Frankly, no. Emily has the means (a US passport) to avoid any real consequences of occupation; you don’t win bonus points for poverty/misery tourism. As such a tourist, the least she can do is not fuck it up for the people who can’t just turn it off whenever they feel like it.

“”Where did you read that kidnappings are on the rise in the West Bank…”"

Can’t find the exact source, but here are some from 2007:

http://www.amin.org/look/amin/en.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication;=7&NrArticle;=40054&NrIssue;=1&NrSection;=3
http://www.newssafety.com/hotspots/countries/gaza/afp/gaza120307.htm

“”
OK, but why, Joe? Is it because they’re wrong in the first place or because they are an impediment?”"

Care to explain the dichotomy you’re drawing here? Isn’t the reason they’re an impediment precisely *because* they’re wrong?

“”
Yeah, not the wall itself, since that was necessary for “security,” but simply, it’s path.”"

Well, we’re hoping for a two-state solution, right? And last I checked, all but the most stable borders have walls and other similar barriers between them.

Or are you hoping for a one-state solution in the short-term? If so, why?

“”
Wow, I’m so glad you thought it was “stupid.” The hundreds of innocents who died and thousands who suffered will no doubt hope for a more intelligent form of intervention in the future.”"

And the blame for that suffering falls largely with Hezbollah and anyone who supported them, though somewhat with Israel as well.

“”
What the FUCK kind of moral capital did Israel ever have?”"

They’ve instituted a lot of pillars of secular liberal governance.

That’s how you buy moral capital.

“”defined by a world view that has a basic lack of understanding of traditional beliefs and lifestyles?”"

When you say ‘traditional beliefs and lifestyles’, isn’t what you really mean ‘violence’? As in, violence against anyone who wants to live according to their own views? I’m in favor of anyone’s traditional beliefs and lifestyles SO LONG AS they apply those beliefs and lifestyle ONLY to themselves, and never FORCE them upon their neighbors or other members of their community. Without freedom of choice, a culture has no moral capital.

Just don’t wear an IOF uniform and carry a gun. We won’t bite.

BTW since you haven’t experienced life under occupation yet, don’t you think you should refrain from criticizing Emily for her unwillingness to play by its inane rules?

Ah, Joe, don’t sell yourself short. You’d make (and do make) an excellent zionism apologist/propagandist.

“who wants all Israeli settlements in the West Bank dismantled yesterday”

OK, but why, Joe? Is it because they’re wrong in the first place or because they are an impediment?

“thinks the Wall’s path was drawn in an immoral manner”

Yeah, not the wall itself, since that was necessary for “security,” but simply, it’s path.

“thinks the manner of intervention in Lebanon was completely fucking stupid”

Wow, I’m so glad you thought it was “stupid.” The hundreds of innocents who died and thousands who suffered will no doubt hope for a more intelligent form of intervention in the future.

“thinks Israel has squandered its moral capital by refusing to acknowledge the Armenian genocide and allowing so many holocaust survivors to fall into poverty”

What the FUCK kind of moral capital did Israel ever have? That’s too ludicrous to even address. If forcing an entire people to suffer so they can make up for the suffering of another people that did not inflict it, all with bad or at best irresponsible and negligent intentions towards that other people is moral capital, I cannot EVEN imagine what the lack of morality would be defined by.

“and wants Israel to eventually become a secular, rather than Jewish state.”

How about THAT for yesterday? How about without your arbitrary restrictions on that state that is defined by a world view that has a basic lack of understanding of traditional beliefs and lifestyles? How about we let them define their own existence and what THEY want for the future, since it is their future, and not yours?

I’m planning to in early August, assuming I can talk my traveling companion into it.

Given that I look especially Jew-y (jew-fro, ‘the nose’, etc.), though, I’m a bit worried about the physical safety aspect of hopping around in the West Bank, since I remember reading somewhere that kidnappings are on the rise and I wouldn’t exactly blend in.

I do have a few friends running a summer camp in the West Bank this summer, though, themed around Martin Luther King Jr. — I might be able to go and meet up with them. But it’s far from a done deal – the physical security aspect is the main thing I worry about, same reason I’m hesitant to visit Sderot.

Uh… since when am I even a Zionist? Give me a definition of Zionism that would include me in it.

“”I’ve never expressed a desire to write for kabob. I’m not palestinian, or arab, or living in palestine.”"

Not sure how your ethnicity is relevant to writing for Kabobfest… it’s a blog written by ‘Arab-Americans and friends’, and last I checked, QuiQui is neither Arab nor Palestinian but is still a full member of the Kabobfest team.

Yes, I’m sure AIPAC is looking to hire someone who wants all Israeli settlements in the West Bank dismantled yesterday, thinks the Wall’s path was drawn in an immoral manner, thinks the manner of intervention in Lebanon was completely fucking stupid, thinks Israel has squandered its moral capital by refusing to acknowledge the Armenian genocide and allowing so many holocaust survivors to fall into poverty, and wants Israel to eventually become a secular, rather than Jewish state.

Gee, sounds like the AIPAC party line to me!

Ever considered the possibility that there are a wide range of opinions out there that disagree with yours, and that those people don’t necessarily agree with each other?