Saturday, December 29, 2007

Occupation: The Big Lie

My brain's gone a little gaga from the sun and I doubt that I will be able to right down anything of worth. But, in light of recent slanderous charges against Israel by a certain young visitor, I would like to repost an article from Arutz-7. It blasts apart the "occupation" myth that critics of Israel are so fond of citing. They are entirely right when they say that the occupation must end- the Arab occupation of Jewish land must come to an end soon.

Occupation: The Big Lie
by Asher Zelig Fried

Arab and leftist propagandists have learned well.

Israel stands accused of conducting a brutal military occupation of Arab lands inhabited by an indigenous, peace-seeking Arab population. Repeatedly, in newscasts and the press, Israel is characterized as harshly subjugating another people. These accusations are dangerous, a pervasive lie, and an existential threat to Israel. They are a classic manifestation of a much utilized propaganda tactic known as "The Big Lie."

Accusations resulting from this falsehood exceed all bounds of truth and continue
These accusations are dangerous, a pervasive lie, and an existential threat to Israel. Incredibly, many are now accepted as "articles of faith" by increasing numbers of those who heretofore viewed Israel favorably. These accusations have become the common ground that transforms casual supporters of Israel into vocal Israel-bashers, and the glue that today binds every manner of Israel's enemies.

Israel's "occupation" of the disputed areas began subsequent to its 1967 victory in the Six Day War, when Jewish settlement of Judea and Samaria began in earnest. Initial Arab reactions were positive, as working relationships were maintained between Jewish communities and their Arab neighbors. Jews would regularly visit Arab towns and employ local townspeople. The Arab standard of living improved significantly as its per capita income increased exponentially. Local roads were modernized, water supplies increased, electricity and telephone communications were developed, and a new tourism industry flourished. With rare exception, there were no road-blocks, lock-downs, or curfews, as Arabs worked and shopped in Haifa and Tel Aviv, and Jews shopped in Ramallah and in local Arab villages.

With the benefits of Arab and Jew living side-by-side and in relative peace apparent through the 1970s and 1980s, there nevertheless were Arab rumblings about Jewish settlement in the land. It received, however, minimal attention; it was perceived to be the sentiment of relatively few Arab dissidents. The improving economic conditions of the local population and its benefits were deemed far more important than the negative potential of a renewal of friction.

These relationships, built over a period of 25 years, were dramatically and irretrievably altered with the signing of the Oslo Accords of 1993. The Accords created an entirely new narrative. The status of Jewish residents changed abruptly from neighbor to occupier, even in their own homes and communities. Arab extremists, emboldened by Oslo's promise of an independent Palestinian state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, demanded removal of all Jewish communities in areas they now claimed as exclusively their own.

In 1994, Israel granted the Palestinian National Authority autonomous control of the major Arab cities in Judea and Samaria, and of the surrounding areas. The PNA's corrupt rule and suppression of all opposition resulted in a GDP in 2003 one-tenth of what it had been in 1992. The then-newly-returned Yasser Arafat and his murderous henchmen spread their reign of terror and hostility, while their propagandists introduced a new rallying call, "End the Occupation." Israel's political Left, in support of Oslo, immediately joined the fray.

Incredibly, no one questioned the incongruity of Jews branded occupiers of Judea, the province named for its Jewish residents. No one thought it odd that Jews were now accused of occupying Jerusalem, known historically as "the city of the Jew." Far more Jews shopped in Ramallah and in local Arab villages. More vociferous then even the Arab propagandists, the Israeli Left immediately embraced the Arab narrative and intensified their onslaught. They too adopted "End the Occupation" as their rallying call, with which they then pervaded Israeli TV, radio, newspapers, film, literature and the universities. Today, the very words of seditious Israeli university professors, who denigrate Israel in the most perverse manner, are quoted by Israel's enemies across the globe.

Perhaps the greatest irony is that The Big Lie as a tool of propaganda was first introduced by Adolf Hitler in his 1925 autobiography Mein Kampf. He states that for the Big Lie to be effective, it "must be so colossal that no one would believe that someone could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously." He further posits that "in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily." This tactic was utilized by Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Minister of Propaganda, who understood that for the lie to be effective, it must not only be colossal, but also must contain at least a kernel of truth, and be repeated with great frequency. The Arab propagandists, and now enemies of Israel worldwide, have learned well from their murderous Nazi predecessors.

