Comments on: Join the discussion: Obama has pushed matters to a head with Israel. How should Israel respond and what is the best strategy for Israel’s supporters now to adopt? http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/join-the-discussion-obama-has-pushed-matters-to-a-head-with-israel-how-should-israel-respond-and-what-is-the-best-strategy-for-israels-supporters-now-to-adopt/ Think Tank Blog: The online repository of articles on anti-Zionism and civilisational decline by analyst Robin Shepherd Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:22:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Jerry http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/join-the-discussion-obama-has-pushed-matters-to-a-head-with-israel-how-should-israel-respond-and-what-is-the-best-strategy-for-israels-supporters-now-to-adopt/#comment-2583 Jerry Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:20:12 +0000 http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/?p=2415#comment-2583 Israel should consider funding permanent traveling exhibitions of its antiquities. First venue - Washington. Israel should consider funding permanent traveling exhibitions of its industrial contributions. Both these ideas would eventually pay for themselves. Viewing the exhibits should be inexpensive, but never free. Israel should consider funding permanent traveling exhibitions of its antiquities. First venue - Washington.

Israel should consider funding permanent traveling exhibitions of its industrial contributions.

Both these ideas would eventually pay for themselves. Viewing the exhibits should be inexpensive, but never free.

]]> By: Jerry http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/join-the-discussion-obama-has-pushed-matters-to-a-head-with-israel-how-should-israel-respond-and-what-is-the-best-strategy-for-israels-supporters-now-to-adopt/#comment-2582 Jerry Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:16:23 +0000 http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/?p=2415#comment-2582 Israel should increase its local production of arms, since the flow from America will soon dry up. Let's face it. The cancellation of the F-22 raptor was designed to keep it out of Israel's hands. Israel may want to reconsider producing the Lavie - Israel's home grown fighter. Israel should increase its local production of arms, since the flow from America will soon dry up. Let’s face it. The cancellation of the F-22 raptor was designed to keep it out of Israel’s hands.

Israel may want to reconsider producing the Lavie - Israel’s home grown fighter.

]]> By: Jerry http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/join-the-discussion-obama-has-pushed-matters-to-a-head-with-israel-how-should-israel-respond-and-what-is-the-best-strategy-for-israels-supporters-now-to-adopt/#comment-2581 Jerry Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:11:48 +0000 http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/?p=2415#comment-2581 Israel should wait quietly for a change in administrations in America. Israel should wait quietly for a change of views in Europe, which is beginning to experience the oppression that Islam will bring them. Israel should wait quietly for a change in administrations in America.

Israel should wait quietly for a change of views in Europe, which is beginning to experience the oppression that Islam will bring them.

]]> By: Jerry http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/join-the-discussion-obama-has-pushed-matters-to-a-head-with-israel-how-should-israel-respond-and-what-is-the-best-strategy-for-israels-supporters-now-to-adopt/#comment-2580 Jerry Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:09:16 +0000 http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/?p=2415#comment-2580 Israel should solicit positive documentaries and feature films that show off the country. Israel should solicit positive documentaries and feature films that show off the country.

]]> By: Jerry http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/join-the-discussion-obama-has-pushed-matters-to-a-head-with-israel-how-should-israel-respond-and-what-is-the-best-strategy-for-israels-supporters-now-to-adopt/#comment-2579 Jerry Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:08:11 +0000 http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/?p=2415#comment-2579 Israel should offer free trips to more business and political leaders to see Israel, both from America and South America. Maybe even Europe. Israel should offer free trips to more business and political leaders to see Israel, both from America and South America. Maybe even Europe.

]]> By: Jerry http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/join-the-discussion-obama-has-pushed-matters-to-a-head-with-israel-how-should-israel-respond-and-what-is-the-best-strategy-for-israels-supporters-now-to-adopt/#comment-2578 Jerry Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:02:56 +0000 http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/?p=2415#comment-2578 Israel should declare that when Iran and Syria are no longer a threat, it will consider further autonomy for the Palestinians. Israel should declare that when Iran and Syria are no longer a threat, it will consider further autonomy for the Palestinians.

]]> By: Steve http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/join-the-discussion-obama-has-pushed-matters-to-a-head-with-israel-how-should-israel-respond-and-what-is-the-best-strategy-for-israels-supporters-now-to-adopt/#comment-2572 Steve Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:30:07 +0000 http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/?p=2415#comment-2572 Nicole, You make my point for me. It is because Israel finds itself in the unique situation where history has been distorted and its every action is amplified and exaggerated, that the building of settlements in 'disputed' land (which I and many like me who are otherwise staunch defenders of Israel cannot offer any credible defence for) merely plays into the hands of its detractors and does nothing but add fuel to the demonization. How do you think this contributes to the defence of its own people and existence? The short answer is that it doesn't. It merely allows for cheap shots to be made against it which has the exact opposite affect. I am not Jewish and not Israeli. The reason I support Israel is that it seems obvious to me that it is a democratic country of great promise which shares my values and is worthy of support. Up to a point it's occasional excesses can be 'forgiven' on the basis that this is a young country brutalized by a 60 year war of survival. The provocative expansion of settlements merely adds doubt to the view that it is a generally moral and responsible democracy and to many people makes it look as bad as, or worse that it's neighbours. Nicole,

You make my point for me. It is because Israel finds itself in the unique situation where history has been distorted and its every action is amplified and exaggerated, that the building of settlements in ‘disputed’ land (which I and many like me who are otherwise staunch defenders of Israel cannot offer any credible defence for) merely plays into the hands of its detractors and does nothing but add fuel to the demonization. How do you think this contributes to the defence of its own people and existence? The short answer is that it doesn’t. It merely allows for cheap shots to be made against it which has the exact opposite affect.

