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Americans in Jerusalem 'Feel the Hate' for Obama
A new video posted on the Internet featuring inebriated American Jewish youth in a Jerusalem bar spouting hate-filled sentiments has garnered massive exposure and caused a firestorm in the media and the Jewish world.
In the video, filmed on June 3 and titled "Feeling the Hate in Jerusalem on the Eve of Obama's Cairo Address," the visitors to Israel are asked their opinions on President Barack Obama and his relationship to the Jewish state (text continues after clips below).
Click on PLAY icon to watch video (warning: foul language, racism)
Watch the response to 'feel the hate'
"You're all about talking to the Arabs," says one. "You're going to Cairo making a speech to the Muslim world trying to get them to love you, what about the Jews, man? What are we, chopped liver? You don't care about us. Are we nothing to you? Do we matter? Do you care if we get driven into the sea? Do you care if we get nuked? Are we even... ugh... do you care about us?!"
"My grandmother was in Auschwitz, Obama," he adds. "We're not going to take any Auschwitz bullshit! Listen, Obama, my grandma's number was 1268493, I remember her number on her arm, dude. And listen, never again will we deal with this, never again!"
The four-minute video has been seen by more than 214,000 viewers on YouTube since it was put up last Thursday.
In preparation for Obama's speech in Cairo on Thursday, director Max Blumenthal visited Jerusalem's downtown pub area with video camera in hand to "ascertain the feelings of the young population" about the president and his relationship with Israel.
The video begins with Blumenthal at a bar, interviewing a group of drunk Jewish American youth.
"He's a f**khead... I don't know politics, but he's a s**thead! Anyone who wants to take away my gun rights is an a***ole. He's an a***ole and deserves to get shot," declares a bandana-wearing youngster.
The camera shifts to his friend, who denounces Obama, frat-boy style: "Obama shouldn't pressure Israel for shit. Netanyahu told him to f**k himself and that's how we do it here in Israel baby, (applause) yah!"
Another member of the group stands up and declares, "I worked for the Obama campaign, but honestly, you f**kin' with Israel, you mother, STOP IT!" He stands and points his finger at the camera lens.
"White power, f**k the ni***rs!" declares the bandana-clad drunken youth as a final word from the group, grabbing the microphone to make his point.
In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Blumenthal, an American documentary filmmaker, defended his video.
Asked about its editing, he said that in the two hours of video he collected, "no people were edited out who expressed pro-Obama sentiments."
Why did he use the interviewees featured?
"These were the most direct responses. I had to make the video watchable," Blumenthal said.
He denied that using inebriated teenagers to represent "a slice of reality, but reality nonetheless," was irresponsible journalism. "Reporting is no less credible when it happens at a bar," he said.
He has become the target of a storm of media criticism since the video's release.
Ta-Nehisi Coates, writing for the The Atlantic magazine, was unimpressed with Blumenthal's journalistic skills.
"For what it's worth, on a very visceral level, what I see is a bunch of drunk racist white kids, doing what I'd expect a bunch of drunk racist white kids to do. I don't really have 'higher expectations' because of the particulars of the Jewish experience, any more than I have 'higher expectations' for Irish-Americans due to the oppressive immigrant experience of their ancestors," Coates wrote.
"Man, listen, hand me a fifth of Henny, a video camera, and an hour, and I'll show you Negroes claiming that God's messenger lives in a space-ship orbiting the earth," he added.
Capital J, a Jewish Telegraphic Agency blog, asked, "Would Weiss post video extracting the worst of thug culture and claim it as representative of the African American experience? How grotesque."
After the first table of participants interviewed, Blumenthal introduces viewers to "Political Science Girl," identified by the assistant director, Joseph Dana, as a Jewish girl from Florida.
Sitting at an outside bar with a group of friends, she is asked by Blumenthal to give her opinion on Obama.
"What is he doing for this country so far? Nothing," she responds. "I'm a political science major so like... I know my s**t."
Blumenthal, who said the girl was not given anything to drink during or before the interview, then quizzes her on figures in Israeli politics.
"Do you know who Binyamin Netanyahu is?" he asks.
"No. Is he the Israel prime minister or something? I don't know who he is. Who's Benjamin Yahoo?" she asks in a drunken state.
Only one interviewee featured asks about the purpose of the video, saying: "I think Obama is an idiot and I just think... wait, is this going to be on national TV or something?"
