Rumble At The Foreign Correspondents Club

[Squeeze]

A talk by the Israeli Embassy at the FCC almost ended in a bar brawl last night. The speaker -- a pretty radical right winger called Barry Rubin, didn't rub the audience well. People started heckling and jeering him, and he finally was shouted out of the event. A fist fight nearly broke out between two participants! Aparently, the Israelis were demanding security escort him from the building. Quite a humiliation for the Israeli embassy.

[jumnien]

Of course they heckled, jeered, shouted and started fighting. Take a handful of professional journalists, add a bit of alcohol and what do you expect - good listeners, impartial questions and solid reporting?

[chevykanteve]

Of course they heckled, jeered, shouted and started fighting. Take a handful of professional journalists, add a bit of alcohol and what do you expect - good listeners, impartial questions and solid reporting?

Perhaps after they sober up they can finally start turning their attention to political events in Bangkok.

[jumnien]

I think the little boys have the balls to give one visiting Israeli a hard time; you've seen how they cower in front of the boys from the Thai military!

[SiamSquare123]

jeez, it seems like being a foriegn journalist in bangkok would be an absolute piece of cake.

[Ulysses G.]

All I can say is that when I see a debate between a well-spoken Israeli who is supportive of Israel's policies and left-wing reporters, The Israeli always whips them handily.

The only way that the left can come out on top of this issue is to fill a panel full of Israel-haters on BBC and act like they are being fair because some members are less rabid than others.

[midas]

Yes and I heard everyone else in the room other than the speaker

was accused of being anti-semetic and its only because one person

asked a simple question which apparently is on the very huge list

of " questions never to be asked "

[londonthai]

it was all to be expected - for the human abuse in israel, whether it would be right or left wing israeli politician.

I am all for a democratic discussion - they guy should have a platform in a discussion panel rather than lecturing and offending journalist by accusing them of nationalism or racism. Made himself stupid and closed the door for the future discussions

[jumnien]

It seems obvious that the infantile behaviour of a few non-professional journalists closed the door to many future discussions with folks other than the Israelis. Not such a bad thing really given the venue. The world will not suffer.

[londonthai]

closed the door to many future discussions with folks other than the Israelis.

you somehow ommited 'non' before the last word.

<edit>

Edited August 1, 2007 by Totster
please see the forum rules regarding racial slurs

[jumnien]

Ommited has one 'm", doesn't it? omited? or is it two 't's omitted?

Other than non-Israelis? No, I meant than folks other than Israelis might think twice before sending someone up for slaughter to the jeering, heckling, shouting and fighting hordes of alcoholic typers. Hey, I admit it, I'm an Israel hater myself; but a nation run by journalists would be far scarier than Israel!

Edited August 1, 2007 by mdeland

[PeaceBlondie]

And let me hasten to add that being a hater of the modern nation of Israel does not mean you hate Jews, or that you are anti-Semitic. But don't expect most people to know the difference.

And there's the rub: any criticism of any action by the (secular?) government of that nation-state can be seen as hating the Jewish people throughout their history, of which 2,500 years was essentially pacifist! It's even more difficult than saying, "I love people of African descent, but I hate something that the NAACP did once."

[jumnien]

Sure, I've got nothing against Jews. My mentor and spirtual guide and best friend is a half-Jewish/half-Catholic man from Montana; I'm buddhist, but it works fine! The state of Israel is another story and the US entanglement with Israel is resposible for many, many problems and explains why the right and the left and the Republicans and Democrats are inseparable and non-distinct.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Of course they heckled, jeered, shouted and started fighting. Take a handful of professional journalists, add a bit of alcohol and what do you expect - good listeners, impartial questions and solid reporting?

[Ulysses G.]

And let me hasten to add that being a hater of the modern nation of Israel does not mean you hate Jews, or that you are anti-Semitic. But don't expect most people to know the difference.

And there's the rub: any criticism of any action by the (secular?) government of that nation-state can be seen as hating the Jewish people throughout their history, of which 2,500 years was essentially pacifist! It's even more difficult than saying, "I love people of African descent, but I hate something that the NAACP did once."

All true in theory, but the truth is that most haters of Israel hate JEWS and are using smoke and mirrors to trick others into joining them - and very successfully. It is sad that it has AGAIN become fashionable to hate them and blame them for all the world's problems as long as you use the word "Israeli" instead of "Jews".

