Israel’s Greatest Loss: Its Moral Imagination

Why wasn't Mrs Tzipi Livni (Kadima) elected? She had most votes. The Israeli wanted her... She is a woman in this era.. Marianne

Just to perfection, generous (to Israel) to a fault. Peace. Try it, you'll like it. Israel built the "legal" settlements in the West Bank against the advice of the chief counsel of Israel`s own Foreign Ministry in 1967. No settlements had been built when his counsel was sought. He advised that settlement building would be illegal because it would violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, which Israel had signed. This secret document was brought to light by Israeli historian Gershom Gorenberg after the archives were opened up. Israel is obligated to comply with international law, and the chief counsel`s opinion matches that of almost all international legal opinion on this issue, including that of the International Court of Justice. The Fourth Geneva Convention rules in Israel and Palestine, as in all the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Geneva_Convention http://www.pchrgaza.org/Intifada/Settlements.conv.htm "The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies."

thanks for the article, I really think israelis should put themselves in Palestinian's shoes, as soon as Palestine problem is solved, middle east conflict will start to die down.

The writer starts off from a premise of comparing Israel with the Nazis. However, it would be much more accurate to say that had the world stopped Nazis from arming, getting the raw materials for their war machine, that many more people would be alive today. Had the world imposed a successful blockade and limited German fuel imports, german explosive material, much of WWII would never have happened. The analogy the writer uses is completely wrong. The reality is that Jews never launched 10,000 missiles on their German brothers, Polish brothers, Italian brothers or even French brothers (depending where the Jews lived initially during the rise of the Nazis). They were willing lamb who put up with one dehumanizing move after another. Gaza on the other hand has become a world source of weapons fire. I don't think a single place in the world in the past 2 years has launched so many missiles and rockets, crude or not. When Israel left Gaza in 2005, there was no blockade, no 'diet' as he states (misrepresenting the original statements intent). It could have become the next Singapour or Hong Kong, instead it became the next Cuban missile crisis. The writer should reflect long and hard on what a better world we would have today had there been a very powerful block on Germany during the years leading to world war II. That is the real comparison, not the one comparing innocent submissive Jews who wanted to fit in with an area involved in more violent attacks against Israel than most areas in the past few years. If you start off with the wrong premise, the wrong comparison, you are bound to end up with the wrong conclusions. I urge the writer to reflect deeply rather than repeat populist slogans without true substance.

Consider world opinion as irrelevent. Remember President Bush said: UN is irrelevent, World opinion is irrelevent. Either you are with us or against us. Grat words from a great Statesman in the history of mankind. Bring President Bush back for life.

The author is lying about his life under nazi occupation wikipedia:Siegman was born in 1930 in Frankfurt, Germany.[2] He move with his family in 1933 to Antwerp, Belgium, and then to the United States. He does not say that he is long time friend of hamas and mashal"He advocates engagement with Hamas[8][9] and recently visited Khaled Mashal, Hamas leader exiled in Syria.[ He does not speak a single word about sucide bombers, gilad schalit, rockets and the fact that gaza residents themselves voted hamas to power. such people were Hitler's kapo in german concentration camps

How dare you make the comparison that Israel is acting like Nazis. The Israelis allow thousands of tons of humanitarion aid into Gaza and you dimiss it. Also Hamas illegally took over Gaza in a bloody coup and you and others remained silent. The captain of that aid ship as reported in haaretz said there no aid on that ship and they were prepared to attack the Israelis before they boarded the vessel.

1) I do not believe Gazan's are starving 2) The unrelenting, unabated hatred of Jews coming out of there has been going on for years 3) It is very convenient for the world to pretend we are not dealing with Islamic fundamentalism here

It is the fault of those who invoke the Holocaust for everything that has turned Israelis into fearful human beings who thing of themselves as victims, even as they attack a Turkish ship in international water. What did they expect, the flowers Iraqis forgot to give to the American army in Iraq?

"A million and a half civilians have been forced to live in an open-air prison in inhuman conditions for over three years now, but unlike the Hitler years, they are not Jews but Palestinians." I forget. Were the Jews offered numerous peace agreements and self-determination by Adolf? Did the Jews fire 15,000 missiles into the German countryside? Did the Jews threaten the German government and the German people with annihilation? Henry, you would have been a good SS man.

This is what the world outside the US and Israel sees.

The only people who would look what happened and say Israel was wrong are the people who want to see Israel destroyed. No other country has ever gone as far as Israel in an attempt to do the Morally right thing. They drop leaflets, use paint ball guns instead of real guns. They wait until their own people are killed or thousands in danger before they finally react. I find articles like this and the refusal to publish real reactions to this type of a article nothing more than hack job. I know you wont publish this a you don't publish anything on this website that is truly pro-Israel. Why don't you just call yourselves" We Love Palestine and Helen Thomas is my Hero."

Mr. Siegman is deluded. Without Israel the Palestinians would have been the Middle East bottom of the barrel. Menial workers allowed only to clean off the boots of the Arabs. And any lack of things or hope is in proportion to the amount of allegiance they give to the puppet masters of their leaders who use them as ammunition against the Jews. Superficially it may not show, however the Palestinians are in control of their own fate. They can choose to be constructive or destructive. Blaming Israel and the Jews has been a classic since Moses was accused by many of being a pyromaniac and setting that bush on fire.

