Eti Goari is Jewish, 38, wears her hair black with gold highlights, and immediately and enthusiastically declares “cain!” (yes!) when asked if she is a good cook. She has never been blown up while riding a bus. She lives removed from the West Bank in the coastal town of Nahariya, above Haifa—but she is a victim of Israel’s occupation of Palestine.… return to article
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Reader Comments (27)Page 1 of 1 pagesI used to support the Palestinian cause. I no longer can. Israel targets terrorists. Palestineans murder civilians - and gloat. It is sickening.
Israel should finish the fence and wait for the racist murderers to stop. Then it can pull out.
Arafat must go. I only hope the Palestinians can pull together and make a democracy. It is the only chance for peace.
Posted by Jordan on Oct 9, 2003 at 7:53 PM Why are the innocent deaths related to the Israeli’s firing a rocket at a terrorist leader different than the innocents that are killed when the Palestinians target a bus or business that is frequented by soldiers?
Is one group more innocent?
Posted by GreGos on Oct 10, 2003 at 12:26 AM B/C Israel is intentionally trying to NOT kill civilians. Palestinians are intentionally trying TO kill women, children, and men- not military targets.
Hamas, Hezbollah, and a significant percentage of Palestinians and the Arab world pray for the destruction of tiny Israel and Jewish people. The Jewish people do not pray or terrorize innocent Arabs.
In fact, Arabs are actually welcomed Israeli citizens (and murdered by Palestianian bombers, as we have just seen). Unfortunately, we also see the disgusting racism of the Arab states. How many Jews are welcome in those countries?
Some of them do exactly as the Nazi’s did. Make an enemy to deflect their own failings. All the Arab states together have a lower GNP than Spain. And their behavior torward women (and I know I’m guilty of being too general here) is awful.
That said, my heart breaks with the situation in the refuge camps. But it is up to the Palestinians and the Arab community to fix the majority of their problems.
Posted by Jordan on Oct 10, 2003 at 2:33 PM Jordan, you are talking total crap.!!Israeli’s not trying to kill civilians? maybe they just fire live rounds at little kids just for fun. Finish the fence? and take even greater swathes of palestinians lands and split up even more villages down the middle? How would you respond if somebody kicked you out of half of your land and stopped you working, travelling and killed your kids and ritually humiliated you? I absolutely condemn the terrorism yet it doesnt take a genius to figure out what drives these people to such desperation as to blow themselves up. Stop the occupation and the terrorism will stop. Sharon is doing his best to sabotage any hint of a peace deal. Why dont you blame the butcher of Sabra and Shatila for at least part of the situation?
Posted by Enya on Oct 10, 2003 at 3:29 PM on 9/11 there were palestinians in the streets celebrating. jews had candle light vigils. my mind is made up.
Posted by Ty on Oct 10, 2003 at 4:10 PM The U.S. (respresentatives) have favored and armed Israel. As a result, the Palestinians have been oppressed to the point of desperation. The desperation must be pretty damned horrible for a 29 year old female Palestinian lawyer to attach a bomb to herself in order to counter superior military strength.
No one can convince me that there is any equitable ground being established when such desperate measures are being taken by any human being (keeping in mind that, although the U.S. has an extremely high rate of suicide, we do not see people taking others with them). Moreover, no one can persuade me that military action having the MISNOMER of “collateral damage” is somehow more righteous than such desperate actions towards justice. Both are horrible.
And Sharon’s regime IS just as responsible for defeating peace as is Arafat’s regime. They both play upon their people’s emotions in order to maintain their own greed for power. If either one really cared about their people, they would stop this crap and rally their people to pursue at least a tolerant and cooperative stand. I think they are both dysfunctional and both full of revenge and fear and cynicism. Otherwise, Sharon would give the real estate that had been promised to the Palestinian people and Arafat would invest his energies into empowering his people in nonviolent ways.
Moreover, the U.S. (“representatives”) would STOP taking sides by prohibiting “cronies” to make a very bloody fortune creating and spreading arms to nations it seeks to manipulate or control. In my book, the U.S. has been and is a major contributing factor to the instability, as well.
