Opinion
Racists a handful of hooligans
Noah Klieger
Published: 12.03.13, 00:33
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78 Talkbacks for this article
1. collective punishment
Rau   (03.12.13)
No apology in several cases doesn't mean the entire arab world or muslim population never apologized. You're going against your own words. Beside how do you know for sure that no apology has been offered?
2. I agree
Larry ,   Los Angeles   (03.12.13)
One rotten apple doesn't spoil the group.
3. no, just bystanders
lipchitz ,   New York, USA   (03.12.13)
4. The real worry
Ferdinand ,   Israel & France   (03.12.13)
As the op-ed says, a handful of racists is not a reason for concern. What worries me much more is the much larger group of semi-racists who don't use physical violence but verbal violence instead. Daily, in lots of forums we see these people attack Arabs, Europeans, immigrants, Americans and secular Jews. Those people are the real problem.
5. Living in Um ElFahim.?
Walla ,   USA   (03.12.13)
Do you really want to live in the Arab towns that you mentioned? Or any Arab town in Israel for that matter? No infrastructure, no gyms, no swimming pools, no stadiums, over crowded and understaffed schools? And.? I had this conversation with an Israeli Jew last year when I was visiting,. She really had no justification for her racist suggregation idea except the same question most israeli Jews ask,..why do arabs want to live in tel aviv? Do we Jews live in Sakhnin? Or Um Elfahim? The best explanation will be heard from the NY Attorney Sarah B. I can't wait.
6. no, no apologies from arabs
oferdesade ,   israel   (03.12.13)
but that's nnot who you want 2 b comparing urself 2. germans have not STOPPED apologizing or paying. of course a few hooligans do not a generation make, nor does 1 rabinkiller an entire sector define, nor one pedophile an entire priesthood condemn; but the reasons and the trends must be examined and rectalified - not condomed.
7. to #1 there is difference between jewish youth and
ghostq   (03.12.13)
Arab leaders, in the Arab world it is the leadership who goes against Israel. wait... the leaders in Arab countries... do they represent the arab poplation, I wonder...
8. Racists -handful of hooligans.
Elsie. ,   Gush Halav.   (03.12.13)
I agree with the artical, but the same goes for the Arabs, you cannot blame all the Arabs for a group of hooligans, right???
9. Islamophobia Article
Salem ,   ALQUDS   (03.12.13)
This author could not hide his real intentions behind this lame article "It seems that in Israel – like in the rest of the world's countries – people have accepted the bitter fact that what Muslim rioters are allowed to do, Jews or other enlightened people are forbidden." We get the point, thank you, Muslims are the ones to be hated not jews because jews and the rest of the world are the same but the different ones are the muslims!!!! just one question; what about the grave tendancy of attacks against Arabs in Israel lately? have they really been punished? if so, the why are they on the rise. to me, this author (just like Sara B.) represent the culture of hatred and malice!!!
10. close but not quite right
(03.12.13)
in the civilized countries of the West you can openly criticize the majority group but you cannot openly condemn any disadvantaged minority groups even when they deserve it. In the West for example you could not print an article like this in the press . Speaking the plain truth about life was forbidden some time back in the 1970s. Israel could teach the West a lot about press freedom.
11. to #5 y not, they don't have to pay cityhall taxes
ghostq   (03.12.13)
maybe the social justice protest will bring the jews to the arab villages.
12. Lefty hypocracy
Daniel ,   Tel Aviv   (03.12.13)
Indeed the problem is the institutional racsim at both the arabs and the left. Arab schooling is full of hatred for the jews. Leftwing ideology somehow places judaism on a morally superior pedistool. Both are reflections of anti-jewish racism (one openly and one dihonest) by dehumanizing jews. Sadly jews are humans with all human flaws, selfhatred the biggest of all. This hypocrite selfhatred is clearly reflected in the overreaction of 'guilt' for what happend to the arab teacher. We do not teach our kid to hate. The media's words are as empty as the EU words on moral and to condemn terrorism after another jews was butchered by an orginization sponsored by the EU. Another form of racism for which the jews are guilty is basicly abandoning the racist youth, whose lifes are destorted and hit by arab racism on a daily basis, and leave them to their own devices, only to acknowledge their existence and feelings after the fact and "to feel morally superior". Living in tel aviv, I know that these morally superior leftos cannot even respect their jewsi breathern from suithern tel avaiv, holon, bat yam or rishon lezion, so come on shut up and stop being a morally superior leftneo-colonilist hypocrite. Everyone is human and as such each individual is responsible and liable for his actions... so I am not responsible for leftists racism and not for hooliganist racism!
