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The Glass Box for Tuesday

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Eddie Mair | 14:05 UK time, Tuesday, 21 August 2007

The place to comment on tonight's programme.

Comments

  1. At 02:41 PM on 21 Aug 2007, wrote:

    A report from the Taxpayers' Alliance highlighted 401 courses in the UK which it said cost £40m a year to run.

    The group said courses such as Golf management and Equestrian psychology, "lend the respectability of scholarly qualifications to non-academic subjects".

    Universities UK called the report "academic snobbery" and said that the courses' graduates were in demand.

    Pleeeeaase can we have a debate on this?! Oh what sport could be had...

  2. At 03:11 PM on 21 Aug 2007, Vyle Hernia wrote:

    Where's the Newsletter?

  3. At 03:44 PM on 21 Aug 2007, Peter Bolt wrote:

    I admit it is not a pleasant thought, but I reflect on the Lawrence case, the verdict with which I agree.
    When the lower orders such as I call the Human Rights and EU as nothing more than an unwanted intrusion on our own domestic affairs, we are accused of being fascist and xenaphobic.
    The chattering classes pour scorn and ridicule on us. Until, that is, they are personally aggrieved then their sharp elbows are immediately brought into play.

  4. At 04:11 PM on 21 Aug 2007, Humph wrote:

    Not a comment on tonight's programme, that would be difficult at this time of the day, but a comment on the PM website. I just wanted to say that I like the new design.

    It is much clearer to see what is going on. I like the fact that "listen again" is easier to access. I like the fact that you can read the newsletter without subscribing to it. I like the fact that it acknowledges PM is a team effort with Bios of the regular reporters as well as the presenters.

    But what about the other part of the team? Are there any plans to let the Editors have Bio pages as well? Will we be informed about which editor is still doing a YTS? Will the editor who always gets out of coffee making duty 'fess up? And which editor still regards their most valued possession to be their 2nd prize certificate for the best marrow in a village produce competition in 1987?

    I, for one, would like to know.

    H.

  5. At 04:27 PM on 21 Aug 2007, wrote:

    Could I respectfully ask the duty Editor to a comment I've just posted on yesterday's Glass Box about how the Chindamo story was presented.

    Early 40s somewhere, hopefully.

    Made the mistake of saying it on the Chindamo thread. Oops.

    Thanks

    Fifi

  6. At 04:33 PM on 21 Aug 2007, Vyle Hernia wrote:

    Now, about your phone line.

    Why not nip along to the Automobile Telephone Shed and get a new mobile phone for £19.95 (includes £10 airtime)? This is on the Maiden network with free voicemail. Give out its number and Bob's your uncle. You won't have to pay to retrive the messages, and since your 0870 number wasn't all that cheap to call, we won't be much worse off.

  7. At 05:02 PM on 21 Aug 2007, Andrew wrote:

    What no newsletter?

    My day is wasted....

    Maybe I should plan for things other than
    13:00 - 17:00 Wait for, read, be disappointed by PM Newsletter

  8. At 05:03 PM on 21 Aug 2007, David wrote:

    Regarding immigration.
    Does anyone think that the number of people entering the country should not be controlled ? If not do you think a million a year would be good or maybe 5 million ?

  9. At 05:06 PM on 21 Aug 2007, David wrote:

    Why should the government pay for immigrants to learn English ? How many countries in the world would pay English people to learn their language if we went there.

  10. At 05:13 PM on 21 Aug 2007, mac wrote:

    These modest people, who gon't know their post references off by heart!

    Fii's brilliant critique is at (4) on the Lawrence thread

  11. At 05:28 PM on 21 Aug 2007, mac wrote:

    Whilst we let the toffs and toffesses strut about the country on horse back, attend tea parties with scones and jam and cream and masquerade as politicians (David) instead of doing proper jobs then we will always be short of manual labourers in this country. But not of middle class parasites living off the backs of the rest of us.

  12. At 05:29 PM on 21 Aug 2007, wrote:

    scooter riders in NY are enthusiastic about congestion charging are they? will they still get 'nicked' if they ride in a bus lane like we do in London?
    Leaves you stuck in with the cars, risking life/limb overtaking or 80 quid fine if the cameras get you!!

  13. At 05:33 PM on 21 Aug 2007, mac wrote:

    Hey, if things go on like this I think Freddie Flintoff and this excellent English team will wrest the Ashes back from the Aussies.

    Yours in podcast heaven,

    mac, 2005 ad.

    PS
    We could all live in parts of the business cycle that suit us best. Me during slumps, Si and RJD during booms.

    The present, a thing of the past.

