AP Columnist Jim Litke responds:
Mehammed:
Thanks for the thoughtful note.
No right-thinking person disputes the carnage in Gaza, only the root
causes. The same is true about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict going
back centuries, which is why I didn’t go into it. Likewise, I could
argue the comparisons to South Africa are specious, but certain I
wouldn’t convince you no matter how much I write. Since Lapchick was the
most visible and effective leader of the US boycott against South Africa
for years _ as experienced and expert a voice as there is on the matter
_ I hoped readers would treat his opinion would accordingly.Regarding unanimity, Lapchick’s current job is to stay abreast of
everything that takes place off the field around the world and few
people in sport are half as well wired or up-to-date. Also, I’m
fortunate enough to travel often to Europe and Asia for sporting events
and have been for the past 20 years and old enough to have been around
for the South African boycott. Even if America is Israel’s only vocal
supporter (no small matter, by the way), the level of enmity outside the
Middle East is nowhere near as uniform or deep as it was regarding South
Africa. Frankly, I wouldn’t put much stock in the Europeans’ shifting
sympathies, either. They’re expressing solidarity with the Palestinians
now; for decades, they were Israel’s fiercest supporters.The phrase “war against Islamic militants” was taken verbatim from the
AP report filed on the European Cup game in Ankara last month by one of
native Turkish reporters. It’s another issue, I’m afraid, where we’ll
disagree. One man’s “militant” is another man’s “terrorist” and a
“freedom fighter” to a third. The AP doesn’t take such matters lightly,
so if nothing else, I can assure you a great deal of thought/debate has
gone into how the conflict is described.I haven’t agreed with any Olympic boycott _ not when Arab nations
withdrew from Melbourse in 1956, or when the US and the then-Soviet
Union played tit-for-tat in the 1980s. Ultimately, I suppose, that was
my larger point. Once calls for a boycott gain momentum, it hardens
hearts and deepens existing rifts. We’re already far down that road and
if it was my call, I’d force the federations and tournament organizers
to vote now _ up or down _ so everybody can adjust accordingly.Good luck with the Ph.D.
Best,
Jim
Shahar Peer, the former to 20 women’s tennis player from Israel, was recently denied a visa to play in this week’s Dubai tournament. She had been protested in New Zealand earlier this year when the war on Gaza was raging. She has demonstrated a willingness to play in Muslim countries, and made history last year as the first Israeli to play in Qatar. She also has successfully teamed up with Muslim player Sania Mirza to win doubles titles in the past. I like her as a person and player and have trouble adding my voice to the boycott, even though I feel I must, and I will.
The Women’s Tennis Association is considering, among many possible sanctions, canceling the Dubai tournament altogether. The sanctions could get worse next week when the men play in Dubai; doubles specialist Andy Ram plans on playing. Today, Jim Litke, an AP Sports Columnist, wrote an opinion piece criticizing the entire history of boycotts against Israeli athletes, a piece in which he also tries to dispel the parallel between Israel and South Africa. Here is a snippet:
Every time a team or athlete from a neighboring Middle East state refuses to meet their Israeli counterparts on a playing field, the people who sanction the event—insert the name of just about any international sporting federation here — pretend to be shocked.
Then they promise the next time it happens, they’ll bite the hand that feeds them.
Then they do what they always do: take the money and kick the Israelis down the road. The end game, apparently, turns on whether they run out of real estate or courage first.
Litke’s article angered me to no end with its biases and flagrant politics (just as it claims there should be no politics in sports), so I wrote him about it and encourage you to do the same. Here is my letter:
Dear Mr. Litke,
I don’t fully agree with the ban on Peer either. I thought her playing in Qatar last year was a great move. Additionally, she has doubled up with Muslim player Sania Mirza and won titles. That is my personal opinion. I felt, however, that your article was biased on a few points, and was wrong about the legitimacy of the boycott. I am not against a total boycott of Israel, I just believe in Peer’s case she is interested in rapprochement with the Muslim world and should be encouraged. As you might notice, she herself does not like to make political comments and understands the touchiness of sports mixed with politics.
You say the situation between South Africa and Palestine are not the same. Well, in Palestine, it is in many ways worse in terms of human rights abuses and that has been confirmed by no less than Desmond Tutu. Also, the boycott movement in the South African case involved sports as well if I remember correctly.
