Raz Segal: A "Liar-for-his-Cause"?

One Raz Segal, an Assoc Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies Stockton Univ, writing in the UK Guardian, once a very pro-Zionist newspaper in Manchester before it moved down to London, among other things describes Israel thus:

"a self-proclaimed exclusionary settler state – what Ze’ev Jabotinsky, the father of revisionist Zionism, described in his well-known essay from 1923 as a settler colonial project that can only work with an “Iron Wall.”

As readers of my blog know (and others can use the search engine), Jabotinsky did not advance an "exclusionary" character for the Jewish state or the idea of "racial supremacy". Moreover, the usage of "Jewish" indicates a nationality just like all other countries. Jabotinsky, a liberal democrat, envisioned full civic equality for all resident citizens of the future Jewish state. His last testament on the matter is his 1940 "The War and the Jew".

One can read the book here.

Here's p. 215:

216

217

218

Any fair reader would necessarily come to the conclusion that Segal is either an ignoramus, or unintelligent or, most likely, a liar-for-his-cause.

The idea of an "Iron Wall" was simply an expression of a firm, impenetrable defense system, not a physical structure, that would not allow the repeat of the 1920 and 1921 Arab murderous riots against Jews in Jerusalem and Jaffa. His idea was replacing unreliable British forces with Jewish soldiers and police. And as we saw on October 7, 2023, that wall was still necessary and continues to be.

UPDATE

Although Raz mentions the "Iron Wall" essay, he leaves out the opening lines that contradict his charaterization of Jabotinsky, who wrote:

I am reputed to be an enemy of the Arabs, who wants to have them ejected from Palestine, and so forth. It is not true.

Emotionally, my attitude to the Arabs is the same as to all other nations –

polite indifference. Politically, my attitude is determined by two principles. First of

all, I consider it utterly impossible to eject the Arabs from Palestine. There will

always be two nations in Palestine – which is good enough for me, provided the Jews become the majority. And secondly, I belong to the group that once drew up the Helsingfors Programme, the programme of national rights for all nationalities living in the same State. In drawing up that programme, we had in mind not only the Jews, but all nations everywhere, and its basis is equality of rights.

I am prepared to take an oath binding ourselves and our descendants that we

shall never do anything contrary to the principle of equal rights, and that we shall

never try to eject anyone. This seems to me a fairly peaceful credo.

But it is quite another question whether it is always possible to realise a

peaceful aim by peaceful means. For the answer to this question does not depend on our attitude to the Arabs; but entirely on the attitude of the Arabs to us and to

Zionism. 

^

Finally, Netanyahu Puts Israeli Arabs on His Agenda

And it's about time.

Who knows how many more Arabs will die.

But...by whose hand?

PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the Start of Today's Cabinet Meeting
(Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser)

Following are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 25.3.12:

"Last weekend there were three murders in the Arab sector. Reducing crime in the Arab sector is a goal of the Government and it needs to be a goal of the country. I appreciate the fact that there are increasing voices from within the Arab sector, from its leaders, mayors and citizens, calling for stepped-up law enforcement within Arab communities and villages. I think that this is an important change. I add to this my call for enlistment in the civilian service, within which it will also be possible to combine actions for increased law enforcement. The community can help itself. The Arab sector can help itself vis-à-vis increased law enforcement by volunteering in the civilian service as well.

P.S.

In Arabic:

في الأسبوع المنصرم وخلال 24 ساعة فقط تم ارتكاب ثلاث عمليات قتل في الوسط العربي في البلاد. إن تقليص حجم الإجرام في الوسط العربي يعتبر هدفاً للحكومة ويجب عليه أن يكون هدفاً يتم تحقيقه من قبل الدولة. إنني أقدّر الأصوات التي تعلو من هذا الوسط بالذات ومن قبل قياداته ورؤساء المدن والمواطنين الذين يناشدون بتشديد تطبيق أحكام القانون في البلدات والقرى العربية. أعتقد أن هذا هو تغيير مهم وأزيد الى ذلك دعوتي الى الانخراط في الخدمة المدنية الذي يمكن أن تُدمج فيها عمليات لتشديد تطبيق أحكام القانون.
إن الوسط العربي يستطيع أن يساعد نفسه بتشديد تطبيق أحكام القانون, أيضاً من خلال التطوّع الى الخدمة المدنية. واشتركتُ في الأسبوع المنصرم في المؤتمر الذي نظّمته الحكومة من أجل زيادة مشاركة عرب اسرائيل في نمو الاقتصاد الإسرائيلي. وتناول الحديث هناك الخطوات لإشراك العرب في التطوّر الاقتصادي وفي التعليم والمواصلات وتسهيل الوصول الى أماكن العمل ومواضيع كثيرة أخرى. أعتقد أن كل هذه القضايا مهمة ويتم القيام بعمل واسع النطاق في هذا المجال.

