Comments on: My own war crime: personal reflections following the Goldstone Report

By: noam

noam — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:45:06 +0000

Maya – I for once stopped believing in Israel’s (or Israelis) ability to listen on these matters, and even if we do listen, the price of leaving the WB – and that’s the heart of the matter – is just to big. it’s practically impossible for any politician to do it right now. I really don’t think any rational debate will lead us this way. we will have to be pushed out – and let’s hope it’s the US or UN that does it, and not Hamas.

By: Maya

Maya — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:39:09 +0000

I’ve been pondering these issues for a while, and the knee-jerk reaction in the Jewish community to the Goldstone report puzzled me… everyone seemed too busy distributing talking points and trying to find ways to call Goldstone an anti-Semite to actually consider the report’s content. I am strongly zionist, made aliyah, and support Israel, yet I am coming to believe that Israel needs to listen to its rational critics and change its course of action.

Thanks for this honest post.

By: Michael Kerr

Michael Kerr — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:27:01 +0000

No matter how we look at things,murder is murder. Whether it is done from 33 thousand feet up,or from a ship 50 miles away or face to face,killing a non-combatant is murder !!

By: Name (required) Moshe Neeman

Name (required) Moshe Neeman — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:58:45 +0000

Reflections are good…

Come reflect with us at:
http://www.israeli-occupation.org

Best,
MN

By: Ahmed Morsi

Ahmed Morsi — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:42:46 +0000

Great post! Genuine and informative.

Ok guys, but can we talk here about a sort of banality of evil? How come ordinary people (soldiers) continue to justify this once they quit the army?

Thanks

By: Kasia

Kasia — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:23:29 +0000

great post, Noam.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:04:15 +0000

Noam,

As Assaf says, thanks for this strong post.

Well written. You brought back all kinds of things for me as I served at the same time mid-90s. We, a lucky generation, were all the same surrounded by bad collective beahviour in army greens in every direction – even if they seemed ‘trivial and minor’ to some at the time. The technique for searching old men’s plastic lunch bags in East Jerusalem – just empty it all out onto the street,let it roll in the dust – sticks in my mind for one. Humiliation.

These ‘habits’ and styles (darween) were just a part of the illogical progression to where we were as of ‘Cast Lead.
I went and saw Shmulik Maoz’s film Lebanon yesterday and it’s some comfort to know that we’re not alone, and thatthings will surely change in the end. The sooner the better.
Thanks again.

By: Assaf Oron

Assaf Oron — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:47:38 +0000

Noam,

Thank you for this amazing post. I’m guessing it was not easy to write it.

By: Humi the Labrador

Humi the Labrador — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:15:57 +0000

Noam,

a friend once told me that the Kanna massacre was not exactly an accident: There were IDF soldiers nearby, and the IDF was trying to prevent enemy units from reaching them. I’m not saying they wanted to kill the civilians, but they took a risk, knowing who’s there.