Accusations of occupation by Israel's leftist press, and by Israel's detractors following their lead, are repeated regularly and without respite. The necessary kernel of truth is evident: Israel does, in fact, occupy Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem; much the same way that it occupies Tel Aviv and Haifa, and in much the same the way the United States occupies Miami and Los Angeles with their minority Latino populations, and the same way Canada occupies Quebec, with its minority French population.

Jews were sovereign in Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem, and the lands west of the Jordan River for a thousand years, while Arabs were never sovereign in these lands. It was not until the late 19th and early 20th century that the overwhelming majority of Arabs living west of the Jordan River migrated to the area. The land then was ruled by the Ottoman Empire. Subsequently, until the founding of the Jewish State, it was under British control.

With Israel's victory in the Six Day War and subsequent control of these areas, Jordan disavowed any further claim to it. The merit of Israel's claim thus far exceeds any other. By what standard are Jews "occupiers" for striving to settle these areas? By what justification should this land, Israel's ancient heartland, be exclusively Arab and forbidden to Jews?

Branding Israel an "occupier" is designed to engender overwhelming negative reaction to Israel and ultimately to delegitimize her. It places Israel, via comparison, alongside murderous military occupations. Israel's "occupation" is thus similar to Nazi Germany's occupation of eastern Europe, or Japan's occupation of China, or the Soviet Union's occupation of eastern Europe, all of which resulted in millions murdered and enslaved. Perpetrated by cruel and despotic dictators, these occupations were militarily invasions of sovereign countries for the purpose of murder, mayhem and subjugating the citizenry.

Israel's "occupation," by contrast, is led by Jewish families building new communities, schools, and houses of worship. These families have built the area's infrastructure anew and desire only to live in peace with all residents of the area. Branding Israel an "occupier" is designed to engender overwhelming negative reaction.Comparing such families settling their ancestral homeland to murderous Nazi, Japanese and Soviet armies is more than a lie; it's obscene.

In the final analysis, the lie of Israel as Occupier was created by the Oslo Accords. The Accords transformed Jewish families settling Israel's heartland into pariahs in the eyes of much of the world, and confusion as to where in Israel Jews would be permitted to live. Israel's friends began to wonder why Israel would surrender its heritage to an enemy sworn to destroy it. Most horrifically, Oslo brought about a reign of terror resulting in death and disfigurement to thousands of innocent Jewish men, women and children.

The most difficult issue facing Israel today is that of a hostile minority population, resentful of and refusing to live in peace with the ruling Jewish majority. Believing the surrender of Israel's heartland will bring peace is delusional. The issue will be resolved only when Israel's minority population recognizes the myriad advantages of living together peacefully with the Jewish majority. Israel needs new leadership with a new vision, one that is ready to proclaim Jewish sovereignty over all of Jerusalem and over Israel's historic heartland.


To sum up, Israel came into possession of these lands after being attacked by Jordan, Egypt and Syria in 1967. After a miraculous six days, Israel liberated these lands which form part of the ancient Jewish homeland. Jewish settlers soon moved in and Arab living conditions soon improved. The myth of the "occupation" was created to slander Israel. Arabs hated Jewish settlements long before '67 or even the founding of the state. Crazed Arab hordes killed Jews in bloody pogroms in 1921 and 1929. When Israel was founded, it was attacked by over one million Arab soldiers and endured decades of terror attacks until the Six Day War. Neither will giving land back bring peace. Suicide bombings only began after Israel showed itself ready to compromise in the Oslo Accords, kassams only began to fall on Sderot after Israel's 2005 Disengagement from Gaza ("occupation" free and judenrein for 2 years, little has improved) and the Second Lebanon War happened after Israel withdrawed from Southern Lebanon.

61 comments:

Yehudi said...

I would never condone the murder of an Israeli official, but it's very easy to see why Rabin was killed for his actions regarding the Oslo Accords; and it's very difficult to see why Olmert hasn't been killed yet.

