Honestly and with no agenda, I will tell you why we hate you: because you come from other part of the world, claim a right to confess our land and kill our men women & men not only the ones that fight back but those who just cling to the mother land and refuse to leave. so precisely and straight forward : IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN, IT IS BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU DO AND HOW YOU DO IT. I am not promoting a propaganda neither looking for excuses nor justification I am telling you bluntly what I truly believe.

I don't think anyone should move from their homes and no one should be denied the right to their lands. Both Israeli Arabs and Jewish settlers should stay where they are and integrate into their respective states. The Jews in the West Bank should become citizens with equal rights in the future state of Palestine. I think that would have a balancing effect on both countries. Think of the Ying-Yang symbol, where each contains a bit of the other. To my mind that's a fair solution, what do you think?

No 'hasbara' wil work, because there is nothing to 'hesber' what everybody does'n't KNOW already, but doesn't want to UNDERSTAND. You can't make the 'deaf hear' and 'the blind see'. You can't force the 'junky to detox and the 'drunk to sober up' when THEY are NOT WILLING to try. So, let's not forget Ben Gurions words (for they are still true), "It doesn't matter what the world is saying, it matters what the Jews are doing". Stop wasting energie on "Hasbarah to deaf ears", for the 'world doesn't want to know for all the "obvious reason. We also don't need 'hasbarah on that.

End of discussion

In principle, I agree with you. Here are the problems as I see them, at least from my perspective: 1) What Arab country, including Jordan, has ever allowed quality citizenship to Jewish people and not considered them secondrate, i.e., "dhimmis"? Would a Palestinian government allow its Jewish citizens full rights? 2) Fatah, originating with Yasser Arafat, incorporated a principle which was never to accept the state of Israel and to nibble at it bit by bit until its final demise. Hamas is more forthright. Hamas operatives, according to its charter, are obligated to do whatever it can to see to the immediate, not gradual, demise and destruction of Israel. So, the question is, which Palestinian government should Israel do business with, the one that wants its immediate destruction or the one that wants its destruction by gradual means? You can appreciate Israel's quandry, I think, Said. What am I missing here? What is your further perspective?

You did not complete the details of "Why we (Arabs) hate you." Arab Moslems do not believe that anyone other than Moslems have the right to the land in the mideast although, interestingly enough, they are very adept at claiming the rights of full citizenship in non-Arab lands around the globe including from the nations of western Europe, the USA and Canada. The Arab governments fear Israel because Israel is the only democratic regime in the middle-east (other than the possible exception of Lebanon) and Israel's very existence is a threat to the survival of their respective ruling regimes. With respect to the Muslim clergy, Israel is seen as a country where its citizens absolutely question the religious elites and, as a result, many (in Israel) have pulled away from the religious establishment. If more Muslims were to follow, the theocratic nature of Arab governmental systems would weaken resulting in less power and less money for the imams. As to the Arab citizenry, Israel is also hated because it is seen as the purveyor of modern life. This means, for instance, that the women of Israel are seen to be firstclass citizens independent of men and, to a large extent, of family. This alteration in relationships is a would-be threat to Arab families and, especially, to the power which Arab men have over women. On the negative side, Israel, the gateway to modern Western life for Arabs, is also seen as the purveyor of the diminished importance of family life in Arab lands as well as all the other negative factors which have accompanied modernization. It would be useful for everyone if you, Syrgon, were to respond. Also, I would appreciate responses from other Readers, especially our Arabic ones.

Let me help you also answer the question ..why we hate "israel"? Jewish underground terrorist groups such as Haganah, Irgun and Stern were commanded to terrorise the Palestinian streets, destroy villages and slaughter entire Palestinian families. 34 massacres were committed within a few months: Al-Abbasiyya, Beit Daras, Bir Al-Saba', Al-Kabri, Haifa, Qisarya… These attacks aimed to annihilate the entire Palestinian territory and population (so-called Plan D), 50% of the Palestinian villages were destroyed in 1948 and many cities were cleared from its Palestinian population: Aker, Bir Al-Saba', Bisan, Al-Lod, Al-Majdal, Nazareth, Haifa, Tiberias, Jaffa, West-Jerusalem…Israeli forces killed an estimated 13,000 Palestinians. They forcibly evicted 737,166 Palestinians from the homes and land. 418 Palestinian villages were entirely depopulated and destroyed. The Palestinian populations in Aker, Bir Al-Saba', Haifa, Jaffa, Lydda, Al-Majdal, Al Ramla, Safad, Tiberias, and West Jerusalem were almost entirely removed. A conservative total, almost three-quarters of a million Palestinians were made refugees.:( Tell me if you want to know more I'm ready