How can you make the judgment that there is no so-called unanimity about the Israel boycott? Have you gathered a focus group involving the entire world’s population? It’s only in America that there is favoritism for Israel, in the rest of the world including Europe people already understand that Palestinians are the oppressed, dispossessed party and are worthy of solidarity. You can see this when Israeli teams go play in Europe and are booed or confronted with protest.
Sports and politics have never been separate, as the Olympic games show. Was it right for American athletes to boycott the Games played in the Soviet Union?
Your language about the “war against Islamic militants” is hopelessly biased. Do you know how many so-called “militants” died in comparison with civilians? Hardly any hospitals found militants among the dead or injured. What is the definition of a militant? Is it just any male between the ages of 18-40? No one cares to check or verify. Reading your article, one does not know that around 1 400 Palestinians died for only 14 Israelis. Where is your sense of proportionality, or even justice?
Do you ever ask what the situation is in reverse? Do Palestinian athletes have the right to travel at will, like Shahar Peer has been doing for her entire professional life, except for this case? The situation for Palestinian athletes is much worse, but of course that doesn’t get reported on.
Successful boycotts target all aspects of society, including such soft targets as culture and sports.
Thanks for listening,
M
One forgets when reading about this supposed scandal in Dubai that Palestinian athletes have had their rights trampled and even their lives extinguished. Read this article for an analysis of how Israel’s killing of athletes violates the Olympic Charter. And here is a photo of Gazan athlete Nader Masri. What do you think his chances are of participating in meets right about now?
Related posts:
- It is Just to Boycott Shahar Peer
- Israel begins its invasion of Gaza (UPDATED)
- Snoop Cancels Show in Israel
- Israeli Election Results Extremely Close: Updated
- Fox News’ Wisdom on “Apple Dubai”
well written, i agree with your views abou mack. unfortunately there are too many journalists out there who do not consider mentioning the perspective and situation of the palestinians, and even if they try to compare, they do so in a manner to keep things on an equal balance (so as not to make the israeli crimes seem worse in any way).
Posted by mbannaj | February 17, 2009, 8:30 amBy your logic, should countries boycott Afghan athletes because of Al-Queda, Iranian athletes because of their state sponsored terrorism, and hell, even US athletes based upon the terrorist accusations lobbied upon it every day?
Let athletes do what they do, these boycotts are a complete waste of time and energy.
Don’t people have more pressing problems?
It seems to me that countries engage in these symbolic boycotts only because they do nothing else to help the causes they so often spew rhetoric about.
Posted by Tennis Junkie | February 17, 2009, 8:35 amMaybe Mr Litke could tell us how many tennis courts there are in Gaza.
Or have they been bombed like Gaza’s International Football Stadium, in an act of revenge by the Israeli Air Force?
Posted by spuxxx | February 17, 2009, 8:36 amIt’s all fine. Just don’t complain when international sports organizations stop hosting competitions in Muslim countries.
Posted by programmer craig | February 17, 2009, 8:54 amPC. Mmm K. I prolly won’t. Can’t speak for anyone else. I’m sure they will keep away from the Gulf money and start boycotting horrible countries such as Malaysia (dirty gook Muzlims as they are). You can’t cut out 1/6 of the world anymore unless you want to get left behind. I, for one, am kind of OK with that.
Anyway nice letter.
Posted by American Muslim Girl | February 17, 2009, 11:56 amlol I meant 1/4. my face is red
Posted by American Muslim Girl | February 17, 2009, 11:58 amThanks so much for this, I knew you’d end up writing it.
What is interesting though is that the UAE has always had an (official) policy against allowing in Israelis, unless they have dual citizenship. I’m not entirely sure this is really a boycott of Israeli players.
The head of the UAE tennis association, meanwhile, has said the decision was made so as to avoid subjected Peer to protests. BS.
I disagree with those (including athletes) that say politics and sports shouldn’t be mixed, particularly when your country abuses athletes of other nations so flagrantly.
Posted by Mohammad | February 17, 2009, 12:13 pmWas that supposed to make some kind of sense? Your husband really picked a winner, didn’t he?
You can’t cut out 1/6 of the world anymore unless you want to get left behind.
Actually, you (where “you” is the industrialized world) can. Or did you think there was a shortage of poor people to be exploited? Before you seek to associate all of the world’s Muslims with the actions of a few oil-rich Gulf Arabs, you might wanna check what the situation is of most of the planet’s Muslims, eh?