  14. At 05:53 PM on 21 Aug 2007, Barry Marshall wrote:

    Re your item on hospital 'closures' it is well known throughout the Bristol area that the local NHS trust is faced with the need to make a decision on closure (partial or complete) of either Frenchay hospital or Southmead hospital. It is also well known that Frenchay is built on a very valuable site and is by far the most likely for closure/partial closure (I understand that the decision has already been CONFIRMED.) Many local residents are concerend about road access to Southmead as an A&E centre. Frenchay is very close to Junction 1 of the M32.

    Brry M

  15. At 06:19 PM on 21 Aug 2007, David Green wrote:

    How dare you present the item on 'hospital closures' in such a biased and unfair way. As stated by B. Marshall, all of us that live in North Bristol know that either Frenchay or Southmead will close. Given the land value of Frenchay nobody really believes due process will be followed. To dismiss the fact that the hospitals are '5 miles apart' is crass and insensitive. Those five miles are some of the worst congested roads in the south west.

    Hospital closures are something that are deeply troubling to everyone, to dismiss them as a non-event for the sake of having a 'pop' at the shadow health secretary goes no way to account for the real worry and anguish the threat of these closures bring.

  16. At 06:25 PM on 21 Aug 2007, Tony Levi wrote:

    Re your item on Lord?/Judge Phillips carrying out a 'citizen's arrest' on kids that were cycling on the pavement. I believe that my children are alive today partly because they were encouraged to use the pavements for cycling. They did this with politeness and consideration. Of all the 'offences' and offensiveness to choose to act upon I think this was the most pointless and couter-productive one.
    Cambridge is a great city and lots of bright people live in it and they cycle on the pavements!

  17. At 06:26 PM on 21 Aug 2007, Karen wrote:

    Re: Hospital Closures

    There have been so many rumours going around in the Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambs SHA for as long as I can remember that I don't think anyone will believe anything until it happens. At one point we were told that West Suffolk was going to be an elective surgery and rehab unit only and would be part of Ipswich or Addenbrookes, then Hinchingbrooke was going to be part of Addies, then QE at Kings Lynn was going to be part of Norwich... the rumours persisted.

    Last I heard WSH were staying an acute trust, Ipswich were saving money by asking patients to bring their own towels in to hospital with them and buy a packet of paracetamol before they are admitted and Norwich are still trying to make the PFI thing work. It's a disaster really. The only one in the region that seems to swim along is James Paget!

    Centralising for outcomes will work in some areas - revascularising a heart attack has a better outcome than giving clot busters but I wouldn't want to risk a trip down the A14 to, for example, Addies for my emergency cardiac catheterisation if I had an MI when I could have a clot buster given within a few minutes at my local DGH. It may work in large cities but I cannot see it working in the sticks.

    Anyhoo off to watch the REAL Eddie and Paddy on Monkey Life (Ch5) now - Paddy is a mighty alpha male and Eddi is a bit of a little princess with big ears...

  18. At 06:33 PM on 21 Aug 2007, Paul wrote:

    I would have thought PM should have covered the fact that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ changed the storeyline on the TV drama Casualty in order to fit it's own version of 'reality'. In light of the bias the ´óÏó´«Ã½ has been accused of.

    The Daily Telegraph 20/08/07 carried the following comments on the subject which I'm writing verbatim because it is so well put.

    "Over the weekend, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ was forced to remove a highly offensive message about Jesus from its website. All websites run the risk of being defaced by extremists, but why had this message been allowed to remain there for a week, despite complaints? Anti-Muslim comments vanish instantly. Meanwhile, it emerged yesterday that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ has refused to allow 'Casualty' to carry a storyline featuring a terror attack by a Muslim suicide bomber. The editorial guidlines department decreed that, instead, the terrorists should be animal rights extremists.

    The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s coverage of Islamic affairs has been unsatisfactory for many years. In its international and domestic news reporting, the corporation has consistently come accross as naive and partial, rather than sensative and unbiased. Its reporting of Israel and Palestine, in particular, tends to underplay the hate-filled Islamist ideology that inspires Hamas and other factions, while never giving Israel the benefit of the doubt. (Disgracefully, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ is still refusing to publish the Balen Report, which is commissioned to investigate allegations of anti-Israel bias.)

    In its coverage of British Muslims, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ has been inspired by two laudable aims: to treat their beliefs respectfully: and to avoid stereotyping ordinary Muslims as terrorist supporters. In the process, however, it has done two rather different things.