This is the essential question. I have found myself in this quandary of consciousness, stunned and disheartened. Thank you for expressing our ethical dilemma in such a personal, realistic, conscientious context. It seems to me that international, interdisciplinary leadership is required to transform fear-induced dehumanization and violence into reverence-inspired compassion and cooperation. As humanity is capable of both, the pivotal factor is sustained ethical leadership. Your sincere eloquence is an empowering message for all of us.

Will all reasonable concessions be enough for Israel's security? Or is Islam determined for the death of all Jews? Certainly Israel the oppressed has become Israel the oppressor. The other choice? Israel the country that once was.

Remember the Marlon Brando fiasco on Larry King? Same set-up.

1. "A million and a half civilians have been forced to live in an open-air prison in inhuman conditions ..." If you went there, you would see that "inhuman conditions IS A BIG LIE! 2. "Fully 80% of Gaza’s population lives on the edge of malnutrition, .... According to the UN and World Health authorities, Gaza’s children suffer from dramatically increased morbidity " The 80 % is a fantastic lie! Mr. Siegman should check how many Israeli children live on the edge of malnutrition, etc. Further more the UN is another BIG LIAR concerning anything to do with Israel. 3. "Particularly appalling is that this policy has been the source of amusement for some Israeli leaders, ...like“putting Palestinians on a diet.” . Stupid jokes of "some leaders" is irrelevant considering stupid jokes that the entire world makes about foreigners, etc. The jokes of a few are NOT something particularly "appaling"...Just stupidity of a few. I STOPPED READING. MR SIEGMAN IS MALEVOLENT THAT'S ALL.

If Israel is to be condemned whether it is trying to act morally in line with world views of morality and is condemned nonetheless, why the hell are they still trying to pacify the world... why don't they just get the bloody job done without putting the soldiers at risk???

The fact that this article is published in an important Israeli newspaper demonstrates Israeli democracy.- Five years ago Isreael retreated from Gaza. Immediately Hamas attacked Israeli civilian population with rockets. . These facts were conveniently forgotten by Professor Siegman. . Hamas refuses to let the Red Cross to see prisoner Gilad Shalit. - U.N. sources quoted in the article are not necessarily objective because many members of the UN are far from being trustworthy democracies. -The rulers of Gaza do not try to improve the condition of the civil population under their rule and their policy is successful in spreading support for Hamas in Western democracies.

The articles author - apparently - has a Judenrien imagination. In other words - he doesn't live the life, walk the walk in Israel. But feels that - there is no valid Jewish moral answer - to Israels defense - of why - it tries to protect itself. He would rather that - it roll over - turn the other cheek - and accept - whatever the Arabs and their sympathizers - want to push into Gaza - to help them - destroy Israel. I think - he needs to get back in touch with - the G-D of Israel - and the Torah. To see that Israel - is entitled to this land. And should be doing all it can - to protect - it's citizens.

"That intelligent and moral people, whether German or Israeli, can convince themselves of such absurdities (a disease that also afflicts much of the Arab world) is the enigma that goes to the heart of the mystery of how even the most civilized societies can so quickly shed their most cherished values and regress to the most primitive impulses toward the Other, without even being aware they have done so." It is power and fear in my opinion that drives people to these actions. Like the experiment with the wardens and prisoners, what would be considered inhumane in other circumstances (where the parties are on equal terms), we fall into the accepted roles of tormentor and victim. In this crucible of existence, I hope that we humans can collectively evolve beyond this.

This is the best article I have read on this topic. Very few of the articles in the Israeli media about the treatment of the Palestinians mention how immoral it is and how shocking it is that Israelis are behaving like this. Palestinian land is at the heart of the matter. When Israel is prepared to exchange land for peace rather than take the opposite approach, then political solutions can be found to Israel and the Palestinians co-existing in peace.

Well said. Thank you.

A beautifully written, perceptive and compassionate essay. Thank you Professor Siegman.

