Opinion
Telling our story
Benny Levy
Published: 27.12.10, 11:01
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
54 Talkbacks for this article
1. Bridge Houston (of Texas) does wonderful job
Golan ,   modiin   (12.27.10)
Bridge Houston and Stand With Us do more to fight the delegitimization of Israel than most (not all) of our ambassadors. We have friends like in Act for America. But it takes more than just the feel good "positive" message which means nothing. And the first step would be to support Liberman because he is right in his opinions in regard to the world Turkey, the Left, and the "Palestinians" waving the Baathist flag
2. Maybe!!!
Palestinian   (12.27.10)
Mr. Levy, many people (especially open-minded highly educated) listened to your narrative and they think it's more "unreasonable" than the first one (Holocaust-based one) There is another possibility: maybe it's not about the narrative, MAYBE IT WAS JUST WRONG what's happened to the Palestinians in 1948. You should really think about this instead of changing your narrative!
4. Excellent!!!!
Ricardo Macher ,   Karnei Shomron IL   (12.27.10)
I agree 200%! Pity that we have so many politicians and press ashamed of being proud Jews! Just compare this article with the previous one by Jessica Montell and you will see the difference between real Israel and bored traitors!!!
5.  Holocaust Story Failed ,
Salma ,   Palestine   (12.27.10)
so move to plan B "homeland’s story ", if that also fails move to plan C "Samson story"....and so on. you're right Mr.Levy , Not an Easy Task !
6. #2 What happened to arab Jews?
Raphael ,   Netanya   (12.27.10)
You are downplaying the responsibility of your arab brothers, who, after 14 centuries bullying non moslems with the dhimmi status, finally terrorized, spoliated (for the benefit of local leaderships), stripped from their citizenship and expelled 1 million of their jewish citizens. These refugees are now the demographic fabric of Israel. Their presence delegitimizes your Naqba propaganda and your self styled "right of return", that exists nowhere else.
7. Millions (esp. Christians) accept our narrative
Steve Klein   (12.27.10)
I don't think there are too many people worldwide who do not apprehend that "Israel" (the Jewish people) returned to our ancient homeland. I know this from years of personal interaction. President Obama knows this. So does his spiritual mentor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Obama asserted in his Cairo speech that "the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied," because he dislikes Israel. He does not accept our right to this land. When one argues the Jewish people's right to our land, you can argue two ways. That the modern state or Israel was established by the Balfour Declaration, the League of Nations Mandate, international law, resulutions, declarations, etc. or that the land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people by Divine covenant; by right. As Winston Churchill said, "Not of sufferance but by right." I prefer the later, because international opinion and law is subject to change as we have witnessed in recent decades. Those who dislike Israel - what we call the "world" or the "international community" -- while they are all too familiar with Israel's right to this land, nonetheless will not accept our right. If the "world" rejects our right to this land, isn't it the world's problem? Never the less, I agree with the author, we should assert our right to our land not on the basis of Holocaust or victimhood, but by right.
8. Jean #3
Steve   (12.27.10)
After Al Qaeda destroyed the World Trade Center towers on 9/11/01, President George W. Bush sent U.S. forces into Afghanistan. The U.S. toppled an entire government. Would you argue Bush was wrong? The FBI has been conducting sting operations in the US which some Muslim groups charge is "entrapment." Should Americans instead learn to "live" with their Muslim neighbors?
9. #5 get with the program
Israel Israeli ,   Tel Aviv   (12.27.10)
The "homeland story" is well documented in the Koran. Even you won't dare to call it a lie.
10. #2 Palestinians like Siberians or Saharans
Frank ,   Argentina   (12.27.10)
When a Russian moves to Siberia or a French moves from Paris to a village in the Alps he does not become an Alpian. You took it in your head that you are Alpians. You took it in you head that when an Arab moves from Cairo to Ramallah he becomes Palestinian when there is no such thing as a Palestinian ethnic origin. However, in your never ending desire to hurt Jews and dislodge Israel you continue to sell your lies and to your great satisfaction the anti-Semitic world buys them. In the meantime you will remain poor with lack of pride and progress continuously peddling your fake story.
11. #3-Jean: the Jews are in their historic national home.
Allan ,   Delray Beach, Fl   (12.27.10)
Why should it be the Jews that leave and not the Arab usurpers who stole the Jewish land after the Jewish expulsion in the 1st century CE? You're comment smacks of unbridled antisemitism, let alone that of you're husband's.
