Culture
Spielberg: Israel entitled to strong response
Yitzhak Benhorin
Published: 06.12.05, 21:45
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23 Talkbacks for this article
1. So if someone kills your people
(12.07.05)
its better to sit on your hands and wait for them to do it again? or maybe we should try arrest them? Good idea! Maybe you can arrest the ayatolla too
2. pretty cool
(12.07.05)
good idea
3. Spielberg
Josef Klein ,   Ottawa, Ca   (12.06.05)
He says "their aren't many differences that divide Israelis from Palestinians - as human beings, anyway." However, there is one very important difference; the Palestinans train their children to hate Israelis, while the Isrealis teach their children to love all mankind.
4. Thanks for your permission, Speilberg
Efi ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (12.07.05)
Question is, who asked you? who cares? Just another holywood big shot who has gotten himself mixed up with a world leader. Stick with the ET films.
5. Spielberg-apologist
Yafa   (12.07.05)
His rants have no basis at all in reality. Who cares what he thinks is...He lives in a mansion in Beverly Hills and has no idea of the problems Israelis face on a daily basis. Let him make his imaginary "peace" movie where there is moral equivalence between kidnapping murderers of innocents and the Mossad.
6. to 5
Nabulsi   (12.07.05)
Where is the moral in dispossessing 100s of thousands of Palestinians of their own homes, land and livelihoods and eliminating their chances of having a decent life?
7. An open letter to Steven Spielberg
Logic ,   Israel   (12.07.05)
Steven, Are you saying that Israel should turn the other cheek like Jesus? In fact, in many cases, this is what happens here. Diplomatic code-words like "restraint" and "looking towards the day after" and "strengthening the moderates on the other side" are constantly used here as tranquilizers while civilians on their way to work or the mall are incinerated by "cycle of violence" bombers. Even a non-violent shield like a fence/ barrier/ wall gets us in hot water with the international "moralists." No other sane country would have tolerated what went on here for the past five years!!!
8. spielberg not aware
alan ,   san francisco   (12.07.05)
Obviously Spielberg has not yet seen the training terror camps for young children, has not heard Palestinean children reciting how they are going to kill Jews for their school assemblies, has not seen Palestinean museums that celbrate dividual terror acts against children. Only can one who lives in la la land and listen to the likes of Dennis Ross can be unaware that there are, unfortunately fundamental differences in how many Palestinean children are trained to hate. The Palestinean propaganda machine has fooled many people. It will use the cammeras to create another fairy tale, one that is not too far removed from this new movie which creates a moral equvalence between the Mossad agents who targeted murders of innocents and the murderes themselves. One is a legitmate police function of a state protecting its citizens, the other is, well, terror. If one of the greatest directors of our generation cannot see this, he needs to spend a month in Israel looking at reality through the eyes of a real Mossad agent.
9. The reactions here are blindness and intolerant
Michael ,   Israel   (12.07.05)
What is probably the most pro Israeli film and the only one for decades if we don't count documentaries or TV film coming from the US is not enough for people for an unseen film that will not put in parallel the murder of innocent civilians and the response.Doing a parallel is unnaceptable and the film is not going to do that..On the other hand ,to state that automatically Israel must respond in a Pavlovian way is stupid and sometimes counterproductive.That is what Spielberg was saying.
10. Moral
Green ,   Ann Arbor, MI   (12.07.05)
Nabulsi, I completely agree, how can arab leaders claim they have any ethics when they encouraged and forced their own people off the land at the start of the war of aggression in 48. Had they only understood that other people have the right to live unmolested on their homeland, so many thousands of lives could have been saved. Moreover, the Pali's wouldn't be a pack of murder indoctrinated hate mongers consistently working against their own best interest that they have become. The legacy of putting Jew hatred above self improvement is one of the many sad legacies of the 20th century. Green
11. To #8 Spielberg is not aware
AK   (12.07.05)
If Spielberg is not aware of terrorist training camps for children and adults alike and their aim to eradicate Israel, it is because he deliberately desires not to know. There is no escaping the truth about the nature of the "Palestinian" enterprise and the means they use to achieve their goal. It is always around us –on the news and in the press. He claims that there is no difference between Israelis and "Palestinians?" What exactly are the similarities? I cannot think of any. Whichever, the statement is absurd on its face. In Spielberg's universe, the murderer is exactly the same as the innocent victim. What an idiocy. He has no problem with the murder of the Israelis; he is fine with the fact the victims are once again Jews;. he has no problem with the fact that Arab terrorists had desecrated an event that, at least theoretically, stands for peace, brotherhood and friendly competition (remember, Greeks ceased all wars and hostilities for the duration of the Olympic competition.) The only thing he seems to be missing is yet another memorial to the dead Jews. That right, Stevie, they will kill the Jews and you'll be happy provided they build a memorial later. What a load of c*&^% from somebody who should know better, if only he tried.