^

Jabotinsky on Arabs by Jabotinsky

Ze'ev Jabotinsky, the grandson, on Ze'ev Jabotinsky, the grandfather, on Arabs, and Supreme Court Justioce Joubran, here:

...The entire Likud movement would do well to unite behind Ya’alon’s remarks, if it claims to continue in the footsteps of my grandfather (Ze’ev Jabotinsky).

My grandfather concluded his most territorial and nationalistic poem (“The East Bank of the Jordan,” or as it is also popularly known, “Two Banks to the Jordan”) with the following words:

From the wealth of our land there shall prosper
The Arab, the Christian, and the Jew,
For our flag is a pure and just one
It will illuminate both sides of my Jordan.

Two Banks has the Jordan –
This is ours and, that is as well.

My two hands I have dedicated to the homeland,
My two hands to sword and shield.
Let my right hand whither
If I forget the East Bank of the Jordan.

Two Banks has the Jordan –
This is ours and, that is as well.

Justice Joubran did a good job in balancing his own private views while respecting the state and the general consensus. It may have been better if his associates had chosen to keep quiet and left his opponents behind a wall of respectable silence.

.

^

Threats Should Be Met With Threats

New Pal. threat:-

The Palestinians will pull out of direct peace talks due to start with Israel next month if the Israeli government announces new settlement building, the chief Palestinian negotiator said on Friday.

Saeb Erekat said any new Israeli building work on lands the Palestinians seek for a state would cause the Palestinians to withdraw from talks which the United States is set to mediate.

"If the Israeli government decides to announce new tenders on Sept. 26, then we won't be able to continue with the talks," Erekat said after a meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's executive committee in Ramallah.

I think Israel should reply with its own "threat":

if the Pal. negotiating position is that no Jews can dwell in the proposed new state called "Palestine", then (a) no talks; (b) Israel will reconsider the residency of Arabs in Israel.


- - -

Does This System Work in Other Areas?

Like perhaps in place of a loyalty oath?





As for this claim in the story:-

[Cabinet minister Dan] Meridor sharply criticized the proposed amendment, saying it was an unnecessary provocation aimed at Israeli Arabs. The Likud minister quoted Ze'ev Jabotinsky in his testimony before a committee that examined the future of the British mandate in Palestine in 1937, and said that the constitution of the state that will be established needn't explicitly spell out its national character – it is enough that there will be a Jewish majority.

I'll be investigating it. I don't think the matter was as simplistic as Dan presents it.


- - -

I Studied French But Him - Je Ne Comprends Pas

French President Nicolas Sarkozy addressed the possibility of a military conflict with Iran during an interview with CBS:

"I would not want the world to wake up to a conflict between Israel and Iran, quite simply because the international community has been incapable of acting," Sarkozy said, calling a possible Israeli strike against Iran "a disaster".

The French president added, "I consider the fact that Iran should get its hands on a nuclear weapon - a military nuclear weapon, together with the many statements made by Iranian leaders against the democracy that is Israel is dangerous and unacceptable."

[
Transcript

Couric: How concerned are you, Mister President, about a potential Israeli military strike against Iranian-- Iranian nuclear facility?

Sarkozy (translator): That would be disastrous. It would be a disaster. I don't even want to think it was possible. And the best way-- to avoid this disaster scenario is to take measures in order to get Israel to understand that we are determined to ensure its security. And Israel, furthermore, must equally make the necessary effort in order to bring about a fair and lasting peace with their Palestinian neighbors.

Couric: Do you think stronger sanctions will actually work? Because the Iranians seem very -- insistent upon building this nuclear capability.

Sarkozy (translator): I believe in the effect of sanctions, because I've been very impressed by the courage of the Iranian people. Those young kids, those women who went down into the streets of Tehran and major Iranian cities. What a fantastic example of courage they gave us. We cannot be-- we can't afford to be less courageous than they were. For once, but a man and woman in the street, the-- Iranian man and street pointed the way towards peace, towards peaceful resolution.

