Essay

Never Again

A ghettoized Gaza bears striking similarities to the Warsaw ghetto.

On October 1, 1939 the German Wehrmacht’s advance reached the city of Warsaw, Poland. Over the following months, the Jewish population of Warsaw and the surrounding areas would be forced into a small section of the city dubbed the “Jüdischer wohnbezirk” or “the Jewish quarter,” the Warsaw ghetto. The situation within the ghetto was unbearable: 30 percent of the population was forced to live in 2.4 percent of the city’s area. The Nazi occupiers of the city strictly controlled the movement of goods, basic utilities and even food. Each person in the ghetto was allotted about 250 calories per day. This meant that the population would slowly starve.

Acts of rebellion within the ghetto were brutally suppressed and German retaliation was often strikingly disproportionate. In December 1939, for example, two German soldiers were killed in a local restaurant and 106 men in the ghetto were shot in reprisal. Sweeping mass arrests and random executions were also commonplace. In April 1940 the ghetto was walled off on all sides, effectively separating it from the outside world. The population was allowed limited control through an essentially powerless governing committee and a similarly ineffective Jewish police force.

Document 87 of 812
German troops set fire to housing blocks in order to suppress the Warsaw ghetto uprising by smoking members of the Jewish resistance out of hiding.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Palestinian firefighters try to extinguish flames at a medical warehouse after an Israeli air strike targeted a fuel tank nearby in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008. Israel widened its deadliest-ever air offensive against Gaza’s Hamas rulers Sunday, pounding Hamas targets, smugglers’ tunnels and a central prison.
AP Photo/Xinhua

Jews living anywhere in the greater occupied German territories were forced to wear armbands with the Star of David, which signified their position within the Nazi social strata (read subhuman). These armbands effectively determined people’s ability to travel, live and work, as well as the manner in which they would be treated by non-Jewish persons.

Leaving the Warsaw ghetto meant risking death or deportation to a concentration camp. Services such as hospitals and schools were often derelict, relying on an ever-decreasing stream of supplies allotted by the Nazis. The low supplies were often supplemented by goods smuggled in through tunnels, but such services were eventually forced to close.

The citizens of Warsaw organized a resistance movement during the Soviet advance. Their valiant attempt to fight the occupation, however, was brutally defeated and the Warsaw ghetto was razed to the ground. The ghetto’s remaining residents, those who had managed to evade deportation to concentration camps, were killed.

On September 12, 2005 the final Israeli settlement blocs in the Gaza Strip were dismantled and Israeli troops withdrew from the area after 38 years of military occupation. For Israel, the removal of troops signified an end to their occupation of Gaza. For the citizens of the Gaza Strip, however, the occupation had simply progressed into a new phase: the ghetto. The year 2005 marked the establishment of Gaza as an open-air prison for Palestinians.

Palestinian rescue workers carry a wounded prisoner past a fire, as another lies under the rubble in the central security headquarters and prison, known as the Saraya, after it was hit in an Israeli missile strike in Gaza City, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008.
AP Photo/Majed Hamdan

Document 358 of 812
The bodies of Jewish resisters lie in front of the ruins of a building where they were shot by the SS during the supression of the Warsaw ghetto uprising.
[Photograph #26547]
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Palestinians hold white flags as a signal for Israeli troops after leaving their house near the area where Israeli soldiers and Palestinean militants exchange fire outside Jabaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Jan. 5, 2009.
AP Photo/Hatem Moussa

Document 228 of 812
Members of the Jewish resistance captured by SS troops during the suppression of the Warsaw ghetto uprising.
[Photograph #26544]
United States Holocaust
Memorial Museum

The Israeli government controls the movement of all goods, including food, in and out of the Gaza Strip. A study done by Johns Hopkins University in 2002 showed that 17.5 percent of Gaza’s children aged 6–59 months suffer from chronic malnutrition and almost half of women and children suffer from anemia. These statistics have no doubt gone up in the wake of recent Israeli embargoes. Israel also controls basic necessities like power and plumbing. And of course it controls Gaza’s borders and airspace. The long ocean border, once an extremely viable source of income for Gazans through trade and fishing, is now strictly controlled by Israel.