text is from National Review OnLine -- URL is at bottom of text! ---------- Were he a German Jew, Gandhi pronounced, he would challenge the Germans to shoot or imprison him rather than “submit to discriminating treatment.” Such “voluntary” suffering, practiced by all the Jews of Germany, would bring them, he promised, immeasurable “inner strength and joy.” Indeed, “if the Jewish mind could be prepared” for such suffering, even a massacre of all German Jews “could be turned into a day of thanksgiving and joy,” since “to the God-fearing, death has no terror.” April 28, 2003, 7:00 a.m. What Did Gandhi Do? One-sided pacifist. By David Lewis Schaefer In the weeks leading up to Operation Iraqi Freedom, American college campuses were plastered with posters asking “What Would Gandhi Do?” The implication, of course, was that the U.S. should emulate the tactics of the celebrated Hindu pacifist who successfully led the movement for Indian independence from Britain. The analogy, it should go without saying, overlooks major differences between the two cases. Whereas the 20th-century British were far too benign an imperial power to choose to slaughter peaceful resisters to their rule, there’s no evidence that Saddam Hussein, already responsible for the massacre and torture of hundreds of thousands of his countrymen (to say nothing of the many more who died in his aggressive wars against Iran and Kuwait) would likewise have succumbed to friendly persuasion — Jacques Chirac to the contrary notwithstanding. (It’s not that we didn’t try!) It is interesting, in this regard, to recall how Gandhi himself responded to the evil perpetrated by one of Saddam’s role models, Adolf Hitler. In November, 1938, responding to Jewish pleas that he endorse the Zionist cause so as to persuade the British government to open Palestine to immigrants fleeing Hitler’s persecution, Gandhi published an open letter flatly rejecting the request. While expressing the utmost “sympathy” with the Jews and lamenting “their age-old persecution,” Gandhi explained that “the cry for the national home for the Jews does not make much appeal to me,” since “Palestine belongs to the Arabs.” Instead, he urged the Jews to “make that country their home where they are born.” To demand just treatment in the lands of their current residence while also demanding that Palestine be made their home, he argued, smacked of hypocrisy. Gandhi even went so far as to remark that “this cry for the national home affords a colorable justification for the German expulsion of the Jews.” Of course, Gandhi added, “the German persecution of the Jews seems to have no parallel in history,” and “if there ever could be a justifiable war in the name of and for humanity, a war against Germany, to prevent the wanton persecution of a whole race, would be completely justified.” Hitler’s regime was showing the world “how efficiently violence can be worked when it is not hampered by any hypocrisy or weakness masquerading as humanitarianism.” Nonetheless, the Hindu leader rejected that notion, since “I do not believe in any war.” And for Britain, France, and America to declare war on Hitler’s regime would bring them “no inner joy, no inner strength.” Having rejected both the plea that Palestine should be offered as a place of refuge for the Jews and the idea that the Western democracies should launch a war to overthrow Hitler, Gandhi offered only one avenue for the Jews to resist their persecution while preserving their “self-respect.” Were he a German Jew, Gandhi pronounced, he would challenge the Germans to shoot or imprison him rather than “submit to discriminating treatment.” Such “voluntary” suffering, practiced by all the Jews of Germany, would bring them, he promised, immeasurable “inner strength and joy.” Indeed, “if the Jewish mind could be prepared” for such suffering, even a massacre of all German Jews “could be turned into a day of thanksgiving and joy,” since “to the God-fearing, death has no terror.” According to Gandhi, it would (for unexplained reasons) be “easier for the Jews than for the Czechs” (then facing German occupation) to follow his prescription. As inspiration, he offered “an exact parallel” in the campaign for Indian civil rights in South Africa that he had led decades earlier. Through their strength of suffering, he promised, “the German Jews will score a lasting victory over the German Gentiles in the sense that they will have converted [them] to an appreciation of human dignity.” And the same policy ought to be followed by Jews already in Palestine enduring Arab pogroms launched against them: if only they would “discard the help of the British bayonet” for their defense, and instead “offer themselves [to the Arabs] to be shot or thrown into the Dead Sea without raising a little finger,” the Jews would win a favorable “world opinion” regarding their “religious aspiration.” In a thoughtful personal response dated February 24, 1939, the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber — who had himself emigrated to Israel from Germany a short time earlier and combined his Zionism with earnest efforts to peacefully reconcile Jewish and Arab claims in the Holy Land — chided Gandhi for offering advice to the Jews without any recognition of their real situation. The individual acts of persecution that Indians had suffered in South Africa in the 1890’s hardly compared, Buber noted, to the synagogue burnings and concentration camps instituted by Hitler’s regime. Nor was there any evidence that the many instances in which German Jews peacefully displayed strength of spirit in response to their persecutors had exercised any influence on the latter. While Gandhi exhorted them to bear “testimony” to the world by their conduct, the fate of the Jews in Germany was to experience only an “unobserved martyrdom” without effect. Turning to Gandhi’s allegation that to claim a homeland in Palestine was inconsistent with the Jews’ claims to equal citizenship in the other countries of their birth, Buber recalled to him that the Indians of South Africa whose cause Gandhi had championed themselves drew sustenance from the existence of India as their “living center.” It was only the existence of such a home that made Diaspora tolerable, respectively (Buber added) for both Jews and Indians. As for Gandhi’s denial that the Jews had any place in Palestine, since it “belonged” to the resident Arab population, Buber reminded him that the Arabs themselves had previously acquired the land by virtue of a “conquest of settlement” — in contrast to the peaceful methods of the Jews in purchasing land there. Why, indeed, in view of the “primitive” state of Arab agriculture, should Palestinian land be held to belong exclusively to the Arabs, when Jewish settlers had done far more to develop that land’s fertility in the past 50 years than the Arabs in the preceding 1,300? With proper development, there was no reason that the land of Palestine might not support millions of Jewish refugees along with resident Arabs at a far higher standard of living than the latter had heretofore enjoyed. Finally, Buber reminded Gandhi that when the subject was the rights of Indians, as opposed to those of the Jews, Gandhi himself had remarked (in 1922) that he had “repeatedly said that I would have India become free even by violence rather than that she should remain in bondage.” Those who profess to concern themselves with the advancement of justice in the world have far less to learn from Gandhi’s inconsistent and one-sided pacifism than from Buber’s observation that while war is in principle abhorrent, it is better to resist evil by force than to allow it to triumph over the good. — David Lewis Schaefer is a professor of political science at the College of the Holy Cross. — —David Lewis Schaefer is a professor of political science at the College of the Holy Cross College. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- National Review Online - http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=OThjMmNkZWYwMjI4OTc2YmVkZTcyZWRjNzMzMDRhOTU=

you hit it right on the head

great article!