]


This reminds me of something I once discussed in a parallel situation. It is a spin-off of the 'crazy state' paradigm. Then, I suggested that Israel make it clear to the United States that if Saudi Arabia became involved in hostilities against Israel, that her oil fields would become legitimate targets. And if that disrupted, even slightly, the supply of oil, well, so be it. Israel would not consider its existence, the security of its citizens and the welfare of its friends and allies to be less important than America's economy and the comfortable consumerism of Americans. We do have priorities.

The same now should be addressed to Sarkozy and to Obama.

A disaster. Disastrous? Maybe even dangerous?

It sure as hell will be. It will be very, very dangerous. For Iran. For the Middle East. For the Sunni nations. For the United States and even for Russia. A veritable disaster. But probably less than what it could potentially be for Israel and the Jews.

A More Balanced Picture of a Problem

One of the canards in the false litanty of Arab propaganda is the matter of ID cards.

Here's a short summary. A female Rabbi discusses it.

A good backgrounder.

Well, you know of course that others suffer problems. Christians, in fact. BBC is reporting:

Egypt's Coptic Christians battle for ID cards

By Christian Fraser
BBC News, Cairo

...Girgis Gabriel Girgis is tattooing a baby girl. She is very young, only about three years old, and branding the blue cross onto the girl's inside wrist brings a piercing shrill scream...The tattoo symbolises community and identity...a tiny Coptic cross.

...And now - even as an adult - Ayman is denied by the state the Christian identity card he craves.

"Since the age of 16, I have been living an anonymous life," he said.

"In the eyes of the I state, I don't exist. They are trying to force me to become a Muslim by accepting a Muslim identity card. But it was my father's decision to convert. Not mine."

"I'd rather die than accept a Muslim identity card. It is plainly obvious to anyone here I am a practising Christian," he says.

Christians in Egypt comprise about 10% of the country's 80 million people.

But in a predominantly Islamic society, the Copts say they are are being increasingly marginalised.

Identity cards carrying details of a person's religion are required by law in Egypt for employment, education, and access to any public services.

International rights groups say they are also used to discriminate in areas such as employment.

...The BBC did ask the interior ministry for a response to our investigation, but after three weeks we have had no answer. No government representative has been put forward for comment.

Just so you have a balanced and full picture.


___________________

P.S.

Iraqi Christians' safety hopes

...In Iraq, Christians and Muslims have worshipped side by side for centuries.
“ Our situation is Iraq's situation - now we pray the situation will become better ”
Shlemon Warduni Auxiliary Bishop

But half of the congregation of the Virgin Mary church have fled in recent years. "They have gone either to the north of Iraq or to other countries because of the situation, the car bombings and kidnappings. There is no security, no peace," said Auxiliary Bishop, Shlemon Warduni.

Outside the gate, a group of policemen stand guard. Earlier this year, a car bomb exploded right in front of the church...According to some estimates, half of Iraq's Christian minority have left their homes since the American-led invasion in 2003...

If The U.S. Can, Israel Can't?

There's new legislation in the coming at the American Congress to create the National Civilian Community Corps, H.R. 1388: Serve America Act.

And it includes this definition of purposes:

National Civilian Community Corps

SEC. 1501. PURPOSE.

Section 151 (42 U.S.C. 12611) is amended to read as follows:

‘SEC. 151. PURPOSE.

‘It is the purpose of this subtitle to authorize the operation of, and support for, residential and other service programs that combine the best practices of civilian service with the best aspects of military service, including leadership and team building, to meet national and community needs. The needs to be met under such programs include those needs related to--

(1) natural and other disasters;

(2) infrastructure improvement;

(3) environmental stewardship and conservation;

(4) energy conservation; and

(5) urban and rural development

Some claim it's mandatory.

Here:

But the bill's opponents -- and there are only a few in Congress -- say it could cram ideology down the throats of young "volunteers," many of whom could be forced into service since the bill creates a "Congressional Commission on Civic Service."

The bipartisan commission will be tasked with exploring a number of topics, including "whether a workable, fair and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people could be developed and how such a requirement could be implemented in a manner that would strengthen the social fabric of the nation."