For the most part, the movement of Palestinians into Israel is strictly forbidden. Until 2005 and the open revolt of Hamas in Gaza, Palestinians living in the territory were issued identification cards by the Palestinian Authority, with ID numbers given by Israel. These identification cards and their color casings determined what rights people had, where they were allowed to travel and, unofficially, how they were treated. Although they are no longer used in Hamas-controlled Gaza, these identification cards are used extensively in the West Bank, where Israeli checkpoints dot the region and prevent Palestinians from traveling freely within their territory. The situation of Palestinians in Gaza is unique: they have no official state and are thus treated as nonentities.

Document 4 of 812
The bodies of Jewish policemen executed by the SS during the Warsaw ghetto uprising.
[Photograph #05515]
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Bodies lie outside the Hamas police headquarters following an Israeli air strike on Gaza City on Dec. 27, 2008.
AFP Photo/Mohammed Abed

Hospitals and schools in Gaza are rarely, if ever, able to keep up with the demands of the population. Supplies to these institutions are controlled by Israel and during times of war are often cut off. Most recently, the Israeli embargo of Gaza struck a blow to the health care system: many essential drugs are unavailable and ambulances have been grounded due to a lack of spare parts. Israeli responses to provocation are wildly disproportionate. In the recent resumption of fighting between Hamas and Israel, the Israeli response to the murder of three civilians by Palestinian rockets was the wide-scale destruction of Gaza, which has thus far reportedly claimed the lives of 670 civilians.

Comparing any event with the actions of Nazi Germany during World War II should never be done lightly. When events lend themselves to such comparisons, however, it can almost certainly be said that something is very wrong. Though the stated goal of Israel has never been the complete destruction of the Palestinian people, the tactics and policies supported by the state of Israel paint an extremely grim picture.

Saeed David Mohammad is a first-generation American born to a Pakistani father and German mother. He is majoring in Middle Eastern Studies at New York University.

THE VIEWS OR OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS PHOTO ESSAY, AND THE CONTEXT IN WHICH THE IMAGES ARE USED, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OR POLICY OF, NOR IMPLY APPROVAL OR ENDORSEMENT BY, THE UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM

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Adbusters # MAY/JUNE 2009

A New Aesthetic

June
29, 2009
01:27 pm
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Using the term "zionist freaks" shows a misunderstanding of how the Jewish population (whether they live in modern day Israel or not) view the Holocaust. This article is making a direct comparison between the modern Israeli state and the Nazis. The rhetoric behind such an argument is great if you want to create controversy by pissing off Jews and "preaching to the (leftist) choir." If the author wanted to initiate an actual dialog between the two sides, he shouldn't have made comparisons between Israel and the regime that tried to destroy the Jewish race. On a side note, however, people shouldn't ever cancel their subscriptions just because some one says something that offends them. Otherwise you'll spend all your time just reading stuff you already agree with, and that's...well, it's boring. But I guess that's just my opinion. — darcdante

July
11, 2009
12:30 pm
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So we SHOULDN’T make comparisons and ignore the truth just because it upsets Jews? (well only some as there are plenty of Jews equally as disgusted by Israel who do not get insulted by truthful comparisons just because a state is doing something in the name of their religion). Stop trying to link anti-Zionism with anti-semitism you idiot. Any Adbusters reader that supports the state of Israel is a hypocrite and a just plain confused individual. — Anonymous

June
30, 2009
08:23 pm
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Maybe the idiot zionists should try formulating an argument that doesn't rely on an ad-hominem attack. — Anonymous

