial attack, Gazan women and children, who number only a few million, could have easily and quickly been relocated across several safe Arab nations. They were not, because their own government would never allow their human shields to depart Gaza. Nor could they be used in a PR campaign against Israel, if they were safe and well fed in other Arab nations.
Bibi is only a few years younger than Trump, with some hard miles. His removal or not is a matter for Israeli voters. In any event, Father Time is headed his way, like Trump and all the rest of us.
Israel is an advanced nation with equal rights for women and the LGBTQ community, whose technology, skills and loyalty are irreplaceable in US national defense. They suffered their worst attack in 80 years and responded, so they would not be victims of other future promised attacks. That is not a war crime, but survival.
You missed it. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission needs to explore why Bibi was paying Hamas in Gaza $15 million per month...and why the IDF ignored clear warnings that a terrorist attack was imminent. This does not absolve Hamas, of course. They need to be eliminated, including the leaders in Qatar, to the extent possible.
My mistake. I apologize, although a commission seems a trifle bit overkill. Let the Israelis put Bibi under oath and ask. It would seem likely Israel sends Gaza money every month, and because the leaders were residing in Qatar, that is where they wanted the money sent.
A Bibi nefarious plot with the Palestinians seems unlikely. The list of world leaders that have personally killed combatants in legitimate defense of their country, grows shorter each year. Bibi is one such leader. Corruption is one thing, aiding and abetting your mortal enemy of more than 1/2 a century, seems unlikely.
As for the failure of the IDF to realize Oct 7 was coming. An Israeli Commission should examine that, although I assume it was like 9/11 here. Even experienced military and FBI agents did not connect the dots, because they could not imagine such an attack, so they did not look for evidence, one was being planned.
It's called living in hope. If I am nice to them, and give them 15 million dollars every month, it just may keep them quiet and heaven forbid they may even feel greatful. Re the IDF not being astute enough to imagine that out of the blue they would attack and kill 1200 people. This I can understand. Its the very last thing they would have imagined, even though it was their job to imagine the worst. A small rouge Hamas unit of ten going berserk, yes that could happen. Worst case 5-10 killed with life moving on, and just another day in the life of Israel. How many who read this column hasn't lived in hope at some stage in their life..
There were, apparently, several young women intelligence officers who reported the threat and were ignored. And the $15 million was more cynicism than hope...Bibi's folks needed the Hamas threat, the extremist Palestinian caricature. Given their refusal to deal the more reasonable West Bank Pals, it was obscene.
Joe, what a terrific column. You have captured the thoughts of much of the Jewish Diaspora who grew up with the fantasies of Leon Uris and Herman Wouk and have been distressed and embarrassed by the Netanyahu debacle. Unfortunately, Bibi and Trump bring out the worst in each other. AIPAC has done more to provide ammunition to anti-Semites than even Tucker Carlson. There is an enlightening book titled “Anti-Judaism” by David Niremberg that begins with the Egyptian version of the Exodus, which has the Hebrews expelled from Egypt because of their misogyny and refusal to share meals with Egyptians. There is a long and painful history of anti-Judaism that has been exacerbated by the rise of Christianity. There are no solutions here, just a plea for civility.
Mr. Klein thank you, for the very thoughtful column. I have somewhat the same problem. My problem is with the prime minister and not the people of Israel 🇮🇱. It saddens me that a prime minister is trying to get away from his own scandal. The soldiers who live in Israel are expected to join service at 18, after their schooling is done. Israel soldier although punished for thirty days took an ax to the symbol of Christ hanging on a cross. This soldier seems perhaps like others feels disturbed and finds her service full of chaos. I believe Israel maybe going through its problems like US.
We started as a people, with a high moral standing, which is why Abraham was selected. Being a people, means a lot of people, which means, not all live up to it. Nonetheless, that does not alter the fact that we all should at least try.
Joining the chorus, a terrific column, and explaining why the world, and surely the Middle East and all things Israel, are complex, and not easily reduced to slogans. I'd be happy if only 1 or 2 of the 4 things in your list come to pass. Like in the Passover seder, the refrain "It would have been enough" in the song "Dayenu"
Perhaps I just missed it, but how is it possible for anyone, Jewish or not, to pen the above and not mention Oct. 7 and its' details. The Israelis did not wake up one morning and decide it was too rainy to golf, let's invade Gaza.
On Oct 7, the per capita equivalent of 40K Americans, mostly young people, women and children were murdered in the most horrendous circumstances imaginable, since WWII gas chambers. Soldiers were not targeted, but innocent women and children raped to death and/or burned alive. Hundreds were taken hostage to be starved, raped and abused for years.
Imagine, Americans awaken tomorrow to 40K dead in El Paso or Seattle, mostly women and children, because the Mexicans or Canadians crossed the border and attacked. Bodies of women raped to death, with their bloody panties pulled aside, line the streets. Babies are found in ovens. Would we worry about a proportional response or would a large part of Mexico or BC simply be smoldering holes in the ground the next day. I am betting the latter.
The Israelis left Gaza 2 decades ago. They simply pick up a large chunk of the tab for electricity, water, sewer . . . while providing jobs for some Palestinians. The settlements have existed for decades. Assuming but not agreeing they are all illegal, the notion settlements excuse the mass rape, murder and kidnapping of innocents is insane.