In his Mondoweiss blog, Blumenthal identifies the interviewees as "college-educated sons and daughters of middle and upper class American Jews from cosmopolitan metropolises and genteel suburbs."
"The sense of entitlement that the American Jewish community has when it comes to Israeli policy is on full raw display in the words of these young adults," he wrote.
According to Blumenthal, some of those interviewed were on "programs like Birthright Israel - a few of those in my video were on birthright tours."
However, Ada Spitzer, vice president for marketing, community relations and development for birthright, said the claims were unfounded.
"We don't really know if these are birthright people. In any case, we will check," she said. "There have been kids before who said they were on birthright, and they were not."
"The comments of the interviewees are reprehensible and are not reflective of the attitude of the vast majority of Israelis," said Alan Schneider, B'nai B'rith World Center director.
"You can get this kind of comment anywhere if you go looking for it. I don't think it contributes anything at all to the debate," he added.
Alan Hoffmann, director-general of the Jewish Agency's Education Department, was likewise disconcerted by the video.
"On the basis of a group of inebriated teenagers, to draw any conclusions about the quality of Jewish and Zionist education is really unacceptable," he told the Post.
"Whoever prepared this went out of their way to find people who have clearly been drinking," Hoffmann said. "It makes me wonder about the motivations of those who edited this video."
The spokesman for Democrats Abroad in Israel, Sheldon Schorer, called the video "useless."
"This video is of no value whatsoever. If you removed the expletives you'd be left with very little material," Schorer said.
The video, which he noted was made before Obama's speech, "should be ignored as a silly piece and as more of a comment on the depth to which the Internet can sink."
"The journalist really should have gone out to find people who had an opinion and supported their opinion. You can't have an intelligent discussion with someone who is inebriated," he said.
The Anti-Defamation League declined to comment on the video.
- Posted in
159 Comments so far
Show AllI've seen this video and it only shows that Israelis are not that different from the rest of mankind. Maybe it's time we start treating them just like other people, with the same rights and obligations.
I agree. This "chosen people" nonsense has got to go. I heard they even defecate like the rest of us.
Deleted post - misprinting.
Deleted - the gremlins are at work. If at first you don't succeed, ... /cm
They do, but will only admit to it under 'enhanced interrogation' and after that they still will not admit that it has any 'color or odor'.
As for traveling to Israel---I would suggest that "folks" wait awhile.
After the USA collapses ,most likely sooner than later ; Israel will have a very short time to enjoy their "abusive position"---after that---visiting Israel will be more like visiting the "Museum of Human Stupidity, arrogance, and abuse"( where the USA will have a large 'section') and should remain a lasting illustration to how low humanity can fall---before it rises from the ashes it created of its own existence---if it is able that is.
Hey, pass the toilet paper will ya?
Good Luck Israel/America, you really need it.
jewish_mom, they do not defecate like us, at least not all of them.
Standard Operating Procedure in Israel is to defecate into burlap sacks and then tie them over the heads of their Arab captives. Torture.
So, the particulars of this simple act we do not share.
respectfully, joe
BS - so nobody is different than anybody else. A rapist is no different than the rest of humanity. So why arrest them?
Was Nazi Germany "no different" than the rest of mankind.
This is an attempt to gloss over the monstrosity that is Zionism, and is beyond shameful.
There's no language of morality that Zionists won't degrade to support Israel.
Har Davids: And you've only now come to that conclusion. Here I was suffering under the delusion that all humans beings are precious and equal in the eyes of God. The problem starts when some people are treated differently--or believe they are in some way superior to others.
Yet the stink they would make...How they would call foul...How they would play the anti-semitism card...How they would wail on about being the eternal victim when anyone should fold back the cover on the shameful lies Israel pushes and that no one in the world believes except the US who foots the bill.
Sorry, even at the most drunken bars full of white kids, have I ever witnessed such uniform kick ass thuggery by middle-class spoiled brats.
".. treating them just like other people, with the same rights and obligations"
Har har
From the article:
"He (Obama)'s an a***ole and deserves to get shot," declares a bandana-wearing youngster."
Five'll get you ten that this kid is never even interviewed by the Secret Service upon his return, much less charged with an indictable offense.
There's a direct line connecting the attitude of these knuckleheads today to the attack on the USS Liberty 40 years ago: the crimes committed by a select few must be overlooked because "larger concerns" must take precedence.
Justice=equality before the law.