June
28, 2009
05:41 am
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- ...the occupation had simply progressed into a new phase: the ghetto. - what you call the guetto is what the Palestinians used to call their country. I don't know, couldn't they try to provide for themselves instead of bleming Israel for all their troubles? They receive so many donations, assistance and they've been living there for many years but they still cannot stand up on their own feet. Arafat alone had millions of dollars in many bank accounts but hey, miserable looking people look much better in the main on the front page than healthy educated ones. - The Israeli government controls the movement of all goods, including food, in and out of the Gaza Strip. A study done by Johns Hopkins University in 2002 showed that 17.5 percent of Gaza’s children aged 6–59 months suffer from chronic malnutrition and almost half of women and children suffer from anemia. - Israel is the country who contributes the most with food and drugs to the Gaza strip so called country, something like 40 trucks a day during the last operation, against 3 donated by their rich brothers from the Arab Emirates. The Hamas goverment won't distribute the food for the people but take it for themselves both because of their greediness and because the "chronic anemia" children are one of their best PR stunts. Have you ever been to an Israeli hospital? Many arabs are being treated in them both from Gaza and from the West Bank, emergency and long term treatments. Why because we're human. No Israeli citizen wakes up in the morning thinking about how he can screw up an Arab today. Regarding the "control" of goods entering aza looks like the Israeli's haven't been doing a very gos job since the ammunition and guns keep going in... - Israeli checkpoints dot the region and prevent Palestinians from traveling freely within their territory - Yes, peple get checked many times, yes, only people who are not terrorists are allowed inside Israel but hey I can live with that because I don't see children dead in buses on the way back home from school as much as we used to see.I dunno but it sounds reasonable to me. Do you think Irish terrorists would be allowed free transit in Ireland? Think again. Normal, law abiding Palestinian citizens work and study in Israel. Did you know that? Maybe you did but you do not care right? It's not part of your biased agenda. Saeed David Mohammad if you are so concerned about the future of the Palestinians why don't you come to Gaza and help educate them so they can vote right, vote for the people who can help them build a state and not destroy themselves and the Israelis. The Palestinians have been receiving money, Red Cross assistance, humanitarian help for decades but their leaders still prefer war to peace. They got the piece of land they wanted and that for so long claimed was their condition for peace but what now? Yes, think. think again. — Anonymous

July
05, 2009
12:48 am
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..and the United States donates an average of $2.2 billion a year to Israel which is more than double then what Palestinians receive in multilateral aid. And that figure doesn’t even count what the US has provided to the PNA in funds. How is your point even valid? — Anonymous

June
27, 2009
08:21 pm
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Other arabs could provide places for the palestinians to live, but they prefer the current situation. — Anonymous

June
28, 2009
04:07 am
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are u seriouse with ur outstanding idea ? woooow , such a great idea, just let all the palestinians leave and go so that jews could live in peace and harmony with each other without any bad arabs. Imperessing! i think u should suggest you´re idea in the UN, New York , everyone will be delighted ! — digital_thinking

June
27, 2009
09:29 pm
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Would you go live somewhere else if i wanted to move into your house? — Anonymous

June
26, 2009
10:21 pm
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No one buys for a second these silly IDF agents who pose as contributors to this site trying to defend Israel. Israel is indefensible. It was created illegally and has continued to violate international law. Israel is falling apart from with-in. It's not cool to be a zionist so the kids of today are disassociating themselves from the red-neck rhetoric of Israel and even Judaism which is losing numbers every year. Most Jewish kids I know have never been to temple and don't know the first thing about Judaism. When they get older they're now throwing it off all together. If you state that you're a religious Jew or even believe in that "Chosen people" crap at all you get laughed at. And rightly so. It's so old fashioned to be an elitist in the west. That's why no one buys Zionism any more. It's laughable. Like we can't look up the invention of Israel on the internet. Like you can trick us with your silly fox news programs about the innocent Jews and the evil Arabs. Ha. The world has passed you by. The world has passed "Israel" by. see ya. — Anonymous

June
30, 2009
03:27 pm
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How was it created illegally if the U.N approved it???? See, again you lie through your teeth.. There never was a place called "palestine" its a fairy tale arabs tell their kids.....never was, never will be.........actually, there is one placve, Jordan, although last I remember Jordan slaughtered 15000 "fakestinians " for trying to overthrow the government there.....so stop embarrassing yourself... Israel is defensible, just come and try to dislodge us you faggot....I dare you.... — Anonymous

