Physicist who refused to lecture in U.K.: I'm not calling for boycott

Ron, I spent many years in the UK and NEVER encountered antisemitisim... the professor is entitled to his beliefs, it is beliefs that make this world interesting, but people who whine about how "this affected me severly" all the time Oh poor me !!! make it a deppressing place to be. Don't whine about it do something about it. Make your mark in life, don't let some other idiot mark yours !!

Dear Laura, Thank you for your reply. The existence of Palestinian refugee camps is quite clearly an example of ethnic cleansing. The logic is very simple. These Palestinians are not allowed back to their homeland. They have been denied the right of return. They have been removed from their land by force and fear by another ethnic group, the Israelis, and not allowed to come back. They have been ejected from their homeland. There are literally millions of them in camps in Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East, being supported day-in-day-out by the UN for the last 50 years. They are not citizens of other countries, they are from the land that has been renamed Israel. The only way Israel can live up to its obligations as a democracy is to allow the Palestinians to return. It will not, which is why I say repeatedly that Israel is not a modern secular democracy.

Dear Semsem, I am glad to see that you have acknowledged the right of ordinary citizens anywhere to organize a boycott. It would be hypocritical of you now to condemn British Academics for organizing one, or even the Syrians, on behalf of the oppressed Palestinians. But I am curious as to what the charge would be should you mount one. Would it be ethnic solidarity? Now that wouldn?t be very democratic, would it?

"#2 The Islamic countries like Indonesia love to teach us morals. Indonesia slaughtered the people of Timor, Chinese and Christians. Hypocrites." -Laila This argument keeps popping up again and again: Injustice is everywhere (is normal?), so we should be able to practise this as well! Funny kind of morality if you ask me.

"Following along your lines of asking questions. If Israel is an apartheid state why there are Arab MPs?" What, like Azmi Bishara, who is in fear of his life?

You say brits are anti semites.Would you say that those same brits embrace arabs,love blacks,promote asians.I understand france is very anti semetic as well,do you see the day that the french might elect a french jew.or a non jewish frenchman being elected prime minister of israel.Do you think that in canada the jewish people face more racism than the aboriginal people.How many places in canada do you think you can walk with out seeing racist graffiti about "indians"do you think we have anti semitism laws or anti indian laws.If you guesed anti semitism your right.When our biggest newspaper chain did a week long story on racism.guess what the theme was,blacks,natives,asians,NO,anti semitism.Yes anti semitism is real.So is every other form of racism.You wouldnt know it because We all just share one heading,racism.Do you think the black jews have the same amount of racism as a white jew.are they welcomed as true equalls.I had ever slang name thrown at me by jewish posters.It is in all men

I knew that you meant Arab , but i also said it in my tb. No problem with this of course . I think , but not 100 % sure , that an Egyptian was awarded a Nobel in litterature , not a great contribution to mankind maybe . You will be accused of racism when telling the thrut , that no Arab was awarded a scientific Nobel , but you are right . The why of this remains . Don't forget that a peace [ ? ] Nobel was awarded to ..... Arafat

You have'nt met many Jews i suppose . Or only East European . Here , in my country , there are 100 % Jews , whom you would call Arabs . They came from North Africa . And also many other non East Europeans who don't have the "Polish or Russian" look as you wrote [ how do they look ? ] Regarding "who is Jewish" , here the response is : a Jewish mother , or conversion by Orthodox [ maybe that conversions made by other than Orthodox , outside Israel are also accepted here ]. Of course , if a Jew converts to another faith , his body is still Jewish , but his head no more , so no more Jewish .

#8 your name and anti Israeli comment is enough to show us that Britain is no longer Britain but Britanstan.

#2 The Islamic countries like Indonesia love to teach us morals. Indonesia slaughtered the people of Timor, Chinese and Christians. Hypocrites.

It's time that the world Jewish Community start a boycott of Britain. It will hurt them a lot more than their boycotts.

the world will come to a screeching halt Don?, I better grab the last cold beer from my fridge before we lose all power because of the anti-boycotts.

#24 I have lived in Britain since 1946 and I can assure you that the majority of British are antisemitic. So you deny they are. You are not Jewish so how do you know? Secondly no antisemite has ever admitted being an antisemite.