Answer to this,for a start

As a veteran I honor and respect the author's service. However, I wonder if he forgets that Israel is an unwilling combatant. Having withdrawn from Gaza to offer a new start, the residents there chose an administration that favors an arms industry/missile production over infrastructure. Has Gaza deteriorated since Israel withdrew from occupying the area. Yes. But whose fault is that? Let us keep our morality based in reality and not in imagination or in this case, in hallucination.

Realize that "German Persecution of Jews" has entered the realm of mythology. Not in the sense of "it didn't happen" but in the sense of "some tremendous special event in your tribe's past that gives you moral absolution to act". Mythology doesn't inform people's acts. It is used to justify behaviour. Mythologies of all kind have been used over the ages to justify anything - being descendants of some biblical figure, holding the one true religion, eliminating the oppression of the proletariat, having been stabbed in the back during a war, having been defeated on the 'home front', being the most benevolent superpower bringing freedom to all. Once the Holocaust is seen as just another monstrosity among monstrosities that has no longer anything to do with the people of Israel, or of Germany for that matter, then people can grow up.

Those who want to end the Gaza blockade should try to convince Hamas terrorists to renounce violence and their vow to refuse Israel's existence then there is no reasons for Israel to continue their blockade. As long as this prerequisite is still missing, there will never be peace in this part of the world.

Henry Siegman's article is also an admonishment to all those of us who are not Jewish in the West who have turned a blind eye to this outrage and to those whose meaningless statements of gibberish have by default condoned the action.

Two comments: There are many more than a handfull of meeretz supporters who are critical of Israeli policy Why not relate to the situation on its own terms since attempts by both the right and left to draw Holocaust analogies are distortive and dangerous.

Siegman's rabidly pro-Hamas views are well documented, so his attempt to use his "friendship" with an Israeli as the entry point to another piece of manipulative Hamas propaganda is as shabby as his scholarship. In Siegman's neat little world, Israelis and Zionists are the root of all evil while the Palestinians are simply passive, innocnet victims. Can't Haaretz find more serious thinkers to fill its content?

Where are the synagogues being burnt down or vandlaised? Where the mosques? Where are Jewish cemeteries being descerated? Where the Muslim cemeteries? Where are the Jewish people being evicted from their homes? Where the Muslims? Where are the Jewish people being killed en masse on a daily basis? Where the Muslims? Where are the Jewish people treated as second class citizens? Where the Muslims? Where are the Jewish people dehumanised as 'two-legged beasts'? Where the Muslims? And so on and on

This is a very emotionally true history. May we all help in the craetion a a TWO states solution in the framework of the Peace Initiative proposed by The SAUDIS

Well written and all sadly apt, Professor. But I think you're wrong about the White Rose movement, which was active in 1942-43, more or less at the same time as the worst depths of Nazi persecution and genocide. Not that this in any way detracts from the heroism of those luminous young people.

Erdogan is a fascist war monger , which is finaly shown his true face

It mystifies the rest of the world how Israel can have such a case of selective blindness. It is truly mind boggling to the outside observer. But, in the end all human beings share the good and bad attributes of human nature, as taught by every religion. Call it Satan and God or whatever , these forces for darkness and light fight each other in everyone. Even in Jews in Israel.

Linda Grant and Henry Seigman . Same school of hate and misinformation. Haaretz has not shame to print this poorly written articles,an insult to our intelligence.

Not yet; not yet. And yet- how far down that awful road have they travelled? How far down that awful road will they go? Were not the Germans the most civilized of races at one time? There are five stages: the formation of an in-group and an out-group; the definition of the out-group as a mortal threat; the complete disarmament of the out-group, putting it in the complete power of the in-group; the isolation of the conflict from outside intervention; and finally, leaders willing to give "the" order. On this scale Israel in Gaza appears to be at around 4.5, out of a possible 5. History tells us that this is a very dangerous time.

Wake up you fools, Israel is located in the Middle East. Israel is not located between Belgium and France. Look at Israel's neighbors. You will never get it.

What a thoughtful article...it gets to the core issue - our humanity in the broadest sense. In the long run we will lose if we put our existence above that of others and see ourselves as having greater rights.

It's obvious that your points make sense. I just fear that soon you will be tarred with the same meaningless epithets--"aelf-hating Jew," "anti-Semite," etc.--that most honest Jewish critics of Israeli policy toward the Palestinians are eventually smeared with. All I can say is, wear them proudly, for G-d and human decency are on your side.

The writer seems not to notice the difference between Jews in Hitler's Germany (regular, even patriotic German citizens) and Palestinians in Gaza (who support Hamas and its declared aim of wiping Israel off the map). In his zeal to make a humanitarian point he is demonizing his "friend" in Israel. Although many Israelis disagree with the restrictive embargo on Gaza, few disagree with the need to prevent arming Hamas with lethal rockets. And no one has a good idea how not to blockade Gaza while preventing arms from reaching Hamas. This honorable man offers nothing constructive in his article, and his sanctimonious indictment of his friend does not speak well for him.

for putting into words my own feelings and thoughts about what has happened to us as human beings.

