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Chief rabbi to world religious leaders: Help free Shalit
Neta Sela
Published: 04.07.06, 03:52
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1. World Religion
Moe Chile ,   London, Canada   (07.04.06)
A world religion has been in the planning for some time now. A council of world religions, composed of leaders from most every major religion including Pope John Paul II and Bartholomew I and including representatives from The World Council of Churches, imams from 30 muslim countries, rabbis, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Zoroastrians and native African religions, in February of 2002 released a statement called the " Assisi Decalogue for Peace ", which consists of ten mutual commitments to work for peace and justice in the world. Inter-religious co-operation is nothing new. What is new is that for the first time we have a leader of a country (Putin) who has pledged to 'raise the ideas presented to the G8 so that political leaders will adopt the decisions of their spiritual leadership'. If this can be acheived then there may be hope in the world and it can look forward to peace in the future. If not, then we are all in for a world that knows no peace.
2. Well Done Rabbi Metzger!
Reuven Brauner ,   Raanana, Israel   (07.04.06)
3. Asheri was a settler
Hanzala ,   Jerusalem-Palestine   (07.04.06)
Asheri was killed because he was a settler and NOT because he was Jewish. You (90%) try to involve the religion (Judaism/Anti-Semitism) if somebody is trying to criticize Israel. You have to stop this melody. The Arabs are also Semitis...... Regards, J.
4. re #3 to Hanzala
Meir ,   beit Shemesh   (07.04.06)
Hanzala, You say Asheri was killed because he was a settler. In you next sentence you impy that both Jews and Arabs are semites. So why won't you let your brother semites live in peace with you on this land, without violence and bloodshed. the very fact that you recgnise that we are both semites means that you should understand our attachment to this land as well, or do you also regard Tel Avivians as settlers too!
5. Muslim settlers?
Yehuda ,   Hong Kong   (07.04.06)
The comment above doesn't make sense? Asheri was killed because he was a settler, not because he was Jewish? So, if he was a Muslim, would he still be a settler? You don't make sense. Also, where do you get your 90% figure? Please show me your evidence...why is is that 99.9% of arabs lie?
6. So Why Was Power Plant Bombed?
Peter Morris ,   New Zealand   (07.04.06)
Can someone tell me why the electricity plant was bombed ? The only reason I can see is showing the world that Israel can do anything and rights don't apply to Palestinians. If rights don't apply to Palestinians why should they be constrained by any laws concerning keeping the soldier alive.
7. Jewish Lives
Arik Yacobi ,   London England   (07.04.06)
Hanzala uses the usual racist "Arab-Speak" of saying that Arabs can't be "Anti-Semitic" because they are also Semites. The world is aware that the phrase "Ant-Semitism was coined to apply specifically to Jewish people as it sounds so much better than "Anti-Jewish."
8. Hanzala is too much like Godzala, a monster
(07.04.06)
9. TO NUMBER 3
Allan ,   london   (07.04.06)
Its good to see that the arabs recognize they are semites too, its a shame that they cant recognize that Israel has, is and always will be a Jewish state on Jewish land as promised by G-d. Even in the Koran it mentions Israel is for the Jews, why not be happy with the other lands you have (and you have alot) Also, Hanzala, please enlighten me and tell me when was there ever a Palestinian state? In the whole of history, please let me know as I seem to lost and I can find no mention of the word Palestinian before 1950? Whereas Palestina was named because of the Roman conquest of the Jewish state. So please let me know..
10. #3, #4, #5
Captain London ,   London, UK   (07.04.06)
The cycle of violence would be endless if Palestinians and Israelis keep on blaming each other. A settler is a person who occupies the land by force to live on it. It doesnt matter whether he is a Jew, a Muslim or a Sikh. Regardless of what happened on this land 3000 years ago, at the debut of this century, Jews started to immigrate to this land and this is their right because G-d did not give specific land to any body. Anybody can live anywhere on Earth provided he does not breach the right of others by killing, terrorising, or intimidating them to leave. The Jews came to Palestine and having in mind that they should establish a Jewish State in order to fulfil Jeremiah's Prophecy. This way of thinking promoted violence, Jews want a pure Jewish country -discrimination against Arabs in Israel and calls to send them away is a living example. On the other hand, the Palestinians felt they owned the land and they have the right to keep it. The stronger party was and still is the Israelis mainly because of the unlimited support from the international community driven by USA, UK, and France -the atomic bombs thet Israel owns are a proof. To solve this situation, Israel has two choices, either kill all Palestinians, or give them all their rights, which include removing West Bank (towns) settlements. Back to the abducted soldier, it is funny how the Rev Rabbi spoke. How has this young man sinned? Did he ever ask how did Gaza children sinned to be slaughtered by IDF? A soldier is a legitimate target. This abduction was one of the legitimate operations that the Palestinian armed resistance could do. Killing civilians in Israel (which I dont consider as settlers), is however, condemned as much as killing children in Gaza.