In my view,...the struggle that should take place must involve empowering “the people” who take a stand for peace and withdrawing all support to those who are obviously self-centered power-mongers. Of course, the first step to distinguishing between the “givers” (those who can bring peace) and the “takers” (those who profit from conflict) is stepping out of the storm of emotion and towards the waves of logic.
I believe in the possibility of our world being peaceful.
Posted by Ms. Monica on Oct 11, 2003 at 2:26 AM Enya-
You’re completely right. Violence against the Israelis started AFTER occupation of the State of Palestine by the money hungry greedy Israelis. After they infiltratided the world wide banking system they’re trying to gain all the water rights in the middle east. Stop the JEW TAKEOVER AND FREE THE PALESTINIAN STATE!Jordan- Are you so dumb that you haven’t heard of the massacre in Jenin? Is that fair for Israel to MURDER civilians with a bulldozer? Apparently to you there’s a difference with killing each side. To us KILLING civilians on one side is just as bad on the other. In other words, you can’t kill on one side and not expect the other to retaliate.
Just B/C you hate people who have a DIFFERENT SKIN color than you doesn’t make you right. Calling Arab states “racist” is pathetic- you’re the obvious racist dumbs…
Posted by Sar on Oct 13, 2003 at 2:00 AM Sar, I dont agree with your jewish world takeover conspiracy theory. After all there are jews fighting for palestinian rights and for peace. There is a conspiracy between a Governments in the US and Israel to obtain strategic superiority over everybody in the region, that much is clear but you cant tar everbody with the same brush.
Ty, You obviously didnt hear what everybody else knows that the broadcast of palestinians dancing in the streets was found to be a broadcast of library pictures. It was an obvious attempt by various people in the media to portray the palestinians as being partly responsible. Disgusting, just like your attitude!
Posted by Enya on Oct 13, 2003 at 9:00 AM Enya- Have you ever heard of Lexus Nexus? Do you know how to do research?
Even a moron like Phil Donahue has conceded that the disgusting celebration in Palestinian streets on 9/11 was awful.
The one thing that I love about this is that it is so easily verified. You should check the facts before you make stupid statements.
Well, you probably believe in Roswell and Big Foot too.
Posted by Ty on Oct 13, 2003 at 2:53 PM this is the kind of story that you never hear about in the corporate dominated press. this coverage is exactly what the world needs to hear about.
i’m sorry but israel is causing too many problems and is being to selfish. their brutal takeover of palestine is exactly what the europeans did to the native americans to make america.
israel should disband and there should be a new country run by the united nations that is peaceful.
stop the warfare, embrace peace, and move to see the sun shine peacefully on the shores of a new palestine/israel un nation.
Posted by Ra Satlo on Oct 13, 2003 at 3:45 PM enya and sar-
“The violence started after the illegal occupation”You’re right, the corporate media completely lied to us about the 5 or 6 wars Israel had to fight shortly after they became a country (sarcasm). The violence originated from the numerous arab states that fought Israel then and now support Israel being stripped of their status as a country. You called someone else racist. You called Israeli occupation a “JEW TAKEOVER” excuse me if I didn’t get a hint of anti-semetism there.
But none of you is as crazy as Ra Satio. You want to disband Israel (completely destroying the country) and make it a state run by the UN. It took the UN 10 years to figure out a way to divide up Israel, how could they govern it? Nevermind the fact they UN screws up just about everything that isn’t a humanitarian cause. Oh yeah, and you know that the US would go for the plan. And if the UN continued without our support, well that would result in a war that no one would want to fight, we alongside Israel (and probaby England and a few others) would fight to protect Israel. Do YOU want that?
Posted by brad on Oct 13, 2003 at 5:55 PM Oh, shut up, Ty and brad from NY. What do you care? Otherwise, since you have all the answers, why don’t you fix everything.