Posted by programmer craig | February 17, 2009, 12:32 pmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/7891164.stm
Dubai could be removed from the women’s tennis calendar in 2010 after Israeli Shahar Peer was refused entry to the United Arab Emirates.
WTA chief executive Larry Scott said women’s tennis’s governing body will consider “what types of sanctions are going to be deemed appropriate”.
He said that would include “whether the tournament has a slot on the calendar”.
The International Tennis Federation, which organises the four Grand Slam tournaments as well as the Fed Cup and Davis Cup, said it would be in contact with the UAE’s tennis federation.
ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti said: “The ITF will remind the UAE Tennis Association that the ITF Constitution does not permit discrimination on any grounds.
That won’t be enough. They need to stop all tournaments in Arab countries, if they really intend not to let it happen again. There is no other way to protect their athletes from state-sponsored bigotry.
Posted by programmer craig | February 17, 2009, 12:44 pmI’ve noticed “programmer craig” seems to leave inane and idiotic comments on blogs. A member of americans eager to serve and shill for israel and zionism. How dull and predictable.
They have every right bar a member of a jewish terrorist organization from entering their country. There are far more important things in the world to be concerned about then one terrorist’s desire to play tennis.
End of story.
Posted by Anonymous | February 17, 2009, 2:17 pmLets not forget that Israel routinely refuses to let the Palestinian National Soccer team leave gaza/west bank for international matches, including world cup qualifiers.
Britain just denied entry to a delegation from Zimbabwe. Is that not unjust?
Posted by Anonymous | February 17, 2009, 2:45 pminane and idiotic comments on blogs…
They have every right bar a member of a jewish terrorist organization from entering their country…
End of story.
So true
Posted by programmer craig | February 17, 2009, 2:59 pmDon’t get me wrong though! I fully support American Muslim Girl’s campaign to get Arab countries boycotted by international sporting associations. There are lots of other countries that would love the good PR and would be happy to host them. No need at all to give bigots a platform from which to get their racist political agenda catapulted into the spotlight, at the expense of the athletes they have supposedly invited to their country.
Posted by programmer craig | February 17, 2009, 3:08 pmRead this article for an analysis of how Israel’s killing of athletes violates the Olympic Charter.
Mr. Mack – congrats on perhaps writing the most unintentionally ironic sentence in the history of this blog.
Wow.
Posted by Anonymous | February 17, 2009, 3:59 pmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/7894485.stm
“There certainly will be (sanctions) imposed on the tournament but we’ll make those decisions following this year’s tournament.
“They were awarded this tournament with a very clear understanding and their agreement that if an Israeli ever wanted to play, they would be allowed to play.”
Like the WTA, the ATP’s policy is that no player can be denied entry into a tournament for which he has qualified by ranking.
Oh well. Arabs don’t play tennis anyway, right?
Posted by programmer craig | February 17, 2009, 5:31 pmRacist political agenda, craig? Sounds exactly like the theme of all your retarded posts. If you like choking on jewish terrorist appendages, knock yourself out but don’t expect others to do so. If you’re a member of the IDF, a jewish terrorist organization you don’t get to play. Simple as that. Touch luck, zionist bitches.
Posted by Anonymous | February 17, 2009, 5:35 pmToo bad you don’t get to make the rules, isn’t it?
By the way, why the anonymous commenting now? Did I hurt your feelings? It’s amazing how quickly people switch to anonymous, when they get caught making comments they don’t want to have to stand behind.