Again, maybe I misunderstood, but the idea of a Truth Commission over the response to Oct 7, sounds like something dreamed up in a wealthy antisemitic sorority, over too many Margaritas. A college girl notion of justice, because no one has informed them, civilians have long been used as shields by whoever governs Gaza. Nor do they understand, the tens of billions of dollars donated to Gaza by Israel, the UN, the US, wealthy Arab nations and others, were never utilized to improve Palestinian life, but to enrich a select few who dwelled in Qatar opulence. All, while building hundreds of miles of tunnels and producing thousands of munitions, for the next attack on Israeli women and children.
Nor would our sorority sisters realize if they had the poor luck to dwell in Gaza, would they ever leave the house unaccompanied by a male escort or enjoy protection from martial rape. Neither would their gay sister or brother be visiting, anytime soon.
What has happened to the Palestinians is horrendous, but it was undertaken by Hamas, the Gazan government. More than a 1/2 billion Arabs reside in the ME, many are obscenely wealthy. After the initial attack, Gazan women and children, who number only a few million, could have easily and quickly been relocated across several safe Arab nations. They were not, because their own government would never allow their human shields to depart Gaza. Nor could they be used in a PR campaign against Israel, if they were safe and well fed in other Arab nations.
Bibi is only a few years younger than Trump, with some hard miles. His removal or not is a matter for Israeli voters. In any event, Father Time is headed his way, like Trump and all the rest of us.
Israel is an advanced nation with equal rights for women and the LGBTQ community, whose technology, skills and loyalty are irreplaceable in US national defense. They suffered their worst attack in 80 years and responded, so they would not be victims of other future promised attacks. That is not a war crime, but survival.
You missed it. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission needs to explore why Bibi was paying Hamas in Gaza $15 million per month...and why the IDF ignored clear warnings that a terrorist attack was imminent. This does not absolve Hamas, of course. They need to be eliminated, including the leaders in Qatar, to the extent possible.
My mistake. I apologize, although a commission seems a trifle bit overkill. Let the Israelis put Bibi under oath and ask. It would seem likely Israel sends Gaza money every month, and because the leaders were residing in Qatar, that is where they wanted the money sent.
A Bibi nefarious plot with the Palestinians seems unlikely. The list of world leaders that have personally killed combatants in legitimate defense of their country, grows shorter each year. Bibi is one such leader. Corruption is one thing, aiding and abetting your mortal enemy of more than 1/2 a century, seems unlikely.
As for the failure of the IDF to realize Oct 7 was coming. An Israeli Commission should examine that, although I assume it was like 9/11 here. Even experienced military and FBI agents did not connect the dots, because they could not imagine such an attack, so they did not look for evidence, one was being planned.
There is no such thing as overkill when it comes to Jews and moral behavior.
It's called living in hope. If I am nice to them, and give them 15 million dollars every month, it just may keep them quiet and heaven forbid they may even feel greatful. Re the IDF not being astute enough to imagine that out of the blue they would attack and kill 1200 people. This I can understand. Its the very last thing they would have imagined, even though it was their job to imagine the worst. A small rouge Hamas unit of ten going berserk, yes that could happen. Worst case 5-10 killed with life moving on, and just another day in the life of Israel. How many who read this column hasn't lived in hope at some stage in their life..
There were, apparently, several young women intelligence officers who reported the threat and were ignored. And the $15 million was more cynicism than hope...Bibi's folks needed the Hamas threat, the extremist Palestinian caricature. Given their refusal to deal the more reasonable West Bank Pals, it was obscene.
Joe, what a terrific column. You have captured the thoughts of much of the Jewish Diaspora who grew up with the fantasies of Leon Uris and Herman Wouk and have been distressed and embarrassed by the Netanyahu debacle. Unfortunately, Bibi and Trump bring out the worst in each other. AIPAC has done more to provide ammunition to anti-Semites than even Tucker Carlson. There is an enlightening book titled “Anti-Judaism” by David Niremberg that begins with the Egyptian version of the Exodus, which has the Hebrews expelled from Egypt because of their misogyny and refusal to share meals with Egyptians. There is a long and painful history of anti-Judaism that has been exacerbated by the rise of Christianity. There are no solutions here, just a plea for civility.
Mr. Klein thank you, for the very thoughtful column. I have somewhat the same problem. My problem is with the prime minister and not the people of Israel 🇮🇱. It saddens me that a prime minister is trying to get away from his own scandal. The soldiers who live in Israel are expected to join service at 18, after their schooling is done. Israel soldier although punished for thirty days took an ax to the symbol of Christ hanging on a cross. This soldier seems perhaps like others feels disturbed and finds her service full of chaos. I believe Israel maybe going through its problems like US.
We agree entirely!
We started as a people, with a high moral standing, which is why Abraham was selected. Being a people, means a lot of people, which means, not all live up to it. Nonetheless, that does not alter the fact that we all should at least try.
Joining the chorus, a terrific column, and explaining why the world, and surely the Middle East and all things Israel, are complex, and not easily reduced to slogans. I'd be happy if only 1 or 2 of the 4 things in your list come to pass. Like in the Passover seder, the refrain "It would have been enough" in the song "Dayenu"