We must not remain indifferent to the suffering of our Jewish neighbours
Is it any wonder that many of our Jewish neighbors and friends have been feeling unsafe and targeted? What does it say that in the aftermath of the largest single-day loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust, people could be seen celebrating on campuses, on the streets, and online, and calling for Jewish-owned businesses to be boycotted?
How terrible that we have forgotten how this all started. Israel was invaded on their Holy Sabbath only to have Israelis beheaded , burnt alive and killed along with over 240 hostages taken to Gaza. When you kick a sleeping bear be prepared for consequences. The Palestinians need to give up HAMAS terrorists that they let live among them and return the hostages to Israel. Why are there miles of tunnels in Gaza and none of the Palestinians knew about it?? Muslims received land from Serbia and Croatia to form Bosnia where they are accepted and live relatively peacefully. Why can they not do this in Gaza. Non Muslims have the right to exist too.
9th November 2023 at 9:54 am
Joan Tucker
Thank you for this article. I have no words for the other commentators who vilify my homeland.
I do good in the world. As a physician, I treat patients of all nationalities and faiths and encourage some connection to something larger as a means of healing.
Hate all around me for my faith, for my adherence to the book, for my studies, for my feminism, for my desire to not be persecuted, makes me wonder how we can progress in humankind.
I go back to my Jewish roots, both in prayer and in service, and I ask for help from an entity much larger than myself.
The Moslems and The Jews share One God. In fact, we are descendants of the same biblical family. As a professional and a mother and a Jew, I don’t endorse hate. I sit in wonder at the strength of my community pulling together to face yet another Goliath.
9th November 2023 at 8:47 am
Michael F
Religion is what got us here in the first place. The way forward is with less religion.
9th November 2023 at 12:44 pm
Deborah
Support for Palestinian suffering is NOT anti-semitism. Why is it so hard for people to understand that you can support the Israelis and condemn Hamas and also support the Palestinians right for their own homeland. Isn’t the what Israel got in 1948 after their genocide. Why are they now lacking such empathy that they would do to others what was done to them. Palestinians lost their land without consultation. They have been occupied for years and Israeli settlers have encroached on what little land they have. They live in poverty. Yes, I support Palestinian calls for freedom and a land of their own. And I also condemn Hamas who do NOT represent the Palestinian people.
9th November 2023 at 8:44 am
The Hub Staff
Thank you for contributing to the discussion here in the Hub Forum.
9th November 2023 at 1:32 pm
Scott Alexander
Agree with caveat that the homeland for the once Jordanian Arabs now living in the West Bank/Judea-Sumeria is actually what they want and all they want in order to live in peace with their Jewish neighbors. But I cannot see physically how that homeland could include Gaza. I wonder if there are any other places in the world where a homeland is Balkanized?
9th November 2023 at 11:13 am
David
The PLO has been exploiting it’s people for many years now. Their leaders are billionaires and live in safe countries like Jorden, as they syphon billions of dollars away from their people to buy weapons to destroy their Jewish neighbours. Now they are hiding behind the cries of their children and their women shirts. They store their weapons in and under schools and hospitals. Why do they do the right thing and wave a white flag.
9th November 2023 at 10:56 am
Michael F
“Between 1951 and 2022, Israel received $225.2 billion in US military aid, adjusted for inflation, which is approximately 71% of its aid from all sources. Since 2000, over 86% of annual American aid to Israel has funded military efforts.”
Israel has exterminated far more Palestinians with its superior weaponry than they have lost . Yet all western media pour over Israelis “suffering” paints Palestinians as terrorist or sympathizers . Moshe Dyan screamed not an eye for an eye a thousand eyes for our eye. You are spreading pro Israel propaganda . They have long been a rouge state with US bully for backup . Look at UN voting and world opinion
9th November 2023 at 7:59 am
Lynda W.
After the Holy Wars ended at the Battle of Ponti, the Muslim invaders vowed one day to take over non Muslim land ( that is land belonging to Christains and Jews). If you have any Serbian or Croatian friends ask them about Muslims trying to take over. That is why we have a Muslim area in that region.
9th November 2023 at 10:01 am
Rob Tyrrell
When it comes to Canadian society, citizens should, or continue to, push back on, even shout down, any legal speech or action that dehumanizes and encourages violence of any group of fellow human beings. Other related criminal acts should obviously be vigorously investigated, charged, and prosecuted.
Too often citizens are unjustly conflated with governments when assigning culpability for heinous and illegal acts. Alas, sometimes a large group of the citizens are supportive, and even complicit.
Currently, both of our Muslim and Jewish citizens are being unjustly and unacceptably targeted this way by our fellow citizens. To what extent it is currently at similar levels or intensity is secondary to not tolerating it in whatever way we can, even with possible social risk. This behavior is dangerous and, I dare say, un-Canadian.
9th November 2023 at 8:54 am
Richard
There is lots of suffering in the region to go around. Sadly the article is just another 1-sided argument that fails to highlight the extremism on both sides.