Rita Loca said...

Another excellent post, I think the sun does you good!

Avi said...

Daniel, that's a dangerous line to tread.

Progressive Pinhead said...

Rabin was the best PM Israel ever had.

Yehudi said...

Of course it is, however, how long will Hashem tolerate acting on His behalf, just giving away our land, our inheritance to those who have taken a deadly stand against Hashem and HIS inheritance?? Again, I'm not advocating the killing of our leaders at all. I'm just saying that I understand the circumstances surrounding his death, and it's not unthinkable. Olmert is lucky that noone has sentenced him to the same fate.

Avi said...

YA: Well at leat you finally said it. The best PM in your mind is one who boasts of killing Jews in the Altalena incident, who gave over weapons and funds to the Pseudostinians which lead to more dead Jews, all while calling thenm 'sacrifices for peace'. And I'm sure you will agree with the Left's peace plan: Kill Jews for Peace

Avi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
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Deborah said...

I agree with Jungle Mom... another excellent post. The sun hasn't tainted you a bit... your brain is just as good as the Canadian sky allows, my friend!

Because Jews have returned to their rightful homeland, the Arabs in Israel are recipients of state-of-the-art health care, an organized and robust education system, ingenious and successful agricultural, cutting-edge technology, and a tourism industry that pads their pockets deeply.

On my last visit to Israel, a friend got ill enough to take to the emergency room. It was wonderful to find that intelligent, well-educated people lay down their ethnic boundaries to work in unison for a humane cause. Israeli and Arab health care professionals worked well side-by-side. Hopefully, the demonstrated ability for well-educated, reasonable people of different ethnicities to work side-by-side will eventually facilitate exactly what the article refers to: the minority living harmoniously and peaceably alongside the Jewish majority. If the fanatical minority doesn’t want to live in peace and enjoy the good that has been bestowed on them by default, then I guess they can always move to other Sunni (2nd or 3rd world) countries… surely their Sunni brethren are standing ready to receive them with open arms. Need more be said?

Avi said...

I did some research and found this:

The law of the pursuer (rodef): We have learned in the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 8:7) that, if Reuven sees Shimon running after Levi in order to kill or rape that person, then Reuven may kill Shimon in order to prevent the crime. This law was explained at length by the Talmud and later codes of Jewish law. Amir stated that Rabin was a "pursuer" who was poised to spill the blood of many Jews by giving up control over part of the West Bank and it was therefore permissible to murder him. This is a gross distortion of this law. First of all, the law of the pursuer only applies to a spontaneous act, whereas Yigal Amir planned this assassination for two years. Rabin's assassination stopped nothing and the "Peace" Process continued. By the same token, half of the knesset members and all of those who elected him deserved death. In fact, his assassination gave the Left a martyr while ballots, not bullets, could have stopped the disaster.

The law of the turncoat (moser): A moser is one who informs against his fellow Jews or hands over Jews or Jewish land to non-Jews. In the Middle Ages, Jews were often at the mercy of gentile rulers. When a Jew informed against his fellow Jew or handed him over to the authorities, this was considered a heinous crime because it frequently endangered not only the direct victim of the slander but the entire Jewish community. The Talmud records two cases where an informer was killed by one of the Sages (Berakhot 58a and Bava Kamma 117a), and these stories were codified by Maimonides (Laws of Wounding 8:10). Yet this was the exception to the rule, as is made clear in Maimonides' code (ibid., 8:11). In actuality, Jews throughout the Middle Ages did not execute informers. In Germany they simply excommunicated them, while in Spain such an informer was judged by a court of rabbis who would pass sentence and hand the informer over to the gentile authorities for punishment. Jews didn't kill moserim summarily thus Amir had no right to act on his own accord.

Murder is murder. Rabin's assassination only made this situation worse. Hatred and violence against Jews will only make the situation worse. Ahavat Yisrael is needed to bring the Geula!

The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose" (The Merchant of Venice, I, iii, 93)

heidianne jackson said...

of course the god of israel exists - even the devil knows he does. god has promised the land of israel to the jews, his chosen people. we all know, including the caananites.

great post bk. oh, and happy new year!!!

