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Economist: Israel shoots first, asks questions later
Ynet
Published: 04.06.10, 23:58
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1. economist
william ,   new york   (06.05.10)
Would you have an Iranian port in Gaza? I'm sure that would be a grave error. How about a Nuclear Gaza? There isn't a country in the area that wants that.
2. Hamas does not need to defeat Israel militarily to win a ...
Ron B. ,   Lod   (06.05.10)
Hamas does not need to defeat Israel militarily to win a big victory. In fact, Hamas knows that in some ways, dead Palestinians serve their purposes even better than dead Israelis. In the West we look at this and say, “It makes no sense.” But it does make sense. If you are committed to Israel’s destruction, and if you believe that dead Palestinians help you score a propaganda victory, you do things like launch rockets from a Palestinian schoolyard. This ensures that when the Israelis do respond, it will likely lead to the death of an innocent Palestinian – no matter how many precautions Israeli soldiers take. As to the IDF “war crimes”: http://xrl.us/bemnkt
3. And the UK no longer defends itself
michael redbourn ,   Arad, Israel   (06.05.10)
Britain, which was once admired for its brave stance against the Germans is now seen as having surrendered to Islam. It police cower when faced with Muslim demonstrators; it has Sharia courts: Muslim politicians who predict taking over Parliament; and Muslims who openly speak on TV about their future Islamic state. I was born and grew up in London and was shocked by what I saw in England a few months ago. I changed my 3 week ticket for a two weeks one and came back saddened by what I'd seen.
4. leftist rag
Ran   (06.05.10)
opposed the attack on Saddam Hussein and has always suffered from the mental disease called "liberalism". Was prestigious mag in USA for a while as academics thought it wonderful to have access to something from Europe. Fallen out of favour since the coming of internet / alternative news sources though.
5. critics of Israel like the Economist
Justin ,   Washington, DC   (06.05.10)
"Shoot first and ask questions later"? Who are they kidding? As I recall, Israel 1st tried to negotiate with the both the Flotilla organizers and the Turkish govt. to find a way to peacefully deliver the aid. Unfortunately, the Israelis were summarily rebuffed. Furthermore, the Israeli commandos came armed initially with paintball guns! Only when they were 1st viciously attacked by the Islamist Jihadists that ambushed them on the boats did the Israelis, out of fear for their lives, discharge their firearms. What a bunch of bunk by the Economist!
6. Zealots, Masada Mentality, Self Fulfilling Prophecy
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (06.05.10)
Jews are not Special. When you think and act that the whole world is against you, soon it will be. Right Wing Zealots are repeating history, first by taking on the the Roman Empire (the whole world at that time), this time by taking on the entire world, East and West. How can a few Jews defeat the whole world? God must be on their side...and we know what happened at Masdada, the Jews were wiped out and driven out of Palestine by the Romans. Jews are not special, whites are not special, get with the New World, end Apartheid in Palestine, let the Natives Vote.
7. ECONOMIST- PAID ADS BY ARAB OIL COUNTRIES KEEPS IT GOING
ABRAHAM ben JACOB ,   CANADA   (06.05.10)
ECONOMIST........... IF YOU NEVER EVER KNEW WHO THIS MAGAZINE SUPPORTS BLINDLY, NOW YOU KNOW. THE ECONOMIST STAYS AFLOAT BY THE COUNTLESS ARAB OIL ADS IN THIS MAGAZINE. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ANTI-ISRAEL ..... THIS "GAZA FLOTILLA " EVENT GIVES THEM ANOTHER CHANCE TO ATTACK ISRAEL AND TRY TO IMPRESS AND SUCK UP TO THEIR ARAB OIL PAYMASTER BOSSES.
8. " ECONOMIST " - IS ANTI-ISRAEL, PRO-ARAB OIL 100 PERCENT !
