Response to Yochanan Gordon
Sarah Heaton responded to Yochanan Gordon's call in the Times of Israel for genocide against the Palestinians. The Israeli outlet did not publish her letter.
Dear Yochanan Gordon,
Firstly I applaud your honesty in calling what the IDF is doing in Gaza a Genocide. Most Zionist voices are framing it in terms of self-defence so I'm glad you can at least see how ridiculous that assertion is.
Re Hamas, in their 1988 Charter, Hamas did indeed call for the destruction of Israel. However, ideas evolve and grow and since then Hamas have repeatedly stated that they do not wish to wage war on peaceful Jewish people and will happily live alongside them, but that they cannot accept the Zionist military occupation of their home. This is not the same thing and it is dishonest to say otherwise.
Since 1988 the world has moved on and many 'terrorist' organisations have evolved into legitimate political parties and democratically elected governments, for example the I.R.A, the ANC, Hamas - yes, they were democratically elected in 2006 but you already know that - the R.P.F in Rwanda, and if you want to go back a little further you can also include Irgun Zvai Leumi.
Yours sincerely
Sarah Heaton.
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Sarah your voice is so important. - am proud of you. Well written succinct and challenging. Will share this on Palestinian Christians page on fb.
ReplyDeletePS Anthony would be on the SHIT list for sure.
Thank you Mary, you're very kind.
ReplyDeleteIt's an old joke now that being added to the S-list is a compliment because it shows you must be doing something right!
Seriously though, Masada2000 is an organisation of spiteful, vindictive people and like all such people they're best ignored.
Best wishes Mary.
Sarah,
ReplyDeletewe appreciate it that you allowed TPQ to carry this.
A.M, you are so welcome. It's just a few lines and anyway i'm grateful for the opportunity to help draw attention to such an evil idea.
ReplyDeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteyou will always have your say here, regardless of what it is
Sarah,
ReplyDeletethe few lines add up and your “few lines” are well constructed and aimed at the right people.
With the lull can they claim this needless destruction of life and home was a success of any kind as Israel was never in any serious danger from Hamas and the Palestinian civilians posed no threat at all
"Palestinians returning home find Israeli troops left faeces and venomous graffiti."
ReplyDeleteHas everyone seen this on Guardian website?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/07/palestinians-return-home-israeli-troops-faeces-graffiti
Considering the IDF's behaviour in Gaza over the years I don't know why i'm shocked by this but i am.
It is the most literal example of adding insult to injury that i have come across in my entire life.
Sarah, fair play to you, you've got guts, when you compare what you said alongside that mealy mouthed asshole (excuse the language) Jon Voight, who accused Penelope Cruz and her hubby Javier Bardem of being anti-Semitic, it really is a breath of fresh air. Another thing, I never thought I would ever say this, but hats off to Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, I used to hate her guts when she was on Question Time etc. (she used to be the Chairperson of the Tory party) when I heard and saw her talking during the week I was really taken aback! It's not often that you see a politician resigning and saying what's really on their mind, instead of the usual "speak your weight machine" crap that passes for politics now.
ReplyDeleteThis is from Norman Finkelstein's website - http://normanfinkelstein.com/2014/the-word-is-out-israel-is-a-lunatic-state/
ReplyDeleteWhat is one to make of the fact that the deputy speaker of the Knesset has called for ethnic cleansing in Gaza?
He’s not an obscure blogger for the Times of Israel. He is a luminary of the Likud – a man who got 23 percent of the vote in a contest for the Likud Party leadership. He was appointed to his current high position by Benjamin Netanyahu. And this is his proposal for Gaza: - read t he article on Norman's website or on The Dish at
http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2014/08/05/the-last-and-first-temptation-of-israel/
On another topic, my missus just told me that Tony Catney "TC" has died, RIP.
ReplyDeleteJust got that myself. Gutted over it. He was a good friend.
ReplyDeleteextremely saddened by the news of TC's death
ReplyDeletea true friend and comrade
John Nelis and Pauline Collins
Re the sad death of Tony Catney. A.M, Belfast git and all his friends at TPQ, I'm sorry for your loss. I know he was a decent person.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to see some of his old friends form Derry comment on his passing. He had friends everywhere.
ReplyDeleteSarah,
he was something else. I covered so much ground with him over the years. He was the type of friend who could be very critical when he felt the need but never compromised his friendship. I owe him so much.
One of my favourite memories is me and him heading into the town for a pint about a year into the ceasefire and he was driving. After 6 pints and 7 shorts we headed out and how he drove me home I do not know. As we passed the cops at Dunville Park I commented to him that one of the benefits of the ceasefire was that we could drive home blocked out of our tree and not get stopped. Still so vivid in my mind.
I am philosophical about death, able to cope with it, but him going wrenched me. I had to suppress the urge to cry when I got a text telling me he had gone, Had to go out for a walk on my own.
A.M, not wanting to sound like a know it all madam here, but in situations of genuine grief people should do what is right uniquely for them. We're so controlled nowadays, even to the extent of being expected to grieve in the 'appropriate' way. I wouldn't presume to give advice here, what is right for me may be totally wrong for you. But you speak of suppressing the urge to cry - i would say don't. I humbly suggest that maybe you should go out for another walk with your wife or on your own, whatever is most comfortable for you, and cry until you have no tears left. After my dad died in 2000 i didn't cry until 2012, and being brave and hardy didn't help in the slightest.
ReplyDeleteWith warmest thoughts
Sarah.
Sarah,
ReplyDeletewe are torn by competing pulls. I feel better not crying. And it is not nowadays, but has been a forever almost with me. I recall Bobby Sands dying and suppressing the urge. When my parents died my children asked me why I didn't cry. Brave and hardy is not for me, just whatever way I am tugged in these situations. I think if I opened the floodgates I would never get them closed again. And I don't really want to be there.
Anthony, you are so decent. Forgive me for speaking of nowadays - for you and your peers it has been a never ending cycle of loss. I guess if you cried for everyone you loved, you'd never stop.
ReplyDeleteShalom aleikhem, and upon yours.
Sarah.
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteit is the same for us all. And we contributed in no small part to the loss of others. But we are where we are and it is more important to commit to what we will be rather than remember what we were.
I have no words to answer that, except that i believe you are right.
ReplyDelete