    First, it has presented Islam on its own terms, as if only Muslims had the authority to describe their religion. Mohammed remains an intensely controversial figure. Yet the ´óÏó´«Ã½ shies away from proper historical investigation of "the Prophet", as it insists on calling him.

    Second, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ has only scratched the surface of one of the biggest news stories of the decade: the penetration of Muslim youth by Islamic supremacist groups. Indeed, the corporation has even helped this to happen. Again and again, it has wheeled on Islamic "moderates" who belong to hard line sects that real moderate Muslims are desperate to stop their children joining. It has been left to Channel 4 to conduct undercover investigations in radical mosques and to commission a 2007 GFK/NOP opinion poll revealing that almost a quarter of British Muslims believe that the Government helped stage the London bombings of July 7, 2005.

    We live in a world in which, although the vast majority of Muslims are not terrorists, the vast majority of terrorists are Muslim. Younger ´óÏó´«Ã½ programme makers are aware of this awkward fact: the problem lies with an older generation of executives stuck in a PC timewarp. 'Casualty' is fiction, but that is no excuse for constructing a politically acceptable parallel universe.

    To ban a storyline featuring Islamic terrorists not only misrepresents reality; it also an insult to licence-payers whose family friends or colleagues were blown to pieces on July 7 - and not by animal rights activists".

  19. At 06:44 PM on 21 Aug 2007, wrote:

    Thank you Barry for getting that coment about Frenchay hospital in before me. I was busy sending an e-mail to the programme!

    The trust even had people in shopping centres explaining why it will be better to close Frenchay. The plans are proudly displayed on their web site:

    As you say, the land of the Frenchay site is far to valuable to be left as a hospital. It would appear the trust's financial future is based on this scheme!

    I would also like to point out that we used to have a very good A&E department at Southmead Hospital, but they closed that to save money..

  20. At 08:46 PM on 21 Aug 2007, Paul wrote:

    I'm surprised that PM did not cover the story regarding the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s refusal to allow 'Casualty' to carry a storeyline featuring a terrorist attack by a Muslim suicide bomber. Insead, it was decreed that the terrorists be depicted as animal rights extremists.


    To quote the Daily Telegraph 20/8/07 "To ban a storyline featuring Islamic terrorists not only misrepresents reality: It is also an insult to licence-payers whose family, friends or colleagues were blown to pieces on July 7 - and not by animal rights activists.

    In full this article lays bare some of the issues of bias aimed at the ´óÏó´«Ã½ it is worth reading.

  21. At 09:49 PM on 21 Aug 2007, Paul wrote:

    Eddie Mair - ´óÏó´«Ã½ bias.

    The article I refer to in the Daily Telegraph 20/08/07 also mentions the Balen report, an investigation into allegations of anti-Israel bias which the ´óÏó´«Ã½ is still refusing to publish. Some coverage on this point would also be welcome for the sake of transparency. In addition, the author of the article makes the point that in its reporting on Israel-Palestine it "tends to underplay the hate-filled Islamist ideology that inspires Hamas and other factions, while never giving Israel the benefit of the doubt".

  22. At 05:56 AM on 22 Aug 2007, The Stainless Steel Cat wrote:

    Paul (18, 20 etc.):

    Since when did "Casualty" ever have any incidence with reality? *It's not real* it's just a very over-egged drama for people with an unhealthy fascination with gore. You'd be better concentrating on documentaries and news programmes.

    More relevantly, why should PM report on reported changes in stories on TV fiction? Don't we have enough of references to the idiot box in the form of those * trailers?

  23. At 07:56 AM on 22 Aug 2007, Robert wrote:

    Listened to the interview with the shadow MP last night and irresptive of who is correct and whose facts are wrong you gave me an interesting insight to the David Cameron team and it frightens me that such a bunch of blunderers are able to comand front row seats for their party.
    In this case I not calling Dave but really there always be a consitancy review before he goes to the media like he did on Monday. Then the guy on last night as you Eddie, know the word sorry time is up....go away,
    Hopefully he is lining his political carrer with lead line boots and is off to a deep reservior because he did not fill me with any confidence of his abilities, just like Mrs Blair does not either.............

  24. At 08:45 AM on 22 Aug 2007, wrote:

    Paul (18, 20, etc) I feel I must make it clear that the article you are referring to in the Telegraph is a Comment piece, NOT a news report. It is a statement of one person's view. Please could you be clearer when referencing sources as to their provenance....

    Regarding the Casualty issue: It's a drama (as SSC has already pointed out). Also, do you not think that it may be distressing to the victims of the terror attacks of 7/7 to have this storyline? I beleive if I had been one of the poeple on the tube that day, or if one of my loved ones had been killed in those atrocious attacks, then it would be too close to reality. Would you consider that "pandering"?