The Israeli policies of territorial expansion by armed force, by confiscation of private property, by ethnic cleansing, are in violation of Geneva Conventions, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, and in violation of peace agreements Israel has signed. They show disregard and disrespect of every US administration. These policies are suicidal for the long-term well-being of Israel. Everyone wonders, even people of Jewish ancestry like myself, who drives these policies? Why would Israel want to assure its own destruction? This video clip of American Jews followed by the video clip of Israeli Jews shows that it is the US Zionists, ignorant of reality, thinking that war is a football game, who are so bent on these insane policies. Everyone thinks that AIPAC represents Israel, and directs US money, weapons, and policies to serve Israeli interests. Well, perhaps it is AIPAC that serves the ignorance of US Zionists and threatens Israeli interests.
Those Jewish Idiots from the US need to enlist in the US Army and go to Iraq or Afghanistan to defend their precious Israel. If Israel convinces the US to attack Iran then they should be sent to Iran. Its pretty easy to urge other people to fight, as does Israel itself, as well as its US supporters.
Just think, US kids who can't find work or afford school, often have no recourse than to go into the service. Often their lives, if not their minds and bodies are shattered and, upon return, are still denied good care and opportunity. Israel collects billions and has a high standard of living, US kids are denied healthcare and educational opportunities and are the goyum armies sent to fight wars of "choice" for Israel. Anyone who denies it and says it is all about oil and only resources, is in denial. They aren't hearing Israel's concerted effort to go after Iran, after they managed to off Iraq--and then, of course, denied it. The pursuit of resources may converge, but they are not the only interests driving this agenda.
Are you saying that you believe that Israel (or "the Jews") somehow secretly masterminded the U.S. invasion of Iraq?
They banged the drums to get Saddam Hussein and now they are banging them to go into Iran.
What the hell do you think?
Is Binyamin Netanyahu a US zionist? Avigdor Liberberman?
you say what you really feel when your drunk.
It's really sad to me that people are using this video to justify anti semitism. These people being interviewed are racist and their comments un-defendable. But how can you use that to turn around and insult the Jewish people?
There's enough hatred directed at Jews all over the world. Let's put a stop to it. And a stop to oppressive policies towards the Palestinian people. There's no contradiction between those two positions.
Please show me an example of someone using this video "to justify anti semitism (sic)."
Criticism of Israeli policies and zionist attitudes is not anti-Semitism.
q
It is the non-Semitic Jews of East European ancestry in Israel who are the anti-semites, keeping 1.5 million Semitic Arab people in an open air prison in Gaza. I have been accused of anti-semitism when criticizing Israel. I just laugh.
you are right ekaton & all prime ministers of israel have all been ashkenazi jews descendants of the land of khazaria not even true jews
quickstepper: vivid 101 is right, though you may have missed what happened. Earlier today there was a posting here that said the Nazis should have gassed the Jews in this video. I wrote a horrified protest in reply to this shocking proposal - and checking again later I find both the offending post and my reply removed. Someone must have reported the "gas the Jews" nonsense to commondreams. The anti-semitism of it was intense, even gruesome.
OK, you found one.
I wouldn't be surprised if it was posted by an AIPAC troll (search engine 'false flag' and see what you get).
If you think you've proven some sort of point, you haven't.
Diversion.
criticising Israel is fine. They should get out of the West bank. Now. And those kids are obnoxious ignorant pukes. Drunk or not.
The problem is that there are many many antisemites, and they leap all over this stuff. And these people infest this "comments" section, polluting it with hatred.
There was one a few weeks ago, that Hitler was doing the right thing.
Don't kid yourself folks, there is no shortage of haters of the Jews. They are the same people who hate blacks muslims, asians, Mexicans, and so on.
The problem is, the horrible policies of Israel, and the settlers, makes ground for the ignorant bigots.
They have to get out of the west Bank and Gaza. Stop giving the countries around them excuses for their own hideous behavior.
Here's the problem.
If you hate Jews, like the religious right-wing here, but you support Israel, like the religious right-wing here, you're not called anti-Semitic.
If you advocate for rights and human dignity of all people and happen to include Palestinians, THEN YOU ARE CALLED ANTI-SEMITIC AND YOUR CAREER IS DESTROYED.
All this is happening before your very eyes, with either the active involvement or passive acceptance of the vast majority of Jews. They have made their bed, and now they're ducking responsibility for it.
You've got that wrong.
The video doesn't make me feel anti Semitic at all. In fact I feel a lot of compassion for the Semitic Palestinians. It does make me dislike Zionism tremendously. The modern Israeli is more than likely not Semitic. Being a Jew doesn't confer racial identity. It is a religious identity. Nothing what-so-ever to do with being Semitic.