11. To Captain London..!
Allan ,   london   (07.04.06)
Well considering you appear to know your stuff, you have missed a few points, there were always Jews in Israel before the establishment of the state. If you look back during the Ottoman period there were more Jews than Arabs. Also of note is you leave off the fact that alot of Israeli's originally come from Arab countries and where forced out from their homes and lives by Arabs, as for you saying that it is okay to attack a sovereign country and kidnap soldiers, well that is called an act of war and as such Israel is allowed to invade, as you do in war. Also you seem to suggest that Israel is supported by the US,UK and for some reason you include France?? Well the UN is a quarter Muslim and Hamas is funded by Iran / Saudi money so that doesnt fit either. Also in Israel there is no discrimination as there Israeli Arabs, who serve in the army, police and all walks of life as any other citizen, including Druze, Christian (who were fleeing the PA) There are even refugees from Sudan in Israel. As more you say Israel has Nukes, well what do the arabs have? Chemical and Biological weapons, so again that is slightly biased. Also one last point, please inform us when was there ever a Palestinian state? In the whole of History?? I would like to know you answer, if you can find one???
12. #11
Captain London ,   London, UK   (07.04.06)
You are right about the Jews that lived there before WWI and before the British pledge in 1916 but I do not think that they outnumbered Arabs at any point in time. The Ottoman emperor, Abdulhamid II, refused to allow large Jewish migration towards Palestine as requested by Theodor Herzl, the founder of the Zionist movement. The fact that the Jewish were discriminated against in some Arab communities is true, but there were no massacres against Jews in any Arab country. The intimidation was temporary due to the tone of the conflict in Palestine. You have raised the issue of invading a sovereign country and kidnapping soldiers. No country accepts this. What did a sovereign country do in Gaza for 38 years? And what a sovereign country is doing in West bank since 1967? What is Israel doing in Golan? And what they were doing in Lebanon? Isn't this called an act of war as well? In war, however, civilians should be avoided, which Israel is not respecting at all. Civilians form both sides are getting killed and those fell on the Palestinian side outnumber the Israeli victims by ten times! Who built the Israeli nuclear plant in Dimona? French? Is that enough French support? Maybe the UN is quarter Muslims, but the Security Council is not. Resolution 425 waited 22 years in drawers. Other Resolutions like 193 and 212 have been waiting for decades. Every resistance would seek support anywhere. Palestinians are no exception. Hamas has committed crimes against Israeli civilians and so the Israeli army did. However, a sovereign country, like Israel, committing crimes against civilians is much worse and more to be blamed than a militant group doing the same thing. The news on discrimination were published in Israeli news websites like Ynet. Jewish calling on encouraging Arabs to emigrate away from Israel. Jewsih court banning Arab families reunion. Arabs villages are underdeveloped. And more.... I despise all kind of weapons especially WMD whether chemical, biological, or nuclear. Israel has them all. No country has the right to own such weapons including Arab countries. Palestine was not a country, you are right. Neither were Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel. Palestine was a province in the Ottoman Empire. So what? Does that give anybody the right to kill the Palestinians on the streets like rats? Or slaughtering some to terrorize the rest and make them leave their land? I do not understand your point.