Thanks for your posts...good to know you are out there. Kath I did not feel your post was at all mean spirited..I took it for what it was....a message to me to stay away from Ballistic and for this I say thanks.She interpreted it negatively as is her way. Again my thanks to all of you... Connie.

web page some time back that the Germans acquired an interest in Haaretz. If you and yours controlled it, it would be like minded folks putting out only posts outlining your chronic victimhood with nothing to offset the falsity of it. YOu should not have sold an interest in it, I guess, from your point of view. Cheers.

I beg to differ with one of your points. Jews may be considered Semitic, however, that 'tribe' that came from Europe has no rights to the Holy Land. I was reading another thread yesterday on Haaretz re military service and a Haredi pointed out they shouldn't servie cause they lived with Arabs from time immemorial and had no trouble until zionists, not plain ole Jews, plopped down and began warring with folks. If you give me a house, can I then bring all my would be relatives and claim the town, the country? Reading the IDF service post, I saw there was great disagreement with 1 side side essentially calling the other a 'leech' and the retort that religion is BS and in no way defends Israel. Regards.

I don't know why a Old Black Wonam with a Jewish Boyfriend and Multiple children from different fathers and who is an ardent Black Muslim follwer of Farrakhan UPSET YOU.If She was white we'd call her trailer trash but we can't-SO why not just call her simply trash. Ps: The description is from the horses (trash)mouth and not mine.

BJ: "How do you define a jew[?]" Anyone who's mather is Jewish is a Jew. So now you know whom to hate.

I am not a supporter of Islam either,just like im not a supporter of zionism.I think the two religions have brought the world to a precapice with your intolerance.

....every Muslim has died. Don't be ashamed, call for a Final Solution!

I grew up in a British Colony then moved to Montreal and then Toronto. I have met all kinds of people in multicultural Canada. The Anglos are the most anti-semitic. They have the ability to mask it better than the French. We had a saying when I lived in Montreal. With the French, the knife came at you from the front. With the English the knife came at you from the back. What hypocrisy the English lecturing others about occupation and anti-semitism. England occupied the World at one time and was the first european country to expel the Jews in the 13th century. It is in the genes. It could change as the Muslims take over the UK.

I know a few pigs in Scarborough (Ontario) The wind brings a lot of bad smell from that pig farm!!! You want to be arms supplier??? I suggest pig manure supplier..much success!!!!!

Please explain to me how Israel's policy with respect to refugees after the 1949 armistice differed from that of European countries in 1945. A good example might be Germans from Sudetenland. Your assertion that the existence of Palestinian refugee camps demonstrates Israel's "continuing ethnic cleansing" is beyond absurd. The only party in the area with a policy of ethnic cleansing is Hamas -- you know, all that flowery talk about Jewish tears of blood, etc. etc. As for the second issue, the expulsion of Jews from Arab countries in 1948 was a result of Israel's declaration of statehood, in keeping with the UN's resolution to partition the remaining territory of the Palestinian Mandate. Here's a quiz for you. What North African country expelled about a quarter million Jews in the 1960s? Where is the world's outrage over those refugees?

Connie Sent you a reply,but Haaretz has not put it out yet?if ever. I shall be brief,and tell you if I had indeed been rude to you to such an extent,you undoubtedly would have retaliated.I cannot for the life of me remember anything egregious that I may have said to offended you. So,just ignore it,best thing.She is just a ?bully?and we?ll leave it at that,my dear. A couple of forums ago I sent her a long response telling her to just keep out my life,and leave me alone. She is like bull terrier,and will not let go. Anytime I respond to anyone(not her for sure) pertaining Israel and our people she is there like ?dog with a bone?. I hope Haaretz puts this one out. Because I want to clear the air and sort this stupid mess once and for all (with that woman).Sorry Connie,it did upset me,BUT I wasn?t going to give her the satisfaction by responding to her,NO WAY EVER! P/S Could it be ?divide and rule?? Cheers

Connie Sent you a reply,but Haaretz has not put it out yet?if ever. I shall be brief,and tell you if I had indeed been rude to you to such an extent,you undoubtedly would have retaliated.I cannot for the life of me remember anything egregious that I may have said to offended you. So,just ignore it,best thing.She is just a ?bully?and we?ll leave it at that,my dear. A couple of forums ago I sent her a long response telling her to just keep out my life,and leave me alone. She is like bull terrier,and will not let go. Anytime I respond to anyone(not her for sure) pertaining Israel and our people she is there like ?dog with a bone?. I hope Haaretz puts this one out. Because I want to clear the air and sort this stupid mess once and for all (with that woman).Sorry Connie,it did upset me,BUT I wasn?t going to give her the satisfaction by responding to her,NO WAY EVER! Cheers and all the best

what "lynch mob mentality"? both you and the professor lack the depth to understand that the prevailing sentiment expressed by british academics, and those of most intellectuals, and their boycott of israeli universities, is NOT based in antisemitism or anti-israeli beliefs. it's about israeli policiies towards the palestinians and the relative lack of activity in the israeli academic world to affect change to those policies. the professor is NO "hero"; he's just one more closed mind who touts israel's guiding line: "either close your eyes to what we do; or your antisemitic".

