Opinion
Addicted to victimization
Dan Schueftan
Published: 13.10.09, 01:10
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40 Talkbacks for this article
1. What a load of rubbish!!
Peter Morris ,   New Zealand   (10.13.09)
Where on earth did Ynetnews find this fellow? This sort of writing however is far too prevalent in Israel. Perhaps its because there are so many idiots taken in with it that the authors lose track and assume everyone is an idiot. Perhaps the most laughable aspect is calling the Goldstone Report antisemetic.
2. The eternel orphan
J.K. ,   Brooklyn USA   (10.13.09)
The 60 year old orphan, with the tin can in hand,asking for alms and symphaty.
3. So true... The problem is that when a Palestinian who shows
Jae ,   Lynn US   (10.13.09)
"Israel’s problem is not that there’s no Palestinian we can discuss a constructive deal with. The problem is that when a Palestinian who shows indications of political responsibility appears, he cannot speak on behalf of his people. "
4. mirror images
y tu brute ,   israel-usa   (10.13.09)
What the good Dr. is blind to is that Israel also is addicted to presenting herself as the victim... this is not rocket science, it has been recognized for years.... If Israel would give Abbas half the help they are giving Hamas he would have more street credibility. Don't kid us or yourself, Israel is demonstrating the age old notion of "penny wise- pound foolish" in dealing with Fatah and the Pals in general. A new paradigm is needed to break this logjam.
5. Addicted to victimization.Dan Schueftan, thats so hilarious
socalmaverick ,   sunny so-cal   (10.13.09)
please remind us. 60 years after the holocaust each time someone challenges what israel is doing to the Palestinians and its neighbors, the " holocaust " & "antisemitism" victim cards is played. now whom is the "Addicted to victimization". definitely its not the palestinians
6. Excellent article!!!!
Israeli 2   (10.13.09)
7. Has it occured to the author that these people are
Ali ,   US   (10.13.09)
daily victims of occupation and oppression? If he hears it too often it's because it's happening too often not because the Palestinians like to act like victims and complain.
8. Sure beats working!
Global Citizen ,   Israel & USA   (10.13.09)
9. To #7...Aw B---S---
Mike ,   Post Falls, USA   (10.13.09)
10. Wait, so...........
Terry ,   Chicago, IL   (10.13.09)
when you write: "When the Palestinian anti-Semitic propaganda regarding Israeli “crimes” was granted a tailwind courtesy of a negligent and unfair Jewish judge, who works in the service of a body hostile to Israel" you're basically saying: "when an incriminating report was filed by the very organization that sanctioned Israel's creation (and by a Jewish pro-Israeli judge, no less)", you got angry and resorted to Ad Hominem arguments (personal attacks). Got it.
11. Sad, not hilarious.
Eshkol Hakofer   (10.13.09)
This article is proof that one can be a proffessor of nat sec studies while still being blind or foolish or wicked or a combination of all three. "Palestinians have obsessive need to play victim’s role on international stage "? Proffessor, maybe you should consider taking the beam from between your eyes before removing the straw from between other's eyes. Ashkenazi Israelis invented the trade of playing victims. Your assertion was also hurled at the mizrahi immigrants when they complained of discrimination. This and other disparaging claims were continuously directed at them while discrimination and looting of scarce country resources continued going gung ho. What a shame.
12. do you really mean it?
observer   (10.13.09)
Palestinians, Not Israelis?
13. as if the wrong is in complaining
lyla ,   jenin   (10.13.09)
god aske the people to be kind in their saying but gave the acuse when they are under oppresion or unjustice .it is not complaining it is more than complaining
14. lies, lies, lies,...............
credibility ,   here   (10.13.09)
stop being idiot, all the you forgot how you blackmail the international community for your previous agony, with all myths & conspiracies, You forgot what you did for palestinians, you demonized them for your own colonization plan?, you killed them, you terrorized them, why? to save the land of Israel? what a big lie for what falsely called :only democracy in the ME? Stop stupidizing people of the world?
15. One of the best analysis I've read and right on the mark
Getalife   (10.13.09)
The world also loves "palestinian" victimhood, it helps them bash the Jews. So instead of helping them they have been counterproductive to their cause, just because bashing Jews is the real issue. Listen up everybody, some 7 million Jews lost their homes and properties in Europe and Arabia combined, during the 20th century, but somehow we are not considered victims?! Why? because we realized that whining wouldn't get us anywhere. We accepted the 1947 partition pla and wanted to get on with our state-building, the Arabs declined and started war. The pals are whining about a much smaller amount of homes, and somehow they are considered the worlds biggest victims? or maybe just the biggest cry babies, how pathetic. If they had been practical in 1947 they would have been celebrating 61 years of Independence. They chose not to! So stop whining! everyone is getting fed up.
16. Just whom are you fooling Mr. Schueftan?
Cynic #2   (10.13.09)
The Israeli propaganda machine in the form of the Director of National Security Studies Center is at it again. Denying the rights of the real victims i.e. the Palestinian by saying they are playing victim. Others have said the Arabs are foreign occupiers and only allowed to live in the "Land of Israel" by the grace of the Jews. Dr. Schueftan, I do not know where you or your parents originally came from, but it is worthwhile for you to read Ilan Pappe's book about the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, unless you think he a Palestinian propagandist in disguise playing victim!