It is just another way of their practice of disinformation, by the supporters of the a-moral regime of Israel to conflate and confuse Semitism with Zionism.
Zionism, founded on bigotry and hate, can have no other result.
Zionism, founded on bigotry and hate, and ANTI-SEMITISM, can have no other result.
score another great cinematic achievement for youtube.
Yes there are Israeli's as those shown in the videos, AND there are Israelis who work for peace, for coexistence, who do not practice racism. There are Israeli's who are not zionists, who want justice and peace. It's important to remember, the media manipulates...they do not present the whole picture. This is another such instance.
Of course you are right, Baruchzed, but you overstate your case. Don't forget that polls showed Israeli support for the IDF's New Year's slaughter in Gaza at upwards of 80 percent. What the kids in this tape express is merely the mainstream attitude in Israel and in a disturbing percentage of American Jews, though I think, and hope, that among the latter, those who feel this way are in the minority. At least that's the way it seems to me among the people I know. Unfortunately, however, the bigwigs of the so-called "Jewish establishment" in the U.S. seem to feel overwhelmingly this way, even if they might not express it as crudely as the youngsters on Blumenthal's video.
Yes, both those Israelis (sarcasm).
I'm sorry, but you're using a meaningless few and irrelevantly impotent group to cover the ass of the vast majority of Jews.
It's called ducking responsibility, and it's shameful. Which is par for Zionists.
You make an incorrect assumption. I'm not a zionist. In fact you know nothing about me. I was stating that not all Israeli's are racist haters. I'm not trying to cover anyone's ass, just to remind us that nothing is black and white.
Right here in the affluent white suburbs surrounding Philadelphia, if there are Jews who don't align themselves with the Zionist cause, they are silent. The Zionists have letters in the local paper most everyday and they ruthlessly attack anyone who challenges them.
Every time I read one of your posts, I'm reminded of just how blindly you succumb to Zionist propaganda. Your constant inference that all Jews support Israel's actions is unambiguously a reflection of media indoctrination and extensive establishment propaganda. Such an inference on your part is akin to the assertion that all Americans support George Bush's policies, though perhaps you believe that to be true as well. The semi-amusing part is that, while you think you are taking a stance in opposition to the Zionists, in reality you're fulfilling the very function they've assigned to you. In asserting that no ideological diversity exists among the Jewish people - that they all think with one mind for one objective - you're supporting the already-rampant suppression of opinion within Jewish communities and you're presenting yourself to the Zionists as a tool to support their bullshit lie that opposition to Zionism equals opposition to Jews because the former is synonymous with the latter - a claim supported by Zionists and jingoists the world over. Perhaps if you took the time to educate yourself, you'd realize how unfounded your views are. Or perhaps you prefer to remain uneducated because it is certainly easier to see everything in black and white, without the nuisance of having to take the time to unravel the myriad complexities which inevitably accompany all historically-rooted political conflicts.
I'll give you the benefit of the doubt; here's a link that may help: http://www.geneva-accord.org/mainmenu/-july-poll-vast-majority-of-american-jews-favor-two-state-solution
Hilarious! I'm accused of following Zionist propaganda! You made my day!!
Please show me where I said "all Jews support Israel's actions". Nowhere? I thought so.
Zionists trolls come out with more and more creative ways to try to shut people up.
Now that I've demolished your argument, you can take your silly "educate yourself" and stick it back from where you pulled it out recently.
You Zionists are beyond shameful.
"Such an inference on your part is akin to the assertion that all Americans support George Bush's policies"
Interesting line because that in itself is sweeping. Americans that would not support George Bush's policies may accept the same policies when promoted by Obama.
You claim that all Jews don't back the Zionist line, but they are silent and fearful of betraying the tribe and being accused of being a "self hating Jew".
I don't see them en mass, I don't hear them en mass, but I see the Jewish names always backing the hard line and every politician kissing the Zionist ring. So, don't tell us we don't see what we see because there doesn't seem to be a countermovement with more than a mouse's squeak.
The line that says "warning: foul language, racism" should have been expanded to include homophobia - one of the guys calls Obama a "faggot."
Sexism too - the same guy calls Obama a "pussy."
JoannafromCanada
"The line that says "warning: foul language, racism" should have been expanded to include homophobia - one of the guys calls Obama a "faggot.""