ABRAHAM ben JACOB ,   CANADA   (06.05.10)
9. This is how friends talk to friends.
Godfry McGoy   (06.05.10)
Those who just line up to saulte the flag and toe the line are not friends. And if you are one of those people who unquestionly parrot the Israeli government's line you might ask yourself, "Could I be part of a nationalistic mob?" Because they don't have a great track record.
10. Lets wait and see the likes of SarahB talk about antisemitis
Peter ,   Vienna-Austria   (06.05.10)
One has to wonder,what in this whole world is not related to antisemitism. I can tell you one thing though: It's one big gag.
11. Who cares of these British loonies
Frank ,   Canada   (06.05.10)
12. Don't listen to the Brits
Frank ,   Canada   (06.05.10)
They are trying to make you believe that Israelis cannot rule themselves because they want to maintain you in a state of submission.
13. Economist has always been Antisemitic
Liliane ,   Brighton,UK   (06.05.10)
Economist has always been Antisemitic.
14. Cancelled my subscription 10 years ago
Shaul R ,   USA   (06.05.10)
Unfortunately, along with BBC, from a serious publication Economist has turned into a dirty smear rag in the past 15 years.
15. In your imagination....
Shimon ,   Cincinnati, USA   (06.05.10)
That's right, Israel. Why on earth should you have a siege mentality? Where has "The Economist" been for the past, what, 60-80 years? I wonder if they've always been so stupid, or whether it's simply the English selling out once again to the Arabs as they did all throughout the Mandate. The British showed their true face in the York Pogrom (the first ever recorded), and in the Sykes-Picot Treaty.....and that face is ugly. It's the same bigoted face their ex-empire subjects saw and revolted against. Why not? They're pretty revolting themselves.
16. Is Israel ever listening to EVERYONE else???
Moderate Jew ,   New Jersey, USA   (06.05.10)
Including fellow Jews? Simply look objectively at the results of looong self-defeating policies and behaviours ... AND where they are clearly leading!
17. Israel is still admired as a plucky David
Steve Klein   (06.05.10)
Sadly, more and more Brits are, as of late, turning into plucky Jew-haters.
18. stuipid article,
boris ,   nyc, us   (06.05.10)
but Israel " once admired as a plucky David facing down an array of Arab Goliaths, is now seen as the clumsy bully on the block". Israel clumsy indeed. Marmara had to be sent to the bottom, activists arrested, pay fines or go to prizon.
19. Economist
NO BRIT   (06.05.10)
It seems that some Brits got problems with the fact that they became a 2nd class power which does not not anymore rules the wavesof the sea but the one in the tub.
20. Economist
J.K. ,   Brooklyn USA   (06.05.10)
what does the respected paper suggest,Israel Do ? with a terrorist neighbor that fires qasams day and night on the civilian population,keeps a soldier captive,the economist ignores the fact that the government that was democratically elected by the palestiniand in Gaza,is responsible for the derailman of the Oslo peace talks,by bombing of busses,piza shops,discos,Gaza has become a base for Iran the number 1 enemy of Israel,the Economist has joined the international anti Israel orchestra under the condactor Ordegan,the Jihadist to linch Israel,i vonder, the Arab oil states,how many ads do they advertise in the Economist ? always follow the cash.
21. Who?
Dan ,   USA   (06.05.10)
Who will be the first to call the writer an anti-Semite? Denial has long Israelis the world's respect. At one point, the Arabs may have been Goliath; today Israel is Goliath.
22. The covenant of Hamas
Yehoshua ,   USA   (06.05.10)
Goals of the HAMAS: "The Islamic Resistance Movement is a distinguished Palestinian movement, whose allegiance is to Allah, and whose way of life is Islam. It strives to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine." (Article 6) On the destruction of Israel: "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it." (Preamble)
23. Let them know, canceling subscription
Yonah ,   tel aviv   (06.05.10)
To think I once respected the journalism in this magazine. After such garbage being written about Israel in several articles within the issue, I will be cancelling my subscription and letting them know. Contact the economist and tell them you are cancelling your subscription for such biased, naive, and un-insightful reporting.
