Irmgard Gesund http://www.jta.org/user/profile/66268 en-us zsilberman@washingtonjewishweek.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 You seem to have a problem with anybody who speaks up for Israel. First it's Michelle Bachmann, who makes a tiny mistake pronouncing a Hebrew word, (as 98% of Americans would), then it's former Mayor Koch, who recognizes how anti-Israel Obama is. Your sense of priorities is, to say the least, questionable! Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Thankyou, Mr. Perlmuter, for your excellent rejoinder to Jerry Blaz's letter. Allow me to just add that we should bear in mind that a major funder of J Street has now been revealed to be George Soros. Mr. Soros is many things, but he has never been a supporter of Israel. Quite the contrary. Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Continuing my comment: It was a sign of his contempt and he suceeded in ingratiating himself and getting his Jewish audience to politely share it with him, as if he were one of them. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Actually, Ms. Stein, it is the opposite. Jim Jones, known for his anti-Israel advice in the past and present, felt so comfortable leading off with this demeaning joke to a Jewish audience, precisely because there had been so little public American Jewish outrage at the recent demonization of Israel by the Obama administration. He felt quite sure that it would be met by the usual Jewish propensity to meekly "take it" and his audence's reaction to swallow their pride in a false show of conviviality. That's why he felt comfortable sticking it to us. Far indeed from sharing something pleasantly humorous with his friends. It was a sign of his contempt! 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Israel has made concession after dangerous concession, only to see her situation worsen and incitement and violence from the Palestinians increase. Instead of compromise and positive movement for peace from the Palestinians, we have seen the opposite. Yet the Rabbi instructs Israel should again concede and freeze Jerusalem construction, thus, he opines, "challenging the Palestinians and Arab World with confidence-building steps of their own." With respect, has Rabbi Yoffie learned nothing from the last sixty years of Arab intransigence regarding peace with Israel, much less "confidence-building steps" that are demanded only of Israel? What is the definition of insanity? I believe it is to keep taking the same action and expect to get a different result. In addition, the Reform Rabbi is willing to set a dangerous precedent regarding Jerusalem. The result would be that the anti-Israel world would try to seize upon such a move and make it permanent.. Sorry to say, I expected as much from Rabbi Yoffie. But still, after all leaders across Israel's diverse political spectrum have supported PM Netanyahu's stand on Jerusalem, it is disheartening to see a prominent American Rabbi oppose. His pronouncements are definitely not yoffe! 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Both Hamas and Abbas' PA have stated that no Jews will be allowed to live in Gaza or the West Bank once they get permanent control. Why should Israel be forbidden to have settlements of Jews living in these areas when 20% of the Israeli population is comprised of Palestinian Arabs who live all over the State of Israel? Sarah Palin's remarks are not pandering. If she wanted to pander, she would repeat the views of the traitorous J-Street Jews. She at least has the heart and head to understand the the villainy directed at the Jewish State. It is a nice change from the hypocracy of J Street that claims to be pro-Israel, while all the time making common cause with Israel's enemies. With frinds like that, we don't need enemies! Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 To follow your line of reasoning, Mr. Paige, isn't it strange that Fox News hasn't used their "bigoted instincts " to attack the Jews, since it would be clearly in their interest to do so. After all, what do American Jews offer the "bigots " at Fox News? 80% of us voted for Obama and proudly affirm our "Liberal" credentials. You seem to prefer the known anti-Semites who crowd around President Obama. We don't have to worry in their case that they might someday use their bigoted tactics on us. We already know, if we are not too blind to see and hear what they have said and continue to say about us, and more to the point, about ISRAEL. Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Sorry, Mr. Brownstein, but I just couldn't let your comparison of Glenn Beck to Julius Streicher go by. I am a Holocaust survivor from Berlin, Germany, and I want to tell you something: you have some nerve! Your arrogance makes my blood boil. I wonder if you have any idea of what it was like to be a Jew iin Nazi Germany with the likes of Julius Streicher. And you accuse Glenn Beck of being on the lunatic fringe! What high-minded people like you can't seem to understand is that when you're dealing with an administration that employs secrecy and smear and hardball tactics, you've got to wise up and fight back just as hard. And if you're unwilling to come down from your intellectual ediface in order to awaken and inform the American people, then you might as well give up right now. Glenn Beck, through his much- maligned- by- you format, is finally revealing the other side of the administration's propaganda to the American people. Too bad you don't approve of his method. Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Please notice that the editorial writers at JTA get worried not when Obama's actions show his antagonism towards Israel, but when Obama's actions in honoring Mary Robinson show antagonism towards the whole Jewish community in the honoring of someone who oversaw the outright anti-semetism expressed at Durbin. I would add, shame on the many main-stream American Jewish leaders who have been too intimidated to stand up forcefully for Israel, but who stand up now in this Mary Robinson controversy when they perceive that their own Jewish skins may be on the line all over the world. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Since the main thesis of Roger Cohen's argument has been the fact that Dennis Ross is Jewish, and he's even given us the further illuminating information on Ross' father's religion and that of his stepmother's, I believes it behooves Cohen to give us the same low down on his own pedigree and the organizations he belongs to and associations he travels in. After all we need to know what inbred hidden biases guide his important role as columnist for such an influential paper as the once great New York Times. (Not that we couldn't make a darn good guess.) But let's have it out in the open for us to judge, as well. