Only gutsy people can change the world. It is not easy. I am sure you are attacked daily, but you maintain your integrity and tell the truth.
Peter, I appreciate your messages. You convey your thoughts clearly, usually in 10 minutes or less. I understand Senor's perspective; he is deeply entrenched in the belief that the world is against Israel. He needs to realize that the opposition is directed toward Netanyahu's brutal actions, not against Israel.
You're correct that if the Palestinians lack support, we must advocate for them. The reality is that the security of Israel and the Jewish people cannot be fully realized until the Palestinians receive justice. It would be beneficial for Jews to recognize Palestine as a nation; doing so could help alleviate the guilt that many carry, which is often suppressed. I'm concerned that the next generation of Israelis and Palestinians may struggle to be normal human beings.
We must strive to create cohesive societies where everyone feels secure, where any Jew can walk freely anywhere in the world without fear, and where Palestinians are treated with respect and dignity. It makes us good humans if we accept and respect the uniqueness of each individual.
As always, so valuable. Looking forward to hearing you discuss Project Esther, not only because it is so remarkably dangerous and hypocritical, but also because there are not enough Jewish voices challenging it.
Well, your comments about the moral abdication of the American Jewish leadership as reflected in the 92nd Street Y's choice of Dan Senor to give the annual speech about "The State of American Jewry (he converted it to World Jewry)" led me to listen to his speech. As I expected, not only didn't he mention Trump and Palestinians, he also didn't mention Netanyahu. And this from someone who once worked together with Ron Dermer, the Prime Minister's right-hand man. And he conveniently avoided dealing with Netanyahu's responsibility for what happened, the judicial overhaul, etc. It's commendable that he went with his family to visit Nir Oz, one of the kibbutzim that suffered the worst attack on October 7th, but didn't mention that Netanyahu hasn't found the courage to visit and face the music. While referring to Nir Oz and some of the hostages, freed and killed, he avoided mentioning the name of Liat Atzili, the hostage from Nir Oz who was released in the first hostage deal, whose husband Aviv was killed on October 7th defending the kibbutz. He could have used the opportunity to mention the award winning documentary film "Holding Liat" which will open the annual Doc Aviv spring documentary film festival tomorrow in the Tel Aviv Cinematheque. Both Liat and her father Yehuda Beinin from Kibbutz Shomrat are highly critical of Netanyahu, and continue to believe in the necessity of peace with the Palestinians. Senor cites John Podhoretz and Douglas Murray as people he admires, while knocking Tom Friedman as a member of the "Can you believe it?" crowd. I assume that the majority of the American Jews he is trying to educate prefer Friedman to Podhoretz and Murray. Maybe some parts of the American Jewish establishment agree with Senor's views, but I don't think they represent the majority of American Jewry, or the majority of Israeli Jews for that matter who want the war to end, a judicial commission of inquiry to be established to examine responsibility for what happened on October 7th, and who want Prime Minister Netanyahu to resign.
