[lit-ideas] Re: Brigette Gabriel again supporting Israel

  • From: "Stan Spiegel" <writeforu2@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 03 Aug 2006 12:45:47 -0400

Omar -

You're a very creative guy in the way you answer. I woulndn't mind having you as my advocate. But you're also pretty good in avoiding what you want to avoid. That speaks well of your capacity as a public official or politician. Have you ever considered running for office?

If you don't support bombing buildings with civilians, non-combatants -- men, women and children --in them, how come you've been so studiously careful to avoid criticizing Hezbollah for their horrendous rocket-fire into Northern Israel?

I feel -- like you do -- not always up to answering every volley you send out. This war has me sitting on the sidelines worried about Israel's future. I'm not sleeping well. I'm in the bleachers rooting for Israel, but I have mixed feelings about some of their tactics. I'm horrified at all the women and children, not to mention men as well, who were killed in the basement of that building in Qana. I'm upset at the civilian deaths -- on both sides of the border.

But Israel is upset too. That building wouldn't have been targeted if the IDF knew there were civilians hiding in the basement. You may pooh-pooh that comment. I don't. Israel grieves over all the dying non-combatants. I grieve over them too - those who live in Lebanon and those who live in israel.

But there's one thing I never hear: and that is Hezbollah expressing its sorrow over all the civilian deaths. And that's because Hezbollah is sending rocket-fire into all the buildings it can, trying to kill as many as it can. It keeps Lebanese civilians who are trying to get out of harm's way from leaving. Hezbollah benefits from all the dead and dying Lebanese around them. Those Lebanese who are shot and killed make Israel look bad -- and Hezbollah relishes that bad publicity. What we know about Hezbollah is they're not good for Lebanon or the Lebanese, in spite of the good works we see them participating in. Now their real colors are showing. Their "good works" are like the devil's friendliness. It's a disguise -- a very effective one.

I never hear you expressing sorrow over the deaths on both sides of the border. I hear you criticize Israel -- and God knows they deserve some -- but Hezbollah? They're blameless? They're just a poor little guerrilla force doing what they can against the mighty IDF -- and so everything they do is acceptable? You speak as if everything is black and white. It isn't.

You dispute this, I know. But I know who started this war. It wasn't Israel. Hezbollah's attacks coincided exactly with the deadline the European Union set for Iranian's to respond to its proposed nuclear deal? What better way to show that Iran can make life difficult for those who pressure it than to create a broad crisis in the region?

Shalom isn't the single most important word in the Hebrew language for nothing. Peace is what Israel wants. Not death and destruction. Not war. Not occupation.

But if you show you want to go to war, they're not going to play footsie with you either. They'll respond -- fiercely. Hezbollah has been on that border for a long time. Israel has been watching and waiting. You would too if you had Hezbollah living next door.

Stan Spiegel

----- Original Message ----- From: "Omar Kusturica" <omarkusto@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2006 10:18 AM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Brigette Gabriel again supporting Israel


Stan,

I think that I understood the question without a
translator, and I think that I already gave a clear
answer. I haven't noticed you expressing your position
on this. Also, if you are the official interrogator
here, I haven't been notified.

O.K.



--- Stan Spiegel <writeforu2@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> What about other forms of terrorism besides
suicide
> bombings?  Like  bombings
> of buildings that have civilians in them?

*That's a good question. No, I don't support bombing
buildings with civilians in them. Do you?"
O.K.

That's a surprising answer, Omar, since you haven't
once commented on the
rockets hurled into Northern Israel's homes and
buildings, jeopardizing the
lives of women and children there and killing many
too. Only the Israeli
response do you express dismay over.

Julie didn't ask you an academic question. She
wanted to know (as I do) if
you support terrorism -- because with all your
criticism of this war, you've
never once commented on the behavior of Hezbollah.
Don't they deserve some
attention?

Stan Spiegel


----- Original Message ----- From: "Omar Kusturica" <omarkusto@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 5:38 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Brigette Gabriel again
supporting Israel


>
>
> --- JimKandJulieB@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
>> I'm sorry to hear about the almost-fire.  Glad it
>> did not  actualize.
>
> *Well, I did lose some clothes, some furniture was
> damaged etc., but it could have been worse. It's
not
> like I am in Lebanon or something.
>
>> What about other forms of terrorism besides
suicide
>> bombings?  Like  bombings
>> of buildings that have civilians in them?
>
> *That's a good question. No, I don't support
bombing
> buildings with civilians in them. Do you ?
>
> O.K.
>
> __________________________________________________
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