    I realise I never answered you on the other thread. I apologise. Here is my reply yo you. whilst the tone of the comments were distasteful, I do not believe they were anti-semitic. The two people were trying to highlight the fact that the loss of life in the genocide in Darfur is of the same scale as that which took place during the Holocaust. However, we don;t seem to have learnt the lesson of those horrendous times. We should be standing up and fighting for the people of Darfur (as well as Burma, Zimbabwe, and Uzbekistan, all of which are hateful regimes). At no point in the discussions on the previous thread was it suggested that the Holocaust didn't happen. At no point was it suggested that the Holocaust was a good thing. I think all sane people will agree that is was probably the darkest point in the 20th century. What was said was to suggest that the nation state of Israel, by referring to itself as the "Jewish State" sometimes uses the suffering of the Jewish people as justification for it's oppression of another people, in this case the Palestinians.

  25. At 09:13 AM on 22 Aug 2007, Joe Palooka wrote:

    The great Chris Evans (Radio Two 5pm - weekdays) his newsletter and 'phone line both WORK!!!

  26. At 09:13 AM on 22 Aug 2007, Paul wrote:

    Stainless Steel Cat (22)

    Why should the ´óÏó´«Ã½ report on it's decision to change the story line in "Casualty"? Although I put a lengthy explanation in terms of the full article as reported in the Daily Telegraph it was not posted on the blog.

    The article also notes that "´óÏó´«Ã½ coverage of Islamic affairs has been unsatisfactory for many years. In its international and domestic news reporting. The corporation has consistently come across as naive and partial, rather than sensitive and impartial." I refer in post 21 to the Balen report. As with other external and internal reports these are facts, which show a pattern of bias. You appear to have missed the point.

    In the article the point is made that "We live in a world in which, although the vast majority of muslims are not terrorists, the vast majority of terrorists are Muslim. Younger ´óÏó´«Ã½ programme-makers are aware of this awkward fact: the problem lies with an older generation of executives stuck in a PC timewarp. "Casualty" is fiction, but that is no excuse for constructing a politcally acceptable parallel universe".

    The implications of the decision made by the ´óÏó´«Ã½ programme-makers has been widely reported, except by themselves.

  27. At 09:44 AM on 22 Aug 2007, J Sachs wrote:

    Paul (26) - On what evidence do you base the statement that "the majority of terrorists are Muslim"? (references to US/UK intelligence dossiers not allowed)

    - Careful, your true colours are showing -

  28. At 10:19 AM on 22 Aug 2007, Paul wrote:

    Stainless Steel Cat (22)

    Because my initial post was not published the crucial point was missed namely, that ´óÏó´«Ã½ senior executives dropped the plotline "for fear it would cause offence". As I don't have a TV the programme is of no consequence to me. It's the wider issues of bias that prompted my post.

    J Sachs (27).

    If you read my comments you will notice that "the majority of Muslims are terrorists are Muslim." ARE NOT MY WORDS.


    The Daily Telegraph Monday August 20, 2007 page21 carries the article I refer to. As I said previously it is worth reading.


  29. At 11:07 AM on 22 Aug 2007, wrote:

    Paul, I think you'll find your original post was published as number 18.

    I would also like to point out (again) that this is an opinion piece in the Telegraph, NOT a news article. Please could you make that clear in your own postings. Presenting opinion as fact does not help in debates like this.

    Finally, as I said earlier, is it not feasible that this storyline could cause offence to the victims and victims families of the July 7th attacks? Aren't their feelings worth considering too?

  30. At 11:43 AM on 22 Aug 2007, wrote:

    Paul, since you're keen on newspaper opinion pieces, can I recommend to you today's piece in the Independent by Mark Steel. As usual, it's a good laugh, but with some interesting views as well.

    It's on-line if you don't want to buy the paper, but if you do, the Sudoku's quite good.

  31. At 12:17 PM on 22 Aug 2007, Angela Moreton wrote:

    Having family serving in Afghanistan, I was very pleased earlier this week to hear the Royal Mail announce their decision to suspend payment for all parcels to BFPO addresses in both Iraq and Afghanistan-not before time!!
    Therefore went to post parcel today, with a spring in my step, only to be told that parcels were not free, and they had no idea when they would be. After voicing my dismay, a telephone call was made to check the position, but to no avail.
    So, Royal Mail appears to have got the kudos for such a generous gesture to those on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, but appear to have forgotten to tell any one on the front lines in the post offices.
    I remember the lady you spoke to who had been campaigning for free postage saying that she would keep her campaign going, in case of any 'hiccups'. Good-because Royal Mail still seems to be suffering from indigestion!

