Imagine, as a 12.5% proud Jewish baby boomer, how outraged I am at what’s been transpiring in greater Israel. If one studies the history of that region, the real history, the paranoia by Israelis is not exaggerated. Go back in time to the 1930s in Europe and one can understand the dilemma faced by many Jews of that continent. As the Nazi train rambled on, most European nations, and even our own America, seemed to wash hands of this ‘ Jewish problem’. Way before Hitler and his gang were even relevant, Europe was flush with pogroms against Jews. The Vatican itself, for the most part, did not wish to deal with what was being done to Jews of many nations. So, this was not a recent problem when the Nazi regime was in power. Obviously, many Jewish Europeans saw the handwriting on the wall and headed for the safe haven of Palestine. Yes, the Zionist movement and mindset was there for many years before. Despite that, for centuries Jews, Moslems and Christians lived together with more tolerance than not.
The Soviets, Poles, Romanians, Bulgarians and most Eastern European countries were bundled together as part of Hitler’s plan for Lebensraum ( Living Space) for Germans. Once things were going to be calmed down after Operation Barbarossa, German settlers were going to move into those lands. Duh, excuse me but is not that similar to what Israel has been doing to Palestinian land for a few generations? How many thousands of Palestinian homes have been taken over to house Israeli settlers? Arab East Jerusalem was residence to Palestinian families for hundreds of years, only to see decrees and evictions. The West Bank has seen a myriad of settlements, along with those Warsaw Ghetto like ‘ Security walls’. How many Israelis really understand this, and ‘ connect the dots’ to their own ancestors’ holocaust? This is too sick to just be seen as simply Sad.
My country wants to continue doling out billion dollar handouts to Israel, along with of course our War Industries making fortunes selling weapons out the ying yang. Meanwhile, the IDF bombs the hell out of Gaza just like the Germans did to Rotterdam. This madness translates into bad, bad Karma. Yes, Hamas are surely NOT the good guys in this scenario. Killing civilians anywhere, anytime is not the answer to challenging tyranny. So, we have Neo Nazis on both sides of this equation, while the millions of Palestinians in Gaza get the short end of the stick. Once again, it is religious fanatics who seem to forget what the tenets of their religions have taught forever. Just like when our Christian Fascists here conducted their crusade in Iraq , not once but twice! Evil has many faces.
Philip A Farruggio is regular columnist on itstheempirestupid website. He is also frequently posted on Countercurrents, Dissident Voice and the Nation of Change Blogs. He is the son and grandson of Brooklyn NYC longshoremen and a graduate of Brooklyn College, class of 1974. Since the 2000 election debacle Philip has written over 500 columns on the Military Industrial Empire and other facets of life in an upside down America. He is also host of the ‘ It’s the Empire… Stupid ‘ radio show, co produced by Chuck Gregory. Philip can be reached at [email protected]
