Culture
Oscar nominee: People hate Israelis for a reason
Avner Hofstein
Published: 02.03.06, 19:33
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31. Surprise
Celissa ,   Boone, USA   (03.03.06)
A man who glorifies suicide bombers hints around that he would become one. Sick. What's even sicker, he won a Golden Globe. F'in Hollywood morons.
32. sign the petion
david ,   usa   (03.03.06)
i have just signed it and you should too as this film shows terrorists comming to ruin innocent peoples lives and there is no reason it should be nominated at all. go to post #13 for the site
33. British occupation and Jewish terrorism
observer   (03.03.06)
Jewish organizations Lehi ("the Stern gang") and Irgun committed acts of terrorism against the British (and Arabs) in the 1940s. Ok, they didn't use the method of suicide bombing but I doubt that made them less terrorist. Lehi also offered support to Nazis during the war. So if some Jews have difficulty understanding the occupation as a reason for Palestinian terrorism I suggest you look at your own history.
34. 72 virgins & Ice Cream....
Mo ... ,   Meeca   (03.03.06)
This just in Mo is running a special , If you strap on a belt and blow yourself up . Besides the 72 virgins who cant wait to meet you> Ice Crem is in the menu, Is ben or jerry jewish . We are serving chuncky monkey .. 72 condoms included.
35. Jewish resistance and British Nazis
Kate ,   London   (03.03.06)
"Observer" misses a few points: 1) The British had effectively collaborated with the Nazis through their immigration policy and deliberate inaction before and during the Holocaust. 2) British conduct after the war shocked the world with her neo-Nazi brutality towards the survivors of the death camps. 3) By far the greatest number of acts of terror during the mandate period were committed by the Arabs. 4) There is all the difference in the world between resisting armed forces and deliberately targeting innocent civilians for death. 5) For Palestinians all of Israel is occupied territory. They resist Israel's existence. 5) Resistance is illegitimate when peace talks are a viable alternative. 6) Europe still holds onto the vast bulk of the property she stole from the millions of Jews she helped murder. While Europe still occupies Jewish land, does observer believe that Jewish resistance is legitimate? 7) 750,000 Jews were ethnically cleansed by the Arab nations and their property was stolen from them. Would they be justified in resorting to the tactics of the suicide bombers until their property is returned?
36. #33 observer
Leo ,   Australia   (03.03.06)
Observer, the Lehi and stern gang did not set out to murder innocent British (or Arab) civilians - men, women and children. When I look back from the present day and scan my own history -- I never once spotted incitment like "kill the Arab/muslim/gentile" where ever you find them." If the Jews were really equivalent to or even worse than their Arab adversaries, than considering all of Israel's victories and all her wars with the Arab world and her military superiority -- there would be no Arab in sight. Quite frankly, they would all be swimming in the sea - well, c ertainly the last thing Abu-Assad would have is an Oscar nomination. So to make the sort of moral equations like you have is false and misleading at best.
37. humilation
Leo ,   Australia   (03.03.06)
"Even during the Holocaust, people did not strap on a bomb and set out to kill innocent people. This was a different situation that only lasted six years, Abu-Assad replies, adding that in the first 30 years of occupation there were no suicide bombings. Who knows what would have happened in Germany had the oppression continued for 30 years, he asks rhetorically. " Six years? What about the thousands of years of persecution and pogroms in Europe which eventually built up to the Holocaust? And is he now going to tell us that the home grown London bombers were also brutually occuppied...by the er..British? And what did this brutual occupation and humiliation consist of...British government benefits? If only the Jews had experienced this form of European persecution -unemployement and the dole - instead of pogroms and blood libels. Who knows, perhaps that would have turned Jews into suicide murderers. As for his being 'humiliated' at a checkpoint -- than I suppose (considering his constant nazi jibes & insistance of brining in Nazi Germany into the equation) thats more humiliating and horriffic than a gas chamber or a pogrom.
38. easy to say nothing
ronny ,   nyc, ny   (03.03.06)
"I doubt that made them less terrorist" using a machine gun on a pregnant woman, her two living children and then putting one more round through her belly just to make sure the fetus dies is terrorism sweetheart. Taking out an appointed political leader who is preventing millions of traumatized survivors from settling the only country that will receive them is assassination. There's only one example I can think of that was terrorism on the part of the Stern or Irgun. But even that was in retaliation for a bombing campaign that had been carried out for several months. Why is it that every leftist seems to have a fried brain? Is it the drugs? The lack of reading comprehension? Maybe the bad music you folks tend to listen to? Perhaps you are just naturally a complete idiot? Please, enlighten us. -ron
39. Observer #33
Steve ,   Australia   (03.03.06)
'Observer' - actually we do look at our history and actually there was and is clear acknolwedgement that Israel was and is the jewish homeland - oh and yes - we do have the ability to look at activities of a Lehi and acknowledge that not all was perfect, however there was no terror against civilians!!