Thank you for putting a spotlight on this speech Peter. Here is a youtube link to the speech - the comments are almost 100% supportive of his views. Seems it would be helpful to balance this out by adding some constructive criticism there. https://youtu.be/OFkIPZxTQng?si=N5NN4DM69Ib03zZC
Encountering the AJPM(American Jewish Propaganda Machine) and Its Danger
Mehdi Hasan was fired from MSNBC because of his stance against the omnipresent AJPM They wouldn't dare also fire Ayman Mohedin as well....bad for optics....so they let him stay on But the clandestinely operated AJPM in American politics is a propaganda machine that has been quietly orchestrated to support the Jewish mission The American Defamation League is an arm of the AJPM lobbying for Jewish interests
I myself had an encounter with the AJPM yesterday over on Hopium Chronicles run by pacifist Simon Rosenberg He closely monitors and heavily iron hands his comment section so a free discussion about topics is impossible since he needs to control the narrative Since Simon has strong ties with the DNC Barbara in the comment section thought he could be influential in persuading the DNC to make a statement about the Palestinian crisis
It was at that point that the monitor lashed out at Barbara for her disreputable link to the genocide and chastized her for her careless comment Rosenberg claimed that all the terrorist groups were about instituting Israeli genocide(Holocaust fears relived) while Israel is directly responsible for documented Palestinian oppression and suppression When I agreed with Barbara's position and argued against the genocidal behavior of the fascist Israeli government Rosenberg banned me from posting for a month at which time I asked for my subscription fee refunded
The AJPM is real and rules the DNC and is why the D's wouldn't support the Israeli genocide issue in the 2024 platform I won't donate a dime to the DNC anymore and their stance is in part why their numbers are in the tank(27%) nationally
BTW the Kars for Kids commercial you may have seen is a front for Jewish charities Appears that the wealthy American Jewish diaspora are too cheap to fund their own charities so they surreptitiously ply the American Gentile for money
Very good - and - I don't mean to quibble but aren't there always have been Jews - including influential Jews - who have asked, in terms of public policy, "What's good for Jews? Is this good for Jews?"
I'm reminded of Ozzie, in Roth's "Conversion of the Jews," wondering why grandma and mom count only the Jewish names among the deceased to determine if the plane crash was "a tragedy"....
Great article thanks Sam! You're right, it is even more relevant today. Change the date and post it on Substack? I'll look for more of your insights from Ramallah, and hope you stay safe.
The American Jewish Community was deeply invested in the Civil Rights Movement that gave birth to the 19)4 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voter Rights Act and thus our Liberal Democracy. I find it difficult to fight on to preserve our hard-won liberal democracy without our most beloved allies in the struggle.
Rather than promoting investment in Jewish institutions, It would be good if Jewish commentators like Senor were pressed to tell us exactly HOW Israel's involvement in Gaza embodies/upholds JEWISH values.
Is it human nature to need an authority figure to tell the collective how to think and unite? To me it brings about paradox, conflict, confusion and various definitions of “right and wrong” leaving me on the outside looking in observing it’s both/and for most humans when it comes to getting what the ego wants. Christian’s, politicians, religious people, autocrats, dictators, zealots…. I just don’t know anymore. For any leader to profess a “obligation” to follow “XYZ” but exclude the brother and sister of the human race is simply flawed. No one group of ppl deserves special treatment. This administration is built on a group of extreme religious cruelty now running our country into the ground - on purpose, all from a place of their own superior moral code. It’s always been this way through history. It’s just happening at breakneck speed. But as you state there’s a group ignoring the moral code being preached while ignoring the horrendous injustice here and in Palestine, Yemen, Ukraine… and on down the line. All ppl must be saved. Not just one sliver of humans. Bleaker by the hour
Thank you so much for this, and I will forward it on. I think it comes down to whether we believe that we all stand in solidarity and that racism, anti-Semitism, and xeonophobia are best fought when we acknowledge the humanity of all, or if we just hunker down and only focus and care about our specific group (to the point, in this case, of completely ignoring the ongoing genocide by the Israeli government of Palestinians). As Peter points out, the latter course is also antithetical to liberal democracy, and is what those who want to upend it (like the Donald Trumps of the world) would like to promote -- get everyone fighting with each other and use that to prevent any real opposition to authoritarianism to cohere.
Why do you say Dan Señor is a "nice person"? If he is in favor of slaughtering Palestinians then he couldn't be "nice." Defies the definition of the word... Then it means that everyone who turned away from the suffering of the Holocaust as they got news of it should be forgiven or allowed to have ignored it. Then it's just, "These are the ways of the world, hearts and prayers, maybe a few tears, good luck to ya..." Maybe there are no lessons to be learned from the Holocaust or any events of mass murder. Except that this is what humans do and there's no stopping it. :(
PETER, I ADMIRE YOUR GUTS
Only gutsy people can change the world. It is not easy. I am sure you are attacked daily, but you maintain your integrity and tell the truth.