24. Israel as macho "bully"?
Leon ,   San Diego   (06.05.10)
Sure! Giving up Sinai, Gaza, the Arab population centers of the West Bank (remember, before Intifada II), withdrawing from Lebanon to the UN-recognized border, offering (at Taba) 97% of everything most of the "two-staters" have always wanted Israel to give up, including half of its capital city): All these things make Israel a bully with a "siege mentality" according to The Economist. Did its editors ever hear that the Oslo Accords were an anti-Israel "Trojan Horse" (this per Faisal Husseini and others); that Syria was trying and Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons for the explicit purpose of ending Israel? Gee, these Jews must be paranoid! It looks to me like the Economist just can't stand it when the Jewish people defend themselves and their national rights.
25. A once great newsweekly shows it too has lost it
Raymond in DC ,   Washington, DC USA   (06.05.10)
Since my days studying international politics long ago, I'd held them in high regard. I stopped following them regularly a few years ago. It seems they too have fallen for the leftist/Islamist narrative. You'll find better sense on this issue from someone like Robin Shepherd, author of "A State Beyond The Pale".
26. Economist: pretty smart idiots
Izzie Irgun ,   zion   (06.05.10)
If the editors at the Economist want to know why Israel has a seige mentality they only need to look at the conduct of the EU and UN. Israel has a seige mentality because it is under seige. And the suggestion that Israel allow unchecked aid into Gaza is such a pathetic rediculous remark that it defies logic. Would the Econimst have supported the unlimited shipping of arms into northern ireland when they were terrorizing England Hardly. But these jerks see no problem with allowing any ship to dock in gaza and give hamas whatever weapons they want. iI the idiots a the Ecomnonst want to really see unnecessary blood shed just keep arming hamas. anwya, the Economist story is just another rationalization for British anti semitism which is flourishing. The brits have become a pathetic lot and now have a muslim minority that is distinctively non birtish but who they can do nothing about. So whats their answer, appeasement at the expense of Israel. Well i say to hell with all of them. Jews have been going it alone for centuries and it looks like we will continue to do. At least for t he next 21/2 years of the obama administration. As far as i am concerned, i couldn't care less about world opinion and i wish that Bibi would toughen up and teel the UN and the EU to go to drop dead, we will check every ship and stop hamas no matter what europe thinks. We ought to let the EU know that our 200 nukes are aimed at every European capital and that the next holocaust will wipe them out too. In fact I can hardly wait until all the European haters are sandwiched between a nuclear iran and a nuclear Israel. We will then see who they want to befriend.
27. If Great Britain "doesn't change its ways"
Sue ,   Los Angeles   (06.05.10)
it will become "Londonistan."
28. JUST CANCELLED MY SUBSCRIPTION!
OZ   (06.05.10)
THIS MAGAZINE ,WHICH IS TEETHERING ON THE BRINK OF BUNCKRUPCY , SHOWS ITSELF EVEN MORE SO WHY IT DESERVES TO GO UNDER.
29. No mention of thousand of rockets
anon ,   Erewhon, USA   (06.05.10)
Why is there not a single mention of the thousand of rockets launched by Hamas against the Jewish State? Because that would go against the current narrative that it is alwua Israel's fault. The writers aren't willing to state that there are hundreds of millions of American citizens who fervently support the Jewish state in its battle against terror. Because that goes against the narrative that Israel is friendless. Poorly done Economist. Letter grade D- given to this assignment.
30. bloody hand
Jared ,   Stillwater, USA   (06.05.10)
I just do not get it when Israeli commandos say “we were attacked first” So the passengers on the Turkish ship guided the ship to the Israeli boats? That is exactly what BB is eluding to. People of Israel, get your head out of the sand-Israeli government has been caught red handed; again.
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