Yes, I'd like to know more. I'd like to know where you came up with your statistics and upon which research you lay your claims. We all know, of course, that the majority of Palestinians who later became refugees, incidentally, were told to leave in anticipation that they would be returning once the newly established nation of Israel was defeated. This is a known and undisputed historical fact. How do you rationalize this? And, incidentally, the former leader of Jerusalem Arabs, al-Hussein, spent the WWII years in Germany and was one of Hitler's confidents. He promised to wipe out the Jewish population with the help of the Nazis. But perhaps the hatred of the Jewish population by Arabs is promulgated by propaganda and (some) false charges as well as an education system which promotes, rather than discourages, the hatred of Jews. I'd like your response, Salma, and if it's too late to post, you are invited to send it directly to me.

"You can't spin the facts" "No matter what shade of lipstick you try, the pig is still the pig" "Focusing on image... is actually living in denial" "No more words but deeds" Indeed, what a nice group of catchy slogans we have here, pretty much the same one recycled in different words. And of course, it's very easy to recite empty slogans. More challenging is to come up with substantive counter-arguments in response to the thorough arguments brought forth by the article, as well as in the posts by Robert Haymond, Jason from Charlotte, Yitzhak from LA, and my own. Can any of you do that?

So many articles and poster comments contain the line: “Israel is a ‘sovereign state”. I guess the logic is that if you repeat a lie/hasbara often enough people will start to believe it. To be considered a ‘sovereign nation’ the following criteria (Westphalian/etc) needs to be fulfilled: 1) Territorial integrity. A country must have defined/set borders, most importantly these clearly defined borders must be recognized by other countries/international community. It is also noted that border changes *imposed by force* (ie: illegal military occupation) are acts of aggression and not recognized under international law. 2) Internal Consensus Sovereignty. Internal sovereignty refers to the relation between the sovereign ruling body and its own citizens/subjects. The ruling body must be recognized and able to maintain a social contract (eg; control and provide for the masses). 3) External Consensus Sovereignty. External sovereignty refers to the relationship between sovereign nations. Collectively foreign nations either recognize the sovereignty of a state over a given territory/denizens or they don’t. 4) Non-interference from external actors in domestic/foreign policy. A country must be free to establish its own internal/domestic laws and conduct itself freely in foreign relations/trade. 5) State law is legitimate. The state’s supreme lawmaking authority is ‘secular’ as opposed to ‘religious’ eg: supremacy of the state over the church. Lets see how Israel would rate on this 1-5 scale: 1) Territorial integrity. Israel has never defined its borders (ie: no mention in the Declaration of Independence) and is illegally occupying Gaza and the WB and populating the WB with illegal Israeli settlers under military oversight. Israel’s score = 0 2) Internal Consensus Sovereignty. Israel has no constitution and was never ratified by the Jewish people, that is the declaration was never ratified or mandated by popular Jewish vote. Also many section of Israeli society (ie: illegal settlers/Haredim) do not recognize and respect the current Israeli Gov. Israel’s score = 0 3) External Consensus Sovereignty. Quite simple: a nation is only considered ‘sovereign’/legitimate by international popular vote. Obviously Israel is not generally recognized by the Arab nations and most other nations treat Israel as a pariah state while not recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Israel’s score = .5 4) Non-interference from external actors in domestic/foreign policy. Obviously the US calls the shots or at least is paying for the privilege. An example of interference in Israel’s affairs would be: Israel can only sell military tech/weapons to countries that are approved by the US (eg: Israel/China arms deal when Israel issued a letter of apology to the US and agreed to sell only to US permitted countries). Other obvious interference is the US (and everyone else for that matter) insistence for Israel to make peace with its neighbors. The latest interference from the US is of course Obama’s insistence that Israel rescind the order to build the 1,600 Jewish housing units in E Jerusalem Israel’s score = .5 5) State law is legitimate. Israel’s lawmaking authority legal system is deeply flawed and biased towards a particular ethnic section of Israeli society. Many social laws (marriage/etc) are controlled solely by religious law with no secular alternative. While most modern countries seek to separate state and religion Israel is taking the opposite direction. Israel’s score = .5 In total Israel scores 1.5 out of 5 in relation to ‘Is Israel a sovereign state’. To sum up; Israel fails to meet the criteria to be considered a ‘sovereign state’. I would also add that Israel is ranked as “Warning” (along side Turkmenistan and the People’s Republic of China) in the 2009 Failed States Index. At best Israel can be described as “a state which is failing”.