Gazans would have schools, hospitals jobs and food. Ther lynchpin is hamas that has imposed its thugocracy on gazans. You canniot tell me that gazans enjoy having hamas as leaders , and their modesty police that tell men to wear shirts onh teh beach and women to cover up. hamas is first and last the problen that keeps gaza in the dark ages. When Hamas goes, gaza will begin to live

why is he significant to be published by der sturmer?

Most meretz members are Jewish. I'm not saying that because I don't want Arabs to be part of this party, but a lot of people pretend that only Arabs militate within Meretz in order to show that no Jews want peace. It's just untrue. However, it is indeed true that the only party that can federate Jews and Arabs is the Meretz. The Hadash is antizionist and the labour party is an ethnically centered Jewish party. Nonetheless, the rest of the article is completely right.

The comparison is hateful. The circumstances were entirely different. The Jews were not vying for the extermination of the German state, nor did they kidnap German soldiers. Not that the whole population in Gaza is guilty of these things. But the Jewish state has a stratetig end in waging economic warfare against Hamas, in hopes that the population will eradicate their hold on the small patch of land. You may question the wisdom of this tactic, but comparing Israel's aim to that of the third Reich, which was set on eliminating any vestige of Jewishness in this world, is compleatly innapropriate and irrelevant.

In my opinion, after reading so many aticles in jewish papers and comment of individual the people of Israel, never overcome of their pre www2 mindset. Any thing goes against them, they just behave like their Existence is in danger and behave accordinly. One can not deny that fact Israel has very rich culture, Knowledge and high regards of values. I am realy admire their commitment and respect towards their citizen. She goes upto any extecnd to bring back thier citizen even after dead. But when come to Palestine they just behave erratically.

It is idiotic to compare the Israelis treatment of Palestinians with the Nazis. For one thing, it is simply untrue and an obvious stretch. For another, such comparisons just add fuel to the fire, and give encouragement to the extremists on both sides. It is also insulting and hurtful to many Jewish readers. Is that really necessary?

I understand the moral analogy. However, one large fact is absent from it: German Jews never supported or elected a party of individuals that posed a distinct threat to the survival of the German state. It goes without saying that "The Jewish Problem" in Nazi Germany was entirely fabricated, while the "Problem of Hamas," is anything but a fabrication. Again, i see the moral analogy, but it is still incomplete and rather, in my opinion, not wholly valid.

This article is lacking perspective. Gazans have every opportunity to farm and turn that land into a viable place to live. The Jews in the Ghetto were in a Ghetto...not in their own country.

"Of course, even the most objectionable Israeli policies do not begin to compare with Hitler’s Germany. But the essential moral issues are the same." Of course. Just today your fellow traveller, Fidel Castro, opined that Israel is ready to throw 1.5 Gazans into crematorium. Don't entertain any illusions: you are in the same boat with the Cuban murderous villain. You delegitimize Israel, while picturing yourself as occupying high moral ground. You and your ilk are not even disgusting

Thanks Henry Siegman, thanks Haaretz. All we need a litle place for hope.

The parallells you describe are in my view a bit exagerated. Is it right to demand more from Israel than other nations? However I believe Israel should go in exact the opposite direction. If more Israelis would regard the Palestinians as humans, see and show respect for their sufferings. (Consider them as not "brothers" but at least cousins. In fact it seems that 40 % of the Palestinians are actually genetically related to us jews.) If more of us would respect them - maybe more of "them" would respect us?

I Wanna See a world without WAR! Do you remeber The EXODUS if you don t now please check it up it was a ship with 4500 jews on board , From Europe to palestine, the english army stops the EXODUS to go in... and now i See The Hate: Turkey is a Hitlercompany NO we WILL PEACE butt on the world we are 150 miljoen people and that is only turkey thank you for this Have a nice day and now i doesnt hate isreal i hate people killing sivilians without guns i think turkey gonna Come Back with a bigProblem

History has shown that power corrupts. History has shown that a feeling of insecurity causes people to lash out History has shown that it's easy to be moral when you are secure and comfortable but much harder when being moral causes you to have to really sacrifice. No nation is immune; there are some rare individuals who can rise above self interest.

In WWII Germany suffered greatly, its cities bombed, 80% of citizens on the edge of malnutrition. Yet the US and allies continued to prosecute the war until Germany unconditionally surrendered. The Nazis started the war in order to recover Germany’s occupied territories of Danzig and Alsace Loraine. Hamas started a war by deliberately targeting civilians and continues in a campaign of rockets into Israel. Though it does not have the resources to build V2’s it tries to use Qassam rockets to serve the same purpose, to strike terror. Like the Nazi’s prior to WWII, Hamas’s stated goal is the return of 'all' occupied territories. In this case Israel is not asking for unconditional surrender, but simply an end to the attacks. Hamas’s purpose for the flotilla was never to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza, but to open the doors to subsequent arms shipments. The current Turkish government’s purpose for the flotilla was never to help the Palestinians, but to create a sensation so that they could call for early elections and win an even greater majority. If Hamas’s true goal was helping the Palestinian people than Hamas should sit down with the Israeli government and come to an understanding. After WWII Germany gained moral imagination yet Alsace Loraine remained French, Danzig remained Polish and the Sudetenland remained Czech. Maybe it’s time for Hamas to gain the same moral imagination of Germany.