Self-deception should never be trendy.

Edited August 2, 2007 by Ulysses G.

[chuchok]

And let me hasten to add that being a hater of the modern nation of Israel does not mean you hate Jews, or that you are anti-Semitic. But don't expect most people to know the difference.

And there's the rub: any criticism of any action by the (secular?) government of that nation-state can be seen as hating the Jewish people throughout their history, of which 2,500 years was essentially pacifist! It's even more difficult than saying, "I love people of African descent, but I hate something that the NAACP did once."

All true in theory, but the truth is that most haters of Israel hate JEWS and are using smoke and mirrors to trick others into joining them - and very successfully. It is sad that it has AGAIN become fashionable to hate them and blame them for all the world's problems as long as you use the word "Israeli" instead of "Jews".

Self-deception should never be trendy.

That's crapola GP.I know plenty of people that like Israeli's individually,but they seriously hate the Israeli government and it's policies.Bit the same as those that hate American government policy,but don't hate individual yanks.

[jumnien]

I have to agree with Ulysses. Most haters of Israel hate Jews, and most Jews hate the haters of Israel. That said, it is perfectly legitimate for those of us who were raised by Jews and have nothing against them, who indeed love many Jews, to question whether the allegiance of the right-wing Christian/liberal US politicians hasn't caused much of the recent mess in the US and abroad.

[Ulysses G.]

That's crapola GP.I know plenty of people that like Israeli's individually, but they seriously hate the Israeli government and it's policies.

I respectfully disagree. In fact, I would say that kind of people that you describe are a TINY minority.

If this is how you feel I can understand how you might assume that the haters feel as you do, but they don't. They just keep their more unacceptable feelings to themselves.

There are good people who have bought into the anti-Israel lie because they are too naive to realize the real motives of most of their comrades. Perhaps you are one of them?

[longway]

And let me hasten to add that being a hater of the modern nation of Israel does not mean you hate Jews, or that you are anti-Semitic. But don't expect most people to know the difference.

And there's the rub: any criticism of any action by the (secular?) government of that nation-state can be seen as hating the Jewish people throughout their history, of which 2,500 years was essentially pacifist! It's even more difficult than saying, "I love people of African descent, but I hate something that the NAACP did once."

All true in theory, but the truth is that most haters of Israel hate JEWS and are using smoke and mirrors to trick others into joining them - and very successfully. It is sad that it has AGAIN become fashionable to hate them and blame them for all the world's problems as long as you use the word "Israeli" instead of "Jews".

Self-deception should never be trendy.

what a crock of &lt;deleted&gt;. no one would give a monkeys about israel if it wasnt for all the problems caused by its existence.

[A_Traveller]

My guess is that this will rapidly deteriorate, however, I would respectfully suggest that it is foolish to conflate those who have serious misgivings about aspects of the State of Israel's policy with those who are anti-Semitic. That way lies yet more totalitarianism.

Regards

[Ulysses G.]

The UN and almost every country on Earth has admitted that Israel has the right to exist, so that is not really worth talking about anymore. It is old news.

The problem is that Israel has already offered the Palestinians what pretty much everyone considers to be an amazing deal for peace, but they turned it down and then elected a terrorist organization that WON'T admit Israel's right to exist, to govern the Palestinian people.

The Palestinians don't want Israel to exist and they don't want peace. They continue killing innocent people. How is Israel supposed to deal with people who have no interest in peace?

[chuchok]

The UN and almost every country on Earth has admitted that Israel has the right to exist, so that is not really worth talking about anymore. It is old news.

The problem is that Israel has already offered the Palestinians what pretty much everyone considers to be an amazing deal for peace, but they turned it down and then elected a terrorist organization that WON'T admit Israel's right to exist, to govern the Palestinian people.

The Palestinians don't want Israel to exist and they don't want peace. They continue killing innocent people. How is Israel supposed to deal with people who have no interest in peace?

There are two sides to every story GP.They way you portray it,you would think that the Israelis are perfect in every way and Palestinians are responsible for all the conflict.

Personally,I think both sides are as bad as each other.(I don't have an agenda )

[Ulysses G.]

No one said anyone was perfect. In every war, evil is done on both sides. However, in the recent past, Israel has shown numerous times that they are willing to do and give up a lot for peace, but there is no interest AT ALL from the leaders on the other side.

