Consider both sides regarding Israeli, Palestinian conflicts
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In response to Joshua A. Kaplan’s letter Think about current lives, hardships of many Israelis (SN 3/17): If you need a title from me, “What about Palestine?” could work.
Kaplan lays out an interesting story about the day-to-day life of an Israeli; what about the life of a Palestinian?
You are hungry all the time because the Israeli blockade does not allow enough food to get in to feed Gaza City. There are not enough medical supplies or hospital beds to meet the city’s needs. You owned an olive grove, one that had been in your family for generations, but it was taken from you when the Israelis built a wall around Gaza. You are trapped.
You cannot leave to find a better life because you are a prisoner in your own land. Your democratically elected government has been ignored by the rest of the world. You are a no one. You have no rights, no avenue for protest. It is not hard to understand why some Palestinians would turn to Hamas in their desperation. Condemnable, but understandable.
When the Israelis respond to your neighbor’s rockets, they bomb your house, your school, the U.N. aid station or an apartment complex. They kill thousands and you pray for the bombing to stop. Your life is misery and there is nothing you can do. Palestine is an occupied land.
Any attempt to disguise criticism of Israel as anti-Semitic is dishonest. You can oppose the actions of Israel without being anti-Semitic. If there is ever to be peace, the Israelis must allow Palestine to control its own destiny. Israel must end the occupation or there can never be peace.
Scott Kelber
social relations and policy freshman
Commentary
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Palestine 4 ever
(03/17/09 9:07pm)Report
Scott Kelber,
Thank you so much for this simple yet informative article.
I am a Palestinian myself and have endured the Israeli aggression on many levels so did a lot of my family members.
Thank you so much and i greatly appreciate you taking the time and though to reply to Joshua.
Thank you seems so little to what your article means to me and the effect it has on me as a Palestinian.
Thank you and I hope you enjoy a peaceful and prosperous life just for taking time and effort to write this article.
Same Comment as Yesterday
(03/18/09 7:26am)Report
Again, I have my own problems to deal with here in the U.S. I don’t live there and I don’t care about the Middle Ease anymore.
Same Comment as Yesterday
(03/18/09 7:28am)Report
Sorry, I meant Middle East not Middle Ease…
Steve
(03/18/09 9:41am)Report
I agree with “Same comment as yesterday.” Our economy sucks, our healthcare system sucks even more, we are spending billions of dollars in Iraq/Afghanistan… pardon me if I don’t give a rats ass about two groups of people fighting over a piece of land based on their medieval, illogical, insane idea that some how that land was given to them by their god. It’s time for the middle east to come out of the stone age.
well...
(03/18/09 10:27am)Report
F&*( Palestine,
Signed,
The whole Arabic World
Tim
(03/18/09 11:02am)Report
Ugghhh…You care so little about the Israel Palestine conflict and have such pressing problems to deal with that you post the same message on consecutive days?
So the author is saying there are two sides to the story and that they both aren’t always represented adequately in letters to the editor? Shocking!
To Same Comment as Yesterday and Steve
(03/18/09 11:07am)Report
Ummm… If you think that the US has its own problems with the economy, etc., wouldn’t you think it’d be about time that we stop wasting billions of dollars in this conflict? Or the estimated $3 trillion in Iraq?
When we’re that invested in these places and issues, we can’t just stop giving a rat’s ass. The money that we are spending on imperialism has a hell of a lot to do with the problems we’re currently facing.
common sense
(03/18/09 12:16pm)Report
Wealthy fundamentalist lunatics send poor kids who don’t really a personal stake to die in war on their behalf. What’s new?
Same Comment as Yesterday
(03/18/09 12:36pm)Report
I see your points Tim and To Same Comment as Yesterday and Steve but I still don’t care.
RE: well...
(03/18/09 12:58pm)Report
“F&*( Palestine,
Signed,
The whole Arabic World”
Entirely innapropriate, but sadly true.
Mr. Anonymous
(03/20/09 12:23pm)Report
Calling “antisemite” and “bigot” to any person criticizing Israel no longer work. And the sooner “The Israel Fan Club of Crybabies” realize that, the better it will be. Israel is an apartheid and racist state. And just because some residents there were victims of a guy named Adolf Hitler is no excuse for them to commit similar acts.
Re: Mr Anonymous
(03/25/09 10:01am)Report
“And just because some residents there were victims of a guy named Adolf Hitler is no excuse for them to commit similar acts.”
Such as? Did Adolf Hitler have jews in his Third Reich? Im guessing no. Currently there are 13 members of the Knesset who are Arab. What makes Israel and apartheid and racist state? Because they retaliate when 3k rockets are shot into their back yard?
You Palestinian activist types are morons.