Brooke said...

I hate to be a pessimist, but when it comes to that certain 'young visitor' you may be peeing in the wind, BK.

Papa Frank said...

Happy New Year's Eve BK!!! Hopefully all is well with you in the southern sun. May 2008 be the year that Israel as a whole turns her heart towards Hashem and the temple begins to be rebuilt!!!

nanc said...

o.t. - you have a great new year always, b.k.!

Progressive Pinhead said...

In 2007 Israeli security forces killed 373 Palestinians, and 131 of these were not involved in hostilities.
Palestinians killed 13 Israelis, seven of them civilians.
Makes you wonder who has the real security risk.

Progressive Pinhead said...

No one wants to kill the jews. If you honestly think that is the lefts plan than your and idiot, but your not, your much smarter than that. This is the most disgraceful propoganda tactic I have seen in recent memory. It rivals Hitler's lies in the scale of absurdity. Why don't you just come out of the closet and admit you don't want peace?

Rita Loca said...

Happy New year!

Yehudi said...

I don't mind saying that I'd like to see every enemy of Israel who desires to kill Jews laying dead in the street. Go ahead, Young Activist, call me a racist. I will then wear that badge, because I would rather suffer than see one more Jew evicted from their G-d - given home because of a pseudostinian or activist like yourself....or for one more of my bretheren to be killed by a terrorist hiking in our own land. I've had enough of your bulls**t, YA, because you have no clue about reality. You have no idea what it means to fight to defend something...to fight because you have to fight. Why don't you go over to some muslim blogs and start a bunch of stupid crap with them? Are you afraid you'll wake up one morning and see a U-Haul truck outside your house, and notice the stench of ammonia and fertilizer?

Papa Frank said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Deborah said...

Please go to: http://www.womeningreen.org/ to see how you can help Israel RIGHT NOW! Only a few days left...

Shalom,
Deborah

Anonymous said...

BK,take comfort knowing the fate of young activist if the Muslims ever win will be the same as the fate of those other Islamic allies, the Tudeh, the Algerian Nationalists, and the Lebanese Christians.

I happen to disagree with Amir's actions, it shouldnt of been him but a Beit Din that judged Rabin, not only for surrendring our country and arming murderers but also for the Altelana. But murder applies when extenuating circumstances like the Din of Rodef or Moser dont apply.

You can argue that Amir was wrong; but he has a defense that he was killing a Rodef, because a rodef is not only spur of the moment, as the Talmud Yerushalmi Sanhedrin(I think) records if you have evidence someone is planning to kill you; even if it is not in the immediate future, such a person is a rodef and you may take whatever actions necessary.

Anonymous said...

Bar: certainly a nice hasbara piece. What the young activist doesn't want to understand, and isn't very likely to ever understand about Rabin and the Oslo Peace Process is that Rabin was elected on the promise that he would never bargain land for peace with the PLO. What Rabin did was and should rightfully be called by its correct name: high treason.

Rabin lied outright to his constituency. I remember that year. There had been a mass aliya from former Soviet Republics from 1989 to 1993(the faitful year Rabin was elected) and Rabin promised the disgruntled Soviet immigrants(who were mostly right-wing) better housing, more rights...just about anything they wanted. He also beckoned Israel's religious Zionists to give him a helping hand. He said he would never, ever hold talks with Arafat.

As soon as Rabin got into office, he reniged on just about every campaign promise he'd made. This alone(without having to realize what the consequences would be) makes him the worst P.M. in Israel's brief history. On Rabin's behalf his first stint as P.M. was a gigantic success and he was a reliable Ramatkal.

It's easy to see what caused Yigal Amir(if it was him) to be so outraged as to assassinate Rabin. Look at the settler's from Gush Katif who've lost everything and are finding it so hard to come to terms with living in shabby houses much smaller than what they were used to on land considered "cursed" by the Arabs. I wouldn't be surprised if one of these were to assassinate Olmert. I would, for that matter, applaude such an assassination.

The only thing that separates Yigal Amir from a whole lot of religious Zionist Jews is that he actually had the balls to do what they preached all along.

I say free Yigalush and put Smolmert in jail!

Anonymous said...

