Why do they only blame Israel?
To me it it seems obvious that Israel is demonized because we're Jews and no one cares what Muslims do to other Muslims. But it's still interesting to see a Muslim - in this case Mudar Zahran, a Jordanian of 'Palestinian' origin who is a researcher at the University of Bedfordshire - make almost the same point. Amazingly enough, the international media, and particularly the Western ones, pay very little attention to the conditions of the Palestinians living in Arab countries, despite the extreme oppression they have been enduring for decades in most Arab countries.The World only cares when it believes Jews are beating up on Muslims (and maybe - maybe - when Christians beat up on Muslims). It could care less when Muslims beat up on Muslims (or on anyone else).
These Palestinians do not have someone to speak for them in the global media, possibly because a news story about countries other than Israel is less interesting or “sexy” by media standards. This tendency to blame Israel for everything has lead to the development of numerous myths about the situation of the Palestinian there that have provided an excuse to purposely ignore and compromise the human rights of the Palestinian in many Arab countries.
THE EXAMPLES for that are plentiful and sometimes cross the line into tragic comedy. While the world is crying over the Israel-imposed blockade on Gaza, the media, for some unknown reason, choose to deliberately ignore the conditions of the Palestinians living in camps in Lebanon.
Lebanon, a country with some of the most hostile forces to Israel, has been holing up Palestinians inside camps for almost 30 years. Those camps do not have any foundations of livelihood or even sanitation and the Palestinians living there are not allowed access to basics such as buying cement to enlarge or repair homes for their growing families. Furthermore, it is difficult for them to work legally, and are even restricted from going out of their camps at certain hours. Compare this to the fact that Palestinian laborers were still able to go to work every day in Israel while Hamas was carrying out an average of one suicide bombing per week a few years ago, and until recently launching missiles daily on southern Israel. Not to mention the fact that Israel allows food items and medications into Gaza if handled through the Palestinian Authority.
The Lebanese atrocities toward the Palestinians have been tolerated by the international community, not only by the media. Today, while some Israeli military commanders have to think twice, in fear of legal consequences, before they visit London or Brussels, well-known Lebanese leaders who had directly participated in mass killings of Palestinian civilians, during and after the Lebanese civil war, are becoming world-respected political figures – Nabih Berri, for example, the leader of Amal Shi’ite militia who enforced a multi-year siege on Palestinian camps, cutting water access and food supplies to them. The Palestinians underBerri’s siege were reported to be consuming rats and dogs to survive. Nonetheless, he has been the undisputed speaker of the Lebanese parliament for a long time. He travels frequently to Europe and criticizes Israel for its “crimes against the Palestinians” on every occasion.
MANY OTHER Arab countries are no different than Lebanon in their ill-treatment and discrimination against the Palestinians. Why do the media choose to ignore those and focus only on Israel? While the security wall being built by Israel has become a symbol of “apartheid” in the global media, they almost never address the actual walls and separation barriers that have been isolating Palestinian refugee camps in Arab countries for decades.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:25 PM
4 Comments:
If not for bashing, deligitimizing, vilifying and demonizing Israel, then the Phakestinian "nation" has no purpose at all. It was for this end that it was invented in the first place, after all.
As for the author of the above piece, he'd better have a good hiding-place prepared. No one in the anti-Israel world likes even the slightest move toward the truth.
Its anti-Semitism and of course in the other situation the West's self-hatred of its own Christian heritage.
When Muslims kill each other, no one cares.
this topic is showing up more in the last 2 weeks than I remember in the last 10 years. Is it something to do with that law in Lebanon's parliament to give 1948 Arab refugees some basic civil rights, or did someone suddenly remember that there are a few 100k people rotting in rundown, substandard refugee camps all over the eastern Mediterranean?
When I read this thing, as well as comparisons between Israel and its enemies (like an article you posted about Turkey in Cyprus) and just about any evidence of international hypocrisy, I can't help but feel you guys are doing it wrong.
Why is Israel allowing those liars to dictate the outlines of the discourse? I know mainstream media is horribly biased and stories about mistreatment of palestinians aren't "sexy" if the perpetrator is not Israel, and there's little that can be done about that. But what about international instances? Why is Israel allowing Turkey to say a word at the UN without being reminded of Cyprus and the armenian genocide? Why are the arabs allowed to complain about the right of return of the palestinians without being reminded of the jews they expelled after 1948? Why does Israel admit such harsh criticism about the Lebanon/Gaza incursions from people who forget to mention the terrorists who caused them in the first place? Why isn't Bibi reminding everyone that it's the palestinians' fault that the peace process has only resulted in failure?
Individuals like you are fighting a tough battle. But your politicians are being too polite to people who don't even try to hide their intention to destroy you, and allowing your image to be walked all over by shameless propagandists.
Post a Comment
<< Home