I just don't understand what anyone - including those with "no agenda" - expect the Israelis to do under the circumstances?

Edited August 2, 2007 by Ulysses G.

[Doza]

Please don't start on the Palestinian issue. Killing innocent people - do you know that many of Isreal's Prime Ministers were terrorist themselves and involved in terrorist organisation in the 30 / 40s trying to establish new state????

All Isreal has shown is that it has offered Palestinians - the people that were living in (for centuries) what is now Isreal and were forced to move - is that it will do business on its own terms and its own terms only, and that the Palestinians should be thankful they get any offer whatsoever. Forvive them if they aren't grateful.

You have your homeland taken away and occupied and your people persucuted, and see if you don't become a terrorist yourself. After all, many Isrealis did until they established their own state.

[jumnien]

Hey let's not let our disagreements regarding Israelis to slow down our rant against the quality of foreign journalists in Bangkok and their inability to confront the current self-elected administration. The fact that they mustered the artificial courage to harass en masse a visiting Israeli pales in significance.

[Doza]

Just in case you think only Palestinians are terrorists...

King David Hotel bombing

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Jump to: navigation, search

The hotel after the bombingThe King David Hotel bombing (July 22, 1946) was a bombing attack against the British government of Palestine by members of Irgun — a militant Zionist organization.

The attack, initially ordered by Menachem Begin the head of the Irgun and later Prime Minister of Israel, had members of the Irgun, dressed as Arabs, set off a bomb in the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, which had been the base for the British Secretariat, the military command and a branch of the Criminal Investigation Division (police). Ninety-one people were killed, most of them staff of the secretariat and the hotel: 28 British, 41 Arab, 17 Jewish, and 5 other. Around 45 people were injured. The attack was commanded by Yosef Avni and Yisrael Levi.[1]

The attack on the hotel was the deadliest attack against the British in the history of the Mandate. Some say the bombing should be seen in light of the escalating violence in the region and the conflict between the three main forces in the region: British, Israeli and Arab.[citation needed] In particular, the attack was a retaliation for Operation Agatha, the British mass arrests of June 29 1946, when British troops raided the Jewish Agency and confiscated large quantities of documents, such as information about Jewish Agency operations, including intelligence activities in Arab countries.[citation needed] At about the same time, more than 2,500 Jews from all over Palestine were placed under arrest. A large number of seized documents were taken to the hotel.

[Totster]

Hey let's not let our disagreements regarding Israelis to slow down our rant against the quality of foreign journalists in Bangkok and their inability to confront the current self-elected administration. The fact that they mustered the artificial courage to harass en masse a visiting Israeli pales in significance.

Good point !

If this thread doesn't come back on topic it will be closed.. this is NOT the place to discuss Israeli politics/issues

Thankyou

Totster

[A_Traveller]

Hopefully before this disappears into lock down, anyone care to tell us whet 'the question' was?

Regards

[Doza]

Hey let's not let our disagreements regarding Israelis to slow down our rant against the quality of foreign journalists in Bangkok and their inability to confront the current self-elected administration. The fact that they mustered the artificial courage to harass en masse a visiting Israeli pales in significance.

Seems to me like the guy couldn't hack some questions, was dictating and made a fool of himself.

If you think everyone at the FCCT is a journo you've never been. Its a discerning crowd and this guy obviously looked like a clown.

I think you've got a personal problem with journos. Poor you.

[Ulysses G.]

Please don't start on the Palestinian issue. Killing innocent people - do you know that many of Isreal's Prime Ministers were terrorist themselves and involved in terrorist organisation in the 30 / 40s trying to establish new state????

All Isreal has shown is that it has offered Palestinians - the people that were living in (for centuries) what is now Isreal and were forced to move - is that it will do business on its own terms and its own terms only, and that the Palestinians should be thankful they get any offer whatsoever. Forvive them if they aren't grateful.

You have your homeland taken away and occupied and your people persucuted, and see if you don't become a terrorist yourself. After all, many Isrealis did until they established their own state.

Calling the Israeli's "terrorists" is stretching the truth rather far - Smoke and Mirrors.

Yes they attacked British Military targets like The King David Hotel - after phoning in a warning about the bombs so everyone could leave the building.

The British were in charge of the area at the time and they lied to the Jews, reneged on promises and were helping their enemies; however, they didn't just go around killing innocent civilians a la the Palestinians.

Not the same thing at all.