40. hollywood
james ,   usa   (03.03.06)
To DR, you gave my family a good laugh about the morons from the middle ages! Keep up the sense of humor.
41. Insightful way of thinking....
Srini K ,   Atlanta, USA   (03.03.06)
Nice to know that atleast some one has the guts to paint the picture as it is....
42. isreali? or arab
njrich ,   nj, usa   (03.03.06)
all the same tribes that wandered for centuries, isreal was created, no one has ancestral rights.
43. "PARADISE NOW" FILM ABOUT SUICIDE BOMBERS
Whiz Bang ,   USA   (03.03.06)
I'm an atheist. While I despise the suicide bombers, even they are victims. There is neither heaven nor hell --- there are only bloodsucking frauds --- ture believers and cynics alike --- who convince ignorant, brainwashed people to blow themselves to smithereens. Religion is a sad and bloody joke. ---------------------- Yi Ha Minister of Information Peoples' Capitalist Republic of WhizBangistan
44. No surprise....
Darrin ,   Austin, TX   (03.03.06)
That the brain trusts in hollywood would embrace this crap. You want to talk about a 'group' out of touch with truth and reality.
45. Should Muslim States Exist?
Potsy ,   Village, USA   (03.03.06)
Abu-Assad claims he can accept Israel once it is "everybody's state." Just like those open, welcoming Muslim nations, right? Arabs have been hating and killing Jews for centuries. Palestine is just a convenient excuse.
46. If you treat people like animals they will act like animals
Daniel ,   USA   (03.03.06)
I think the point of the movie is that there are reasons that drive these people to become suicide bombers, other than "because they hate Jews". They are driven to kill because of the unbelievably bleak and frustrating state of their lives. They have been made into second class citizens, by a government that won their land in a war. No other place in the world exists like that. No other place in the world, in this day and age, allows for this. Killing innocent people is wrong, whether it is detonating a bomb on a bus, or dropping huge bombs on a civilian population to kill one terrorist. Until the Israelis understand that if you treat people like animals they will act like animals, the violence will continue.
47. Abu-Stupid
Dan ,   Chicago   (03.03.06)
If the German oppression lasted 30 years they would have killed all the Jews. Israel is not killing the Palestinians...they are killing themselves.
48. Yedioth Ahronoth
sue winn ,   NORMAN, OK U.S.   (03.03.06)
what an stupid man. Certainly shows he is not in the real world. But, is anyone in Hollywood in the real world? Just a bunch of emotional, uneducated reactionarys.
49. Here Here, Meni!
Michael K ,   Washington, DC   (03.03.06)
Spoken like a true scholar! At least most of the people who have commented seem to know their history. The 'palestinian cause' and the terrorism that backs it are so ridiculous, illogical, and inhuman, the people who support it can't present a valid argument to save their lives. If it weren't for Israel, the entire middle east would be a crooked wasteland that only exports oil and terrorism. No thanks.
50. israel hated for a reason - because they are jewish
mike ,   usa   (03.03.06)
let's be honest - they hate because they are racists and use the land issue as an excuse to kill jews. if it wasn't that, it'd be something else. if you disagree, then why are jews are being killed in europe by islamofascists???? i rest my case.
51. "Counter terrorism" vs "Terrorism"
Steve C ,   Annapolis, USA   (03.03.06)
Twisted Logic: Abu Assad... THE methods chosen by Palestinian "Islamic Jihadists" has been a total bloody failure on all fronts. IF the poor suffering Palestinian people could have been allowed to follow the examples of Gandhi, Mandela, Pope John Paul II, or even the Dahli-Lama they would have had their Independent Palestinian State years ago! INSTEAD the Palestinians were mislead by irrational and incompetent "Counter Terrorists" as Assad likes to call them. The "Counter Terrorists' have spread Misery and regressive destruction everywhere they go. It really is a shame that people with Abu-Abbas's loser mentality have any credibility left in the World.
52. howdy
George W Bush ,   Washington, USA   (03.03.06)
You know, its a shame that these so called "advocators of truth" are allowed to speak. It is sad to see that a STRICTLY western idea called FREE FUCKin' SPEECH comes full circle to bite us in the ass. But on the flip side. Thank the lord all mighty that there are some reasonable people that are waking up and seeing the hatred that people like this are spreading. I promiss the people of Israel that I will continue to fight the worldwide organization of terror. may God bless America and Israel. I hope we will both succeed in our fight against these terrorists. PS: About the golden globe. I am very sorry this has happened, but my country is free and as I said before its a shame that freedom comes around and bites us in the ass.