Posted by programmer craig | February 17, 2009, 6:16 pmRegarding Litke’s response, which I didn’t expect, it’s interesting for a sports journalist that he has such a firm conviction of political “truth”. I guess I had a hope that sportswriters would somehow be less partial, but it does seem like the whole culture of spectator sports, as chomsky says, does encourage militaristic right-wing thought! There is a great fiction book about this George Perec’s W about the parallels between the Olympics and fascism. Notice also that Litke did not address the Palestinian athlete issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 6:53 pmRegarding Litke’s response, which I didn’t expect, it’s interesting for a sports journalist that he has such a firm conviction of political “truth”. I guess I had a hope that sportswriters would somehow be less partial, but it does seem like the whole culture of spectator sports, as chomsky says, does encourage militaristic right-wing thought! There is a great fiction book about this George Perec’s W about the parallels between the Olympics and fascism. Notice also that Litke did not address the Palestinian athlete issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 6:53 pmRegarding Litke’s response, which I didn’t expect, it’s interesting for a sports journalist that he has such a firm conviction of political “truth”. I guess I had a hope that sportswriters would somehow be less partial, but it does seem like the whole culture of spectator sports, as chomsky says, does encourage militaristic right-wing thought! There is a great fiction book about this George Perec’s W about the parallels between the Olympics and fascism. Notice also that Litke did not address the Palestinian athlete issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 6:53 pmRegarding Litke’s response, which I didn’t expect, it’s interesting for a sports journalist that he has such a firm conviction of political “truth”. I guess I had a hope that sportswriters would somehow be less partial, but it does seem like the whole culture of spectator sports, as chomsky says, does encourage militaristic right-wing thought! There is a great fiction book about this George Perec’s W about the parallels between the Olympics and fascism. Notice also that Litke did not address the Palestinian athlete issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 6:53 pmRegarding Litke’s response, which I didn’t expect, it’s interesting for a sports journalist that he has such a firm conviction of political “truth”. I guess I had a hope that sportswriters would somehow be less partial, but it does seem like the whole culture of spectator sports, as chomsky says, does encourage militaristic right-wing thought! There is a great fiction book about this George Perec’s W about the parallels between the Olympics and fascism. Notice also that Litke did not address the Palestinian athlete issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 6:53 pmRegarding Litke’s response, which I didn’t expect, it’s interesting for a sports journalist that he has such a firm conviction of political “truth”. I guess I had a hope that sportswriters would somehow be less partial, but it does seem like the whole culture of spectator sports, as chomsky says, does encourage militaristic right-wing thought! There is a great fiction book about this George Perec’s W about the parallels between the Olympics and fascism. Notice also that Litke did not address the Palestinian athlete issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 6:53 pmRegarding Litke’s response, which I didn’t expect, it’s interesting for a sports journalist that he has such a firm conviction of political “truth”. I guess I had a hope that sportswriters would somehow be less partial, but it does seem like the whole culture of spectator sports, as chomsky says, does encourage militaristic right-wing thought! There is a great fiction book about this George Perec’s W about the parallels between the Olympics and fascism. Notice also that Litke did not address the Palestinian athlete issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 6:53 pmRegarding Litke’s response, which I didn’t expect, it’s interesting for a sports journalist that he has such a firm conviction of political “truth”. I guess I had a hope that sportswriters would somehow be less partial, but it does seem like the whole culture of spectator sports, as chomsky says, does encourage militaristic right-wing thought! There is a great fiction book about this George Perec’s W about the parallels between the Olympics and fascism. Notice also that Litke did not address the Palestinian athlete issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 6:53 pmNotice also that Litke did not address the Palestinian athlete issue.
Because the irony meter is so off the charts on that one, and he probably didn’t want to hurt your feelings.
Posted by Anonymous | February 17, 2009, 7:02 pmYes, if you’re referring to the sad events in Munich, but I’m not gonna go there. Go see the film Munich for some good self-interrogation about that whole ordeal.
The larger issue here is normalization. Keeping diplomatic sports relations is an unacceptable form of normalization with Israel for many countries which actually take a stand on the Palestinian issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 9:05 pmYes, if you’re referring to the sad events in Munich, but I’m not gonna go there. Go see the film Munich for some good self-interrogation about that whole ordeal.
The larger issue here is normalization. Keeping diplomatic sports relations is an unacceptable form of normalization with Israel for many countries which actually take a stand on the Palestinian issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 9:05 pmYes, if you’re referring to the sad events in Munich, but I’m not gonna go there. Go see the film Munich for some good self-interrogation about that whole ordeal.
The larger issue here is normalization. Keeping diplomatic sports relations is an unacceptable form of normalization with Israel for many countries which actually take a stand on the Palestinian issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 9:05 pmYes, if you’re referring to the sad events in Munich, but I’m not gonna go there. Go see the film Munich for some good self-interrogation about that whole ordeal.
The larger issue here is normalization. Keeping diplomatic sports relations is an unacceptable form of normalization with Israel for many countries which actually take a stand on the Palestinian issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 9:05 pmYes, if you’re referring to the sad events in Munich, but I’m not gonna go there. Go see the film Munich for some good self-interrogation about that whole ordeal.