June
28, 2009
05:49 am
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and you probably would take a gun yourself and kill the dirty jews that don't agree with you right? You're right, the state of Israel is so 1950's, so last century. Let's just get rid of them all.Hey wait maybe Ireland is also part of the past, let's kill all the catholics. Right? What about the Native Americans, they're part of the past also. Off with their heads! Now you are a niiice guy. — Anonymous

June
29, 2009
05:19 am
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And you would probably kill everyone on earth because you're a jewish-nazi and you hate all people. Is that you absurd logic here sparky? Just make up random shit and hope no one notices the original point that you were supposedly responding to? And what is your point? Or are you simply spouting in pain knowing that Israel is disintegrating? The poster above made a good point and it didn't have any thing to do with killing people. That's you. You're the one who introduced the "dirty jews" canard. Look guy, more and more people are finding religious elitism unacceptable. It just doesn't jibe with the facts available to the majority of humans on this earth. Israel is an expression of religious elitism in the extreme. Unlike Ireland, Israel was invented barely 60 years ago. Also pointing a finger at every other bad thing in this world doesn't excuse your bad thing. Just by way of logic and all. Furthermore this silly line of "reasoning" is pretty hackneyed Zionist rhetoric used to distract from their own crimes against humanity. You'll have to get up a little earlier in the morning to fool the folks on Adbusters with this old saw. Back to the drawing board there Netanyahu. — Anonymous

June
25, 2009
01:40 pm
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The comparison of Gaza to the Warsaw ghetto or Israelis to Nazis is almost incomprehensively offensive. Moreover, it is a tactic used by the anti-Israel movement to demonize Israel while displacing responsibility from their own elected body. Remember, Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005. Keep in mind that Israel provides virtually all of the electricity and water to Gaza and only shut off a portion of it after the democratically elected Gazan government, Hamas, tried to kidnap another Israeli soldier after holding the first one for more than 2 years. 1.5m Gazans might be surrounded by 6m Jews who recognize the need for a Palestinian state, but Israel is surrounded by 800m Arabs many of whom support groups trying to eradicate the Jewish one. The truth of the matter is that it is a complicated topic and only when both sides negotiate in good faith is there even a chance at a reasonable peace between the two. — JG Canada

June
23, 2009
02:57 pm
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I'm happy to see that at least Adbusters is showing the world what is really going on. This is pretty hypocritical on Israel's part given their history and reason for their existence. I used to have sympathy for them as a people after studying the Holocaust in school, but would now just really prefer to see them go away for good. — Ting Ba Dho

June
24, 2009
10:44 am
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Ting, The Holocaust is not the reason for Israel's existence, it is the ancient home of the Jews, they are the 'indigenous' people in this sense. Theodor Hertzl started the Zionist movement in the 19th century, way before the Holocaust. — clive

June
30, 2009
02:33 pm
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Zionism is Racism! Designating any land, especially when a culture only has a brief historical claim (I think the Romans have more claim than the Jews), for a specific religion or culture is in fact the very definition of racism. Then again I totaly belive in a Pre Human Monkey zionizum... "Out of the Zoos and into the trees!" Quotes my favorite Primate Thinker Coco — Hilter

June
30, 2009
03:20 pm
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You have just proved how dumb and ignorant you are.........."Romans have more right to Israel then Jews" Where the hell did you learn that? your weekly kkk/muslim classes? Israel was here long befoire any Romans, or muslim arabs...Islam did not even exist until 2000 years after Judaism.. This is Israeli Jewish Land, given to the JEws by G-D before Christianity even existed...GO LEARN YOUR HISTORY AFTER YOU CASH YOUR WELFARE CHECK. Man your dumb. — Anonymous

June
30, 2009
08:24 pm
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You don't OWN anything moron, property is just an intellectual construct. Kind of like your fucking religion: a delusion. You're giving Jews a bad name fucker. — Anonymous