13. To Captain London, Again
Allan ,   london   (07.04.06)
Perhaps you have heard of MArk Twain, as well known traveller and writer who went to Israel and made important observations that the villages are like dust and that the Jews outnumber the arabs in Israel as well as using and cultivating the land that was desolate and in need of repair. Actually the Ottoman empire allowed Jews in and actually built places of worship as for the massacres, perhaps, Hebron rings a bell to you. A thriving Jewish town until all Jewish people were massacred by Arabs. No? No massacres so where did all the Jews in Iraq / Iran / Syria disappear to? And as 1920 is a long way before the "conflict" in Israel that makes no sense. Gaza was ruled by Egypt and the West Bank by Jordan, and during the Wars terrority is captured that is called War. Israel was quite happy to sit in the 67 borders and again in 73 until the Arabs declared war against Israel and as such, Lebanon and Syria are still at war with Israel. As seen Israel does not target civilians, whereas the rockets / suicide bombings do. They are call terrorists for a reason, they target the civilian population with intention to sow fear and kill Jews. As for being in Gaza and the West Bank, as i said Israel was attacked by two countries that ruled the areas and won. Who with held weapons and supplies to Israel.. Who always sides with the Arabs at the UN? France. Check facts lately please. Really perhaps you should read about the latest UN human rights watch by those bastions of democracy and human rights, China, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and all the other arab dictators that have a weekly, lets bash Israel session. While they can kill and maim and get away with it. You seem to suggest that it is okay for Hamas to taget civilians? By the way Hamas is the goverment. So how is that acceptable? And as I said before Israel does not target civilians.. Remember Jenin.. they screamed massacre and when proved all Israel did was kill terrorists. The discrimination you talk about is not law and every Israeli knows this, you mis quote a report about the Kahane. Well what do you think would happen if Israel gave up its weapons and the arabs didnt? A massacre worse than Northern Ireland. Lebanon was a country and started with during the crusade times, the kingdom of Tyre and Essen. Jordan was Palestine under the British mandate and Jordan was to be the home for the Arabs. Well you say there has never been a Paelestine, so how can there be a people of a country that has never existed? Where is the slaughter?? Where does Israel kill people on the streets?? Look at Kosovo, that is a massacre. Look at Chechenya, but you are joking that Israel is carrying out these things, if they are it is the slowest and most badly planned massacre in history, so I would stop bleating about that too as it is only that the IDF has been succesful in stopping the bombers that there hasnt been more casualties in Israel.
14. To number 12
Captain underpants ,   Israel   (07.04.06)
There has never been a massacre? Intimidation is only temporary?? What planet are you living on?? 1920.. All Jews in Hebron Killed.. Jews of Iraq, expelled... No jews in Egypt.. Jews never outnumbered Arabs at any point in time?? Do you include when there were no Muslims and there were just Jews and Christians? Who controlled Israel then in your messed up head? Arabs are a new religion.. Israel has and always will be Jewish... Your last sentence says it all.. you make a good argument but based on lies. Palestinans killed like rats... Hamas allowed.. Captain... you should be a private in more sense than one!
15. To Allan
Captain London ,   London, UK   (07.04.06)
I think we should meet one day as you appear to be in London as well. You talked about killing Jews in Arab countries. Hebron is in West Bank. There is no recorded massacre against Jews in any Arab country and this include Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and others. If you want to discuss the massacres that took place in Israel before the declaration of the State of Israel, you just need to check what people was forced to leave their homes. Mark Twain is a Jew. His real name is Samuel. I cannot count on his observations because he is part of the conflict. And the Ottoman Empire allowed normal traffic for all religions but did not allow a mass migration as Herzel requested. Anyway, you are right about the Arabs being lazy people mainly because the Ottomans treated them as slaves. They lost interest in cultivating the land. On the other hand, the Jews in Israel are admired for being hard workers. I acknowledge this. Whether Israel intend on targetting civilians or not, Geneva conventions are violated everyday by IDF. Do not misquote me on justifying Hamas deeds. For me, I consider both sides as terrorists when they kill civilians. In the Old Testament you can easily notice that G-d said who killed a man without a justifiable reason as if he killed all the people of the world. And I do not see any justifiable reason for kiiling children in Gaza. The same way I do not find any justifiable reason for killing civilians in Tel Aviv. Both are acts of terrorism and both are severe breaches to Geneva conventions and both are condemned. It seems that you are with WMD. I am not. I am with destroying all WMD on the planet. I see the danger clear and present. We have only this planet to live on, waiting for NASA to find us a better place :) Lebanon, as an independent state was created by the French. Before that there were numbers of territories and provinces either independent or annexed to a stronger state. Phoenicians lived there and it was called Phoenicia. Mount Lebanon was a part of Phoenicia but the state name was never called Lebanon before 1920. I do not understand what did you say about Jordan being the host of Arabs. Do you mean making Jordan a country for Palestinian refugees? If you mean so, Jordan is already a country for Palestinian refugees. Two thirds of its population were displaced from Palestine or Israel.
16. Israel and the Nations
Sabra ,   Israel   (07.23.06)
Israel should fight its own wars and not depend on the mercy of the nations.
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