ESC: Should the warning not also be expanded to include sexism??? Obama was also called a "pussy!" Ironically, one of the other shining examples of our male species shouted that he just wanted to get himself some pussy.
"faggot" is an apropriate term when defining obsama, since the literal meaning of "Faggot" is a "bundle of schticks"...
There is the "big stick" that he carries for weilding empire, and then there are all the other schticks up his ass that the corporatists weild the joystick for... Namely the MIC (big war), the Banksters (big debt), big coal, big agriculture, and the Chicago boys foreign policy...
The guy went from king of the earth to a gimpy bitch of empire overnite... And his fanclub eats the puke crumbs of those backstabbed like popcorn after the carnival... Bread and circus, baby...
wow
what a rant
for all the preferential treatment the zion state receives - i think these comments are a stark example of the twisted and hate filled mind set that has poisoned the jewish state turning it into a fascist and heartless state
alleigance oaths - no rights for arabs - and so on
we, the united states, have fostered and enabled a monster
Maybe it's time for another "Liberty"-style attack on a US Navy ship. You know, just to show Obama who is boss.
Please don't drag out the old saw of anti-semitism. Aren't Arabs semites?
These young people are representative of the undercurrent of anti-Arab/Palestinian thought.
Wasn't it Golda Meir who said the Palestinians were vermin and should be exterminated?
In a letter to the New York Times, the well known writer, Hannah Arendt, Bernard Baruch, the philanthrophist, and Albert Einstein, said that Menachem Begin, former president/prime minister of Israel, should not be allowed to enter the U.S. because he was a terrorist. Begin was a member of the Stern Gang, who blew up the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, killing many innocent people.
If Zionists object to their young people talking or behaving the way they do, then the older people must do something to change the attitudes of the young people.
Unfortunately, many older Zionists think the same way, but do not express their opinions openly. If they would not have those opinions, they would not elect a proto-fascist government, which continues building Israel walls, insuring the separation of Palestinian families, and continuing the Zionist program of apartheid.
The only way to stop Israeli madness is to stop American taxpayers from sending ten million dollars every day to Israel for more weapons. And to institute a strong boycott campaign, which was the only thing that brought down the apartheid regime of South Africa.
There is a strong undercurrent of racism in the Zionist mentality, and they continue using AIPAC, the American Israel Political Action Committee, as a hammer to force the U.S. Congress to continue voting vast sums of U.S. dollars for Israeli depredations. AIPAC, along with the drug, insurance, & war industries, are the most powerful lobbies in Washington. It is they who threaten, cajole, & otherwise force Congressman to vote billions of tax dollars to maintain their sleazy operations.
If there were such thing as honor & concern for one's fellow man, those lobbyists would be put out to pasture, where they belong with the rest of those creatures who feed at troughs.
"There is a strong undercurrent of racism in the Zionist mentality,"
And that is an understatement.
AIPAC is the American Israel Public AFFAIRS Committee. Although, they ACT in ALL WAYS as a political action committee, as an agent of a foreign government, they are not required to register as a lobby for a foreign government.
I remember cheering Israel in 1967. The miracle victory of a valiant people. I bought into the whole Isreal is good, Arabs/Muslims bad nonsense back then. It seemed that Jews here were the ones to side with and help oppressed and discriminated people. Jews here seemed to be in the front lines of civil rights, directly supporting black causes and more.
Much of that was so, still, so much for blindness. I was glad to note the reference the the USS Liberty. We must not forget the deliberate murder in 1967, which those of us cheering for Israel heard nothing (truthful) about.
I remember also the spies for Israel who we know about who were caught, even though we were sharing secrets with Israel officially. We (here in the USA) either don't notice or fail to realize that Israel has always been a one-sided "friend." They take friendship from us, claim friendship for us and just plain take.
Israel has never been our friend, and by extension, Jews are not friends of the US. AIPAC keeps proving that from their actions. So too other Jews by their low profile in not condemning Israeli actions and AIPAC actions any louder.
We are still overlooking to what extent Israel and Jews in general have used the holocaust to justify displacing, deprecating and killing an entire population, rooted for centuries and then to continue killing, and squeezing them in something along the lines of ethnic cleansing but enough removed from "E.C." in details they can claim it isn't ethnic cleansing.
More like "the only good Injun/Palestinian is a dead one." It more closely mirrors the cleansing of the (so-claimed) savage Indians in the 1800's in the US. No promise unbroken, no Indian/Palestinian worthy of equal or even slightly decent treatment and of course they (the ones being wiped out) are the savages (justification by category - a lie, of course). And no territory not taken, removing the "savages" to small isolated, impoverished set-aside land areas.
