labournet editor Eric Lee has come out in favour of Isreal's attacks, this seems madness, some calls for calm seem more appropriate.
here is my reply to Lee
This seems way off the mark, I can understand why many people who have friends and family in Israel might support much of what the current government has done, equally I can an understand why many people might reject the 'islamofascism' of Hamas.
However the Isreali response, even if one is broadly supportative of the Israel state, is crazy. Hundreds of people in the Lebanon who have nothing to do with Islamofascism have been killed.
Lets face it Israeli action, the action of Bush and Blair, breed Salifism of the worst kind and weaken secular and moderate opposition to oppression.
I can imagine some difficult debates in the political organisation I belong to (Green Party) over the middle east, I can't imagine a single member supporting the bombing of Beirut!
its worth quoting Keith Taylor's excellen statement from the Green Party
Keith Taylor makes plea for calm in Middle East
14th Jul 2006
Israel's actions 'entirely disproportionate'
Israel is imposing an air and sea blockade on Lebanon as part of a major offensive after two soldiers were seized by the militant group Hezbollah.
Green Party Principal Speaker Keith Taylor, who is a UN Peace Messenger commented: "Israel's decision to send its warships into Lebanese water to block ports, and blow up the runways of Lebanon's only international airport is an entirely disproportionate action.
"This is a brutal and hugely destructive invasion. Israel's actions are not justified. The rules of 'just war theory' say that for a war to be just every action in it has to be proportionate.
"Brig. Gen. Dan Halutz, the Israeli army chief, said today 'Nothing is safe (in Lebanon), as simple as that.' This risks thrusting Lebanon back into the worst years of the war. Israel is risking a dangerous spiral of violence which could destabilise the entire region. "
"We condemn the kidnapping of the Israeli soldiers and call for their safe release - but we should be consistent and not forget that Israel is holding 9,600 Palestinian political prisoners, over half of whom are being held without trial and nearly 400 of whom are children under 18."
"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. But this isn't even an eye for an eye. It's more like a trail of corpses, including entirely innocent civilian corpses, for each kidnapping.
>* LabourStart editor Eric Lee backs Israel*s war
>http://www.labournet.net/other/0607/ericlee1.html
>
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>Cheers,
>LabourNet UK
>
>http://www.labournet.net
18 Jul 2006
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2 comments:
He made the point that a democratic 2 state solution was the way forward - what do you think?
Well as you know I would like a single state, I am still guided by the late great Edward Said, people in a state should coexist despite their or may be because of different religions and ethnicities, 20% of people in Israel are Palestinian's at present.
However the important thing is the call for peace, incidentally I don't claim to be an expert on the Middle East, busy enough at present looking for economic alternatives to capitalism....I
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