No to mosque burning, but collective punishment and ethinic cleansing ok?

Another "Price Tag" attack. 

And in case we are in any doubt about who the targets are, a Christian and a Muslim cemetery was vandalized with slogans like "death to the Arabs" and others.

I wonder what Christian Zionists are thinking in times like these? (My post on Christian Zionism) That Christians deserve to pay or should be glad to pay for the Jewish right to oppress others? Oh, wait - Christian Zionists probably aren't thinking anything about this- this wasn't reported in the US. At least I didn't get it from any American source. And the BBC has something, but it is taking a back seat to Arab Spring progress on the web page.

Here's a link from March about Price Tag: http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/price-tag-terror-becoming-the-norm-in-israeli-society/

Anyway, back to Price Tag...

On graves this time. Classy. The Price Tag movement by definition, though, is just that classy. It's a bunch of people (Jewish settlers mostly? Or have more joined in?) who attack innocent Palestinians when their own government shows any movement toward following the law, which began with "dismantling" illegal settler outposts (ignores that ALL settlements are ILLEGAL). Another fact that seems to be overlooked by all is that this is TERRORISM by most peoples' definition, yet we call it Price Tag or refer to it like an isolated attack. 

Lately, it has been noted by Ha'aretz that Price Tag Terrorsts don't need a trigger, just opportunity. Will we hold these people responsible for the failure of peace talks and start thinking of all Jews in terms of arsonists and grave vandals? Will this justify flying jets over Israeli cities and dropping one ton bombs all over the place? Shall we erect checkpoints and enact curfews that shut down normal life? Blockades? Will we round up and rough up every young Jew and throw them into prison until they get something useful? Shall we deport the suspects to an Eastern European exile? Of course none of this will happen- Israel isn't fighting a state or a people that has this capability. But what if... Never mind. In reality, the suspects probably won't even face jail time.

Two links on the current attacks:

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=427151

 http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/muslim-christian-graves-in-jaffa-defaced-with-racist-slogans-in-suspected-price-tag-attack-1.388822

The contradiction that prompted the post:

Livni: Mosque 'Price tag' attack should be condemned

"Burning of mosques goes against the values ​​of Israel as a Jewish state," Livni said.

 So this is encouraging, right? I suppose it was more relief actually. You never know what's going to be the official Israeli line. Usually it is something pretty preposterous. 1000 Palestinian dead and they used restraint, have the most moral army in the world, tried really hard to prevent casualties. 

They are condemning the mosque attacks. Great. What about the occupation and collective punishment? Does demolishing homes go against Jewish values? Is it a democratic value to continually ban refugees from returning home after war, not allow family reunification, deny visas, erect checkpoints, etc so that you can maintain a certain demographic favorable to you?

More on "Price Tag" (my previous posts):

More Settler Terrorism

"Hebrew slogans" and another reasons settlements should be razed

teaching hate

I saw someone searched for "Hebrew slogans" on my blog, and I have a relevant addition. People love to flash those pics of Palestinian kids with guns and camo and say how hate is taught. No one tends to believe that Jewish children either are taught or learn the same things from their parents.

I'm reading Raja Shehadeh's When the Birds Stop Singing and he talks about Jewish school children being required to write soldiers notes of encouragement as writing exercises, like I remember writing the President as a class exercise in 1st grade. 

Some say Palestinians corner the market on teaching hate, but the Jewish children wrote things like:

• *kill as many Arabs as possible
• *for me kill at least 10
• *ignore the laws and spray them

 see also:
The myth of incitement in Palestinian textbooks
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article3923.shtml

"Hebrew slogans" and another reason settlements should be razed

Maybe not razed- if they want one secular democratic state where all Jews and all Palestinians everywhere are welcome and have equal rights...


I read a BBC article and they referred to "slogans" written by students (more accurate= suspected terrorists). I mean ynetnews even recognized them as slurs.

The BBC is usually pretty good and brings out points critical of Israel where the US media fails miserably. For example, in many stories, this appears at the end:

"All settlements in the the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this."

This time the BBC was way off.


Anyway- the slogans.

One was "We will burn all of you." A slogan? Really? If this slur is in fact a slogan or mantra, then they've got a terrorist cell on their hands and heads need to roll.

When Palestinians- or anyone for that matter, says these types of things, we call them threats or worse. When accompanied by an attack, such as the arson here, it's attempted murder, except in this case.

I'll go along with "Price Tag" being a slogan (grafitti also defacing the building). Taking into account what it means, though, I'm going to have to go with slur or threat:

"Price tag" is the slogan adopted some months ago by extremist settlers who carry out reprisals against Palestinians in response to the evacuation of settlement structures by Israeli defense forces.

"Rabbi Shapira published a controversial book last year which includes discussion of interpretations of the circumstances under which Jewish law permits Jews to kill non-Jews."

"The rabbi has been condemned for writing a book called "The King's Torah" that says it is permissible to kill non-Jewish children if they pose a threat or as a deterrent for the future. It states that only a Jew who kills a Jew violates the commandment against murder."

Hmmm. Now what do we think of and do with Muslims who teach (or support those who teach*) this type of thing? I probably don't need to tell you.
*=seminary students and a Knesset member were protesting for his release

He refused to cooperate and is suspected of withholding information. He's getting off pretty easy. Ask a Palestinian what happens when they are suspected of knowing anything about a person they suspect might become a suspect. Ask a police officer what they think of someone who refuses to cooperate. I'm guessing they think that is a sign of guilt. Not, here, though.

What are they doing with this guy? Releasing him, of course! If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it must be a cow. Now at least they can say they "looked into it" and we in the US can feel good again about our support for normal life and natural growth in illegal settlements.