How do you live with yourself? First a liar - your family moved to Antwerp in 1933 and then to the US sometime in the 30’s - Germany didn’t occupy it until May 1940. So don’t claim to have lived under Nazi occupation. Second, it profanes the memory of those who actually did for you to compare Gaza to anything remotely related to Hitler. What Jews are out lining up Arabs for firing squads or death camps. If anything what is reminiscent of that time is you - like the half million appeasers in the Warsaw Ghettos being lead to slaughter until the last 50 thousand stood up for themselves. How long will liberal Jews like yourself sell out your fellow Jews? Perpetuating the lie that the trouble in Gaza is caused by Israel. What humanitarian aid that was on the flotilla (after the Turkish bullet proof vest, night vision goggles and EXPIRED medications was removed) is being refused by Hamas. But you don’t pay attention to those items, because then you could be the low life collaborator that you are. Why don’t you change your name to Henry Vichy, since your so inclined to sell out your own people.

You wrote of Gazans "Their jailers, incredibly, are survivors of the Holocaust, or their descendants." Please get your facts straight. Their jailers are Hamas, a terrorist organization that forcibly took over Gaza, and whose DNA is directly related to the Nazis in their blind hatred of Jews and their willingness to put innocent civilians they supposedly represent in harm's way.

My friend, it's all very nice talk, but do you forget that this is a terrorist organization running Gaza! it's all very nice to criticize the policy , but tell me what is your solution? lift the blockade? I'd like to see you say that if you were on the receiving end of those rockets or any future weapons that will be transferred in from Iran. and remember, they voted Hamas into government, and while they are not all guilty, you should go on youtube and see the kind of videos that are shown on Hamas television, these children are brainwashed since they're babies to hate Jews! while that's not they're fault there's nothing you can do about it, theyr're terrorists whether you like it or not. and please, that humanitarian crisis is a load of junk, israel supplies with tons of food all the time. these are all manipulations of the media to vilify us.

I am always SO relieved to read something that I have considered obvious for a long time said by someone who can not possibly be considered "anti-semetic." My own quarrel with his comments is that they are true - not just recently - but perhaps all of Israel's existence. Where were these observations back in the late seventies?

You're condemning the morality of an entire people because you have one friend in Israel who refers to Meretz as "arabs." Classy.

Thank you Henry Siegman for writing this piece and thank you Ha'aretz for publishing it. It's better to be depressed and start thinking than living in delusion. "Moral imagination" is indeed what Israel lacks most these days.

This article presents an ass-backwards analysis. When Hamas stops the rockets, recognizes Israel, and stops trying to destroy Israel, Gaza's conditions will improve. Israel has no obligation to make life for its enemies nice, yet it does, and there is plenty of commerce in Gaza.

Once you start to think that everyone is against you and you will be the victim unless you create a carnage (like the IDF did) , then it means that you entered a psychological nose-dive towards insanity, from which recovery is almost impossible. This already happened in Israel and many Israelis, despite being normal, good people, cannot comprehend the gravity of the tragedy IDF created, they are psychologically conditioned not to comprehend it, it is a clinical case. Sometimes it is possible to get away from this nose-dive but Israelis seem to be long past this stage, very alarming for Israel, very alarming for the whole ME.

"As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such a twilight that we all must be most aware of change in the air - however slight - least we become victims of the darkness" -- Justice William O. Douglas

...is fellow Jews siding with the enemies bent on Israel's destruction. Why don't you demand that Hamas renounce its murderous code to destroy Israel?

Where is your fervor for the release of Gilad Shalit from the immoral Hamas terrorists? Where is your zeal to ask residents of Gaza to agree to abandon their support of the destruction of Israel?

The blame for the citizens of Gaza's problems lie 100% with their chosen government, the radical Islamic terrorist, Hamas.

Have you lost your Jewish soul and the ability to make fair comparisons? The taking of the lead boat in the flotilla was absolutely legal under international law, fully expressed by Harvard's Alan Dershowitz. Are you now siding with Israel's enemies?

This author is looking thru a one way glass blinding him from the truth, he cannot be more wrong - he failed to mention that Israel is doing this in self defense. In what why where the Nazi defending them self? Where the Jews shooting at anyone? Let alone civilians or civilian homes? Did the Jews kidnap Nazi soldiers? Israel has tried and is still trying (i don't know why) to make peace What more proof do you need; Egypt has done the same blockade (in self defense) and they’re not getting shot at every day. And everyone knows why he didn’t mention anything about letting the Red Cross to visit kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, as required by international law – because everyone recognizes Hamas as a terrorist org. that does not go by any law.

You lost me about halfway through. Israel ships tons of supplies to Gaza. The people are imprisoned by their own leaders and radical Islam. The German Jews assimilated and lived peacefully in Europe. There lot is self imposed. If they loved peace, the PA/Gaza would be shangra la or at least a mini Singapore - with all the aid that would be bestowed upon them (by Israel/Jew hating countries). We built and continue to build this country - all they know how to do collectively is destroy. The Gazan's need an uprising of their own - to throw off their yoke of oppression. It ain't Israel, it's an anti peace enemy from within.