The larger issue here is normalization. Keeping diplomatic sports relations is an unacceptable form of normalization with Israel for many countries which actually take a stand on the Palestinian issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 9:05 pmYes, if you’re referring to the sad events in Munich, but I’m not gonna go there. Go see the film Munich for some good self-interrogation about that whole ordeal.
The larger issue here is normalization. Keeping diplomatic sports relations is an unacceptable form of normalization with Israel for many countries which actually take a stand on the Palestinian issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 9:05 pmYes, if you’re referring to the sad events in Munich, but I’m not gonna go there. Go see the film Munich for some good self-interrogation about that whole ordeal.
The larger issue here is normalization. Keeping diplomatic sports relations is an unacceptable form of normalization with Israel for many countries which actually take a stand on the Palestinian issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 9:05 pmYes, if you’re referring to the sad events in Munich, but I’m not gonna go there. Go see the film Munich for some good self-interrogation about that whole ordeal.
The larger issue here is normalization. Keeping diplomatic sports relations is an unacceptable form of normalization with Israel for many countries which actually take a stand on the Palestinian issue.
Posted by Mehammed "Abou" Mack | February 17, 2009, 9:05 pmThis guys ignorance on the conflict is summed up in this sentence.
“The same is true about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict going
back centuries, which is why I didn’t go into it”
Posted by Arayus | February 17, 2009, 11:08 pmKeeping diplomatic sports relations is an unacceptable form of normalization with Israel for many countries which actually take a stand on the Palestinian issue.
Then those countries don’t get to host tournaments which Israelis may be able to qualify to compete in, right? Nor do they get to host any other international events which Israelis might be invited to. Simple. Isn’t it?
Posted by programmer craig | February 17, 2009, 11:23 pmArayus: This guys ignorance on the conflict is summed up in this sentence.
“The same is true about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict going
back centuries, which is why I didn’t go into it”
You’re right. He should have said millenia.
Because you *are* one who takes the position that Palestinians have always been there, right? So, do some reading on the Philistines, the Canaanites, and the Israelites. Here is one to get you started:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath
Goliath (Hebrew: גָּלְיָת, Standard Golyat Tiberian Golyāṯ ; Arabic: جالوت , Jalut (Muslim term), جليات Julyat (Christian term)), known also as Goliath of Gath (one of five city states of the Philistines), is the Philistine warrior, famous for his battle with the young David, the future king of Israel, described in the Hebrew Bible/Christian Old Testament and, more briefly, in the Quran.
Posted by programmer craig | February 17, 2009, 11:30 pmWow you just seriously embarrassed yourself worse than usual PC.
This conflict goes back a 100 years at the most and most likely only a few decades.
You trying to link this back to the Canaanites and bible stories is just ridiculous.
Posted by Arayus | February 17, 2009, 11:50 pmNo, Arayis, what is ridiculous is you, not wanting to admit you said something stupid, while accusing somebody else of being stupid.
Posted by programmer craig | February 18, 2009, 12:14 amActually craig, I’ve always posted under anonymous. Its wishfull thinking on your part to lump in those who can see through your bullshit as one person. Not that it matters but i started posting today on Kabobfest.
Seriously why’re you so eager to choke on zionist cock so much? I know a significant minority Americans are fanatically religious retards who think jewish terrorists will help bring back Christ for Rapture trip, but in addition to that you strike me as just a neoconservative simpleton who spends too much online.
Posted by Anonymous | February 18, 2009, 12:54 amActually it’s your hateful personality and the gleeful manner in which you become abusive that gives you away. People like you aren’t as common as you’d probably like to think
Posted by programmer craig | February 18, 2009, 1:01 amPC, the conflict goes back to at earliest 1890 with the foundation of modern zionism and Herzl. Anyone claiming “centuries of conflict” needs to go back and graduate from middle school.
And PC, aren’t you essentially an anonymous commenter? I mean you are simply a name with no information.
You should know that religious text means nothing in the face of fact. The fact is that the native inhabitants (of all faiths and ‘races’) have more of a claim to the land than some fictional god in a fictional book.
Posted by enonymoose | February 18, 2009, 6:37 amThe UAE is under enormous amounts of pressure to let the Israel doubles team of Elrich and Ram in next week. Following the media hype with Peer, pro-Palestinians here are worried that the govt might give in. If any one cares, be more vocal on your support for the government’s decision to ban them. Write in to papers etc.