June
26, 2009
09:56 pm
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Clive, You're powerfully mistaken. European practitioners of Judaism are by and large, Caucasian, Khazars Slavs, etc. Judaism is not a race. Full stop. Any claims to Palestine made by white European and Americans is nothing short of racist colonialist fantasy and religions zealotry. This kind of bigotry invented by the likes of a few bad apples like Hertzl is precisely why today's Jews in general get a bad name. Thankfully many of us are disassociating ourselves from the ridiculous notions of our uninformed ancestors and taking on these antiquated ideas of divine right and ethnic superiority which is what Zionism preaches. I am completely opposed to the idea of a Jewish state built in Palestine to appease Jewish suffering during World War II and can think of little else that is so cynically ironic. This ADbusters article nails it on the head. Israel was a bad idea from the outset and nothing good can come from it until it is addressed with truth and justice. Please read "When and How was the Jewish People Invented" By Tel Aviv University scholar Shlomo Zand. I think you'll find it very hard to maintain your idea that Palestine (Israel) is the ancient home of today's practitioners of Judaism. -Dave — Anonymous

June
30, 2009
08:25 pm
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Hear hear! — Anonymous

June
23, 2009
12:10 am
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I used to read adbusters but it has been getting more and more biased against jews and against Israel. You have lost all credibility and you have become a radical media that instead of helping unite are alienating. Why don't you write about: - How Egypt, Syria and Iran have only helped the Palestinian people with arms. And they never accepted them into their territory. - How Iran is KILLING people just because they want to be heard and freedom of speech and freedom of religion is unthinkable. - How Palestinian schools are teaching kids how to hate Israel and how to kill jews. - How arab israelies are thriving in Israel with a high degree of education, salaries and well-being. - How Israel is the only democratic country in the middle east. - How in 1948 the Palestinians were the ones who invaded Israel starting a war that was the beginning of the end in the region. So if you pretend to be serious you should at least pretend to be not so biased against Israel and jews in general! — ezban

June
22, 2009
11:40 pm
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Israel, as extremely flawed as it is, lays in the center of the Arab world. From its conception until current times, Israel's connections to the US and the UN have always helped it to stay afloat. With such parents, no wonder it is so easy to point the blame in one direction. But where is Palestine? This country of decades of refugees? The Arabic world powers that surround Palestine and Israel have never helped the Palestinians. They have only fueled the Jewish, US and UN hatred in the Arab mindscape. Why? Perhaps Muslim fundamentalists want Palestine to be martyrs. Did they ask all of the men, women and children if they were up to it? Perhaps Egypt does not want Hamas in their homeland. Perhaps Lebanon does not want their women and children to strap bombs to themselves. With its rich oil history why doesn't Saudi Arabia open its borders to these refugees. Why is the US and the UN always the Captain Hook that we love to hate? Iran pledges to make nuclear weapons. They stroke Israel's violent ego. They help, in the minds of Israel's fundamentalist neanderthals, to justify their paranoid revenge. Instead of making pledges to blow up half of the world why doesn't Iran make a little food for their malnourished Muslim neighbors. All of the Arab world sits and watches a Muslim people fall deeper and deeper into this "ghetto" as the writer of this article says. Stop pointing fingers. Fuck that. Who will fix Palestine's ruined streets? who will rebuild their schools? who will take the bombs off of their children? * *On a side note, Adbusters, this article let me down. the Jews=Nazis argument is parochial and has never worked. Next time, print something thought provoking (as the rest of your paper is). — Anonymous

June
22, 2009
12:04 am
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Israel is all about slow gradualised colonial conquest. And nothing else. Don't believe me? Check out this really neat interactive map from the Guardian (UK). Work your way down the buttons on the left: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2008/sep/11/israelandthepalestinians And some of you in this comments forum that stand there and point to the -other- abuses going on in other parts of this closed system that we call The World kind of smacks of “if they’re doing it then why can’t we? It’s just not helpful if conflict resolution is really your goal. Israel is expanding – and has done so ever since it forced itself on the region in 1948. This is the root cause of the conflict. Many in the west are unable or unwilling to consider this slow Israeli border expansion as a possible factor in the Palestinian rocket attacks. If the democratically elected Hamas is to recognize Israel as a precondition for peace – then which Israel is it supposed to recognize? 1967 Israel? 1982 Israel? 2009 Israel? Can someone point me in the direction of a map with fixed borders? Thanks — Scott ewing