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Ari H, I think you misunderstood my comment. I did not say the direct assault on Israel was made by US Jews. I said it was a direct assault by the Obama administration on Israel. However, I believe the vast number of liberal American Jewish voters (some 80% of the Jewish vote) in key states, plus the enormous amount of Jewish money that helped to finance Obama's campaign, were a crucial element in his election. It is In that and in their unwillingness to recognize, or perhaps disinterest, in what is becoming Obama's more and more harmful poicy towards Israel, that I think many American Jews are abetting these policies and not supporting Israel. I believe it was already evident from Obama's campaign positions that he planned a reversal of strong US support for Israel. And now, 7 months into his administration, the instances of Obama's pressures on Israel are too numerous and too well known and written about to list here. Our Jewish leaders have the right, even the duty, to respond strongly to these threats to Israel. Sadly they have responded with confusion and timidity I am, perhaps, insulting you, Ari H. For that I am sorry. Actually it saddens me that we do not see things the same way. Israel needs a strong American Jewish community, united in its efforts to safeguard Israel's security. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Haim, perhaps you would prefer the war the Mullahs call for. They are developing their nuclear bombs to use for the destruction of the world so that their i0th, or whatever, Imam will come back and set up Islam over the new world they expect to conquer. The Evangelical Christians do not "call" for a war. They are not preparing nuclear bombs and threatening Israel with extinction. They believe that the signs of their prophesy are being played out in our time and that Jesus will come back to save the world. Why be afraid? Jesus was a Jew. We Jews will know our Messiah, and noone but G-d will bring him to us. If such a miracle happens, it will be from G-d. We shall all then fall on our knees in awe. Meanwhile, I am not willing to cut off my nose to spite my face. I am grateful to them for their support. Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 This was not a "failure in communications" betwen the US and Israel. It was a direct assault on Israel by the Obama administration. And anybody who can't see that is willfully blind.. And all the stupid doubts, concerns, and ultimate cowardice of our stupid American Jewish leaders and unconcerned Jewish public have led to this. The handwriting was on the wall the moment they elected Obama president. In their thrill to vote for Obama (to say about themselves how liberal they are and how much they hate Bush) they sacrificed Israel. Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 This article only confirmed my sad and growing awareness of what a self-serving, cowardly leadership American Jewry has. It seems far easier for them to fall in line under the Obama mesmerism, than to defend the harrassed and badgered Jewish State they should be proud to protect. Time to cut them off. Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 I completely agree with your comments, N. Shuster. I, too, wonder what compels so many Jewish Leftists to identify with our enemies and blame our own people, refusing to accept that we "have been there, done that " and received a black eye in return and the enmity of the world for existing. I am planning to read the new book, "United in Hate" by Jamie Glazov in hopes of getting some further insight into this perplex problem. Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 As far as what Rahm Emanuel said or meant, it seems to me we've heard that old "parsing" refrain before. I think he made his meaning perfectly clear, no matter how you parse it. He's part and parcel of the same administration that has taken pains to deliver this same message through all its other "experts", envoys and representatives, as well. Too bad we Jews so often are our own worst enemies. It seems that's what thousands of years of persecution can do to some of us. Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Peter Wedlund seems utterly divorced from reality. He incredibly chooses to ignore all the threats constantly being made by Achmadinejad, with the blessing of the ayatolahs in charge. to wipe Israel off the map. He disregards the dispicable representations of Jews and denial of the Holocaust from this same Iranian leader. Is it possible that Mr. Wedlund shares these thoughts and this is the explanation for his myopia? Totally disgusted with his post. Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Mr. Hicks seems to possess one of those sets of hands that seek to make Israel a pariah state. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Wow! This is the first I have heard of M.J. Rosenberg. Now I see the Jewish ant-Zionists crawling out of the woodwork. We are in deep trouble. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 I am sure that Mr.Several and other like-minded posters don't "get it". How on earth do you make peace with an enemy that doesn't want peace, doesn't want a 2-state solution, but that openly and proudly declares that it will never recognize your right to exist and is determined to annihilate your country and kill all your people? How can you dare give up more land when that very land you gave back in Gaza, in an attempt to make peace, is immediately used by your enemy as a new, closer area from which to attack your civilians with thousands of rocket attacks? I don't know the answer to this fateful question. But it certainly is not by Israel acceding to the demands of her ill-wishing critics and committing suicide. Sadly, I'm not surprised at Secretary Clinton's behavior. She is implementing the policies of the man she now works for, President Obama. And already before the elections, it was apparent to me that he would shift the foregn policy of our country in ways harmful to Israel. Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Here we have the moral obtuseness of the worst kind of Jewish politician: a man in position of power, willing to pander to the enemies of his own people for the sake of what? Political gain, idealogical blindness, or good old Jewish self-hatred? Talk about moral equivalence! When a Jew is guilty of this, one is appalled and doubts the competence of such a man to represent and make judgements. Irmgard Gesund 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00