Thursday, 8th of January, 2009

I want to urge you (and also you) to read this post by Lisa Goldman on the Gaza conflict:
Haniyeh and his Israeli sisters: wartime tales from Gaza and Israel
It’s rare to see a perspective from on the ground in either Israel or the occupied territories, that isn’t either propaganda or pretty much militant activism of some sort. Lisa, a Canadian journalist and blogger now living in Israel, is always very much worth a read, and has built up a large number of friendships in the Arab world which make her particularly worth listening to.
I’ve been waiting for her to write about this mess, and the post above is a long and impassioned commentary on what’s going on, an informed Israeli anti-war perspective. Even if you’re already against this war you should read it, because as ever, the left likes its absolutes; it’s not necessary to defend Hamas in any way at all if one wants to condemn Israel’s actions and support Palestinians.

Meanwhile, the wonderful Israeli author Etgar Keret has an article in the LA Times on “Proportionality”. He argues, in his usual measured fashion, that a mathematical analogy is useless when both sides refuse to accept the narrative, and the suffering, of the other.

The only equation I can wholeheartedly accept is one whereby zero bodies appear on either side of the equation. And until that time comes, I’ll choose outcry and protest that appeal solely to the heart. I shall reserve my appeals to the mind for better times.

And for some light relief, here’s Jon Stewart (another leftist Jew) at the beginning of the latest(?) edition of the Daily Show, suggesting that Israel is just “getting their bombing in before the January 20th hope and change deadline”. January 20th is of course the date of the Obama inauguration. Stewart inevitably veers close to “making light” of the suffering, but that’s satire for you. He pretty much nails it, especially on the mendacious hypocrisy as ever on both sides of US politics.
We’re not doing much better here, and you might want to support Amnesty’s campaign for the UN Security Council to take decisive action (a “humanitarian corridor” and 3hrs of ceasfire a day really ain’t enough…)

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