Comments on: A Botched Raid, a Vital Embargo (New York Times Op Ed)

By: Trying to understand the Gaza Flotilla mess « aaron niequist

Trying to understand the Gaza Flotilla mess « aaron niequist — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:24:15 +0000

[...] Daniel Gordis’ thoughts. Finally, I want to include a different view-point. Gordis is an outspoken defender of Israel [...]

By: Louis Lipsky

Louis Lipsky — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:20:24 +0000

I think the nature of the Turkish connection here has been ignored. A May poll, reported in Israel Today, shows Turkish Prime Minister Erdouan’s Islamic party trailing neck-to-neck with the previous majority secular party, both with a little less than 40% of the legislature. Erdouan needs to rally support for his party, and what better mechanism than anti-semitism? This month, the Turkish Army was rocked this month by widespread accusations of corruption and prosecution of numerous senior brass. The Turkish army is considered the centurion of democracy and secularism in Turkey, in the spirit of their revered leader Ataturk, and has deposed governments there 4 times when it felt that the government was too close to suspending democracy or to imposing Islamic law. Amazingly, it has always reinstated democracy within a short time. Erdouan’s move on the army should probably be interpreted as a threat made to dissuade the army from contemplating any action against him.
Erdouan’s sudden ferocious animosity towards Israel certainly reflects his own anti-Semitism as a Moslem, and his desire to reinstate the Ottoman Empire and be the unchallenged leader of the Moslem world. All in all, however, his timing and his choice of specific actions should, I think, be seen as a desperate campaign ploy.
If his ploy succeeds, it is bad news for NATO, the US and Europe more than for Israel, and concerned citizens of NATO countries should tell the Turks that the implications of deserting Ataturk’s legacy in favor of the Sultans’ would be a tragic mistake, primarily for them.
Israel should equip all the tourists who [depite everything still] go to Turkey with suitcase-side stickers in Turkish reading: “Erdouan, don’t use Israel for your campaign!”

By: Jim Donnellan

Jim Donnellan — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:42:11 +0000

What I like about Saving Israel is that Daniel brings up delicate, almost undiscussable issues and puts them on the table for review.

Unfortunately, statements like the one in this article on Camp David: A decade ago, President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister Ehud Barak, tried, but Yasir Arafat, the Palestinian leader, walked away. Now the supposedly moderate Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, refuses to negotiate, as of course does Hamas.

Juxtapose that comment against that of Shlomo Ben-Ami and one quickly gets the sense that this is not a black and white, good guy, bad guy matter.

In 2006, Shlomo Ben-Ami stated on Democracy Now! that “Camp David was not the missed opportunity for the Palestinians, and if I were a Palestinian I would have rejected Camp David, as well. This is something I put in the book. But Taba is the problem. The Clinton parameters are the problem” referring to his 2001 book Scars of War, Wounds of Peace: The Israeli-Arab Tragedy. .[23]

Daniel certainly favors Israel, but peace will not be achieved without entering into the point of view of the “enemy”. I would suggest that Saving Israel would be better achieved following Martin Buber’s recommendations for authentic dialogue. Had that been done a long time ago – he pointed out in the 1920′s that the Arab question would be the moral litmus test for Zionism – today’s tragic realities would not have occurred.

By: Jack

Jack — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:38:40 +0000

Armchair quarterbacking is so very easy. Sure, it is easy now to see and say that it was a trap. Not a big deal to say so.

But how many of you would have known for certain that it was. And assuming that you did what would you have done.

The movies are great because magically the hero finds a way to overcome all odds, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

The arab world believes that they chased us out of Lebanon with our tales between our legs. They look at Cast Lead and see another victory there.

If we don’t end the blockade on terms that make it look like we gained the upper hand than what have we to show for ourselves. Not much.

In the interim you stop the ships because that is just what has to be done, the world be damned.

And to those who are dumb enough to say that iron bars aren’t really dangerous weapons, well try hitting yourself in the head two or three times and see how you feel.

No soldier/policeman in any nation will allow a person to beat them with anything, fist, sticks or more. They will defend themselves and they should.

It is narishkeit of the highest order.

