Amos Oz son told me that I must watch a video called "The Gatekeepers" -interviews of 6 former heads of Shin Bet". I managed to find it in DVD form and I have watched it a few times. It paints the picture that in the early days of settlements in the occupied territory most Israelis were very opposed to these settlements and the settlers were disliked.
That is entirely consistent with the impressions I got while in Israel in the 1980s.
Shin Bet leaders were tasked with removing the settlers and most of those interviewed described how they believed that Israel would be able to live in peace with the Palestinians if Israel would stop antagonizing the Palestinians in the West Bank.
I last set foot in Israel in 1997. It has changed a great deal since then. For one thing attitudes towards settlers have changed.
A dear friend fled South Africa to live in Israel. She could not afford to live in Israel proper. The cost of housing was too great. For purely economic reasons she bought a flat in the occupied territories. Within a few weeks the local mayor visited her to tell her that from now on she must vote Likud because only Likud will ensure that she will keep her home because Likud will never cede the west bank to the Palestinians.
I found this interview very interesting because Weiman's story is very credible. I was a defence contractor for most of my life. I know something about military doctrine and warfighting policy. His description of what actually happens is consistent with what I thought was happening.
I also agree that the future depends on whether or not Israelis reject Netanyahu.
I fear that Israel is becoming just another middle eastern country. The region is not noted for civil rights or democracy.
No. I had not heard of this massacre. I have read many of Benny Morris' works but haven't gotten around to Pappe's works. I am familiar with the way in which the Yishuv managed to "convince" Palestinians to leave their homes. Perhaps Tantura was mentioned in one of Morris' books. I don't recall it. Morris estimated that about 200 Palestinians were murdered in an attempt to convince the rest to flee. Is the Tantura number part of that 200?
Long ago I learned not to express my personal opinions about Israel directly. During the years that I had friends in the peace movement I learned to repeat the opinions of leaders of Shin Bet and Mossad that I agreed with. I haven't done much of that for many years. Most of my old friends who were involved in bringing about the Oslo Accords have given up. They have left the region. One took up citizenship in Jordan but she is almost 80. Others either left Israel or decided not to take up Israel citizenship.
I think that it is absolutely true that the war in Gaza is generating a new generation of Palestinians who will take up arms against Israel. If, somehow, Israel manages to "cleanse" Gaza the question is where will those Palestinians go? If the west accepts them as refugees will this not put our own Jewish populations at risk? I reckon that by now Netanyahu would welcome attacks on diaspora Jews such that they decided to take up citizenship in Israel. That is by way of saying that the current government of Israel will not concern itself with what displaced Palestinians might do.
Amos Oz son told me that I must watch a video called "The Gatekeepers" -interviews of 6 former heads of Shin Bet". I managed to find it in DVD form and I have watched it a few times. It paints the picture that in the early days of settlements in the occupied territory most Israelis were very opposed to these settlements and the settlers were disliked.
That is entirely consistent with the impressions I got while in Israel in the 1980s.
Shin Bet leaders were tasked with removing the settlers and most of those interviewed described how they believed that Israel would be able to live in peace with the Palestinians if Israel would stop antagonizing the Palestinians in the West Bank.
I last set foot in Israel in 1997. It has changed a great deal since then. For one thing attitudes towards settlers have changed.
A dear friend fled South Africa to live in Israel. She could not afford to live in Israel proper. The cost of housing was too great. For purely economic reasons she bought a flat in the occupied territories. Within a few weeks the local mayor visited her to tell her that from now on she must vote Likud because only Likud will ensure that she will keep her home because Likud will never cede the west bank to the Palestinians.
I found this interview very interesting because Weiman's story is very credible. I was a defence contractor for most of my life. I know something about military doctrine and warfighting policy. His description of what actually happens is consistent with what I thought was happening.
I also agree that the future depends on whether or not Israelis reject Netanyahu.
I fear that Israel is becoming just another middle eastern country. The region is not noted for civil rights or democracy.
Saw it a year ago. It is fantastic. Did you see Tantura?
No. I had not heard of this massacre. I have read many of Benny Morris' works but haven't gotten around to Pappe's works. I am familiar with the way in which the Yishuv managed to "convince" Palestinians to leave their homes. Perhaps Tantura was mentioned in one of Morris' books. I don't recall it. Morris estimated that about 200 Palestinians were murdered in an attempt to convince the rest to flee. Is the Tantura number part of that 200?
Long ago I learned not to express my personal opinions about Israel directly. During the years that I had friends in the peace movement I learned to repeat the opinions of leaders of Shin Bet and Mossad that I agreed with. I haven't done much of that for many years. Most of my old friends who were involved in bringing about the Oslo Accords have given up. They have left the region. One took up citizenship in Jordan but she is almost 80. Others either left Israel or decided not to take up Israel citizenship.
I think that it is absolutely true that the war in Gaza is generating a new generation of Palestinians who will take up arms against Israel. If, somehow, Israel manages to "cleanse" Gaza the question is where will those Palestinians go? If the west accepts them as refugees will this not put our own Jewish populations at risk? I reckon that by now Netanyahu would welcome attacks on diaspora Jews such that they decided to take up citizenship in Israel. That is by way of saying that the current government of Israel will not concern itself with what displaced Palestinians might do.