Could not find the reference but found this, which sounds ominous enough:

(3) in subsection (c)--

(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘Backrounds’ and inserting ‘Backgrounds’; and

(B) by adding at the end the following: ‘The Director shall take appropriate steps, including through outreach and recruitment activities, to increase the percentage of participants in the program who are disadvantaged youth to 50 percent of all participants by year 2012. The Director shall report to the authorizing committees biennially on such steps, any challenges faced, and the annual participation rates of disadvantaged youth in the program.’;

But, in any case, why can't Arabs in Israel enroll in a parallel framwweork of volunteering?

For example, even Ha-Ha-Haaretz reported last year:

Opposition to national service in Israel's Arab sector is bitter

A few weeks ago, pandemonium broke out at the University of Haifa while it was hosting a conference on the subject of a state-sponsored national service program for Israeli Arab youth. Inside, at the conference, Israeli Arab academics lashed out at their colleagues who carried out a survey polling the willingness of young people from the sector to participate in the program.

Speeches for and against were made, while each side accused the other of misinterpreting the poll's data. Meanwhile, Arab young people from both sides of the debate almost came to blows outside the building, and university security rushed to the scene to separate them...

The state says the program is aimed at offering Israel's Arab citizens, who for security reasons are exempt from military service and the benefits it entails, an alternative way of contributing...

And from two years ago:

Arab-Israeli MK: Don't Israelify us

Knesset Member Jamal Zahalka (Balad) took part in a protest conference against a government initiative to draft Arab youths for national service, and expressed his opposition to the idea on Saturday. "Anyone who does national service will become a leper and Arab society will throw him up from its midst," the minister [sic! MK]told Ynet.

The Higher Arab Monitoring Committee of Israeli Arabs...has launched a campaign to minimize the number of volunteers.

The conference, which took place in Haifa at the initiative of the Balanda (our country) charity in which many Arab youths from across the political spectrum are involved, also saw Knesset Members, heads of the Arab community, and youths from various political parties take part. Participants sought to protest the government initiative which is expected to make waves by the start of January 2008..."We totally reject national service in all forms, but on the other hand we also are willing to consider fostering projects of the culture of volunteering towards (Arab) society," Anbatawi said. Those who chose to volunteer, he said, "need to be argued with and explained the severity of the act of this volunteering, but not be thrown out of our midst."

What's good for the disadvantaged youth in the US, is not could for Israel's Arabs?

Kurtzer Cuts Loose, Too Loose

In this campaign, what also came out rather dramatically was the degree to which he was trying to appeal to what can only be called racist tendencies on the part of some part of the electorate. What he talked about with respect to even Arab-Israeli citizens, this was not just an anti-Palestinian crusade on his part but very strong language and activities on the part of him and his party to separate the Israeli-Arab citizenry from the rest of the Israeli polity.

That misleading bit of information was provided to the readers of the New York Times by Daniel C. Kurtzer, S. Daniel Abraham Visiting Professor in Middle Eastern Policy Studies, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University. And former US Ambassador to Israel, by the way.

Let's look at his main accusation more closely as I have done previously at this blog.

to separate the Israeli-Arab citizenry from the rest of the Israeli polity

First all, judge for yourselves. Read this document (I and this news report), among many similar.

It is the radicalization of the Arab population which is now demanding themselves a form of separation, call it administrative autonomy or ethnic-community entity, that is causing a negative reaction by Israel's population, a reaction that benefited Lieberman's election campaign.

And acting to the negative benefit of the Arab's future in Israel.

How A State Commits Suicide

IMRA reports

Secretary General of Hadash party proud of their terrorist candidate who "fought occupation" - Jerusalem attack killed 6

Ayman Auda, Secretary-General of the Hadash party tells a reporter from the top circulation Yediot Ahronot - for attribution - that the Hadash party considers recommending targets for terror attacks to be acceptable activity to be proud of.

[This item was buried on page 14 of the 31.10.08 Hebrew edition of Yediot Ahronot and appears to have failed to generate any interest or response.]

Here's the actual article:

Terrorist running for city council: Arab-Israeli woman jailed over Jerusalem market attack to compete in Sakhnin elections

Tagrid Saadi, a 28-year-old Arab-Israeli woman convicted of failing to prevent a terror attack in Jerusalem, is vying for a city council spot in the northern town of Sakhnin.