By: Cookie Gonik

Cookie Gonik — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:11:02 +0000

Mr. Gordis, thank you for a voice of reason. Your article clearly states Israel’s dilemma. Israel’s allies need to support her and not cower to international pressure created by terrorists with good PR.

By: Sarah Borenstein

Sarah Borenstein — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 01:55:18 +0000

As a Jew, I was expulsed from Nasser’s Egypt in 1956. Who remembers the Suez Canal crisis, or our second exodus? Yet, as Jews we’ve been in the land of the Pharaohs since biblical times.

In Europe we have been pogrommed out of every little shtettle. Just 3 generations ago, my own paternal grandmother’s Russian village was totally destroyed. My paternal grandfather’s village in Romania, same thing. In Leghorn, Italy, my maternal grandmother’s family was shipped to Nazi camps, courtesy of Mussolini’s regime.

Anybody read Golda Meier’s autobiography – her childhood memory of Cossack hoofs thundering terror.

As far as international criticism for this botched up raid is concerned, we as Jews are damned if we do, and damned if we don’t. Nu, what’s new here? It is also easy to criticize Israel from the distance, comfort and security of America the beautiful, the land of the free and the brave.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem…
THE ANNIHILATION OF ISRAEL MEANS THE ANNIHILATION OF JEWS EVERYWHERE.

Thank you Mr. Gordis not only for your thoughtful writings, but for being an American in Israel.

By: anty violence

anty violence — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 14:35:35 +0000

the minor violent details of the battle on the Mavi Marmara maybe less important than the daily violence, which is the standard policy of the HAMAS/MB/PLO leadership.

israeli and the other civilized nations must support the liberation of the ordinary Palestinian citizens from the grip of their brutal leaders.

A few ordinary israelis feel empathy and responsibility for the close neighbor. The majority of Israelis r

By: Sally Abrams

Sally Abrams — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 02:12:38 +0000

Dr. Gordis- I heard you speak last night in Mpls. and your talk was one of the most moving and articulate I have heard. Are you being filmed for You Tube? If not, you must! Your words need to reach the widest possible audience. Please!

By: Ellen Levy

Ellen Levy — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 00:24:31 +0000

As we know Israel’s sustained well being and strength effects not just a small strip of land in the desert..it impacts Jews everywhere! The Israeli response to flotilla incident not only was justified, it was necessary. As the tea party, Sarah Palin and hatred dominate the social and poltical scene in the U.S.The energy to make America a White Christian country grows. The Isreali government and people make loud statements and take decisive action. One can only hope that Americans open their mouths and start screaming (like the Latinos do)and close their purses to all factions of our society that condemn Israel!

How can one faction negotiate with another faction that is dedidcated to the annihilation of Israel? The annihlation of Israel means the annihlation of Jews everywhere.

We must be cognizant that when Israeli blood spills in Israel, It surly will follow throughout the diaspora. America is not exempt! Not any more.We have a population of home grown terrorists. They are multiplying like rabbits. Furthermore we have the radical right.

What can we do? We scream loudly..not to blogs of the converted but to the general public. Share your experience of anti semtism. Comments that marginalize us..are beyond ignorance they warrant a response. The remarks are not innocuous they are seeds of poison! Let’s respond peacefully,loudly,and clearly to the perpetrators of hate speech. I have had enough and I am not going to be silent anymore.The internet diseminates poison of hatred effectively, efficienately,with spit firie rapidity. Didn’t Nazi Germany teach us that silence is not golden it kills Jews!

By: Robert F.

Robert F. — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:59:42 +0000

Memo to ADLIN:

Re: THE GOD OF ABRAHAM IS THE GOD OF ISRAEL AND HE WILL FIGHT FOR ISRAEL AS HE HAS DONE IN THE PAST, JUST TAKE A LOOK AT HISTORY

You might want to take your own advice. For example, take a look at the years 70 through 1948 C.E. Then reread Devarim and the prophets. Get the message? Hashem is not our own personal bouncer and bodyguard. “Chosen” doesn’t mean invulnerable and able to act with impunity; it means marked as the means by which Hashem gets his point across. If that means giving us the land of Israel, Hashem gives us the land of Israel. If it means expelling us because of our bad behavior, Hashem kicks us out. Don’t make the mistake of telling Hashem what to do.