Irwin, The responses are pretty clear. The Arabs who write don't hate you because Israel holds Judea and Samaria. The Arabs who have responded here hate you because you are a Jew. Nothing short of committing national suicide will get the Arabs to leave you alone. They will still hate you. But you will know the "Peace" of the grave. Israels treatment - nice or otherwise - of the Palestinians simply doesn't matter. THEY HATE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE A JEW! The real question is whether or not you are smart enough to understand that simple fact. However, based on the above article you are simply too stupid to recognize the simple fact that most of the world hates you because you are a Jew. Do you understand that yet? It's doubtful. Perhaps you should take the time to visit Yad Vashem or the American Holocaust museum. But I imagine your thoughts after visiting will be "Well they were justified in slaughtering us because of the way we treat the Palestinians." Were your parents as stupid as you are? Or did you learn how to be an idiot all on your own?

have you read "Land of Sad Oranges" as per my recommendation ?

The author is completelly right that images speak lowder than words, but I disagree that explaining and presenting the facts is completelly ineffective. The problem of the Israeli Hasbara, official or self-made, is that we address audiences abroad as if those are already familiar with the situation, and our hasbara focuses on details. This is a complete miss with the most of the populations abroad who are not very familiar with the whole story and are undecided. Our Hasbara has to make this larger group its main target audience, since the people who are more informed already have a strong opinion that can't be changed. The impression that the average person has is that there was an independent country called Palestine, and Israel has occupied this country, is oppressing its people and refusing to give them back their independence for purely selfish ideological reasons. This has nothing to do with anti-semitism, it's just that after you hear some bit's and pieces about the conflict, this is the impression you get. When Israeli representatives get some media time explain the Israeli concerns they normally just respond to what happenned yesterday, in an arrogant unoppologetic tone and in very technical terms that certainly paint them as heartless condescending people, only confirming the image most people already have from the concept of "occupation". Hasbara should be done professionally, Israeli point of view should be explained better in simple words from human perspective, and certainly no computer chips or cellphones invention should be a part of this conversation. Nobody doubts we are smart, but many doubt we are friendly and human. People have heard a lot about Palestinian children, but assume that Israelis exist only in their intimidating adult form wearing a suit or a uniform.

i think that the world hate the doing of israil not the jews .. i think if the jews know that the jewishness is the cause to suffer they would hide its jewishness as they did before 1000 years but in holocaust they have no time no choise as all the people who sffered the nazi crime .. i think it is easiear to jews to change their identity than to change their doing . i think they do not suffer enough to change their identity .. days will came if they do not change their doing and do not deny their war crimes

I found your piece to be extremely sensible and I agree with you all the way. Ralph Benmurgi, a Canadian Jew and media/film specialist, helped produce and appear in a series aptly named "My Israel", a beautiful documentary about he actual lives about a Jew and Arab, longtime friends who reside in Jerusalem. Perhaps you are familiar with it. He pictured the goodness between the two friends as well as the tensions and stresses. In fact, in spite of inflammatory articles published by the Jewish and Arab media, there are many friendships between the two peoples and a good deal of social interaction. I think a satellite television channel broadcast globally in major languages showing Israel in all its marvels as well as in all its conflicts and tensions would serve to humanize and explain the country to outsiders better than any official proclamations ever could. It would also provide an alternative to the nasty propaganda propagated by unfriendly news' outlets including some, like Haaretz, which originate in Israel. Chaim Goldman, a media expert residing in Jerusalem, made a reasoned pitch for such an outlet at a political gathering for Danny Ayalon (Deputy Foreign Minister) before the last elections in Ashdod. Danny Ayalon agreed. Chaim said that all politicians and all potential investors have agreed over the years but the idea was always dropped or not moved on. Now the Government of Israel is moving on the idea but still in a half-baked way. It's inconceivable to me why there hasn't been an expenditure for a satellite television station which could be produced at little cost to the government. I'd call the attitude myopic or, alternatively, the effort takes a constant backseat to more immediate interests. Our proportional representation in the Knesset continues to place us at excessive non-action risk because of so many competing interests. At any rate, Israel would do well to tell its own story. It is a fascinating land full of drama, tensions, beauty and, yes, even miracles.

Thank you for your recommendation of this Palesinian writer, Ghassam Kanafani, of stories both for adults and children as well as political tracts. It's the first I've heard of him although you may have recommended him in past postings. sometimes our postings do not appear and, if they do, it may be that other Readers are unaware. For me, who has been educated in literature, I learn more about a culture through novels (fiction) than I do through histories and political commentaries. I believe literature and other arts allow people into the "heart" of a culture.