Saadi was detained immediately after a female suicide bomber detonated herself at Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market on April 12, 2002. The bombing killed six Israelis and wounded 60. Saadi was in contact with the cell commander, via the Internet, and was informed about the date of the attack...Saadi was sentenced to six years in prison, where she affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad prisoners. She was released less than a year ago, and has now decided to enter politics.

In a conversation with Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Saadi did not express any regret for her actions. "I do not look back - I only look forward," she said.

A Hadash official [AL: in the Hebrew report - Ayman Auda, Secretary-General of the Hadash] told Yedioth Ahornoth that the party is proud of Saadi, because "she fought against the occupation, and continues to fight against the occupation...we have no faith in the court that sentenced her, as it is part of the Israeli establishment, and this court allows radical Jews to protest in Umm al-Fahm. She acted against occupation."

Now you know why Israel's national anthem is "Our Hope has not yet been lost..."

Not yet but maybe at some time...?

How Can He Belong to the Jewish State?

But Israeli Arabs, including the most successfully integrated ones, say a new identity must be found for the country’s long-term survival.

“I am not a Jew,” protested Eman Kassem-Sliman, an Arab radio journalist with impeccable Hebrew, whose children attend a predominantly Jewish school in Jerusalem. “How can I belong to a Jewish state? If they define this as a Jewish state, they deny that I am here.”

Well, for one, there are other options other than "belonging". Like joining a Pal. terror group and trying to destory Israel but since that's been tried for over 80 years now, you'd think someone like Eman would come up with a better idea.

And a better idea would be to make a choice: "Palestinian nationalism" is to be acquired and realized in Jordan. That's the closest. The other option is that once peace is achieved, there's always cultural and educational autonomy, like the Begin idea, but unlike his suggestion, first comes a period of peace, economic intergation, paying full taxes, volunteering for National Service, et al.

The new identity is just another way of watering down the Jewish character of the state. Sorry, that's just not on. Arabs have almost two dozen states in the Middle East to fulfill their nationalism and must define their states as Islamic. So, Israel can't be one Jewish state?

No one years ago had problems with the idea of a "Jewish homeland", meaning one for the Jews where Jews enjoy the primacy in all fiedls and endeavors. Herzl wrote about it, Balfour declared it, the League of Nations reconzied it, the United Nations established it. But the Arabs who wandered into Judea and Samaria and conquered it and then invited friends and relatives over can't seem to acknowledge it.

Daniel Gordis' "Gordonian Not"

Daniel Gordis and I got to know each other three years ago when he asked me, on behalf of the Wexner Foundation to participate in its summer program here in Israel.

One of the major themes was "the settlements". Daniel wanted a different type of tour than the previous time the subject was on the agenda a few years back and I was asked to do the job. I think it went well. I introduced him to some friends and now and then, I comment on his thinking as expressed in his send-outs.

We haven't kept up a proper ongoing correspondence but I do receive his postings and the latest, "Gentlemen, Bow Your Heads", brought a big smile. It deals with the four recent documents [I, II, III and IV Gordis' links] in which the Arab minority community in Israel is in the process of declaring itself, in one way or another, independent of Israel. Well, that's how I see it.

Gordis is quite well aware of what these documents mean. And he is surprised:-

Amazingly, though, very few people with whom I work, or socialize, said very much about these documents. The critique sounded vaguely legitimate to many of them, I know. And even though most of my colleagues viscerally didn't want to give up on the idea of a Jewish State, they didn't really know how to respond. How do we balance the Jewish and the democratic? Is the Israeli-Arab population really a fifth column bent on the end of the Jewish State? As bright and intellectually sophisticated as they are, nothing about the educations that many of my colleagues received in Israel prepared them to have this conversation. So they read the documents, and said nothing, to anyone.

Well, Gordis has his work cut out for him. If he wants to dialogue with Arab counterparts, that's fine. But it's with the Jews that the problem lies. And Gordis will find out that they don't really want to know about this rumbling undercurrent of Arab opposition to a Jewish state, no matter who runs it - Peace Now, Gideon Levy or Danny ("Apartheid") Rubinstein. They deny it; pretend that the problem doesn't exist; make excuses; blame their fellow Jews. For them, this new Arab resurgence of taking back the state from the Jews is not to be debated the way it should.

And as for Daniel, he'll be facing a Gordonian Not.