On the surface, it would be hard to find any commonality between a group of long-bearded, black-hatted, cloistered members of the Orthodox Jewish, anti-Zionist group Neturei Karta and former President Jimmy Carter, a Nobel prize-winning Anglo-Saxon Protestant. But it seems that they share a penchant for inane publicity when it comes to Israel.
While Carter's new book is not half as despicable as these Jews' recent trip to Tehran, where they joined hands with Iranian President Ahmadinejad at his Holocaust denial conference, it is pathetic if for no reason other than its title, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid."
Alan Dershowitz has already written a lengthy review detailing the misinformation about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict espoused by Carter, but for me what took the cake was watching Carter a few nights ago on "Larry King Live." King pressed Carter about his views on Israel and his new book. Carter went on to say that both sides are to blame for the current crisis. King pushed back, asking him if that is so, why did he give his book the outlandish title "Palestine: Peace not Apartheid," to which the past president and Nobel prize-winner responded:
"You know, when I write a book of this kind, with admittedly a provocative title... to provoke debate and to provoke discussion."
How pathetic! I can understand why some struggling writer might need to be provocative, but a past president of the United States? A Nobel Prize winner? Give me a break!
Likewise, what on earth are members of Neturei Karta or any Jews doing in Tehran supporting a man who would wipe the Jewish people off the face of this earth!
Jimmy Carter has cheapened himself and his work. The Neturei Karta have not only cheapened themselves but, as some of my friends have said, they should perhaps as group be excommunicated. (There is great irony in the fact that there are many Orthodox Jews that still give more halakhic legitimacy to Neturei Karta members than they do to the Reform or Conservative movements.)
The rabbis of the Talmud liked to say that "wise people are those who are careful with their words." I would like to just say that Jimmy Carter and the Jews of Neturei Karta are simply unwise people in need of attention, but my gut tells me they are something much worse and dangerous.
A President's Foul Play
Thursday December 14, 2006
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About Virtual Talmud
This blog is no longer updated and is closed for comments. We welcome your comments about Judaism in our Judaism forums.
Brad Hirschfield currently blogs on Windows and Doors.
Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of You Don’t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism. Listed as one of the nation’s 50 most influential rabbis in Newsweek, and a regular commentator on Court TV, he is the creator of the popular series, Building Bridges, airing on Bridges TV, and the co-host of the weekly radio show, Hirschfield and Kula.
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The definition of apartheid is "separation, segregation", so how is what is going on in Palestine not exactly this? Both sides can be to blame for this? It's perfectly logical. Also, if you want to censure Neturei Karta, you should do so through the Talmud, not through whom they associate.
Without the support of the USA, The State of Israel would not have survived, even with the support of the members of the Jewish community who live in the USA. What a pity they had to do that. Think of all the troubles that would have been avoided. There is one solution no one has ever proposed to the problem of peace in the Middle East. If there is such love for this modern Jewish State in the USA, and if they deplore what has happened to Israel in the recent past, the fragility of its existence, seeing how tiny a territory Israel occupies, could not the US government have found an area of equivalent size somewhere (on an Indian reservation perhaps!)and given it to the Israelis and then helped them move, lock stock and barrel to it. That east coast of the Mediterranean could then have reverted to the Palestinians and peace reigned supreme. Even Jerusalem and other holy places could have been carefully dismantled and rebuilt in this place in the USA where it would be safe for pilgrims to visit. Personally, I believe Israel has no legitimnate claim to those lands after having lost them for so long. Or have the Maori in New Zealand, the Native Americans in both North and South America the same claim to retake their ancient homelands from those Europeans who took them over, often with the same degree of callousmness and over the top measures as recently displayed by Israel against Hesbollah. A strange thought came to me as I watched scenes of that campaign on the TV. How well the Government of Israel has learned lessons from the measures used against their people by their Nazi oppressors in the 1930s and 40s. And I lost any sympathy I had for Israel after that.
Besides the Jewish people who live in Iran perminently, the few Jewish who attended the Iran meeting concerning the holocaust said from beginning the holocaust is so heavily documented, no one could deny it had happened. These few Jewish leaders also said, the reason they attended was to stop the secular Zionist leaders in Israel from using it inappropiately, as the holocaust was not a secular Zionist suffering, it was a true Jewish suffering. In this I completely agree, the Zionist was a secular and non-religious organization from the beginning, and as the forementioned Jewish leaders have said for decades, the Zionist State of Israel would not bring peace, and the Torah supports this belief, that it is the return of their Messiah who will accomplish all of these miraculous things.
The regathering and restoration of Israel is a miracle-- a miracle of long-suffering faith that might inspire all people of good will the world over. So why then is this miracle refused ? No matter the many seemingly intractable and impossible difficulties of the present disposition of affairs, Israel remains a miraculous answer to prayer, a sign to us all of an enduring faith that overcomes. Where did the power truly come from to institute this state ? Shouldn't that question give anyone pause ? All I can offer is prayer-- to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Perhaps then, a great silence would ensue, a reverent silence before a wondrous marvel--instead of such a stumbling block of wrangling discord. Let everyone stand before this great and holy mystery of faith and fulfillment and ponder again how it ever could be so in a world that militates against peace at every turn, for a just and lasting peace will come one day. So let everyone of good will hold fast to that promise if nothing more, and pray all the more fervently for the light that illuminates, uplifts, consoles and restores to shine through this awful darkness, for the light that will quell every evil intention,that will gladden and enlighten the hearts of all peoples of the earth. Until that day, if that is our surest and lasting hope, then let us pray--for until we have peace fully in our hearts, it does no good to proclaim it with our lips. This is the last and best strategy for peace. And if we cannot speak reverently and prayerfully in that hope that overcomes all disasterous debacles and all defiant, warring factions, then let us keep prayerful silence until our words are formed and shaped in the greater faith that humanity, each and all, can truly seek peace and pursue it. That is the only truth I know--for where else do we have to turn ?
I think Carter and the commentators cant' see the forest for the trees. One of the writers above was correct in saying that the earth does not belong to anyone. It is where and what it is and nothing can change that. The best anyone, a nation, a country, a person, can do is to have the use of land. As far as I can discern, every valuable piece of land in the world has been the subject of conquest to establish and hold the power to use it. The geographical region now known as Israel has been fought over for millenia, by Hebrews (who according to the Old Testment took it quite violently), Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Turks, and now the battle is on between the Arabs and the Israelis. Recent history: From the 17th to the 19th centuries, western Eurpoean powers advanced on many areas of the world conquering and subjecting peoples to their will. By the late 1940's those colonial powers were losing their hold as native peoples pushed out the Westerners and became self-governing. Now, just when the colonial and western powers were leaving or being forced out of many regions, the West, in direct contravention to what was going on everywhere else, supported the establishment of Israel in Arab territory. The result has been almost sixty years of conflict that shows no signs of abating and may be growing worse. Efforts in the last 1000 years by the West to push into the East have been unsuccessful. The last great effort was the attempt by Germany in WWII to push east to obtain Lebensraum. That effort ended in a total disaster for Germany. Maybe Israel will be successful in its incursion to the east. Maybe not. But it will be a long time before we know. The big picture is that Israel is a thorn in the side of the Arabs and talking isn't going to make it go away.