17. Very accurate article
Cynthia ,   USA   (10.13.09)
The Palestinians have made a fortune out of failure. They thrive under the veil of no accountability and hide behind excuses. So much money has been poured down the Palestinian drain yet they have accomplished nothing. And their lazy leaders are busy fighting with each other or creating a conflict so they can avoid a solution. So much easier to blame Israel for all their problems than do the necessary work to improve their situation. They cry poor me while manufacturing terror and operating a multi-million dollar weapons smuggling entity.
18. Abbas is trying to fool everyone
Rick   (10.13.09)
He says something to his own people, and a different thing in English to the US and Israel. Peace can't be reached unless he starts telling the truth to the people who he is supposed to represent.
19. victimization
Dan ,   Albany, USA   (10.13.09)
a case of "the pot calling the kettle black."
20. Pals can't get rid of Jews by themselves
Sam ,   Canada   (10.13.09)
Whether the Jews are from the West Bank or Israel proper the Palestinians have long wanted to get rid of the Jews when they became too many for Palestinian taste. The Palestinians can't do it by themselves They need Arab and Muslim military support and foreign diplomatic support especially since the Jews keep on coming. The Palestinians will simply take advantage of any situation (Goldstone report) they can find. This is their strategy.
21. Missing the point
Israel Israeli ,   Tel Aviv   (10.13.09)
Schueftan is missing the point and treating the Arabs as unsophisticated children. The Arabs have a political goal. They want to destroy the state of Israel and get rid of the Jews because they believe that the land of Israel is theirs and they know that there is no viable compromise. Since the 1920's they have tried and failed by military means. However, they see that their efforts to delegitimize Israel by "playing the victim" succeed. This "playing the victim" is simply a highly effective tool which gains support from everyone from extreme-Right antisemites to extreme-Left communists. From violent Jihadis, moderate muslims to Israeli Jewish intelligentsia.
22. when they have their "State" no more excuses
JO   (10.13.09)
They will have to struggle and provide all the services- medical, education, welfare, everything. And all that aid will slowly dry up and they will have to build an economy out of pure manpower, creativity and industry. Let it be. The Israeli taxpayer is tired of the moaning.
23. Is it a joke??
Gregg ,   Haifa, IL   (10.13.09)
Look who's talking !!! Who is completly addicted to victimization if not us, Jews???? Helloooooooo ! We are always whinning to the face of the world...
24. To "credibility here":
Robert Haymond ,   Ashdod, Israel   (10.13.09)
You might be more successful if you were to: 1) Capitalize at the beginning of a sentence; 2) Use question marks correctly; and 3) Stop making up words, i.e., "stupidizing". It's difficult enough to pay attention to criticism of one's culture and country from such a myriad of ignorant Talkbackers without having to deal with semi-illiteracy. If you wish to be credible, as your pseudonym indicates, at least show the courtesy of writing in reasonably grammatical script.
25. The victim label entitles, indeed morally absolves,
Victimologist   (10.13.09)
all and any crime and criminal. In particular US, EU, UN subsidised self-proclaimed victims who blow up children, women, elderly.
26. But do Abbas+Erekat really want a deal?
Sam ,   Canada   (10.13.09)
It probably depends on how they think the mood in Palestinian society is blowing. Abbas and Erekat would like to know what's the most they can get out of Israel. In this they were disappointed by Netanyahu's firmness on Jerusalem and refugees and not going back to 1967 borders. So when Abbas saw the Palestinian mood shift towards presenting the Goldstone report this is where he shifted too.
27. Addicted to Being A Victim ?
Christy ,   Boston, US   (10.13.09)
Groups, who at one time may have actually been victims, find it very profitable to keep claiming victim-hood status. It can be addicting, like a drug. Victims aren't expected to behave in the same way the rest of the world does. Bad, violent, or murderous behavior is excused. They are treated almost as children who are unable to grow up by their benefactors. There's a disincentive for today's victim groups to change because of what the victim status affords them. Victim group benefactors can become addicted to their victims' causes. It makes the benefactors feel good, wise, and superior helping out the ones they have deemed victims. It can be a never ending cycle between victim groups and their benefactors; neither group wants to stop the relationship because of the various benefits for both sides. Obtaining victim group status today, and all the help and money that comes with it, isn't that easy. Many of the groups defined as victims today have been defined as such for at least a decade. For example, look at the persecuted people in Darfur. They *are* victims, yet they don't seem to get the attention and aid they deserve. I wonder why these people aren't considered worthy enough to have world-wide conferences held on their behalf? (Israel is one of the nations helping the Darfur victims.) Why are some victim groups deemed worthy of international attention, protest marches, conferences, etc. while others are not?
28. The Author Must Think It's April Fool's Day
World Citizen ,   the world   (10.13.09)
I have read a lot of foolishness on ynetnew.com but this article takes the cake. If there ever where a people addicted to crying about being the eternal victim it is those who claim to be Jewish and particularly Israeli Jews. It has gotten to the point that I don't think Jewish people actually practice Judaism but a quasi-religion of Holocaustianity mixed with self adoration. Never have a people cried so much or blamed others for the misfortunes that they themselves bring onto themselves. To say that the Palestinians cry too much is an insult to intelligent thought.
29. Now, THAT'S an inconvenient truth.
AlGorythm   (10.13.09)
30. GOOD ARTICLE
Alexandre Klemm ,   Montreal   (10.13.09)
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