Kol Hakavod.

The malicious vitriolic attacks against Israel from left-wing secular Jews as well as the usual gentile Jew-haters is the most serious problem facing Israel today and there are no easy answers. this is a sample of what's going around. http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/03/16/israels-crackdown-confronts-liberals-and-humanists/ > >Israel’s Crackdown Confronts Liberals and Humanists March 16, 2010 by Michael Leon · Leave a Comment Share "Israeli Soldiers"An unprecedented Israeli campaign to silence dissidents, intellectuals and human rights organizations is gaining momentum in the wake of Israel’s December 2008 assault against Gaza that caused intense international outrage at the rightwing government in Israel such that the country has consolidated its status as a militaristic, pariah state.

You wouldn't know a fact if it slapped you silly. You spend every waking hour posting anti-Israel hogwash. This is your sad life. Yes, Israel is a sovereign state. Deal with it. Matty: 0 Israel: 10

The lack of a consensus on hasbara on every issue (except our right to exist as a Jewish State - and that needs definition in itself) is our strength, not our weakness. My experience in grass roots hasbara and education is that the perception of Israel as a heterogeneous society with heterogeneous views is what defines us as a democratic Jewish state unique in our region!

Other than the Palestinian hatred for Jews due to the Naqba, would there be any other reasons for your "hatred". Let me enumerate: 1) You hate Jews because they represent a non-Arab people on what you consider Arab, and only Arab, land. Furthermore, Jews refuse to live at a second class level as "dhimmis" where they could, in theory, be tolerated. In contradistinction, Arab Muslims find it perfectly within their rights to reside in the democratic countries of the West and to demand first class citizenship. Am I right, so far, Salma? 2) Jews represent an obstacle to the ultimate drive of extreme Muslims, including many who populate the Palestinian people, i.e., Hamas, in their quest to dominate and control the West and destroy all non-believers according to the tenets of their faith along the lines of the Koran, the Prophet and the succeeding Hadiths. Would this be a correct statement, Salma? If you wish, I could provide a fairly long reading list documenting the aforesaid statement. 3) Unlike the Jewish and Christian religions, the Muslim religion is not a religion of love, kindness and compassion but essentially one of control, hatred for the infidel and empowerment of its own kind through any means whatsoever including, but not limited to, outright violence, deceit and betrayal. Just to put the latter in perspective, the Western world does not know how to deal with the aims and activities of Muslims because the true aims of the religion of Mohammed are so contradictory to the true aims of Christianity and Judaism. As a result, it is quite easy for Muslims to manipulate the average Westerner in order to achieve their actual intentions. Isrtaeli Jews, who have resided in Israel for the past sixty years as well as Sephardic Jews who have lived in various Arabic lands for many generations, understand the Muslim Arab mind and intentions all too well and, as a result, have become the chief obstacles (other than Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs in India) to the Muslim programme of populating and then ruling all lands outside the Arabic perimeter. Would I be right in the aforesaid statements, Salma? Kindly respond and let me and the general Readership know exactly where I may be mistaken.l

much ado about nothing, keep posting long articles in the hope that quant will win over quality.. I said what I said about my own feelings (which representative to an extent) while you completed a long piece about my feelings? how do you know that ? are you gifted with remotly reading people's mind and hearts? p.s I'm not a "moslim" I am not a beleiver in any god or god given right and I bet my balls that u r not even based in the middle east u r just another failled hasbra

I wish the prophet Moses was alive, to say to you who abused the Jews more than we or you? Loss that we have not him.:(

Could not agree more. However your conclusion seems to contradict your premise about the media emotional impact. The rights of the Jewish People to a nation state like any other People in the world is still seen as trampling the rights of others. We live as you say in a media environment era of universality of human rights and political correctness, something not necessarily in integrity with moral decency and justice. Western democracies will always be at a disadvantage in conveying a unified message but this should be emphasized as a strength rather than seen to be a weakness. The mainstream media rarely acknowledges Israel's achievements but still gives grudging respect for it's multiplicity of voices.

The media should tell the truth of what is happening. Very pour journalism on the facts. Israel is a Jewish state, and should stay that way. Jews are very peaceful people, they greet each other with Shalom. So why did the enemies of the Jewish Nation attack them first? Because YHWH is with the Jews. It is a battle between good and evil. But the world will never understand that. Untill they do understand, I will pray for the peace of Israel, and the peace of Jerusalem. Shalom!