12. to #6
Palestinian   (12.27.10)
The expelling of the Jews happened after Nakba. I don't understand how this delegitimizes the the right of return. If you look at it from different angle. 1 million jews were living in Arab countries without any serious problems for hundred of years. They only had problems (regardless of the justification of what's happened to them) because of Zionism. This refutes your outcry that Palestinian attacks Israelis because they're jews. No Zionism, no problems.
13. Simple Narrative
Jason, Ph.D. ,   Charlotte, USA   (12.27.10)
If I were the Israeli PM, here is the narrative I would broadcast: "The land of the Jews was stolen from the Romans, Byzantines, and then Muslim powers. The Jews have reclaimed their land. Don't like that? Then be prepared to face 200+ nuclear weapons with a second-strike capability". Unfortunately, the world does not care about justice. It only responds to power. It the world cared about actual justice, it would put an embargo on China, since China has brutally occupied Tibet.
14. TO MR. B E N N Y L E V Y.
FO ,   Belgium   (12.27.10)
You too, you seem to hide our recent history ! The world is asking "what the hell are the Jews doing there?" Are you aware that the 24th of July 1922, the League of Nations, by an unanimous yes by all its 51 members, voted the "Mandate for Palestine" and stated in the Preamble of the resolution the following?: "Whereas recognition has thereby been given to the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and to the grounds for RECONSTITUTING THEIR NATIONAL HOME IN THAT COUNTRY." The Mandate for Palestine gave the Jews on a Golden Plate the embryo of a STATE, and the IRREVOCABLE RIGHT to settle anywhere between the Mediterranenan Sea and the Jordan River, including the Golan Heights, a right unaltered to this day in INTERNATIONAL LAW, due to Article 80 of the CHARTER of the UNITED NATIONS. Mr. Levy, are you aware of all this? And if you are, why don't you mention it? WHY??? Why do you want the world to defend our cause if we are not ready to do it by own?
15. ZIONISM WAS ALWAYS ABOUT COMING HOME
Andrew ,   Miami,FL   (12.27.10)
ISRAEL WAS NOT BORN IN A STATE OF SHAME - THE ONLY TRUE SHAME ARE JEWS WHO WHO NOTHIG OF THEIR OWN HISTORY - AND CANNOT DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAISNT DELEGITIMISATION
16. #12: Jews were expelled Not because of Zionism
Steve   (12.27.10)
They were expelled because of Israel; because of the "Jewish state." Zionism, as a political movement existed for many decades (even centuries) before Israel again became a commonwealth; a nation-state in the Jewish people's historic homeland. "One million Jews were living in Arab countries without any serious problems for hundreds of years," so long as they / we lived as a despised and subjugated people (dhimmi); but not as equals. Once a Jewish state was established on the world stage in the region - asking our neighbors to accept us as equals - this could not be tolerated. Jews cannot in any way be accepted on an equal basis. Thus the Nakba or the "catastrophe" of the re-establishment of Israel in our land.
17. #3-Jean: the Jews are in their historic national home.
Allan ,   Delray Beach, Fl   (12.27.10)
Why should it be the Jews that leave and not the Arab usurpers who stole the Jewish land after the Jewish expulsion in the 1st century CE? You're comment smacks of unbridled antisemitism, let alone that of you're husband's.
18. telling our story
debbie ,   israel   (12.27.10)
TO SALMA, PALESTINE (???) You are an ignorant, mean spirited, pitiful person. Why do you troll these sites that have to do with Israel and Judaism? Doesn't Al Guida, Hamas and Hizbollah have enough internet sites, to keep you busy?
19. #9 What?!!!!!!!!!
Salma ,   Palestine   (12.27.10)
Give me one verse in the Quran says that the Holy Land between the sea and the river is exclusive property of the Jews.NO ONE I KNOW YOU CAN'T : ) If you accept the Koran as a source of your legitimacy here, you must also accept what the Quran tells about the Jews... Then do you believe in one part of the Koran and deny another ?!!
20. I say we use the Jean M Harper method!
Brian Cohen ,   Judean Peoples Front   (12.27.10)
I agree with Jean M Harper. What a brilliant woman, and her hubbie Howie too! As I keep telling my wife Incontinentia, if we can't do it like the Americans did to the the Injuns, then we should just leave. But my wife always argues with me: "Brian," she says, "you mean we should go out and wipe out the Palestinians and put the survivors on reservations, then take the entire land for ourselves like the Americans did?" Why yes, since that's exactly what Jean M Harper says is the right thing to do. It worked for America, didn't it? America is now 234 years old....I think that we'll have our "indian problem" licked well before Israel is even 150 years old. Crikey, the Jean M Harper's Yanks didn't even let native Americans and blacks vote until the 1960s.... Oh, sorry, Jean M Harper, you're probably a Confederate, not a Yank - in which case you'd deny the Palestinians the vote forever...