This article is rediculous and I am ashamed to hear it. We are not in Gaza, Gilad Shalit is. Gaza is throwing rockets and causing Israeli children to wet their beds. Gaza has expensive restaurants and more, but the Palestinian who live in abject conditions are kept in that state by Hamas not Israel. I resent your article as Israel left Gaza and no-one wants a blockade. We just want to be free including Gilad Shalit. Even in the second world war the Red Cross visited even though the Hitler lied.

in theory israel is well acquainted with morals and the practising of them. gay pride might have more follwers.

The difference is that Gaza's Palestinians are committed to Israel's destruction; Jews in Europe never tried to overthrow Germany. The lesson the author seems to have learned from the Holocaust is that Jews should never fight, lest we appear like Nazis - at least never win. The moral difference between massacring a peaceful people because of their race or religion, and defending oneself from those who would exterminate us, seems to escape him. Yes, the Palestinians are pitiful; The day they stop trying to kill us is the day they can stop being pitiful. Can't HaAretz find a clear thinker to write an article for them... Sheesh!

If people could just abandon their superstitions and live together without wanting to kill one another, the middle east and the world would be a better place.

but the jews did not elect a government that said germany did not have the right to exist, nor did the german or polish jews launch attacks on germany.

it sounds good but doing is another and it sounds bad. There is nothing to stop you to live in Israel. From a distance is easy to criticize Israel and remind us about Hitler era. I 'm sure if you live here you would think like your friend. Israel is in great dilemma on this question. To be or not. "larger questions raised about our common human condition by Israel’s occupation policies and its devastation of Gaza’s civilian population. " I like your naiveness. Do you have any real solution other then to anihilitae Isreal? If you have please enlighten us. Not you but all human rights activisit the same question goes to you.

I don't really see how territorial ambitions (referred to right after title) are relevant to gaza blockade -- Israel left Gaza, and got back rockets, so much for "territorial ambitions" -- I doubt there'd be blockade if not for rockets targeting civilians.

Mr. Siegman, a different reaction from you might be that if your Israeli friend is "an intellectual and a kind and generous man", perhaps he sees things with more accurate perception than you do.

Why Egypt didn't keep borders with Gaza open? If the problem is food for the kids, why they didn't agree to pass it through Israel? The proposal was on the table.

There are two very troubling things about this statement. First, calling Meretz a bunch of Arabs is silly nationalist rhetoric to be polite (or vicious political hatred worthy of Nazis, to be blunt). While the party counts as members and voters many Arabs, these are most often the most moderate of all Arabs, who desire nothing more than the two-state solution even the halfwit hardliners in Likud have finally understood is both essential and inevitable. Second, it's terribly stupid to paint all Arabs with the same brush. Yes, far too many Arabs are in league and either actively or passively supportive of terror. That's a big problem which requires not only Western action but that of Arabs themselves. Even Siegman's seemingly learned article ignores this most important of facts. For the Palestinians to have any future they must act. As we Jews have done for over a century, our Arab neighbors must step up to claim their state. They must sever ties to Hammas and other terrorist organizations and promote leaders who will advocate something other than this longstanding suicidal approach.

Biggest difference I see in your poor analogy is that the Jews weren't firing rockets at the Germans.

Now ha'aretz is just being plain dumb. goes to show they're lost all their marbles. like Israel would have ever pulled thousands of Jews out of gaza if it was a territorial issue. Get real Ha'aretz and wake up from your idelogue dream world, you're every Israeli's nightmare.

The problems with this is that there is in fact established paths to bring in aid to Gaza. That is through the port in Ashdod. The flotillas were asked to dock there multiple times, and refused. What exactly are the israeli's doing that is stopping the Palestinians from feeding themselves? i'm unaware of what they could be doing that prevents the Palestians from growing their own food. If they are so malnourished, why isn't Hamas allowing the food aid in? http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/03/hamas-flotilla-aid-israel One can speak of their support for the activists, but if so many are malnourished, then isn't this a disservice to the people they govern? If so many are malnourished, perhaps Hamas should redirect its energies from smuggling in rockets to smuggling in food? How can one reconcile their charter which advocates the destruction of Israel? Quite frankly, the way Israel reacts today has been influenced by how the Middle-East powers have acted to it in the past and which some still do today... with undying contempt. Until Hamas recognizes Israel's existence, I see no reason why Israel should help the Palestinians, or their duly elected government, and yes they were elected. This is a prison of their own making, they have the keys to it, by recognizing Israel.

As much as any human being would sympathize with difficulties people in Gaza experience, gazans have only themselves to blame – they have elected Hamas to power and thus declared war on Israel yet another time. We all know well that Hamas is at war with the state of Israel and is attacking it with terrorists and rockets whenever it can and that blockade is designed to make such attacks as difficult as possible by denying the terrorists access to materials for building rockets. I find it uncomprehensible that people will blame the victim of an attack, and it was IDF soldiers, who were attacked, rather than asking Mr. Edorgan an obvious question: “How these of terrorists got on the ship past Turkish security? Who trained and sent them?” Moreover, when the whole world is filled with the same anti-Semitic rage as was seen in Germany in Hitler’s times, author plunges into “philosophical” discussion on similarities between Nazis and Israelis! Exactly what real Nazis of Hamas and their friends do and using same lame arguments! Some people just feel no shame!

Henry - I applaud this essay. As a Jew with long standing ties to Israel, being concerned with our moral compass is critical to our future.

Your article is full of lies starting right from it's title.

