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How easy it is to hate them
By Nadav Shragai

For the State of Tel Aviv, Hebron is an Arab city where a few hundred Jews are living temporarily until a "final status agreement" is signed. For broad segments of the religious and ultra-Orthodox communities, Hebron is the City of the Patriarchs, where David established his kingdom even before the conquest of Jerusalem, a city in which Jewish settlement has existed since "then" and will continue to exist "forever."

Hebron is also a reflection of the line that divides Israeli society between secular Zionism, for which the land is first and foremost a national home and a country of refuge, and religious, faith-based Zionism, for which the land is the land of the Bible, the Promised Land and the land of our forefathers.

The Hebron of the Israeli media is also a land of black and white. How easy it is to hate the settlers, to portray them as absolute evil, as occupiers, as dispossessors and violent invaders. After hundreds of Palestinian suicide bombers, the Jewish community in Kiryat Arba grew its own first Jewish suicide terrorist: Baruch Goldstein. Then came "petty incidents" such as the "slut" curse, the comparison between leftist activists and neo-Nazis, or overturned stands in the market and even attacks on Arabs following Arab terrorist incidents. Add to that the fact that even externally the Jews of Hebron try hard not to look like the Israelis from Tel Aviv, and you have a recipe for total rejection of the Jewish settlement in Hebron by the enlightened Israeli.
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But the reality is far more complex, and for the most part just the opposite. Here are several facts that have not received wide coverage: The city of Hebron is about 18 square kilometers. Fifteen square kilometers were handed over to the Palestinian Authority in the Hebron agreement. This area is closed to Jews, although the agreement guaranteed Jews freedom of movement in the city. In most of the remaining area, which is ostensibly "Jewish" (H2), a Jewish presence was also forbidden, but most of it is open to Arab movement and presence. The Jews are today limited to 0.6 square kilometers, or 3 percent of Hebron, where thousands of Arabs continue to live. The PA operates various institutions in this area, with the declared purpose of "suffocating" the Jewish settlement.

As a result of the "Oslo War," which erupted in September 2000, and a series of attacks in which dozens of Jews were killed and wounded, the defense establishment limited Arab vehicular traffic in the "Jewish district." The area in which Arab traffic is completely banned, the area that has stirred the left's outcry, is limited to several hundred meters only.

While many of the Arabs of Hebron enjoy the natural and basic right to purchase and own real estate, this right has been almost totally denied to the Jewish population. The houses, the stores and the land left behind by the Jews of Hebron, who were expelled from the city after the 1929 riot, were confiscated after the Jordanian conquest in 1948 and were never returned. The Israeli government has become reconciled to this injustice. The Jews are generally denied the natural right to purchase homes and to enjoy the right of purchase. Palestinian law decrees a death sentence for an Arab who sells his house to a Jew, and the State of Israel has reconciled itself to these racist laws as well. In the course of about 20 years, building permits in the tiny Jewish district have been given to only three houses, so that those suffering from urban suffocation are not the Arabs, who are building high rises in the west of the city, but the Jews.

An Arab who harasses a Jew in Hebron - incidents documented in a detailed report - is not only a story that will not be broadcast, it will usually not be dealt with either. On the other hand, a Jew who throws stones and curses back is always a good story. But those Jews in Hebron, all of them - always all of them - disgust many Israelis, and therefore the context is unimportant. It makes no difference who started. The Jews of Hebron will always get the blame.