21. Our eternal land!
~~Lengualima~~ ,   I   (12.27.10)
ºThe radical Arabs after of 63 years do not learn the lesson. We, as a teacher of first grade, must repeat again the a,b,c...z of the conflict between Israel and radical Arabs. Boys, repeat after me. A. Israel's People have more of 4000 years of ties, historical, religous, geographical to the land flowing with milk and honey. B. Israel's People is by history and time, heirs of the land. C. Israel's People got all the historical documents that prove his historical rights among them, the Bible and the Qu'ran. D. Israel's People has a continuous use of the land for more of 4000 years. E. Israel's People has proved historically his links, from Abrahm, Moses, Judges, Monarchy, Prophets, Hasmoneans, until today. D. Israel's People on 1947 accepted the division, the radical Arabs no, choosing to go to war. E. The Arabs refugee were originated by: E.1. Many wealthy Arabs and oficial goverments went out before the conflict begun. E.2. Others by asking of the Arabs army, thinking that at two weeks the war would end. Boys listen. pay attention. end-point. F. The people of Israel was, is, and will be on this earth for many, many years to come, cry, shout, or roll over the world.
22. historical note
Josh ,   Edison, USA   (12.27.10)
Historically there were two Jewish States- Israel and Judea. Israel was destroyed and the Jewish people are remnants of Judea, not Israel (hence being called Jews). Perhaps the problem is that the country should have been called Judea and the linkage would have been clear.
23. # 7 tells the real story based on legal facts
Seppo ,   Finland   (12.27.10)
By 1924 all the internationally agreements had been done to make the land west of the river a LEGAL homeland for the Jews. Israel could have been declared any time after that but there were not enough Jews yet. Since1922 Britain did its best to eliminate the immigration of Jews. British Mandate gave a task to Arab League to eliminate illegal Arab immigration. Of course result was a free Arab immigration when Jews and British needed hands to work. The land was empty like America which wellcomed as many people as possible to move in.. The whole Mandate system was based on the idea that Mandates will be eliminated as soon as local people were ready to govern. Due to British policy against legal agreements the establishment of Israel was delayed. Early 20's Britain also decided to form Arab Province of Palestine beyond the river. Israel made a big mistake in 1967 when she did not annex all the land to which she had alegal right. Instead during tens of years PM after PM has done his best to create an Arab state INSIDE Israel For this policy Israel pays today a heavy price in the form of illegitimacy. There would not have been PLO which basically came from Tunis. TV and schools would not be allowed continuous hate teaching. Even today Israeli main problem is that they don't want to govern all Israel but rather want to give parts of it piece by piece away. Israel learns very slowly.
24. Israel Israeli and Salma #19 are both right.
Steve   (12.27.10)
The Qur'an does indeed recount Moses commanding the Israelites to go in and possess the Promised Land (the land of Israel) and to not turn back, but scholars (some) recognize that many other negative verses about the Jews (as Salma) says, outweigh the one or two verses used to justify Israel's possession of the land. Over and again the Qur'an asserts that because we (the Jews) violated our covenant and the Sabbath, Allah made us "accursed" and he turned us into apes and pigs, etc. Contrary to what is written in the Torah and the prophets - God will never break His covenant with Israel - the Qur'an makes the case that God rejected the Jews and embraced the Muslims (who are the "best of all peoples") in our place. Thus the Qur'an says, we not only violated our covenant with God, we even perverted our own scriptures.
25. "Telling our story" is fine and well, but hardly
leo ,   usa   (12.27.10)
necessary. Arabs are doing it by their behavior better than Jews ever could. Europe's boiling point is being slowly reached. Even millenia nurtured anti-semitism does not help anymore.
26. Great article! Levy is 100% right.
Yossi   (12.27.10)
27. #9, #24
Israel Israeli ,   Tel Aviv   (12.27.10)
for example 2:40 and 2:122. We all agree that the Quran says that Israel is the Jewish homeland, and Salma's posting at #5 is false or worse. Salma should acknowledge that Israel is the homeland of the Jews and any opinion to the contrary is a lie. She could then argue that the Jews lost the right to their homeland on the grounds found in the Quran. Then we could begin a real discussion.