Peter, I appreciate your messages. You convey your thoughts clearly, usually in 10 minutes or less. I understand Senor's perspective; he is deeply entrenched in the belief that the world is against Israel. He needs to realize that the opposition is directed toward Netanyahu's brutal actions, not against Israel.
You're correct that if the Palestinians lack support, we must advocate for them. The reality is that the security of Israel and the Jewish people cannot be fully realized until the Palestinians receive justice. It would be beneficial for Jews to recognize Palestine as a nation; doing so could help alleviate the guilt that many carry, which is often suppressed. I'm concerned that the next generation of Israelis and Palestinians may struggle to be normal human beings.
We must strive to create cohesive societies where everyone feels secure, where any Jew can walk freely anywhere in the world without fear, and where Palestinians are treated with respect and dignity. It makes us good humans if we accept and respect the uniqueness of each individual.
Keep up the good work, my friend.
Powerful response
As always, so valuable. Looking forward to hearing you discuss Project Esther, not only because it is so remarkably dangerous and hypocritical, but also because there are not enough Jewish voices challenging it.
Thank you.
Well, your comments about the moral abdication of the American Jewish leadership as reflected in the 92nd Street Y's choice of Dan Senor to give the annual speech about "The State of American Jewry (he converted it to World Jewry)" led me to listen to his speech. As I expected, not only didn't he mention Trump and Palestinians, he also didn't mention Netanyahu. And this from someone who once worked together with Ron Dermer, the Prime Minister's right-hand man. And he conveniently avoided dealing with Netanyahu's responsibility for what happened, the judicial overhaul, etc. It's commendable that he went with his family to visit Nir Oz, one of the kibbutzim that suffered the worst attack on October 7th, but didn't mention that Netanyahu hasn't found the courage to visit and face the music. While referring to Nir Oz and some of the hostages, freed and killed, he avoided mentioning the name of Liat Atzili, the hostage from Nir Oz who was released in the first hostage deal, whose husband Aviv was killed on October 7th defending the kibbutz. He could have used the opportunity to mention the award winning documentary film "Holding Liat" which will open the annual Doc Aviv spring documentary film festival tomorrow in the Tel Aviv Cinematheque. Both Liat and her father Yehuda Beinin from Kibbutz Shomrat are highly critical of Netanyahu, and continue to believe in the necessity of peace with the Palestinians. Senor cites John Podhoretz and Douglas Murray as people he admires, while knocking Tom Friedman as a member of the "Can you believe it?" crowd. I assume that the majority of the American Jews he is trying to educate prefer Friedman to Podhoretz and Murray. Maybe some parts of the American Jewish establishment agree with Senor's views, but I don't think they represent the majority of American Jewry, or the majority of Israeli Jews for that matter who want the war to end, a judicial commission of inquiry to be established to examine responsibility for what happened on October 7th, and who want Prime Minister Netanyahu to resign.
Thank you for putting a spotlight on this speech Peter. Here is a youtube link to the speech - the comments are almost 100% supportive of his views. Seems it would be helpful to balance this out by adding some constructive criticism there. https://youtu.be/OFkIPZxTQng?si=N5NN4DM69Ib03zZC
Encountering the AJPM(American Jewish Propaganda Machine) and Its Danger
Mehdi Hasan was fired from MSNBC because of his stance against the omnipresent AJPM They wouldn't dare also fire Ayman Mohedin as well....bad for optics....so they let him stay on But the clandestinely operated AJPM in American politics is a propaganda machine that has been quietly orchestrated to support the Jewish mission The American Defamation League is an arm of the AJPM lobbying for Jewish interests
I myself had an encounter with the AJPM yesterday over on Hopium Chronicles run by pacifist Simon Rosenberg He closely monitors and heavily iron hands his comment section so a free discussion about topics is impossible since he needs to control the narrative Since Simon has strong ties with the DNC Barbara in the comment section thought he could be influential in persuading the DNC to make a statement about the Palestinian crisis
It was at that point that the monitor lashed out at Barbara for her disreputable link to the genocide and chastized her for her careless comment Rosenberg claimed that all the terrorist groups were about instituting Israeli genocide(Holocaust fears relived) while Israel is directly responsible for documented Palestinian oppression and suppression When I agreed with Barbara's position and argued against the genocidal behavior of the fascist Israeli government Rosenberg banned me from posting for a month at which time I asked for my subscription fee refunded
The AJPM is real and rules the DNC and is why the D's wouldn't support the Israeli genocide issue in the 2024 platform I won't donate a dime to the DNC anymore and their stance is in part why their numbers are in the tank(27%) nationally
BTW the Kars for Kids commercial you may have seen is a front for Jewish charities Appears that the wealthy American Jewish diaspora are too cheap to fund their own charities so they surreptitiously ply the American Gentile for money
Very good - and - I don't mean to quibble but aren't there always have been Jews - including influential Jews - who have asked, in terms of public policy, "What's good for Jews? Is this good for Jews?"