9th November 2023 at 8:34 am
A.Chezzi
We must not remain indifferent to the suffering of any human being. We cannot be selective in whom support in their quest for justice. When we do, we set up situations such as the one in Israel and the violence will never end. We have to ask ourselves why we are supporting Israel? Is it that Israel has more to offer the West in an alliance, protecting our privileges while the Palestinians have little or nothing? Is the West trying to make up for the crimes of the past when the West ignored the Holocaust and refused safe haven for Jews?
I read recently that to live in a rapidly changing world, our thinking must be always new, always fresh, always beginning again if we are to thrive. It is incredible that we, advanced as we are, fall back on old ways of acting. No change, no life.
9th November 2023 at 8:53 am
Thor Ragnorson
Ah the progressive mind. Always looking for ways to untether from the wisdom of the ages. To free itself to follow its utopian dreams. The short answer to your question is that if the well documented barbarism that was committed on Oct 7 doesn’t stop you in your intellectually suspect tracks then you will never understand. Your single variable model to view the current situation in Gaza is childish at best and potentially absolutely horrifying at worst. There are many players influencing the situation in Gaza but really only one who has the immediate need and responsibility to deal with it. If you don’t get that then I’ll let you get back to your studies at the Junker academy.
9th November 2023 at 10:09 am
GZ
We must not remain indifferent to the suffering of ALL of our neighbours. “Never again” is not “never again just for me” nor is it a operating manual.
-G.
9th November 2023 at 1:28 pm
Michael F
I don’t think any reasonable person is indifferent to the horrors of the Hamas attack. The issue is that this attack did not happen in a vacuum. The underlying causes for these atrocities have been fomenting for years and many of them can be traced directly back to the policies of the Netanyahu government. And herein lies the biggest problem, the Israel PR machine is in overdrive right now conflating any criticism of Israel and support for Palestinian civilians as being anti-semitic. Any talk of a two state solution is off the table while Israel ‘defends itself’ by mercilessly pounding Gaza. If Netanyahu was so concerned about hostages why isn’t the IDF sending teams of special ops forces and trying to rescue them? Is bombing Gaza into rubble going to help with getting hostages released? I think not. How many Palestinian civilian casualties are acceptable collateral damage?
9th November 2023 at 12:10 pm
Thor Ragnorson
Where does Iran, numerous rejected by the Palestinians “two state” solutions, rejection of Palestinian refugees by Jordan and Egypt, thousands of rockets instead of economic infrastructure, a terrorist group as the elected government, 10,000’s of Palestinians working in Israel and 20% of the productive Israeli population being Arab work into your underlying causes model?
9th November 2023 at 1:56 pm
Michael F
Myopic pro-Israel talking points. Who killed Rabin? Was it Hamas or Hezbollah? A large percentage of Palestinian civilians in Gaza weren’t even old enough to vote in 2006.
9th November 2023 at 2:49 pm
Thor Ragnorson
Myopic? You’re hilarious. Your rebuttal consists of an anecdote about 1 nut who’s serving life in prison. Let me add suicide bombers to my previous list.
9th November 2023 at 3:45 pm
Henry Clark
Perhaps the failure of the liberals to resist the siren call of socialism and the divine powers that Marx promised to the administrators and the subsequent failure of rational thought is responsible for the rise of the totalitarian system that failed humanity for most of recorded history.
Comments (20)
How terrible that we have forgotten how this all started. Israel was invaded on their Holy Sabbath only to have Israelis beheaded , burnt alive and killed along with over 240 hostages taken to Gaza. When you kick a sleeping bear be prepared for consequences. The Palestinians need to give up HAMAS terrorists that they let live among them and return the hostages to Israel. Why are there miles of tunnels in Gaza and none of the Palestinians knew about it?? Muslims received land from Serbia and Croatia to form Bosnia where they are accepted and live relatively peacefully. Why can they not do this in Gaza. Non Muslims have the right to exist too.
Thank you for this article. I have no words for the other commentators who vilify my homeland.
I do good in the world. As a physician, I treat patients of all nationalities and faiths and encourage some connection to something larger as a means of healing.
Hate all around me for my faith, for my adherence to the book, for my studies, for my feminism, for my desire to not be persecuted, makes me wonder how we can progress in humankind.
I go back to my Jewish roots, both in prayer and in service, and I ask for help from an entity much larger than myself.
The Moslems and The Jews share One God. In fact, we are descendants of the same biblical family. As a professional and a mother and a Jew, I don’t endorse hate. I sit in wonder at the strength of my community pulling together to face yet another Goliath.
Religion is what got us here in the first place. The way forward is with less religion.
Support for Palestinian suffering is NOT anti-semitism. Why is it so hard for people to understand that you can support the Israelis and condemn Hamas and also support the Palestinians right for their own homeland. Isn’t the what Israel got in 1948 after their genocide. Why are they now lacking such empathy that they would do to others what was done to them. Palestinians lost their land without consultation. They have been occupied for years and Israeli settlers have encroached on what little land they have. They live in poverty. Yes, I support Palestinian calls for freedom and a land of their own. And I also condemn Hamas who do NOT represent the Palestinian people.
Thank you for contributing to the discussion here in the Hub Forum.
