Comments on: Back in the West Bank (part III)

By: kickJohn

kickJohn — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:30:34 +0000

every dofuser needs dofus kamas, but most of them can't find a good cheap dofus kamas provider, so it's a problem is they want to buy cheap dofus kamas.now bawwgt will be your best choice on dofus

By: noam

noam — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:07:32 +0000

Tal

Thanks for your comment. While I appreciate and applaud your desire to “do our job as humanly as we can”, I don’t agree with your basic reading of history, regarding the Palestinians turning to violence whenever peace presented itself. I believe Israelis have their share of responsibility for the situation, especially in the last 40 years.

But I think our differences go even deeper – I really don’t think you can accuse a whole nation of “deciding” to do something, especially over a whole century. There are circumstances and internal politics, and so on – the same problems we understand so well when it comes to us. I believe this way of thinking leads to unfortunate ideas, such as Yaalon’s hope “to burn [our narrative] in the Palestinian’s consciousness”. Well, we try again and again and they seem not to learn.

By: Tal

Tal — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:27:48 +0000

Hi Noam,
When I go to reserves, I usually try to remember that the story is more complicated. There are not wealthy people and deprived people. There is a people that brought on themselves their misruble situation by setting themselves always to violence. From the 1921, 1929, 1936-9 and onward, the Palestine resorted to violence, and this is what they got. If their face were headed for true peace, they would have had their lands by now. But they proved in the 1990’s that they will not rest, until they will occupy all Palestine, including Tel-Aviv.

Therefore, What I try to do when I’m in reserve (I am an officer), is to do our job as humanly as we can, and also to preserve the safety of Israeli citizens. until the politicians will find their way for a solution.

When I’m back home, I strive for a solution as a member of the Israeli direct democracy movement, Which I think is the solution for the Israeli-Palestinian problem.

By: Arrna

Arrna — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:15:16 +0000

I have to appreciate your honesty. I do not want to comment on the whole entry but one point I always find interesting. It is the Nazi analogy. You say the Israelis are not Nazis, but what are the Nazis? Only the SS officers? the people who worked in factories that produced the gas? the people who did not ask questions? the people who knew and did not care (since they were not jews or roma)? or Eichmann (the bureaucrat with Jewish family members and Jewish friends but nevertheless signed the papers)? I usually do not like the Nazi analogy (simply because I think it diverts the whole discussion and I never really met a Nazi from the 30s and 40s). But it always fascinates me how we (humans) now speak about the Nazis as if they came from a different planet, as if they are something super unique.

By: noam

noam — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 08:08:54 +0000

Guy,

Thanks for your comment. I agree that the situation is probably harder, but I only wrote what I’ve seen myself. Moreover, I’ve wanted to concentrate on the soldiers’ perspective, because that’s part of the thing that allows the occupation to go on and on.

As for my next service – I really don’t know. I’d like to think I won’t serve there again.

By: Guy Balter

Guy Balter — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 07:43:21 +0000

I read all the 3 parts of your last experience in the west bank. I was very interested to read it, because I ask myself similar questions about military service. I highly admire your sincerity in writing these posts.
Your description of the daily life reality, the banality of the occupation, is important, but nothing new – more over, the situation people are dealing with is much more harsh than what was described here. It’s important to be said.
The most interesting question to me, regarding this very personal post, was not answered in the end – will you serve again in the occupied territories or not?
I’ll not push you for an answer, but this question was raised by you in the first post…
Again, it’s only because I highly admire your sincerity here that I express in this way.

Guy