  32. At 02:50 PM on 22 Aug 2007, wrote:

    I'm re-posting this as it got bounced before. If it appears more than once, Sorry!

    Ive just had a chance to re-read my 24, and I notice that I conflated the final paragraph a bit, jumping over a few points along the way. Below is what I meant to type. The italics are the already published section... I realise I never answered you on the other thread. I apologise. Here is my reply to you. Whilst the tone of the comments were distasteful, I do not believe they were anti-semitic. The two people were trying to highlight the fact that the loss of life in the genocide in Darfur is of the same scale as that which took place during the Holocaust. However, we don't seem to have learnt the lesson of those horrendous times. We should be standing up and fighting for the people of Darfur (as well as Burma, Zimbabwe, and Uzbekistan, all of which are hateful regimes). At no point in the discussions on the previous thread was it suggested that the Holocaust didn't happen. At no point was it suggested that the Holocaust was a good thing. I think all sane people will agree that is was probably the darkest point in the 20th century. The conversation strayed into the territory of whether or not critism of Irsael is the same thing as anti-semitism. I would argue that the two are NOT the same. It is perfectly possible to criticise the state of Israel without being anti-semitic. The actions of the state of Israel since the 1967 war have been counter-productive to say the very least. By occupying land belonging to another people, subjecting them to land-grabs for illegal settlements, restricting access to crops and water supplies, cutting off transport links, etc, all that has happened is that resentment and anger has built up in the Palestinians. These are the actions of a state, NOT the Jewish people. However, by casting itself as the "Jewish" state, Israel far too often cries "Anti-Semitism!" whenever it's policies are criticised. I would suggest that the nation state of Israel, by referring to itself as the "Jewish State" sometimes uses the horrible suffering of the Jewish people in the past as justification for it's oppression of another people, in this case the Palestinians, under the guise of "Never Again". We do not hear of a Christian state,Muslim state, Hindu state, or Buddhist state. To make religion a defining characteristic of a nation opens the door for religious intolerance from without and within...

  33. At 03:51 PM on 22 Aug 2007, Eddie Mair wrote:

    Angela (31) we've made some calls and have been told the system should be up and running from Friday. Hope this helps!

  34. At 04:42 PM on 22 Aug 2007, Paul wrote:

    Fearless Fred (32)

    Please don't take this post as an indication that I wish to debate with you.

    You said.

    "The conversation strayed into the territory of whether or not critisism of Israel is the same thing as anti-semitism. I would argue the two are not the same."

    Here is a sample of anti-semitic, anti-Jewish comments made on the glass box on 27th July. I note that not one of the regular users commented on them at that time.

    (20) Israeli's are still playing victims of the holocaust.
    Referring to the amount of people who died this was said "Sorry mate it's all telephone numbers. Bloody calculator!!!!!

    (28) Do you think we should send the figures to the Jewish Board of Deputies just to put things into perspective like who suffered more pro-rata

    (31) Sorry, is the word holocaust trade mark by Jews or can it be used in a generic sense. I hope I am not infringing on the trade mark.


    The fact that you consider these remarks not to be anti-semitic graphically illustrates the overwhelming bigotry and hypocrisy which undermines the integrity of this site.

  35. At 05:33 PM on 22 Aug 2007, Squirrel wrote:


    Error 404 - on the comments for today's (Wed) Glass Box! Is it just me?

    What with the phones as well.. "best interactive programme" ?!?

  36. At 06:50 PM on 22 Aug 2007, wrote:

    I won`t be paying too much attention to the food air-miles labels - not after reading the Co-op`s label on lemon juice " SUGARS - HIGH (2gm in 100 mls) PROTEIN - MEDIUM(0.3gm in 100mls)." THAT`s what I call scarey!

  37. At 06:52 PM on 22 Aug 2007, wrote:

    Paul (34),

    "The fact that you consider these remarks not to be anti-semitic graphically illustrates the overwhelming bigotry and hypocrisy which undermines the integrity of this site.
    "

    The fact that you do illustrates your (willful?) failure to understand the nature of anti-semitism as opposed to anti-zionism or criticism of the actions and utterances of supporters of the Israeli state.

    Salaam/Shalom
    ed

    P.S. Well put, Fred.

  38. At 07:38 PM on 22 Aug 2007, Paul wrote:

    Oooh the Zionist plot now there's an intellectually deficient theory of racial stereotyping.


    Eddie call off your Rotweillers i'm shaking in me boots.