June
21, 2009
11:32 pm
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Hmmm. I wonder how long it will take before Adbusters posts a blog about what's going on in Iran. I wonder when Adbusters will focus on the genocide in Sudan, which is far worse than this. Although the israeli/palestinian conflict is something to be concerned about, I wonder when Adbusters will talk about more important shit. I've read so many adbusters articles about Palestine, that they seem to be all the same to me. A lot of which use harsh comparisons to Nazi Germany. I see some use in this, but at the same time you are forcing people to take a side and thus losing some supporters that you may have had. — WickUdNoreastaH

June
27, 2009
02:00 am
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So in other words you don't have an actual argument... suffice it to say that adbusters has a lot of articles on all those other things... why don't you go to those comment boards instead of commenting on this one... Simple right? Any fool can do that, even you... — Anonymous

June
21, 2009
08:50 am
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Israel is the worst thing to happen to Jewish people since the Holocaust. Israel is the biggest threat to Jewish people in the world since the Nazis. Once you open the door of racism, just a crack, anything can happen and everything will happen. So you get to see Jewish people behaving like Nazis. Why is anybody surprised? I think one day the general population in the west will start ignoring mainstream media and openly discuss what Israel has done and is doing. The Jewish people will realize the Zionists have hijacked their religion and see the downside of 20 years of "Israel equals Jewish, Jewish equals Israel" propaganda. The average person will see what the Israelis are doing and say "Israelis are bad people, so Jews are bad people". The Jewish people outside Israel can say "No, but we're the good Jews" all they want. Ask the Japanese Americans how well that worked. — Anonymous

June
24, 2009
10:17 am
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It is quite untrue and malicious to equate Jewish behaviour with Nazi behaviour. Every country has a right to defend itself. Name me one Arab country or region, including Gaza, where the rulers have a positive vision towards a better future, and live in harmony with their neighbours. There aren't many. Look at Iran today. You won't get a better future from hating and blaming everyone around you. It comes from better leadership. You can't blame everyone else indefinitely. — clive

June
26, 2009
10:08 pm
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Clive You must live in and or work for Israel. Only a zionist would spout your blatant racist rhetoric. Israel behaves like Nazis and will be rightly criticized until they are brought to justice for their colonialist genocide. You can't go on blaming the rest of the world forever and suggesting that everyone is anti-semitic cause they don't support a tiny elitist group of Jewish people who are carrying out genocide of Palestine. To continue you cheer-leading for Israel only makes you a Nazi as well. The fact that Jews suffered in Europe has no bearing on what they do now in Palestine. If you behave like a Nazi you'll be called one. You can dress it up and try to hide your true colors but everyone can see that today's Israeli's are nothing short of Nazis and Nazi sympathizers. — Anonymous

June
20, 2009
11:30 am
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@ Andrew Benjamin What about Surah 4 Verse 90: Except those who join A group between whom And you there is a treaty (Of peace), or those who approach You wish hearts restraining Them from fighting you As well as fighting their own People. If Allah had pleased, He could have given them Power over you, and they Would have fought you: Therefore if they withdraw From you but fight you not, And (instead) send you (Guarantees of) peace, then Allah Hath opened no way For you (to war against them) or Surah 8 Verse 39: And fight them on Until there is no more Tumult or oppression, And there prevails Justice and faith in Allah Altogether and everywhere; But if they cease, verily Allah Doth see all that they do. or Surah 8 Verse 61: But if the enemy Incline towards peace, Do thou (also) incline Towards peace, and trust In Allah: for He is the One The heareth and knoweth (All things). Oh wow, I can find quotes that contextually support what I'm saying. Here are several quotes that state "If your enemy wants to fight, fight them. If they want peace, give them peace." Sounds reasonable to me. — Anonymous

August
11, 2009
08:14 pm
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It is reasonable. But I have a hard time to have a conversation with Anonymous. Most of my friends are called Jack, Steve, Ahmed, Ayad. I never met anyone called Anonymous before. — Anonymous

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