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  1.   Suggestions 10:30  |  Careful Reader 21/03/07
  2.   careful reporting 10:47  |  chava 21/03/07
  3.   check facts please 10:55  |  benjamin 21/03/07
  4.   zero suicide bombers before goldstein 10:59  |  ted 21/03/07
  5.   the jews in the west bank are marvellous 11:00  |  gadalyah 21/03/07
  6.   "Settlers" - such a nice propaganda word 11:02  |  Clickfool 21/03/07
  7.   Please, don`t put the blame on the settlers..... 11:25  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/03/07
  8.   The facts 11:45  |  Phil 21/03/07
  9.   willingness to live together 11:49  |  chava 21/03/07
  10.   The Facts 2 11:57  |  Phil 21/03/07
  11.   ...because they deserve to be hated 11:59  |  jethro 21/03/07
  12.   correction to Facts 2 12:13  |  Phil 21/03/07
  13.   The Israeli government has become reconciled to this injustice. 12:21  |  A Jew 21/03/07
  14.   The Jews of Hebron have to be vigilant to survive, let them stay 12:21  |  Pavel 21/03/07
  15.   a palestinian settlement in tel aviv 12:24  |  mehmet 21/03/07
  16.   The Arabs of hebron would kill The Jews so, Settlements are ok... 12:26  |  Pavel 21/03/07
  17.   why not just let them live in peace 12:29  |  Pavel 21/03/07
  18.   mehmet there is a Palestinian settlement in Tel Aviv 12:32  |  A Jew 21/03/07
  19.   Hebron settlers are criminals 12:34  |  Jens 21/03/07
  20.   Dino # 7 12:39  |  ChanahS 21/03/07
  21.   to Pavel 12:40  |  Phil 21/03/07
  22.   # 16 Pavel, the "exciting one"..... 12:41  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/03/07
  23.   Israel`s "settlers"- today`s "niggers" 12:43  |  Yacov 21/03/07
  24.   Mehmet # 15 12:46  |  ChanahS 21/03/07
  25.   These criminal kookians 12:48  |  MA 21/03/07
  26.   to 18, a jew 12:50  |  mehmet 21/03/07
  27.   Jens 19 = Historic reivisionist 12:50  |  Steven 21/03/07
  28.   Phil and equal rights 12:50  |  ChanahS 21/03/07
  29.   Settlers (Illegal) the missing word) 12:51  |  Labhras 21/03/07
  30.   Mehmet and buying land 12:55  |  ChanahS 21/03/07
  31.   Easy to hate 13:04  |  Baruch Nili 21/03/07
  32.   to Chanah 13:06  |  mehmet 21/03/07
  33.   chanah you are wrong 13:17  |  mehmet 21/03/07
  34.   mehmet 32 an honest question 13:24  |  Steven 21/03/07
  35.   mehmet = racist 13:26  |  Steven 21/03/07
  36.   # 20 Chanah S 13:27  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/03/07
  37.   #19 JENS IS DRINKING CARLSBERG AT THE TIVOLI AGAIN 13:27  |  paul harris 21/03/07
  38.   #37 And Jesus was born in Betlehem, and so what? 13:40  |  Jens 21/03/07
  39.   The problem with the Hebron settlers 13:57  |  John 21/03/07
  40.   Basic truths the Media ignores 14:06  |  Shalom Freedman 21/03/07
  41.   #38 and Jesus was a JEW,Jens 14:16  |  Hastaroth 21/03/07
  42.   TRUTH AND FACTS DETERRENT TO HATE AND LIES? 14:17  |  B 21/03/07
  43.   The Jews of Hebron Deserve the Blame 14:19  |  Yaakov Sullivan 21/03/07
  44.   john of the netherlands piss off 14:20  |  williamthesilent 21/03/07
  45.   #28 Chanah 14:21  |  Phil 21/03/07
  46.   Question for Jens in Copenhagen (Post No. 19) 14:21  |  Johnny Weintraub 21/03/07
  47.   Yacov (Post No. 23) 14:30  |  Johnny Weintraub 21/03/07
  48.   try to emulate chanah 14:35  |  mehmet 21/03/07
  49.   Freedman is not telling the truth 14:36  |  Hebronite 21/03/07
  50.   #30 Chanah S and Mehmet 14:58  |  Labhras 21/03/07
  51.   #46 Johnny Weintraub 15:05  |  Labhras 21/03/07
  52.   Where Did the Photo Go?? 15:13  |  Yaakov Sullivan 21/03/07
  53.   Article ignores that thousands of Palestinians were expelled too 15:25  |  Yariv 21/03/07
  54.   arabs can have temple mount but jews cant have holy site access?? 15:37  |  SHIMON 21/03/07
  55.   Yakov 15:37  |  Woodlawn 21/03/07
  56.   To 26 15:40  |  Watcher 21/03/07
  57.   The problem: Settler = State of Israel 15:56  |  Mark 21/03/07
  58.   Dino- "the reality of settlements" 16:02  |  B 21/03/07
  59.   How easy it is to remove them 16:20  |  Erik Svensson 21/03/07