  39. At 11:23 PM on 22 Aug 2007, squirrel wrote:


    Well put Ed (37)..

  40. At 07:51 AM on 23 Aug 2007, Tim wrote:

    Paul (34) (18)

    I have to say that you have fully understand the nature of anti-semitism as opposed to anti-zionism. The latter being an excuse for the former.

  41. At 09:13 AM on 23 Aug 2007, wrote:

    Paul (34) While you might not want me to reply, I feel I must after you accuse me of "bigotry and hypocrisy".

    You refer to three specific points from the previous thread. I contend they are not anti-semitic, as you claim them to be. The first point was regarding the numbers being killed in Darfur, as well as those who died during the holocaust. The term telephone numbers I read to say that in both cases, the numbers of people murdered were of such a large scale, that they are akin to telephone numbers. This highlights the fact that large numbers of people were/are currently being murdered. It does NOT say that any of these deaths was right.

    Second point: The comment re the Board of Deputies. I have noriced that this specific organisation as opposed to other organisations in the UK and abroad who are Jewish in make-up is consitently pushing the view that the current actions nation state of Israel should not be subjected to the same rule of international law that applies to other countries on the grounds of the suffering of the Jewish people in Europe from 1938 to 1945. I'm sorry, but all must be equal under the law. Anything else is bias.

    Final point: The word Holocaust. Why should the word holocaust NOT be used to describe what is happening in Darfur?

    I would also like to answer an allegation that you have made here previously about this being a Corporate blog. It is a corporate blog in that it is run by the ´óÏó´«Ã½. However, apart from the replies posted by the PM team, I am aware of no other person posting here who has any ties to the ´óÏó´«Ã½. The people posting here are members of the public, like you and I. Please don't throw around labels without thinking about it first.

  42. At 10:06 AM on 23 Aug 2007, wrote:

    Paul (38),

    "an intellectually deficient theory of racial stereotyping"

    "" Menahim Begin, speech to the Knesset, quoted in Amnon Kapeliouk, 'Begin and the "Beasts"', New Statesman, 25 June 1982.

    "When we have settled the land, all the Arabs will be able to do about it will be to scurry around like drugged cockroaches in a bottle." Raphael Eitan, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces, New York Times, 14 April 1983.

    "How can we return the occupied territories? There is nobody to return them to."Golda Maeir, March 8, 1969.

    The removal of Arabs bodily from Palestine is part of the Zionist plan to "spirit the penniless population across the frontier by denying it employment...Both the process of expropriation and the removal of the poor must be carried away discreetly and circumspectly." Theodore Herzl, founder of the World Zionist Organization Complete Diaries, June 12, 1895 entry.

    David Ben Gurion (the first Israeli Prime Minister): " If I were an Arab leader, I would never sign an agreement with Israel. It is normal; we have taken their country. It is true God promised it to us, but how could that interest them? Our God is not theirs. There has been Anti-Semitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault? They see but one thing: we have come and we have stolen their country. Why would they accept that?" Quoted by Nahum Goldmann in Le Paraddoxe Juif (The Jewish Paradox), pp. 121-122.

    Ben Gurion also warned in 1948 "We must do everything to insure they (the Palestinians) never do return." Assuring his fellow Zionists that Palestinians will never come back to their homes, "The old will die and the young will forget."

    Also Ben Gurion stated " The present map of Palestine was drawn by the British mandate. The Jewish people have another map which our youth and adults should strive to fulfill -- From the Nile to the Euphrates."

    "Among the most disturbing political phenomena of our time is the emergence in the newly created State of Israel of the Freedom Party (Herut), a political party closely akin in its organization, method, political philosophy and social appeal to the Nazi and Fascist parties." [Begin, and Yitzhak Shamir who were members of the party became Prime Ministers.] Albert Einstein, Hanna Arendt and other prominent Jewish Americans, writing in The New York Times, protest the visit to America of Menachem Begin, December 1948.

    Martin Buber, Jewish Philosopher, addressed Prime Minister Ben Gurion on the moral character of the state of Israel with reference to the Arab refugees in March 1949: "We will have to face the reality that Israel is neither innocent, nor redemptive. And that in its creation, and expansion; we as Jews, have caused what we historically have suffered; a refugee population in Diaspora."

    " It lies upon the people's shoulders to prepare for the war, but it lies upon the Israeli army to carry out the fight with the ultimate object of erecting the Israeli Empire." Moshe Dayan (Israel Defense and Foreign Minister), on February 12 1952. Radio "Israel."