Excellent read, I have also often wondered what it is that we have in us that can let us shed rational thought once we have chosen our side. I too have a friend who wholly subscribes to the many conspiracy theories but is otherwise a very intelligent and worldly guy. I have seen him omit facts that don't support his beliefs without knowing it. It is indeed a scary human trait which no one is immume to given the right conditions or dogma

"Now, an aristocrat, you know, the world over, has no human sympathies, beyond a certain line in society. In England the line is in one place, in Burmah in another, and in America in another; but the aristocrat of all these countries never goes over it. What would be hardship and distress and injustice in his own class, is a cool matter of course in another one. My father's dividing line was that of color. Among his equals, never was a man more just and generous; but he considered the negro, through all possible gradations of color, as an intermediate link between man and animals, and graded all his ideas of justice or generosity on this hypothesis." -- Harriet Beecher Stowe (Uncle Tom's Cabin)

morality is definitiely a tricky subject. but let me bring up a hypothetical situation. a publication needs a photo to justify its it point (after all the world is so irrational you need a picture to speak to the "ignorant", evidence craving public) but the only picture you can find has evidence that contradicts the image you are trying to create so you crop out the passenger holding the knife to make the passengers look like pure heroes. also Israle still sends MILLIONS of dollars in aid to gaza, it doesn't even compare to the cruelty of the ghettos

His moral blindness wouldn't be as bad if it wasn't mixed with the most arrogant strain of condescension. Siegman routinely ignores Arab atrocities and the saturation of the Arab/Islamic world's death wish for Israel, Jews. He conveniently omits how the flotilla "humanitarians" yelled "go back to Aushwitz" to the IDF soldiers who were repeatedly beseeching these Islamist thugs to land in Ashdod so the IDF could transfer the permitted supplies. Siegman is no friend of Israel - but he gives much aid and comfort to Israel's enemies. Criticism of Israel is the hallmark of a vibrant democracy. Seigman's phony moralizing is disgraceful.

Siegman's friend is sadly misinformed: Majority Americans living in border areas know that there were the usual number of ships entering the Gaza area for inspection that day--as we have here in NY daily on the Canadian border-- but in the one of the seven ships, there were armed terrorists waiting to kill. If that happened here, Americans or Canadians or other, the terrorists would be killed. It IS a post 9/11 world. Duh. "We get it." This is very insulting to hear that some Israeli thinks that the world is so anti-Semetic. Tell your friend to stop wearing the victim sign around his neck--we are all "fair game" for being attacked, not just the Jewish people--it is insulting to all intelligent people to read this. It only promotes distortion of truth.

Until Hamas makes concessions about the legitimate claims of Israel, they are going to be considered a threat to Israeli security. The Flotilla, and especially the incedent on the Mavi ship was an attempt to demonize Israel in the eyes of the world. Henry Seigman is only furthering this impression. Yes, the palestinians are no prospering, but they have this terrorist organization, which seeks their removal, representing so many of them. I don't care how delicately you chose your words Mr. Seigman, but equating this situation to the concentration camps and the holocaust is irresponsible and appalling.

Gaza is run by Hamas. During the intafada 85%-87% of Gazans supported suicide bombers. They want to destroy Israel and kill as many Jews as they can. I pray daily for the 13-15% of Gazans who are decent people. The embargo seems to be working. Gazans are upset with Hamas for bringing them into their mess. Let them bring in a decent government instead of the murderous, hateful government they have. I don't say that the embargo is great, but there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The option is allowing that murderous government to have a normal thriving society which would continue to attack innocents. The comparison to German persecution of Jews is obscene and very mistaken.

I admit that I often forget the difference between a government and it's people. I tend to believe that all Israeli people are unified in their disdain for the Palestinian people, and it makes me angry. Just as much of the world most fails to see the difference between my American government and it's people. This article was a slap in the face of my ignorance, and a glorious reminder that we are all the same. It's people, not governments, that make up a country, people with varying views and opinions. I will try to never again combine the actions of a government with the will of it's citizens.

this article is indeed a very important one. without doubt, it will stir up outrage by some, if not many. but the article is important, because empathy is missing, everywhere! we need more imagination and open-mindedness! more universal human values! less blame and condemnation of whole groups of people just because they share something. on a related note, it is a paradox for me to see some members of a religion, that has experienced utterly devastating suffering in its history, negating the suffering of others or justifying the suffering with claims of being guilty for this and that and thus deserving suffering. how can this be?

I dont think ill change your mind as its impossible to help a libral especially jewish librals, the mindset that supported hitler. How can you compare what the natzis did to the jews? The jews where not a threat of throwing missles or blowing themselves up. These people in gaza many of them regardless what you give them will always find reasons to kill jews. The world needs to learn that you cant reason with these terrorists. Yes, turkey politicians will support the terror as turkey is now full of that junk and to win votes you need to tell the majority what they want to hear, same is happening all over europe as these muslims start loading up countires with their people. Most muslims are great people, but those who are bad are just rotten bad. In the USA the muslim population is growing, the politicians here will soon tell them what they want to hear too.

... and you are writing about how you describe your friend in Israel. "...an intellectual and a kind and generous man." Just fill the blanks. That someone who seems like a really good person in a certain social context can be a callous villain in another should not come as a surprise to anybody.