Bar: also, I hope you had a great X-ian New Year partaaaay and are enjoying(or were enjoying) your vacation!

Lehit,

Eitan.

Progressive Pinhead said...

"It's easy to see what caused Yigal Amir(if it was him) to be so outraged as to assassinate Rabin. Look at the settler's from Gush Katif who've lost everything and are finding it so hard to come to terms with living in shabby houses much smaller than what they were used to on land considered"

I wonder if the Palestinians would act violently if the same thing was done to them, oh that's right...

Progressive Pinhead said...

"I would, for that matter, applaude such an assassination [of Ehud Olmert]"

Do I really need to tell you what is wrong with that statement?

Progressive Pinhead said...

"I would rather suffer than see one more Jew evicted from their G-d - given home ....or for one more of my bretheren to be killed by a terrorist hiking in our own land."
You mean someone like Eitan?

Anonymous said...

Young activist: how young are ya, kid?

You took what I wrote just a wee-bit out of context there, don't ya think...huh!?

And yes, I stand behind my statement that I would be obliged to the brave man who'd assassinate Olmert.

Live and learn, kid...or else shut your trap and/or stop typing bull;)

Progressive Pinhead said...

You said you'ld support the murder of the Israeli Prime Minister. So no I don't think I took it out of context. Your lucky you didn't post your real idenity on your profile or I'ld report you to the authorities.

Anonymous said...

that's one stupid f--ing young activist for ya! So say, son, don't ya think the Shabbak knows all about me having interogated me once in the past? Don't ya think the Israeli govt. knows all about me, me having been with Kach and met such people as Noam Federman? Let me ask you again: just how old are ya, huh son?

Avi said...

KL: I agree with your comment that a beit din should have tried Rabin. However, in the lack of the Sanhedrin, we must not take the law into our own hands. It only gives the Left a martyr and weakens our own position. (Of course the Left will suffer in the end but at the cost of how much Jewish blood?)

Eitan: Same thing. I don't want any more talk of assassination Israeli officials anymore.

YA: Who are the terrorists? The Arabs, the Arabs and the Arabs, and don't forget the treasonous Left. I also want to answer another one of your comments. You said that Israel doesn't really want peace. Let me tell you something: Zionism's goal was/is a Jewish state, peace or no peace. It is far more important to me and to a true Zionist that Israel exist as a Jewish state rather than accept a "peace" proposal that would compromise Israel's security and Jewish status. Letting in millions of angry, hostile Arabs into Israel would be political suicide. And I don't care if you accuse me of not being even-handed. I'm not even handed and while I don't want to see any Arab die, I couldn't care less for giving them a state (G-d forbid) and their self-inflicted suffering doesn't concern me in the least.

And no, if an Arab, G-d forbid, were to kill Olmert, he should be executed. Only the Jewish people have the right to decide our own future.

Anonymous said...

Ok, bar, I respect that because I respect you. No more talk of Olmert hitting the sack. It could be dangerous...after all, we have obviously have a guy who'd tell the gov't just about anything to get his interests met...what a perverted piece of...

You make me sick, you little fruitcake;)

Progressive Pinhead said...

Glad to hear it, coming from an individual such as yourself that is not a bad thing.

Anonymous said...

kid: you now know my name. Why don't you go report me to the goverment like you said you would?

My point is, you took my comment out of context. While I wrote 3-paragraph's worth of info. refuting you infantile arguments, you chose to zero in on one sentence. In fact, what I said does not reflect what kind of person I am--rather my political position.

There are plenty of Israeli soldiers who've shot and killed Arabs in combat. A lot of these soldiers are very left-wing these days. I've never shot, nor killed anyone and the thought makes me shutter, yet I don't always agree with the religious that for a Jew to murder another Jew is such a horrible crime.

BTW: do you realize you're a commie SOB?

Progressive Pinhead said...

Eitan, you must understand that what I said was out of frustaration, I do not want anyone, regardless of religon, nationality, race, etc., to suffer through anything unnesescarily, so if you are not actually planning or aiding a plan to kill someone then I'm not going to report anything.

Progressive Pinhead said...

and for the record I am neither a communist nor an atheist.

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