    Aba Eban (the Israeli Foreign Minister) stated arrogantly: " If the General Assembly were to vote by 121 votes to 1 in favor of "Israel" returning to the armistice lines-- (pre June 1967 borders) "Israel" would refuse to comply with the decision." New York Times June 19, 1967.

    "Jewish villages were built in the place of Arab villages. You do not even know the names of these Arab villages, and I don't blame you because geography books no longer exist, not only do the books not exist, .The Arab villages are not there either. Nahal arose in the place of Mahlul; Kibbutz Gvat in the place of Jibat; Kibbutz Sarid in the place of Huneifis; and Kfar Yehushu'a in the place of Tal al Shuman. There is not one single place that did not have a former Arab population." Moshe Dayan's address to the Technion, Haifa (as Quoted in Ha'aretz, April 4, 1969).

    "There was no such thing as Palestinians, they never existed." Golda Maier Israeli Prime Minister June 15, 1969.

    "The only solution is Eretz Israel [Greater Israel], or at least Western Eretz Israel [all the land west of Jordan River], without Arabs. There is no room compromise on this point ... We must not leave a single village, not a single tribe." Joseph Weitz, Director of the Jewish National Fund, the Zionist agency charged with acquiring Palestinian land, Circa 194. Machover Israca, January5, 1973 p.2.

    "Hitler's legal power was based upon the 'Enabling Act', which was passed quite legally by the Reichstag and which allowed the Fuehrer and his representatives, in plain language, to be what they wanted, or in legal language, to issue regulations having the force of law. Exactly the same type of act was passed by the Knesset [Israeli's Parliament] immediately after the 1067 conquest granting the Israeli governor and his representatives the power of Hitler, which they use in Hitlerian manner." Dr. Israel Shahak, Chairperson of the Israeli League for Human and Civil Rights, and a survivor of the Bergen Belsen concentration camp, Commenting on the Israeli military's Emergency Regulations following the 1967 War. Palestine, vol. 12, December 1983.

    I see "many similarities in the oppression of Blacks in South Africa and of Palestinians." Dennis Goldberg, a Jewish South African sentenced to life imprisonment for "conspiring to overthrow the apartheid regime," is released through the intercession of Israeli officials, states on arrival in Israel, March 1985. He called for a total economic boycott of South Africa, singling out Israel as a major ally of the apartheid regime. Pledging never to stay in Israel, Goldberg moves to London.

    "It is forbidden to sell apartments in the Land of Israel to Gentiles." Mordecai Eliayaho, the Israeli Chief Rabbi commenting on an attempt by a Palestinian to buy an apartment owned by the Jewish National Fund in East Jerusalem. Ha'aretz January 17, 1986. The same situation was repeated many times, and that decision is legalized now by the Israeli Supreme Court.

    "Jewish blood and a goy's [gentile's] blood are not the same." Israeli Rabbi Yitzhak Ginsburg, Inferring that killing isn't murder if the victim is Gentile. Jerusalem Post, June 19,1989.

    "I am a black South African, and if I were to change the names, a description of what is happening in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank could describe events in South Africa." Archbishop Desmond Tuto, observes during Christmas visit to Jerusalem, December 25, 1989. From Israeli daily Ha'aretz, cited in Palestine Perspectives, January/February 1990.

    Nah! There was never a Zionist plan to displace the natives of Palestine. It never happened. And Isreal is "The Only Democracy in the Middle-East".

    And Tim (40),

    There ara a lot of anti-zionist Jews. Are they anti-semitic? Personally, I'm anti-zionist because I deeply respect Jewish culture and the Jewish people and their huge contribution to our modern world. I fear that identification with the practices of the Zionist State may irreparably damage all of this.

    Salaam/Shalom
    ed

  43. At 12:40 PM on 23 Aug 2007, Aperitif wrote:

    Fearless (41), Well put. I'm sure you know this already, but I feel it worth saying -- one unkind and argumentitive person may throw around as many insults as (s)he cares to; that does not mean anyone else will concur with what (s)he has to say.

  44. At 04:48 PM on 23 Aug 2007, Paul wrote:

    The 'Zionist' State in reality is a small country attempting to exist against all the odds. Dear me, such disproportianate statements.

  45. At 05:26 PM on 23 Aug 2007, Paul wrote:

    Aperitif (43)

    Please explain why you didn't comment on the distasteful (ff's words) discussion of July 27th (mentioned above) yet you accused me of being a bigot for making innocuous remarks on Muslims.

  46. At 05:48 PM on 23 Aug 2007, Tim/Krane wrote:

    Ed 42

    I think it is easy to quote statements in order to prove a point which seems to be that Jewish people, have somehow evolved to become the oppressive expansionists you suggest. In Israel I see a country mandated by the UN on the receiving end of some kind of historical hatred, endlessly struggling to survive in the face of irrational ideologies, rather than an expansionist, repressive regime.

