http://indymedia.org.il
Contemplate crimes against humanity?Thursday 31 Oct 2002
author: Rob Lewin (robsl@aol.com)
The article "Israel Contemplating Crimes against Humanity" brings to mind George Orwell's "1984," and Philip Dick's "The Minority Report" where individuals are charged with crimes prior to their commission. This shoddy piece of reporting only supports those who seek war over peace in the region, as it inflames and makes victims of many who not only call for the elimination of Israel, but the removal of all Jews from the region by force. Perhaps the author's next piece should be titled "Palestinians Contemplating Blowing up Israeli Babies." Certainly that has happened on numerous occasions and will undoubtedly happen again. But, that too, would be poor reporting. The Middle East has one democracy, and that's Israel. In Israel, Arab citizens have a higher voter turnout than in any Arab nation, where they are not only not allowed to vote, but are systematically marginalized by the dictators who rule them. What better way to deflect criticism and stifle decent than to divert attention from themselves to the Palestinian Israeli conflict. Only the politically naive and easily duped fall for this tactic. Then again, no need for Israeli supporters to worry, as the same people who have turned a rich history of American protest movements into a yearly party will, as usual, tire soon and find a new cause du jour. Perhaps, the next cause should revolve around bringing democracy to the Middle East. But, probably not, as that would involve risking the lives of the people who live there.