As far as whether he should have done interviews in bars, compare that to how many news interviews are conducted in bars here, usually connected with some game. They all do the rah-rah thing with a certain loss of judgement due to alcohol. Generally the TV stations know they can get dependable partisan, drunken statements for some cheap news-hole time.
But that doesn't mean you are not getting the undercurrent they usually keep better hidden. In the other (counter) interview we see more thoughtful answers (and after-the-speech answers) but also answers with more thought devoted to public relations (i.e. lies). Give a little alcohol to let the censor slide a tad and you will start seeing the underbelly without its shirt. Clearly they thought they had to freedom to hate openly. The power to get away with it.
This is especially seen with aggresively held bigotry and hatred. Get hate-minded people in groups, especially, such as bars, such as army squads, such as sets of settlers, and you will see this behavior with armaments. This is the reveal. It is who these folks really are. Kind of like applying liquor to a few KKK members. You would get this kind of thing and you would not say it is inaccurate. Embarrasing, but telling.
Israel should pay the price by ceasing to exist. I used to believe the nonsense about God giving the Israelites eminent domain over that piece of land, to push off the other people and simply take over for themselves. I've considered that very suspicious for a long time now. No god ever gave them eminent domain. They exist on stolen land and they need to go. The drunken bar talk may not reveal the most thought-out feelings and may be over-the-top boasting but the ugly reveal does show them in their true light.
I wouldn't have thought so before. I would have considered a drunken interview like this unfair coverage. Now, after the way the Israelis treat the Palestinians and the way Jews in general let Israel get on with this treatment and support it, I do believe the ugliness about Israel, and its slop-over onto Jews anywhere. I really detest stating that, but we need to start making that point to Jews overall (or Israel will never listen) and to Israel pointedly (or Jews will not reach into Israel to change it).
"More like "the only good Injun/Palestinian is a dead one." It more closely mirrors the cleansing of the (so-claimed) savage Indians in the 1800's in the US. No promise unbroken, no Indian/Palestinian worthy of equal or even slightly decent treatment and of course they (the ones being wiped out) are the savages (justification by category - a lie, of course). And no territory not taken, removing the "savages" to small isolated, impoverished set-aside land areas."
Because of their similar histories in this regard, I think that is part of the reason the US citizenry are so blind when it comes to Isreal. We did it, so it can't be that bad, right? So when Isreal does it, welllll, whaddyagonnadoyano?
"Give a little alcohol to let the censor slide a tad"
Yes, to level the playing field those in the second video should have been required to drink three or four He-Brews before being interviewed. Either that, or the American students should have been interviewed while sober.
A little background on this video.
As their accents suggest, these drunken He-Brew (actual Israeli beer brand) filled thugs weren't Isrealis, they were mostly US Jews on their free vacation-trip to Israel that Israel provides all US Jews.
The young Jewess who said she was a political science student, but had never heard of "Benjamin Yahoo" was precious. Only a young USAn (of any ethnicity/religion) could be so stupid.
There are a few Jews who do good on their free Israel trip. One I know snuck away from the guided tour and went straight to the West Bank to do solidarity action with the Palestinins against the wall. I heard another speak after returning from Gaza while doing work with the ISO against the Isreali home demolitions. She gave a slide show and spoke passionalty of the reality in Gaza (and this was the pre-blockade times). There were several Jews in the audience who then proceed to spew "why are you slandering the Jewish race"-type hatred and vitriol on the poor woman - bringing up the nazi holocaust of course. Several of the older female Jews stormed out in tears they were so angry.
Don't underestimate the powerful, and often violent racist emotions that are the very marrow of Zionism.
Joseph Weitz, the Director of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) affiliated to the World Zionist Organisation, wrote in 1940:
“It should be clear for us that there is not room for two peoples in this country. If the Arabs leave it, there will be enough for us... There is nothing else to do but to remove them all; we mustn’t leave a single village, a single tribe... We must explain to Roosevelt and all the heads of friendly states that the land of Israel isn’t too small if all the Arabs leave and if the borders are pushed back a little to the north, as far as the Litani, and to the east, on the Golan Heights.”[12]
ma g,
A chilling quote.
That [12] at the end indicates to me that it is footnoted somewhere. Can you post the source, menfadlik?
Shukran.