totally ridiculous claims. I have lived in Jerusalem 9 years and never seen a soldier pull a family into the street and beat a father up. The fact is that Israel has been living under threat and violence from the arabs since its inception. anyone who wants to address the middle east situation must addres that first

to the Palestinian charity otherwhise he shows his hypocracy. One million dollars can support at least 20 scholarships for poor Palestinians Talk without action is just talk.

The author's insights are correct, and the government's reaction merely reinforces his portrait of Israel and the consequences of any society for occupying another, especially for over forty years.

mr murakami speaks of the "refugees' right to return", but this is simply arab propaganda. there is not such thing as the "right of return", except in the imagination of the arab states, who dream of destroying israel in a flood of "returning refugees". no other group of refugees displaced by war have EVER had such a "right". nor have any group of refugees been forced to live in refugee camps for 60 years, instead of being integrated into their new countries. although there is no "right of return" in any international law, there is the human right to be allowed to live freely in one's new country, which the arab countries have denied to the arab refugees from palestine. israel neither created the refugee camps, nor forced the palestinians to live in them. furthermore, if not for the palestinian terrorist groups, israel would not need heightened security measures in the occupied territories. if mr murakami doesn't like what he sees, perhaps he should look to the causes, namely suicide bombings and rocket attacks, and to their perpetrators, rather than merely parroting false arab propaganda slogans.

Clearly this guy is a "one sided bigot." Israel should check next time before giving a prize. Dumb.

they see only what they want to see, rather then examining the reasons that lead up to it

murakami should look at his country's own past...

Methinks Mr. Murakami should think globally, but act locally...

hand that gives it. What a hypocrite, just like all the other "artists"

Look at Japanese treatment of the Ryukyuan and Ainu people and other ethnicities in general. Japan is also a liberal democracy that is far from perfect. Can Murakami comment on his own country's problems?

This is a reply to the ignorant No. 5 Oh...yea ....Israel did not create the Palestinian problem neither had it deported hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their home land in 1948 and 1967! Have you ever seen such mass voluntarily immigration for any population from their country for no reason? Please stop lying to the world....in 1917 the Palestinian were over half million in Palestine and the Jewish people were less than 20,000. With the support of the British army who were occupying Palestine at the time Jewish people immigrated from all over the world to Palestine and their number increased drastically. When the 1948 war took place, the Israeli massacred thousands of Palestinians and forced them to leave Palestine and they became refugees in surrounding countries; Jordan Syria, Egypt, Lebanon....Are you still doubting that Israel is not responsible for the Palestinian refugee problem and they should not return to their homes? If yes then please go and read the history

The wall´s purpose is to keep animals out. Not arabs or "palestinians". But the terrorists, that are, in fact, a bunch of animals.

when safely back home in Japan. After a few dozen suicide bombings, you'd understand why Israelis love the security wall. Israeli soldiers aren't supposed to beat up civilians at checkpoints. Are you certain the soldier wasn't frisking the man for weapons? If you felt strongly about this matter, you should have reported it to the authorities. Mr. Murakami, it might help you to learn the history of the 60 yr. war against Israel, and also learn some Jewish history. That way you will better understand why Israelis act like they do.

world to visit ,but warned tourists to be careful in Gaza,WB,and East Jerusalem. This guy needs to live S'derot and Negev for a few years or even for a week.He's afraid to visit Palestinian places because he knows that it's dangerous to go there. Arab propaganda really works, doesn't it?They are well noted for propaganda, got it from the Nazis.

Perhaps Mr. Murakami should consider his own country's history, and then let him tell us how Japan would have dealt with the sorts of fanatical enemies the Israelis have had to deal with for the past 60 years.

THanks for nothing. I love these leftist authors who make their grandiose pronouncements based on nothing more than generalisations. did that soldier really beat up physically a palestinian or verbally abuse him or just yell at him for runnig a red light or having 10 people in his renault. To someone like this clown anything short of ass kissing is abuse! And that part of not allowing Palestinians to return en mass.. is he f..king crazy. Does he not see what muslims do to other muslims? And yes i would agree that terrorisst who cross into Israel to murder jews can be correctly described as "animals" This Japanese author should be down on his knees begging for forgiveness for the atrocities his countrymen committed during the war, especially in China, Korea and the Philippines; and not berating the Israeli for preventing their own destruction. What a t*rd!

of Japan. This plaint from an individual whose culture gave the world the Rape of Nanking, the Bataan Death March, Kamikazes pilots, drug and chemical experiments on POW's, and millons upon millions of deaths, outrageous destruction, and the savage institutions of Seppuku, and Salaryman Group Gropes; i.e., the public sexual molestation of females, without recourse for the victim. I restrained myself, not saying the name of Kozo Okimoto, Japanese *Hero of Ben Gurion Airport Arrivals Hall Infamy". These skunks(apology to real skunks everywhere for grouping you with this particular scribbleturd)are classed along with the Germans, who also have found their new love for gentelness and democracy, as long as they can hit at Israel. Opening a bottle of Obburs, I pour you and your class a tall glass, saluting you with a single centrally positioned digit. And with the time worn toast: OBB-URS!!

Japans treatment of other Asian foreigners is disgraceful.In Japan the schools unlike the the Germans gloss over it's past in China it's pleasure Girls the forced prostitution of girls from China, Korea the Philippines and other Asian country's for it soldiers enjoyment and the experimentation on prisoners of war as well as other conquered people. It would be well from all this people to go back not too far countries history's before commenting on Israel

After US droped a couple on them during WWII and isn't even allowed to have an army. Keep making good cars, electronics and video games and don't get your nose involved where it doesn't belong.

Nanking in the 60+ years since it happened?! As far as I know they still call the 3 months of barbarity a civil disturbance! Put your house in order FIRST then come back and we'll talk!

I remember living in Japan years ago for 7 months and discovering the true racist attitude of your average Japanese; shouting of "foreign scum" from cars passing by, people bumping me "accidentally on purpose" in the street. Japan considers other Asians nothing better than "scum" and foreginers in general "gaijin" it treats with contempt. Murakami, I don't believe your Jerusalem story at all. Seems like you have one hell of an agenda there, based on ignorance too. You don't do yourself any favours.

i was a bit irritated about you earlier. but after these true words you and your country deserve all respect again. we (the palestiniens) need these kind of people to tell the world more about what is going on here in the palestinien territories. we only want to live a normal and free live in our westbank and east-jerusalem, nothing more. peace to all peace-loving israelis. bye

what inaccurate generalizations? I didnt read any, infact they are all true. the writer should have given that cab driver an interview and publish the real feelings that he has toward the palis. lol! unfortunately for israel the "reality" is pretty much clear in the media all over the world. the problem is when the foreign come and actually see, this "reality" fades bitterly away. (and I admit, this "reality" that israel publicizes is really clever of them-almost had/and for some have some palis in)