28. Post # 3 is Matty Groves. Is anyone really surprised?
Damien from Dublin ,   Dublin, Ireland   (12.27.10)
Has anyone noticed how Matty Groves (aka Damien Hughes), the one-putz crusade from Dublin Ireland, isn't posting under his own (fake) name anymore? That's becaused he's posting under others. Learn more about this putz and his worthless life's endeavors at 'boycott israeli goods' (www.bigcampaign.org) and www.blatantworld.com Is it any wonder why Ireland is in the toilet, while Israel's ecomony and tourism are booming?
29. fakestinian history
ilan ,   nazareth   (12.27.10)
The word "palestine/filistin" is not even an arabic word by origin !, ask any scholar how do you say palestinians in arabic!? there isn't a word called palestinians in arabic because there isn't such nation! arabs cant even pronounce the "P" in palestine since the "p" doesn't even exist in arabic ! they pronounce it "Balestine" or "filistine" the word palestine/filistin comes from a LATIN via GREEK via HEBREW word The Philistines (Hebrew פְלִשְׁתִּים, p'lishtim, lit. "invaders") from greece , Myceneans not- MUSLIM ARABs !! the romans ( who changed the name from judea to syria-palestina) used the word to describe a -REGION- never a nation nor a country! after the victory of the british army over the turks the brits divided the land into 3 pieces, 2for the arabs one for the jews.(Transjordan was given to the "hashemite" from saudi arabia) the arabs rejected the UN 2 state solution. opened a holy "war 1948" against the israelites (7 countries VS 1 small israel) LOST land. and what do you know.. say hello to the EX-jordanians & egyptians =the "palestinians" gaza was egypt before israel won it in the "Six-Day War 67" and the west bank was jordan there were no "PALESTINIANS" back then! they say they lived there all along,,, well.... lets read together those reports from people who actually visited the holy land.... before 1900 shell we kids..?? "There is not a solitary village throughout its whole extent (valley of Jezreel, Galilea); not for thirty miles in either direction... One may ride ten miles hereabouts and not see ten human beings. For the sort of solitude to make one dreary, come to Galilee... Nazareth is forlorn... Jericho lies a mouldering ruin... Bethlehem and Bethany, in their poverty and humiliation... untenanted by any living creature. - Mark Twain, "The Innocents Abroad", 1867 - "There are many proofs, such as ancient ruins, broken aqueducts, and remains of old roads, which show that it has not always been so desolate as it seems now. In the portion of the plain between Mount Carmel and Jaffa one sees but rarely a village or other sights of human life. There some rude mills here which are turned by the stream. A ride of half an hour more brought us to the ruins .." - B. W. Johnson, in "Young Folks in Bible Lands": Chapter IV, 1892 - "The land in Palestine is lacking in people to till its fertile soil". - British archaeologist Thomas Shaw, mid-1700s - "Palestine is a ruined and desolate land". - Count Constantine François Volney, XVIII century French author and historian - "The country is in a considerable degree empty of inhabitants and therefore its greatest need is of a body of population". - James Finn, British Consul in 1857 - "The area was under populated and remained economically stagnant until the arrival of the first Zionist pioneers in the 1880's, who came to rebuild the Jewish land. The country had remained "The Holy Land" in the religious and historic consciousness of mankind, which associated it with the Bible and the history of the Jewish people. Jewish development of the country also attracted large numbers of other immigrants - both Jewish and Arab. - The report of the British Royal Commission, 1913 - Ibn Khaldun (Arabic: أبو زيد ولي الدين عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن خلدون الحضرمي)- one of the most creditable Arab historians, in 1377 c.e. wrote: "Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel extended over 1400 years... It was the Jews who implanted the culture and customs of the permanent settlement". "In the East, however, crafts have established themselves since the days of ancient Persian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Israelite, Greek and Roman rule". [Ibid., p 55] in The 13th century Arab biographer -Yaqut ibn-'Abdullah(Arabic: ياقوت الحموي الرومي‎)- noted Mecca is holy to muslims; Jerusalem is holy to the Jews
30. #27 Nooooooooooo Waaaaaaaaaay !
Salma ,   Palestine   (12.27.10)
Have I to admit that I'm a" liar" to begin a real discussion ?! " Israeli", It's Unfair : (
Next talkbacks
Back to article