  60.   Special order for Hebron 16:23  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 21/03/07
  61.   Baruch Nili on Hebron #31 16:33  |  Yaakov Sullivan 21/03/07
  62.   fair and balanced reporting 16:34  |  shulamit 21/03/07
  63.   53 Yariv & Peace 16:36  |  common sense 21/03/07
  64.   Mehmet # 32 I love it 17:01  |  ChanahS 21/03/07
  65.   N Shragai: contradiction on real estate transactions 17:16  |  zmogus 21/03/07
  66.   # 57 B The root of the problem 17:33  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/03/07
  67.   ChannahS 17:42  |  Danite 21/03/07
  68.   If we had final status agreement decades ago... Part 1 17:58  |  Smadar 21/03/07
  69.   Something to think about 18:01  |  Leah 21/03/07
  70.   ChannahS, Dino, Yaakov 18:06  |  tadchase 21/03/07
  71.   accuracy of facts is crucial 18:08  |  peace 21/03/07
  72.   Part 2 - In 1979 on student group tour of Hebron ... 18:16  |  Smadar 21/03/07
  73.   Jens 18:17  |  Jane 21/03/07
  74.   #62 Shulamit 18:18  |  Labhras 21/03/07
  75.   What does it cost? 18:19  |  tadchase 21/03/07
  76.   # 7 Dino (Swiss) THE SETTLERS. 18:26  |  Kath` 21/03/07
  77.   #65 zmogus 18:26  |  Labhras 21/03/07
  78.   To Yacov #23 18:27  |  Ze`ev ben Shmaryahu 21/03/07
  79.   Danite # 67 18:30  |  ChanahS 21/03/07
  80.   # 69 tadchase 18:32  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/03/07
  81.   watcher and Chanahs land propaganda are tales for kids 18:34  |  mehmet 21/03/07
  82.   Dino settlement reality 18:47  |  B 21/03/07
  83.   #67 Danite and #64 ChanahS - very good posts 18:49  |  Smadar 21/03/07
  84.   Hebron - The second holiest Jewish city 19:14  |  Steven 21/03/07
  85.   Jew`s in Hebron 19:21  |  Paul 21/03/07
  86.   no, it is not easy to hate 19:23  |  ana 21/03/07
  87.   I agree 19:34  |  Leb 21/03/07
  88.   sick settler mentality 19:51  |  Josh Goldman 21/03/07
  89.   I am shocked. Shocked! 20:14  |  Tosefta 21/03/07
  90.   # 82 B 20:22  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/03/07
  91.   Mehmet # 81 20:24  |  ChanahS 21/03/07
  92.   If Jews can live in Copenhagen, why not Hebron 21:05  |  Herbert Kaine 21/03/07
  93.   Chanah S agreed totaly 21:06  |  Danite 21/03/07
  94.   Smadar Shalom 21:10  |  Danite 21/03/07
  95.   WOW. A long overdue article, and in of all media-Haaretz! 21:14  |  bat yam 21/03/07
  96.   Dear Mehmet 21:22  |  Samir Salameh 21/03/07
  97.   # 89 Tosefta 21:26  |  tadchase 21/03/07
  98.   #88 21:29  |  Jane 21/03/07
  99.   The Jewish Taliban 21:32  |  Mark Lincoln 21/03/07
  100.   Hundreds of Suicide Bombers BEFORE Baruch Goldstein? 21:47  |  Ibrahim 21/03/07
  101.   Settlers in Hebron 21:50  |  Esther 21/03/07
  102.   Why is it so easy to hate them? 22:00  |  Daniel 21/03/07
  103.   #73 So what? 22:03  |  Jens 21/03/07
  104.   How easy to hate the settlers in Hebron 22:08  |  goldie klugman 21/03/07
  105.   Settlement mistakes 22:20  |  john 21/03/07
  106.   #46 Shalhevet Pass 22:22  |  Jens 21/03/07
  107.   #78 Ze`ev: Hebron has been Jewish for thousands of years 22:30  |  Yacov 21/03/07
  108.   sorry danite there will never be peace 22:33  |  hussein 21/03/07
  109.   #191 Esther - you neglected to mention 22:34  |  * BEN JABO 21/03/07
  110.   danite i liked yaalon the other day 22:37  |  hussein 21/03/07
  111.   #106 22:39  |  Jane 21/03/07
  112.   #100 22:41  |  Jane 21/03/07
  113.   josh goldman #88 22:42  |  jules naiberg 21/03/07
  114.   G`d bless the Jews of Hebron 22:44  |  Paul Henzen 21/03/07
  115.   Yashar Koach Nadav Shragai!!!! 22:45  |  nh 21/03/07
  116.   #115 nh 23:08  |  alan 21/03/07
  117.   Mark Lincoln # 99 - don`t judge 23:14  |  ChanahS 21/03/07
  118.   #113 23:16  |  Jane 21/03/07
  119.   #88 23:17  |  Jane 21/03/07
  120.   How easy to hate them 23:23  |  Hillel 21/03/07
  121.   #116 23:24  |  Jane 21/03/07
  122.   Jens -- which verse? 23:26  |  Gina 21/03/07
  123.   #103 Jens 23:28  |  Jane 21/03/07
  124.   Ibrahim # 100 - Really? 23:31  |  ChanahS 21/03/07
  125.   huessein 23:33  |  Danite 21/03/07