Posted by Just Me on Oct 13, 2003 at 8:32 PM As usual, this all revolves around religious myth and bullshit. Some one’s “god” told them thousands of years ago that they have the “right” to a chunk of desert… whatever. As long as people goose-step to the ridiculous, laughable religious crap they’ve been spoon-fed for generations, nothing will change. It would serve the Israelis and Palestinians right if they just exterminated each other off the face of the earth. They BOTH have committed heinous, unfathomable crimes against each other, and all for some crazy religious dogma. It’s too bad for the relatively few clear-thinking individuals in both sides of this mess.
Posted by Gary on Oct 13, 2003 at 10:43 PM Just Me:
“Oh, shut up, Ty and brad from NY. What do you care? Otherwise, since you have all the answers, why don’t you fix everything. “
What are you saying? That I shouldn’t care what happens in Israel. I do care. I never said I could fix everything or that I had all the answers, because I don’t.
Let me turn this back on you, why do you care? WHy don’t you fix everything?
Posted by brad on Oct 14, 2003 at 5:49 AM brad from ny,...I get cranky at people who take an opinion or point of view and turn it into a personal assault. Moreover, I just get cranky *laugh*,...SO THERE!!! *laugh*
Posted by Just Me on Oct 16, 2003 at 1:29 AM Moreover, brad from ny, I see NO benefit from the adversity produced by anyone holding his/her feelings or thoughts or actions as superior over everyone else. Wouldn’t it be fabulous if we agreed upon certain fundamental values we all share,...and commit ourselves to contributing towards those values instead of beating eachother up. After all, not a single one of us holds “the answer” to any of the problems we face now,...and we certainly are none of us “fortune-tellers” of the future.
Posted by Just Me on Oct 17, 2003 at 12:10 AM Hey it is a tough situation. I think the answer is everyone leave. Maybe we’ll get lucky and a giant meteor will hit Gaza.
Posted by Brian Timm on Oct 21, 2003 at 1:07 AM The Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza is illegal. The IDF occupation forces destroy homes, kill civilians including women and children, close schools, destroy farm crops, cut off water, prevent travel and commerce. Since the European pograms against the Jews used some
of the same tactics and many Jews meekly submitted, perhaps it is assumed that the same
tactics will work for Israel in attempting to
steal the land of the Palestinians after which
genocide will be the finals solution in Palestine.
Posted by pat on Oct 21, 2003 at 5:04 PM Imagine if everyone was required to PROVE that LIFE, itself, is most valued? Any argument concerning anything other than the value of “LIFE” is prohibited, period. NO rationalizations allowed in proving life is most sacred. Either keep LIFE or take it away for other purposes, period. IT IS THAT SIMPLE!!!!
Posted by Just Me on Oct 22, 2003 at 1:34 AM Ty and gang….Maybe you could “do the research” and tell the rest of us how much money the USA has sent to the palestinians over the years. I honestly dont know and am too lazy to “look it up”. Somehow I get the feeling the “good patestinians” that we’re sure are hiding just around the corner havent gotten squat. Arent those people we should be supporting as well?
Seems to me that Isreal would have been squashed like a bug if it wasnt for billions in U.S. taxpayer funded “aid”. I mean how can we expect palestinians to build their own settlements unless we’re willing to pay for them.
Oh and I’m so sure that Isreal hasnt taken our money to buy weapons of their own. Isnt that kind of the same thing as palestinians being supported by other arab governments??
While the situation in Isreal is sad and its hard to know whose right or wrong I for one would like to see the U.S. stop sending my money to Isreal to support what lots of us consider to be wrong. Only after that can we honestly step in and say that we’re working for whats best for ALL sides>
Posted by Shawn P. Murphy on Oct 22, 2003 at 4:32 AM Shawn- I completely agree with your statement that Israel would be squashed like a bug if we didn’t support them.
That tiny nation is absolutely hated by the Arab world. Arab racism towards the Jewish people is massive and unrelenting. Without our support they would surely be “driven into the sea” as many wish it would be.
It’s a wonder Jews have been able to survive given the thousands of years of brutal attacks from their neighbors.