Agree with caveat that the homeland for the once Jordanian Arabs now living in the West Bank/Judea-Sumeria is actually what they want and all they want in order to live in peace with their Jewish neighbors. But I cannot see physically how that homeland could include Gaza. I wonder if there are any other places in the world where a homeland is Balkanized?
The PLO has been exploiting it’s people for many years now. Their leaders are billionaires and live in safe countries like Jorden, as they syphon billions of dollars away from their people to buy weapons to destroy their Jewish neighbours. Now they are hiding behind the cries of their children and their women shirts. They store their weapons in and under schools and hospitals. Why do they do the right thing and wave a white flag.
“Between 1951 and 2022, Israel received $225.2 billion in US military aid, adjusted for inflation, which is approximately 71% of its aid from all sources. Since 2000, over 86% of annual American aid to Israel has funded military efforts.”
https://usafacts.org/articles/how-much-military-aid-does-the-us-give-to-israel/
Israel has exterminated far more Palestinians with its superior weaponry than they have lost . Yet all western media pour over Israelis “suffering” paints Palestinians as terrorist or sympathizers . Moshe Dyan screamed not an eye for an eye a thousand eyes for our eye. You are spreading pro Israel propaganda . They have long been a rouge state with US bully for backup . Look at UN voting and world opinion
After the Holy Wars ended at the Battle of Ponti, the Muslim invaders vowed one day to take over non Muslim land ( that is land belonging to Christains and Jews). If you have any Serbian or Croatian friends ask them about Muslims trying to take over. That is why we have a Muslim area in that region.
When it comes to Canadian society, citizens should, or continue to, push back on, even shout down, any legal speech or action that dehumanizes and encourages violence of any group of fellow human beings. Other related criminal acts should obviously be vigorously investigated, charged, and prosecuted.
Too often citizens are unjustly conflated with governments when assigning culpability for heinous and illegal acts. Alas, sometimes a large group of the citizens are supportive, and even complicit.
Currently, both of our Muslim and Jewish citizens are being unjustly and unacceptably targeted this way by our fellow citizens. To what extent it is currently at similar levels or intensity is secondary to not tolerating it in whatever way we can, even with possible social risk. This behavior is dangerous and, I dare say, un-Canadian.
There is lots of suffering in the region to go around. Sadly the article is just another 1-sided argument that fails to highlight the extremism on both sides.
We must not remain indifferent to the suffering of any human being. We cannot be selective in whom support in their quest for justice. When we do, we set up situations such as the one in Israel and the violence will never end. We have to ask ourselves why we are supporting Israel? Is it that Israel has more to offer the West in an alliance, protecting our privileges while the Palestinians have little or nothing? Is the West trying to make up for the crimes of the past when the West ignored the Holocaust and refused safe haven for Jews?
I read recently that to live in a rapidly changing world, our thinking must be always new, always fresh, always beginning again if we are to thrive. It is incredible that we, advanced as we are, fall back on old ways of acting. No change, no life.
Ah the progressive mind. Always looking for ways to untether from the wisdom of the ages. To free itself to follow its utopian dreams. The short answer to your question is that if the well documented barbarism that was committed on Oct 7 doesn’t stop you in your intellectually suspect tracks then you will never understand. Your single variable model to view the current situation in Gaza is childish at best and potentially absolutely horrifying at worst. There are many players influencing the situation in Gaza but really only one who has the immediate need and responsibility to deal with it. If you don’t get that then I’ll let you get back to your studies at the Junker academy.
We must not remain indifferent to the suffering of ALL of our neighbours. “Never again” is not “never again just for me” nor is it a operating manual.
-G.
I don’t think any reasonable person is indifferent to the horrors of the Hamas attack. The issue is that this attack did not happen in a vacuum. The underlying causes for these atrocities have been fomenting for years and many of them can be traced directly back to the policies of the Netanyahu government. And herein lies the biggest problem, the Israel PR machine is in overdrive right now conflating any criticism of Israel and support for Palestinian civilians as being anti-semitic. Any talk of a two state solution is off the table while Israel ‘defends itself’ by mercilessly pounding Gaza. If Netanyahu was so concerned about hostages why isn’t the IDF sending teams of special ops forces and trying to rescue them? Is bombing Gaza into rubble going to help with getting hostages released? I think not. How many Palestinian civilian casualties are acceptable collateral damage?
Where does Iran, numerous rejected by the Palestinians “two state” solutions, rejection of Palestinian refugees by Jordan and Egypt, thousands of rockets instead of economic infrastructure, a terrorist group as the elected government, 10,000’s of Palestinians working in Israel and 20% of the productive Israeli population being Arab work into your underlying causes model?
Myopic pro-Israel talking points. Who killed Rabin? Was it Hamas or Hezbollah? A large percentage of Palestinian civilians in Gaza weren’t even old enough to vote in 2006.
Myopic? You’re hilarious. Your rebuttal consists of an anecdote about 1 nut who’s serving life in prison. Let me add suicide bombers to my previous list.
Perhaps the failure of the liberals to resist the siren call of socialism and the divine powers that Marx promised to the administrators and the subsequent failure of rational thought is responsible for the rise of the totalitarian system that failed humanity for most of recorded history.