13. Don't generalize - Jewish or Arab!
Barry Berger ,   Kiryat Tivon, Israel   (03.12.13)
Agreed, we should not generalize that (Jewish) Israelis are racist by the acts of extremest hooligans. Should we not apply the same logic to their Arab counterparts?
14. keeping the right proportion
tiki ,   belgium   (03.12.13)
is what's lacking in today's world, but Arabs should first clean their own backyard before accusing others on their 1% racism against their own 90%.
15. May the Lord bless
John Hagee ,   USA   (03.12.13)
The Jewish youth who carried out these attacks,sure they went slightly overboard but at least their heart was in the right place. Evangelists for Israel!
16. The struggle to remain non-racist
Shachar Shalev ,   Eilat   (03.12.13)
The media love/need a few incidents to push an agenda. Proportionate does not make a good story. Proportionate is what we do individually when we read the stories. In this case the media is talking about a worrying trend towards overt rascism in certain sections of the population. In Israel it is a massive danger that the different ethnic groups suddenly start fighting and hating each other and we become another Lebanon or Yugoslavia. For the moment most are working hard to prevent this but it is a constant struggle in such a diverse and tense country. We certainly don't want to find ourselves in the disastrous situation our neighbours are in. It is their rascim and hatred that destroys them from within.
17. Why hasn't Baruk Goldstien's house been bulldowzed
ben   (03.12.13)
18. All OK until last sentance...
Andi ,   Israel   (03.12.13)
because Jews can live in Arab cities but choose not to. I'm not aware of any Jew who chose to and was evicted or harassed. Many Jews in Israel are even afraid to enter an Arab town and walk around, This stereotyping that all Arabs want to attack Jews at any opportunity is form of anti Arab racism, no less than labelling all Jews as potenial violent racists.
19. Racism is insidious
Bertram ,   London, UK   (03.12.13)
Without exception, I condemn every racist act, whoever commits it - Jew, Muslim, Christian, atheist, leftist, rightist, or anyone else. What is omitted from the discussion, however, is the issue of power. When Israel was established the Jewish people were victorious. They are the majority in Israel and hold the reins of political, social and economic power. Yet, if you believed many of the posts here, you would think that the Jewish people were a minority in Israel. If that was so the entire Zionist project would have been a waste of time. Clearly that is not the case and the consequence is that the majority have an obligation to to create a climate where racism is deemed unacceptable. It is a long and hard slog, as we know from experiences in the UK and the US. As many have pointed out, racism is often deeply embedded. The government, the media, and the schools - Jewish and Arab - have important roles to play here. Whether we are talking about Israel or any other country, the question, as always, is what kind of society people want. I hope that it is one based on decency and kindness towards one and other.
20. Aren,t Jews racist ??
Peter ,   USA   (03.12.13)
Yes they are. It is very easy talk about Holocaust without regarding to own nation.
21. I do not want to live in Umm el Fahem
Sagi   (03.12.13)
for exactly the same reason that I do not wish to live in Bnei Brak. The culture and environment are, in both cases, foreign and distasteful to me. This does not make me a racist. Without citing any particular sector of society I categorically state that Israel is a society plagued by violence. This is evident both in deed and word on a daily basis in every aspect of life and in every normal tete a tete that is the daily bread of a citizen which usually turns to a confrontation. From here to acid and murder etc. the distance is very short.
22. To: No. 5
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (03.12.13)
Predictably enough, you have missed the point. It is not whether a Jew wishes to live in Sakhnin, or Umm el Fahm. It is the fact that they CANNOT. No such restriction extends to Arabs in Israel -- they can live wherever they want and can afford. I realize you are not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but do you think you just might be able to appreciate the difference?