12. Spielberg is a war criminal, mmmkay?
Mr. Mackey ,   South Park, CO   (12.07.05)
Boys and girls, Spielberg is a war criminal, mmmkay, because he fails to recognize that Jews (including Israeli Jews) actually have the right and duty to defend themselves, mmmkay? He aids the enemy by presenting Israelis as the murders, and the poor Pal killers and their nazi buddies as victims, mmmkay? Nobody in South Park will ever see a Spielberg movie again. May he and his liberal self-hating buddies sit in front of an Israeli court as criminals. Then let Cartman pull the trigger, mmmkay?
13. YOUR HERO
DACON9 ,   WACKYWOOD CALIF   (12.08.05)
SPIELBERG DIVORCED A JEWISH WOMAN MARRIED A GOYA WHAT PAIN DOES HE FEEL ? LONLINESS OF AN EMPTY SOUL THAT IS CRYING FOR COMPLETENESS TO A JEWISH WOMAN? HE IS YOUR HERO..... NOT MINE
14. Spielberg film
Mohamed ,   US   (12.08.05)
Unfortunately, Spielberg is not aware of the misery of millions of Palestinians, otherwise he would have already made a movie about their plight on the hands of the colonial and criminal state of Israel.
15. Speilberg
Hilda ,   US   (12.09.05)
Something has happened to him since Shindler's List and the recording of Holacaust survivors. For these two things he seemed to have a Jewish heart and morals. Obviously his great success, money and the liberal left-wing Hollywood crowd has gottent o him. Speilberg, you should be ashamed on yourself. I('m ashamed of you and I will not spend any moey going to see your movie. It is as if you equate Jews with Hitler during the Holacaust and all of your good work is a sham. To equate Jews and Palestinians , is a moral travesty. Jews do not strap bombs on their waist and go to kill inocent people, women, children in shopping center, pizza parlors, and sitting down to a passover meal. You have lost your moral compas. and no longer deserve to be spoken of in Jewish mileeu. You have become a traitor an apostate an enemy.
16. Steven Spielberg
Rose Richter ,   Ra'anana, Israel   (12.09.05)
Kol Hakavod, Spielberg, that we are entitled to a hit for as hit! And to your interest in ongoing Jewish tragedies for your movies - Schindler's List before and your upcoming Munich Olympic tragedy of ours.
17. Agree with Hilda
Sar ,   Idaho   (12.11.05)
I am neither a Jew or from Israel. I suppose some may call me a victim of "Israeli propaganda", but I think I'm going to have to agree with Hilda - for the most part. However, if anyone wants to "justify" strapping suicide bombs to themselves to kill innocent people - PLEASE DO. I will (at the very least) listen. Where I am from ... A war is fought between armed soldiers, any thing else is murder. And any "war" involving the murders of innocent people - is also my war. ... I just ... stumbled across your website - if anyone wonders ...
18. Spielberg, Terrorist Sympathizer
Linda Rivera ,   New York   (12.12.05)
In Yitzhak Benhorin's article, Spielberg declares that "he is proud Munich doesn't demonize either side. They're individuals, they have families." Apparently, Mr. Spielberg doesn't consider the kidnapping and murder of 11 Israelis to be wrong and evil. Mr. Spielberg is using his movie as a very powerful tool to influence moviegoers that there is nothing wrong with kidnapping and murdering Israelis. Mr. Spielberg is a dangerous man.
19. I Agree LInda from NY
Richard Hitchings ,   Methil   (12.21.05)
At least as Dangerous as Mickey Mouse or Arial Sharon
20. Great Movie
nabil ,   boston, usa   (12.25.05)
Speilberg did a great job in this movie, some people shouldn't take it the wrong way
21. You guys should watch the movie
Jimmy Smits ,   Tel Aviv   (01.08.06)
Before slandering it. don't assume you know what it stands for just because you've read a review.
22. stuff up
jack hunter ,   melb aus   (01.25.06)
these idiots steven and tony ruined a a good movie with thier p.c. clap trap. i always thought highly of steven spielberg,not anymore.stuff his movie.
23. Hilda is crazy
Mike ,   Dearborn USA   (06.12.08)
Hilda said "Jews do not strap bombs on their waist and go to kill inocent people, women, children in shopping center, pizza parlors, and sitting down to a passover meal." Your right! Israelis have the luxury of using tanks, missiles and bulldozers to do that for them. They're not desperate enough to strap themselves with bombs. Who needs to turn themselves into a weapon, when they have plenty of weapons...silly rabbit.
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