I am not Jewish and not Israeli. The reason I support Israel is that it seems obvious to me that it is a democratic country of great promise which shares my values and is worthy of support. Up to a point it’s occasional excesses can be ‘forgiven’ on the basis that this is a young country brutalized by a 60 year war of survival. The provocative expansion of settlements merely adds doubt to the view that it is a generally moral and responsible democracy and to many people makes it look as bad as, or worse that it’s neighbours.

]]> By: NicoleS http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/join-the-discussion-obama-has-pushed-matters-to-a-head-with-israel-how-should-israel-respond-and-what-is-the-best-strategy-for-israels-supporters-now-to-adopt/#comment-2567 NicoleS Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:58:17 +0000 http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/?p=2415#comment-2567 Steve: Israel is judged by far harsher standards than any other country in the world, as you might be able to gather from the absurd amount of media coverage it receives. It does not need to be 'beyond reproach', it needs to defend its own existence and its people. If you think Israel sets out to be deliberately provocative, you are not understanding what is going on. That is hardly surprising, in view of the misinformation spread by the BBC et al and Israel's appalling neglect of its own PR. Still, you've made a start by reading the estimable Robin Shepherd. Steve: Israel is judged by far harsher standards than any other country in the world, as you might be able to gather from the absurd amount of media coverage it receives. It does not need to be ‘beyond reproach’, it needs to defend its own existence and its people. If you think Israel sets out to be deliberately provocative, you are not understanding what is going on. That is hardly surprising, in view of the misinformation spread by the BBC et al and Israel’s appalling neglect of its own PR. Still, you’ve made a start by reading the estimable Robin Shepherd.

]]> By: Steve http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/join-the-discussion-obama-has-pushed-matters-to-a-head-with-israel-how-should-israel-respond-and-what-is-the-best-strategy-for-israels-supporters-now-to-adopt/#comment-2561 Steve Thu, 25 Mar 2010 01:48:08 +0000 http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/?p=2415#comment-2561 Nicole, "Jews do not have to be better than anyone else" Where do you get that from? Avoiding doing something, quite deliberately, that looks to the vast majority of outsiders to be unnecessarily provocative falls a very long way below anything that might fall within that description. Do you think Iran would be behaving "better than anyone else" if it ceased encouraging terrorism? Do you think Palestinian chiildren would be behaving "better than anyone else" if they stopped throwing stones? Perhaps it is just the case that refraining from provocative actions is the "normal behaviour" that you would expect of a mature state? Nicole,
“Jews do not have to be better than anyone else” Where do you get that from? Avoiding doing something, quite deliberately, that looks to the vast majority of outsiders to be unnecessarily provocative falls a very long way below anything that might fall within that description.

Do you think Iran would be behaving “better than anyone else” if it ceased encouraging terrorism? Do you think Palestinian chiildren would be behaving “better than anyone else” if they stopped throwing stones?

Perhaps it is just the case that refraining from provocative actions is the “normal behaviour” that you would expect of a mature state?

]]> By: NicoleS http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/join-the-discussion-obama-has-pushed-matters-to-a-head-with-israel-how-should-israel-respond-and-what-is-the-best-strategy-for-israels-supporters-now-to-adopt/#comment-2549 NicoleS Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:07:44 +0000 http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/?p=2415#comment-2549 Steve: 'Israel as the prime aggressor it needs to be puritanical and beyond reproach for a while to show the World who the real aggressors are.' Absolutely not. Jews do not have to be better than anyone else, they need to be accepted as the same as everyone else. Israel is not the prime aggressor. It needs to make clear to the world that the settlements will go only when the Palestinian leadership has shown willing to negotiate, recognise Israel's existence and guarantee security. As for east Jerusalem, guess what. The BBC, great news and fact gathering organisation that it is, has got it wrong. Again. Steve: ‘Israel as the prime aggressor it needs to be puritanical and beyond reproach for a while to show the World who the real aggressors are.’ Absolutely not. Jews do not have to be better than anyone else, they need to be accepted as the same as everyone else. Israel is not the prime aggressor. It needs to make clear to the world that the settlements will go only when the Palestinian leadership has shown willing to negotiate, recognise Israel’s existence and guarantee security. As for east Jerusalem, guess what. The BBC, great news and fact gathering organisation that it is, has got it wrong. Again.

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