23. to5
sara ,   jerusalem   (03.12.13)
before 43 years my mother was living in a big house with a garden in east jerusalem when she visited a family in ummalfahm in a crouded houseshe asked the woman why you are in crowded house while you have plenty of lands the woman replied -waite a while you will be the same -jews will take all of the lands -- both women were died and 16 family of brothers and sisters and their childrn are living on the same big house with som acceseroies without any garden .. the same lik ommalfahm house .. this is becouse of the fence around the city no arabs in jerusalm want to be out of the city so it is not becouse pools and schools and lololo it is becouse not to be racist but arabs only
24. To: No. 9
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (03.12.13)
Culture of hatred and malice? Do you mean like suicide bombers? Stone throwers? Terrorist murderers of a sleeping family of five, including three children? Seven decades' worth of hatred and malice. You have some nerve, whining about "Islamophobia."
25. to 20
(03.12.13)
in other words ... when the attacke is from arab to jews jews blame israil goverment but when the attack is from israil or jews to the arabs the arabs blame israil not the arab goverment ..sure becouse there is no arabgoverment in israil or palastine or the holy land
26. # 15 are you the REAl john Hagee?
BUILD BABY BUILD ,   United States   (03.12.13)
If so, thank you for loving Israel. If not, you chose a Christian champion's name for Israel. Shalom,
27. # 24 Sarah AMEN LADY !!!
BUILD BABY BUILD ,   United States   (03.12.13)
Only the pals are formally known as Terrorists. The pals will move from Israel when their sponsors stop giving them mercenary funds and black mail money...
28. To: Bertram at No. 19
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (03.12.13)
In order for racism to disappear, the racist has to want for it to go away. Do you get any inkling, given their behavior over the past seven decades, that the Arabs have any interest in coming to terms with the fact that Israel is a Jewish state? It takes two to tango, Bertram. Have you ever seen the content of ersatz "Palestinian" "textbooks?" Have you ever seen their cartoon programs for children? And that is just the tip of the iceberg. If the ersatz "Palestinian" so-called leadership cannot bring himself to acknowledge Israel's inherent identity as a Jewish state, with rights and privileges and respect for all, and given his insistence on a "Judenrein" West Bank .... I just don't see the possibility of change. Not in this, or any other, lifetime. I also know that it is the Jewish people who have accounted for the overwhelming number of victims of ersatz "Palestinian" racism, with barely a handful of ersatz "Palestinian" victims. A racist society is not anything that anyone would want, but you have to ask yourself this: after seven decades of unrelenting violence and terror, after instigating six wars, given the educational indoctrination which ersatz "Palestinian" schoolchildren undergo, after countless antisocial acts, after two intifadas -- is it really all that much of a surprise to you that some Jews have finally had enough? You should take pride in the fact that the number of Jews who engage in such violence is tiny, and the overwhelming number of Jews are angered and disgusted by such behavior. Contrast that with the stony silence which emanates from the ersatz "Palestinians" in the wake of the murderous rampages which have killed thousands of Jews, and maimed thousands more.
29. Damage control spin ,...
split ,   US   (03.12.13)
Not just a few boys and girls or the Hilltop Youth-style, it's your overall attitude and conduct, stupid ,... Just look at the way you treat non or lesser Jews in Israel ,...
30. To: No. 16
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (03.12.13)
I would like you to provide examples of how Israeli Arabs are working hard to remain non-racist. Have you forgotten fiery speeches by Knesset member Tibi and the others, which are deliberately designed to exacerbate tensions? Is refusing to stand for the playing of Hatikvah or walking out during its playing your idea of promoting brotherhood and harmony with the Arabs in our midst? How about Bedouin arms and drug smuggling? Is that your idea of good citizenship? Israel is a safe haven for the Jewish people. If others threaten that safety -- particularly through calculated and deliberate instigation -- perhaps it is time to contemplate sending them someplace where they can be much, much happier. Israel is the Jewish State. Let Jordan be the Arab State. The complainers can take comfort in the fact that they will be free to pursue their future in the lion's share of the Palestine Mandate, which was supposed to become the Jewish State, had not the British reneged so thoroughly on their commitments.
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