Israel's 'other voices' go unheard

[Porschenut1066]

http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/war_on_gaza/2009/01/20091109519821785.html

"It is very difficult to add a different voice, because the public and media discourse is so monochrome and so militaristic," said Nomika Zion, an Israeli member of the peace collective, Another Voice.

This group, which comprises residents of both Gaza and neighboring Israeli towns like Sderot, is seeking to present an alternative to the majority of Israeli pro-war opinions that currently dominate the media.

It is a tough task.

Zion, herself from Sderot, recalled one occasion when a colleague was verbally attacked in the middle of a TV interview by a group of passers-by who tried to pull the mike away from him.

"I really feel that our democracy is in trouble sometimes," she says.

"If you can't raise your voice and say things aloud without being scared that someone will attack you, it is very dangerous for our society."
<snip>

"I feel there is such a euphoria and glorification of war, as though it's a wedding or a celebration. I can't agree with this attitude. War is a dangerous and traumatic thing and we have to treat it like that."

[Idealism]

1. No truer words were ever spoken in Israel since this started.

"I really feel that our democracy is in trouble sometimes."

When they jail dissenters, ban other political parties from elections because of their ethnic background, and control the media as they do we have a word for it: fascism.

The glorification of war was seen in countries throughout time, no country is truly immune to it, but some states stoop to new lows (Iraq War).

[okiru109]

2. Israel and the U.S. remind me of the movie Starship Troopers

it is truly frightening... i have made sure to raise my children to understand and recognize the dangerous one sided view of our M$M propaganda and to always realize that there are many other sides to every story that are often left out and that it is their responsibility and duty to seek it out.

[azurnoir]

3. This is what the majority of Israelis glory in

they have been "redeemed"

Lebanon 2006 34 days

Lebanese casualties

Civilian 1191 combatant 531 total 1722

Israel casualties

civilian 44 IDF 121 total 165

ratio 11 Lebanese for 1 Israeli

Gaza 17 days

1000 deaths no dependable numbers yet on civilian vs combatant

Israel

13 deaths 10 IDF 3 civilian

ratio 1 Israeli per 77 Palestinians

My gosh Arab death has never come so swiftly and cheaply in terms of lives lost to Israel before what s not to love for a proud Israeli patriot?

[Chulanowa]

4. You can't be a democracy and a military state at the same time

I hope to all the deities listening that the people of Israel realize that, and this "electrion strategy" backfires like a motherfucker

[coruscate]

5. Karma has an eye on it

And she's one bad --s ----h!!!

My favorite goddess!

It's already backfiring, they just haven't realized it yet.

Someone needed to bring down Goliath but they scared the world into being unwilling to do so; Karma made them bring themselves down.