    I would highlight the point made by Paul *18* on the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s coverage of Islamic affairs. surely, this is the point which needs addressing in the context of his comments.

    Apologies if this is replicated or the longer version appears. I have had some difficulty in submitting my comments.

  47. At 06:26 PM on 23 Aug 2007, wrote:

    Tim (46),

    "In Israel I see a country mandated by the UN on the receiving end of some kind of historical hatred, endlessly struggling to survive in the face of irrational ideologies, rather than an expansionist, repressive regime."

    Then I suggest you don't look very hard or see very clearly.

    The "Jewish State" 'mandated' by the UN (Resolution 181) was never achieved. Before the end of the British mandate, proto-Israeli militias had already driven out hundreds of thousands of Arab Palestinians and destroyed over 200 villages and expanded their area of control well beyond the "UN mandated" partition. If you align the quotes in my post above with actual Israeli behaviour, you'll find considerable congruence. Resolution 181 was IMPOSED against the will of the entire neighbourhood. See the voting at the bottom:

    Israel may well attempt to justify its existence by the UN, but it has defied or ignored more UN resolutions than worth listing. If you join a club, you are expected to honour its rules, but Israel behaves as though the rules don't apply to it, and the USA has vetoed dozens of attempts to bring her into line.

    Israel is indeed a 'small state' trying to consolidate and expand itself in land seized by violence from its native population. The resistance is far from irrational or purely ideological. It's the resistance of folk whose homes have been destroyed and their lands seized.

    It's completely natural and understandable, as noted by Ben Gurion all those years ago:

    David Ben Gurion (the first Israeli Prime Minister): " If I were an Arab leader, I would never sign an agreement with Israel. It is normal; we have taken their country. It is true God promised it to us, but how could that interest them? Our God is not theirs. There has been Anti-Semitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault? They see but one thing: we have come and we have stolen their country. Why would they accept that?" Quoted by Nahum Goldmann in Le Paraddoxe Juif (The Jewish Paradox), pp. 121-122.

    Salaam/Shalom
    ed

  48. At 07:29 PM on 23 Aug 2007, Tim wrote:

    Ed (47)

    "If you join a club then you are expected to honour its rules." I agree, but, if you constantly have to watch your back, so to speak and defend yourself, I would suggest that something has to give.

    I think to look back in history at the way Jewish people have been treated and demonized is to understand some of the stereoyping which remains today. Indeed, throughout the centuries every few years something happens which seems to imply that it's ok to demonize Jewish people because 'they' have done something to deserve it.

    Hitler, the Austrian people who welcomed Hitler into Vienna, Russia, the Slavic nations, tens of thousands of Jewish people were massacred in 1648-49. The Crusaders who, on their way to liberate the Holy Land, were so upset at Jews that they slaughtered untold numbers of them. Jews 'upset' the Catholic church and the archenemy of the Church, Martin Luther, who,called people to burn the synagogues and Jews within them, so on and so forth.

    Of course we have the current situation in the Middle East. I don't agree with your analysis on the relationship between Israel and the 'Palestinian' people.

    It's only since 9/11 that I have taken notice of the situation because, I see a clear relationship between the 'hate filled Islamic ideology that inspires Hamas and other factions' in this country and abroad which goes way back before the Jewish State and the demonization of Israel, America and Britain in a wholly unacceptable manner.

  49. At 08:07 PM on 23 Aug 2007, Tim wrote:

    Ed (47)

    My mails seem to be getting lost along the way, or are not being approved. In a nutshell my lost mail was as follows:

    Historically from the current situation in the Middle East back to the Middle ages there have been excuses to demonize Jewish people. Periodically they do something that makes others 'dislike' them.

    You say "if you join a club you are expected to honour its rules". Yes, if you don't have to watch your back constantly and defend yourself. Then something has to give.

    Since 9/11 and 7/7 I have followed events more closely. The reason being that the ideology of hate that Paul refers to in this country and abroad is what I see behind the demonization of American, Israel and Britain.

  50. At 01:03 PM on 24 Aug 2007, wrote:

    PUSH! (please)

  51. At 05:16 PM on 24 Aug 2007, wrote:

    Please! Pretty please!
    xx
    ed

  52. At 07:12 PM on 24 Aug 2007, wrote:

    Tim,

    I too have followed events and history pretty closely.

    Make a start .

    Or at my namelink above.

    Salaam/Shalom
    ed

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