I'm reminded of Ozzie, in Roth's "Conversion of the Jews," wondering why grandma and mom count only the Jewish names among the deceased to determine if the plane crash was "a tragedy"....
Well said.
I wrote this 2.5 years ago and it's more relevant today...
Jews of the world, unite!
https://epalestine.ps/sambahour/2022/12/jews-of-the-world-unite
Great article thanks Sam! You're right, it is even more relevant today. Change the date and post it on Substack? I'll look for more of your insights from Ramallah, and hope you stay safe.
The American Jewish Community was deeply invested in the Civil Rights Movement that gave birth to the 19)4 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voter Rights Act and thus our Liberal Democracy. I find it difficult to fight on to preserve our hard-won liberal democracy without our most beloved allies in the struggle.
Rather than promoting investment in Jewish institutions, It would be good if Jewish commentators like Senor were pressed to tell us exactly HOW Israel's involvement in Gaza embodies/upholds JEWISH values.
Why are Jewish donors obligated to support universities and cultural centers?
Is it human nature to need an authority figure to tell the collective how to think and unite? To me it brings about paradox, conflict, confusion and various definitions of “right and wrong” leaving me on the outside looking in observing it’s both/and for most humans when it comes to getting what the ego wants. Christian’s, politicians, religious people, autocrats, dictators, zealots…. I just don’t know anymore. For any leader to profess a “obligation” to follow “XYZ” but exclude the brother and sister of the human race is simply flawed. No one group of ppl deserves special treatment. This administration is built on a group of extreme religious cruelty now running our country into the ground - on purpose, all from a place of their own superior moral code. It’s always been this way through history. It’s just happening at breakneck speed. But as you state there’s a group ignoring the moral code being preached while ignoring the horrendous injustice here and in Palestine, Yemen, Ukraine… and on down the line. All ppl must be saved. Not just one sliver of humans. Bleaker by the hour
Thank you for this.
Thank you so much for this, and I will forward it on. I think it comes down to whether we believe that we all stand in solidarity and that racism, anti-Semitism, and xeonophobia are best fought when we acknowledge the humanity of all, or if we just hunker down and only focus and care about our specific group (to the point, in this case, of completely ignoring the ongoing genocide by the Israeli government of Palestinians). As Peter points out, the latter course is also antithetical to liberal democracy, and is what those who want to upend it (like the Donald Trumps of the world) would like to promote -- get everyone fighting with each other and use that to prevent any real opposition to authoritarianism to cohere.
Why do you say Dan Señor is a "nice person"? If he is in favor of slaughtering Palestinians then he couldn't be "nice." Defies the definition of the word... Then it means that everyone who turned away from the suffering of the Holocaust as they got news of it should be forgiven or allowed to have ignored it. Then it's just, "These are the ways of the world, hearts and prayers, maybe a few tears, good luck to ya..." Maybe there are no lessons to be learned from the Holocaust or any events of mass murder. Except that this is what humans do and there's no stopping it. :(
Is the transcript available? I cannot listen to your post, Peter.