  126.   # 106 Jens 23:34  |  ChanahS 21/03/07
  127.   hussein 23:34  |  danite 21/03/07
  128.   jews of hebron 23:36  |  Suzanne Sapir 21/03/07
  129.   # 93 Danite 23:36  |  ChanahS 21/03/07
  130.   FACTS? 1991 Suicide bombers 23:39  |  Dr David I. Gross 21/03/07
  131.   Judenrein? 23:42  |  Joe 21/03/07
  132.   # 76 Kath 23:44  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/03/07
  133.   JEN ????????????? 23:44  |  Dr David I. Gross 21/03/07
  134.   This is Pal democracy? 23:45  |  Sherlock Holmes 21/03/07
  135.   Jens 23:48  |  Leah 21/03/07
  136.   How easy it is to hate them 23:52  |  paul 21/03/07
  137.   Ibrahim be honest for change 00:11  |  Danite 22/03/07
  138.   Why using the word terror ??why not something else 00:35  |  Samir Salameh 22/03/07
  139.   The History of Terror 01:06  |  nh 22/03/07
  140.   LABHRAS.#50 Israeli Arabs can& do go to court and win. 01:08  |  PETER SM 22/03/07
  141.   WHY DOES THE L-RD WAIT ???? 01:10  |  Bill. 22/03/07
  142.   how easy it is to hate them 01:17  |  linda 22/03/07
  143.   how easy is to hate them 01:20  |  linda 22/03/07
  144.   #111 Seems unlikely 01:30  |  Jens 22/03/07
  145.   # 120 Danite 01:33  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/03/07
  146.   my perspective 02:16  |  soldier 22/03/07
  147.   #127 Peter Sm 02:46  |  Labhras 22/03/07
  148.   #128 Bill 02:48  |  Labhras 22/03/07
  149.   #100 Ibrahim on Suicide bombers 02:56  |  Tosefta 22/03/07
  150.   Hebron is a unique case 03:01  |  andrew r 22/03/07
  151.   The Lie that Is Deir Yassin 03:02  |  nh 22/03/07
  152.   HEBRON 03:05  |  JOHN DAVIS 22/03/07
  153.   Danite you are as usual incorrect 03:12  |  Ibrahim 22/03/07
  154.   # 4 ted Before Goldstein, there were many 03:21  |  TOMY 22/03/07
  155.   Mildly disgusting 03:31  |  Colin Wright 22/03/07
  156.   #7 Swiss(Dino) Sattlers were integrated 03:32  |  TOMY 22/03/07
  157.   #10 Phil, your facts are wrong 03:41  |  TOMY 22/03/07
  158.   KADIMA & SHARON are "TEMPORARY" - SETTLING is FOREVER! 03:57  |  amir 22/03/07
  159.   #21 phil, it is not the double standart 04:00  |  TOMY 22/03/07
  160.   #26, mehmet, listen, the Israeli arab 04:07  |  TOMY 22/03/07
  161.   Nadav 04:48  |  Omar 22/03/07
  162.   Nadav, Very lousy and pure unethical journalism 04:51  |  Omar 22/03/07
  163.   the ACTUAL facts 05:03  |  the truth 22/03/07
  164.   Swiss Dino 05:11  |  Danite 22/03/07
  165.   To Steven #27 05:21  |  Otto Rand 22/03/07
  166.   To Amir#145 05:39  |  otto Rand 22/03/07
  167.   To Bill #127 05:43  |  Otto Rand 22/03/07
  168.   Samir S. 06:04  |  Willy 22/03/07
  169.   Jens (Post No. 134.) 06:10  |  Johnny Weintraub 22/03/07
  170.   Jens # 19 06:24  |  Philippe 22/03/07
  171.   Bravo Nadav Shragai 06:29  |  Philippe 22/03/07
  172.   LABHARAS.Lots of assumptions,love the personal ones,wrong! 07:50  |  PETER SM 22/03/07
  173.   #149Tosefta: Read the facts (the truth) in post 163 08:22  |  Logician 22/03/07
  174.   144Jens is saying: Do not confuse me with the facts... 08:30  |  Logician 22/03/07
  175.   Settlers are the best of Israel!!!!!! 08:35  |  Jonah 22/03/07
  176.   hebron is ours 08:41  |  daniel 22/03/07
  177.   is it reasonable ? 09:06  |  melchizedek 22/03/07
  178.   # 161 ( only became) 09:39  |  melchizedek 22/03/07
  179.   #77, Labhras. Oh sure! The only really justified reason 09:58  |  zmogus 22/03/07
  180.   # 156 TOMY 11:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/03/07
  181.   #121 Jane 16:07  |  alan 22/03/07
  182.   #151 nh Spare me the Zionist propoganda please 16:12  |  alan 22/03/07
  183.   #180 Swiss(Dino), I must compliment your 16:20  |  TOMY 22/03/07
  184.   I think, Haaretz censors fell asleep 16:22  |  TOMY 22/03/07
  185.   The "Oslo " war? ??? 01:08  |  newageblues 23/03/07
  186.   #162 Omar to Nadav 07:02  |  * BEN JABO 23/03/07
  187.   #180 Swiss (Dino) 07:09  |  * BEN JABO 23/03/07
  188.   Nadav Shragai 18:54  |  moshe 29/06/08
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