Posted by Anonymous | February 18, 2009, 7:08 amMajor sponsors are pulling out already. If they don’t let Ram in, Dubai will be boycotted as a serious place for tennis (and possibly other sports) for a decade.
I am truly surprised by the resolve and backbone of some of these advertisers and Federations. They have nothing to gain by sticking to their principles. Everyone knows how much money the Arabs have and are willing to throw around, especially in these hard times, but it seems that more and more sponsors are growing a spine and refusing to accept this racism.
Even those who organized boycott of South Africa are completely outraged and say they NEVER targeted individual players this way and that this is out and out racism.
Posted by Anonymous | February 18, 2009, 7:39 amNo one has grown a spine. This is only a ‘big deal” because she is Israeli. If she was from China or Indonesia there would be no news.
Its like when the TV stations focus on a kidnapped blonde girl. They completely neglect all the other kids and causes.
Posted by enonymoose | February 18, 2009, 7:45 amIf she were from China, there’d be no boycott, despite that country having a far worse record on human rights than Israel.
Posted by Anonymous | February 18, 2009, 8:20 amPC, the conflict goes back to at earliest 1890 with the foundation of modern zionism and Herzl. Anyone claiming “centuries of conflict” needs to go back and graduate from middle school.
Right. Ancient history doesn’t mean anything. Except when people are pimping for Palestinians.
That’s why the Star of (King)David is on the flag of Israel. It’s why Israel is called Israel. It’s why teh Romans changed the name of the country from Judaea to Palestine in the first place, and thereby gave the Palestinians the name they still have today. All because the history means nothing.
And PC, aren’t you essentially an anonymous commenter? I mean you are simply a name with no information.
I have an established track record and a reputation on blogs. Which is more than can be said of you.
You should know that religious text means nothing in the face of fact. The fact is that the native inhabitants (of all faiths and ‘races’) have more of a claim to the land than some fictional god in a fictional book.
It was nice of you to pimp your atheism for us, but how is it relevant to my comments? The ancient enmity between Palestinians and Jews is well documented, historically.
Posted by programmer craig | February 18, 2009, 8:45 amEveryone knows how much money the Arabs have and are willing to throw around, especially in these hard times, but it seems that more and more sponsors are growing a spine and refusing to accept this racism.
They have much more to lose if people start “boycotting” their sport, in general. And it’s a really bad time for people to be accepting bribes from Arabs, when the whole world’s attention is focused on this matter and people are wondering how it was allowed to happen in the first place. People go to prison for that kind of thing.
Following the media hype with Peer, pro-Palestinians here are worried that the govt might give in.
I’m with ya, anon. I’m worried the government might give in too. And that this will all just blow over. They need to ban Ram. A lesson has to be learned. The death of Dubai will not be a bad thing.
Posted by programmer craig | February 18, 2009, 8:53 amI’ve noticed that some recents comments seeking to debunk the apartheid analogy say that some so-called expert on South Africa apartheid says that it’s not the same thing.
Did the Hasbarah send out a new talking points memo lately?
Keep hoping Zionists. Keep hoping that people stop thinking for themselves and leave the big questions of humanity to the “experts.” That’s the only way you’ll win.
Posted by Anonymous | February 18, 2009, 12:31 pmPC, Modern day Palestinians and Israelis are in no way related to the conflicts of the Bible.
Modern day Palestinians are genetically a mixture of all the different ethnic groups that have inhabited the land of Palestine at one point or another including Canaanites, Hebrews, Greeks, Romans, Persians, Arabs, Turks, and many others.
I’m sorry PC but showing me Bible stories about David and Goliath has nothing to do with the current modern day oppression of the Palestinian people. Unless you wanted to show me an analogy of the conflict =P
The modern day conflict is really simple and the fact that you can’t see it and try to make it seem like it goes back thousands of years is quite simply retarded.
European Jews came to Palestine, uprooted the native inhabitants then declared a state for themselves. The disposed people continue to fight back demanding their human rights. That is the conflict, and it wont end until Israel stops its oppression of the indigenous people. Its really quite simple. I hope you one day see it for what it is, instead of creating conspiracy theories.
Posted by Arayus | February 18, 2009, 1:21 pm