Pro-Palestinian Protestors Armed With Rocks
The Day of Defeat - Forty-Fourth Anniversary of the 1967 Six-Day War
In New York Sarah Palin celebrated the day by wearing a large Star of David necklace - When asked about the significance, Palin responded, “Today is the 44th anniversary of Jerusalem being reunited,” she said. “We want to call attention to that.”
In the Golan Heights pro-Palestinian protestors waved Palestinian flags and threw rocks and rubbish over the border fence in a demonstration to demand their freedom and the end to the occupation.
Israeli soldiers shouted out over loudspeakers, "Anyone who tries to cross the border will be killed." In the end, "Syrian state TV says at least 20 people have been killed and 220 more wounded after Israeli forces opened fire." The reported deaths, included that of a 12-year-old boy.
Meanwhile in the United States, the State Department issued this statement: "We are deeply troubled by events that took place earlier today in the Golan Heights resulting in injuries and the loss of life. "We call for all sides to exercise restraint. Provocative actions like this should be avoided."
The US statement emphasized that "Israel, like any sovereign nation, has a right to defend itself".
No need to read between the lines here, the words pretty much speak for themselves. And I too am deeply troubled by these events, troubled that Israel can continue to get away with the killing of innocent people, day after day, and that my government continues to condone the action of Israel.
There was a parade for Israel in NYC over the weekend, and as I watched the news reports I wondered how anyone could march in that parade. Israel is one of the many points of insanity in our country's thinking. No matter what Israel does, we consider it right. (Just like no matter what we do, it's considered right. It's as if both countries have no moral center.) It's a sad state of affairs and points to the major problem we face in the US: that we no longer speak the truth about anything that matters.
ReplyDeleteExcellent points, Keith. We must work to regain our moral center - but I feel there is no profit in that approach. In all things it is the dollar that matters it seems.
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