Posted by Ty on Oct 22, 2003 at 4:55 PM End aid to Israel. We give $11 billion / year to this country (FAR MORE than any other) and they continue to build illegal Jewish-only settlements, destroy Palestinian homes and resources, and enact aparthied laws that exclude Palestinians from citizenship and land ownership. If an Arab-Israeli marries a non-Israeli, they are forced to leave the country. A Jewish-Israeli can marry a non-Israeli. That is racism. The settlements are for Jews only. That is racism. The right-of-return is for Jews only. That is racism. A limit is set for the number of African Jews allowed into Israel. There is no limit on American or European Jews. That is racism. [Gee whiz, I wonder why those Palestinians are so angry?]
It is time to stop supporting this racist, provocative government.
Arafat cannot control the Palestinian extremist groups. He is not the leader of Hamas or Islamic Jihad. The U.N. and U.S. can if they were allowed in, but Israel will not allow a U.N. peacekeeping force in the occupied territories to act as a buffer. Sharon, and his AIPAC-bought lackies in our government have opposed U.N. resolutions for peacekeepers twice. This was before the latest intifada. Look what has happened since. Over 800 Israelis dead. Over 2200 Palestinians dead. Well done, Sharon. Well done.
Posted by JB on Oct 23, 2003 at 6:07 AM Israel should be our warning light in dealing with occupying Iraq. 50 years of doing the same wrong thing over and over again should give us the hint.
Here’s some real-politik for you.
The only way Israel can get peace by using the methods they are using now is to kill every single Palestinian person. Since every sane person in the World would oppose and be horrified by that action, then either Israel has to accept the current level of terrorism and war, or try something different .
Also those who condemn the Palestinians for their attacks on civilians might look at our own Native American history. When confronted with overwhelming US Calvery forces, they attacked softer targets, they percieved as occupying their lands.
It may be ugly. It may be horrific, but those who think wars are pretty and glorious are dreamers
Posted by Paul N. Sidio on Oct 23, 2003 at 5:55 PM Exactly. For all those who think the suicide (homocide, whatever) bombings are an atrocity and an affront to all things decent…
YOU ARE RIGHT. I couldn’t agree more. It’s beyond sick, beyond comprehension.
But, think about how miserable, how hopeless conditions must be in Palestine for people to even consider this terrible act, let alone actually perform it. There’s been some insightful - albeit painful - words in this thread about the abominal treatment dished out by the Israelis.
I can not condone the slaughter of innocents, but when viewed with the objective lens of history, really… there’s a certain sense that the Israelis are getting back a little bit of what they’ve been dishing out for decades.
Posted by Gary on Oct 23, 2003 at 7:57 PM hey guys sorry to let you in on a secret; but Israel has already lost the war against the arabs. You guys aint so smart cause you dont seem to see what we all figured out. 50000000 cant control 500000000
give it up and save your selves the trouble. You all can come to brooklyn we got plenty of room, let the arabs have their desert.
Posted by joe bono on Oct 24, 2003 at 5:56 AM It would be more helpful if a distinction were made between “Israel” and THIS regime, just as we must distinquish between varities of Palestinina resistance.
If I were seeking to effectively discredit the Sharonistas I would point out that the civilians killed via Trial-by-Apache-helicopter are a.) causualties of official policy wherein b.) there is no due process. With Ararat, there is always some question about how much he controls his own people. That is the strongest pro-Palestinian argument.
As for the strontgest pro-Israeli argument, one need only turn on the Television, or read EITHER the Weekly Standard or The New Republic—and that is the heart of the problem with the so-called debate in this country.Yet as the Geneva proposal recently illustrates, an accomodation is still possible if the interests of both sides are fairly measured. THAT, not talking past one another, will bring this lunacy to an end.
Austin in DC
Posted by ATS on Nov 8, 2003 at 7:14 PM many israelis and palestinians work for peace and understanding - it’s just that the press isn’t interested in them because they don’t make readers sit up and salivate over their cornflakes. people shouldn’t make anti-semitic and anti-arab comments without considering first that many ordinary people on both sides are working towards a peaceful resolution.
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