53. Jewish Irredentists
derzornhistology   (03.03.06)
Observer: Way to pass yourself off as an unbiased 'observer'. Supposing you actually ever read about irgun and Stern gang actions, you'd know for example that the King David hotel bombing was prefaced by a warning - telling people to get out of the hotel beforehand. You'd know furthermore that Deir Yassine was prefaced by trucks with loudspeakers driving through town attempting to warn the populace about the impending attack and attempting to get civilians out of the battlefied (civilians who were acting as human shields for a major terror base camp). You'd know also that the Haganah outlawed the Irgun and managed to get them to give up their arms. You'd also know that Lehi appealed to the Nazis via Lebanon in 1940, before the world knew about the Holocaust. A Lehi member was also famously quoted as say, "It is not directed against people, it is directed against representatives. Therefore it is effective." Jewish irredentist groups after 1942 (the year of Stern's death), now knowing about the Holocaust, could not suffer inhumane immigration restrictions which amounted to a death sentence for many of Europe's Jews. Thus they attacked political opponents, with ample explicit efforts to avoid killing civilians. Facile attempts to put these people on the level with Palestinian irredentists, for whom killing civilians is an m.o. - to break the will of the enemy, is historically manipulative, in keeping with your feigned 'observer' status.
54. Israel's selective memory
Shlomo ,   usa   (03.03.06)
All you people here slam Abu-Assad for showing the genesis of the suicide bomber's thinking. It is ridiculous to say that they do it because they hate Jews It has nothing to do with our religion. You think only the Palestinians commit the crimes. You forget Israels crimes. Here are only a few of them. Sabra and Chatila, at least 1700 Palestinian Villagers slaughtered under Ariel Sharons supervision. Beit Jalla, Israeli Apache helicopter blows up an Ambulance full of women and children.. Qana 1996, 200 Lebanese civilians murdered by the IDF. You forget or don't care about Jenin refugee camp. 50 civilians, including a man in a wheelchair, shot and run over with a tank. 50 Palestian children under the age of 8 murdered by Israeli "soldiers" in 2002 alone. The suicide bombers are no worse than the "soldiers" who oppress them. Hypocrites, you reap what you sow.
55. Bravo Hany! Smart and brave
MLAR ,   Philadelphia, PA   (03.03.06)
to speak out against the occupiers.
56. Hateful Arabs/anti-Semites #33
Toby ,   USA   (03.03.06)
#33 When did the Jews blow up a kindergarten? disco? So, don't compare the Jews and Arabs. There is NO comparison!
57. Treat the Arabs like the Arabs treat the Arabs
Dotti ,   USA   (03.03.06)
Take a look at Iraq. How do the Arabs treat the Arabs? Is it any wonder they killed Jews when they are murdering their own brothers?
58. He is raising valid points
Ryan ,   Chicago, IL, USA   (03.03.06)
Director Hany Abu-Assad is raising vaild points. Regardless of the different perspectives of people of the world, as a Palestinian, Abu-Assad knows exactly what he is talking about because he lived in the Israeli society which mostly treats Arabs as second class citizens, not to mention how they treat Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Probably most Palestinians hate Israelis and Zionists because of the continuous oppression they have been under for more than half a century!!! Palestinians never had a problem with Jews before they decided to "come back" to the holy land in an aggressive and unfair way. The racist people who hate Jews are the Nazis who killed millions of Jews just because they were Jews. Arabs and muslims hate Jews because of the Israeli occupation and opression. Until that opression is over don't expect Palestinians to start loving Jews and Zionists. Hany Abu-Assad is Palestinian by blood, by mind, and by nationality. I am proud of him for directing this great movie !!!
59. Frustration is no excuse.
Pam ,   Arizona, USA   (03.03.06)
Anyone who endorses teaching children, and encouraging adolescents, that the only way to achieve self-respect or reach a political goal is to kill themselves is a coward, and himself a murderer. Lots of people deal with bias, humiliation, frustration, and rage. Talk to American blacks, or Native Americans. Talk to women (anywhere) some time, Hani.
60. Muslim Equal Hatred
Doug ,   Memphis, TN   (03.03.06)
So true....Muslim is a cult of hatred. Preying on uneducated misfits to carry out the murder to advance a select few. Much like gangs in all parts of the world. No respect for human life.
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