Connie hello I think I know the reason.But,you must have realized by now that the person in question has some grudge against not only on myself(most assuredly so)but against those who sympathize with our PEOPLE/ISRAEL.In brief she is nothing but a great "bully".I do not ever remember my chiding you for whatever reason.And if I did I would aknowledge it forthwith.I cannot abide double dealing and am quite direct.If I need to to engage in defending Israel will do so without hesitation,and I DO! Whatever the(said person)is saying leaves me baffled and hav to what on earth she is talking about.If I had offended you,no doubt you would have told me,right?Of course you would. Therefore,just ignore it,as I have done for quite sometime.Hers is a form of dictatorship.Attacks are her norm and she revels in them.Simply ignore it,hateful to the core. I put out a long response telling her to keep out of my life,and leave me alone.Just a "big bully". P/S Haaretz,for#313 Conni

who assured this site israel received aid from the usa equivalent to the laughable figure of usd 50000 for every man woman and child in the state.

he wear it at the clinic in wales.his patients are rather alarmed.

uncletom i presume meant you are an uncletom for sucking up to the arabs who hate you. they mistreat your people and you love them to bits.

I know your post was not addressed to me,but if I may say?...just consider the source and don't be to concerned about the nonsense that comes out of Henderson..you're not alone,believe me.

In the 1930s he opposed Jabotinsky. In 1947 he argued against partition and in favour of Jewish-Arab coexistence. In 1948 he protested along with other Jewish intellectuals against the fascist tendencies of Begin's Freedom party, the forerunner of Likud. Here is a quote: "My awareness of the essential nature of Judaism resists the idea of a Jewish state with borders, an army, and a measure of temporal power, no matter how modest. I am afraid of the inner damage Judaism will sustain - especially from the development of a narrow nationalism within our own ranks, against which we have already had to fight strongly, even without a Jewish state." In his dying moments in 1955 he still argued for peaceful Jewish-Arab coexistence. "The attitude we adopt toward the Arab minority will provide the real test of our moral standards as a people." To be sure, Einstein was committed to the welfare of the Jewish people, but do you think he would have been proud of what Israel has become?

I know you and your pwwople have had a tough time - but what is all this JEw hatred about? What difference does it make to you who or who does not consider himself a Jew. Being Jewish is being part of a nation - there are those who adhere to the religious codes and preactices and others who don't. What it such a big deal for you. Anyone who is not born Jewish (must have a Jewish mother) can become one if he so wishes, but undergoing a conversion process which involves learning.

No Ben Alofs, not true. Resolution 242 talks of right of return for the refugees who left AFTER AND WHEN there is a peace settlement that guarantes Israel safe and secure borders, therafter the refugee problem with be resolved by the sides, which does not necessarily mean right of return, but also compensation. The 800,000 Jews who were thrown out of Arab countries at about the same time and sispossessed of all their assets should be addressed in the same framework.

The tennant farmers were obviously unhappy as would be any normal human being. The reasons for not wanting Israel go much deeper.Islamic imperialism plays a part.

I said Arab and NOT muslim. What is wrong with that? They call themselves "Arabs" as in the "United Arab Emerites", or the "Arab League". But I'll say it again, if the Nobel prize is any measure of progress, then all of the countries of Araby, and that hundreds of millions of people, are sorely, and exceptionally behind the rest of the world. Enlightened people everywhere should start to ask the question, "WHY"!

So your the good guy.You come after the genocide,but were eager to take part in the pillage.But your the good guys because you were not on the front line of battle,but came in through the back door,so that makes you unacountable.Your logic does not inspire me,but thanks for the advice on gambling and cigaretes.Do you work for jack abramoff.

Charles we did fine with out you,that may come as a shock.But it is what it is.How do you define a jew charles.Is it genetic or is it abideing by the 400 plus laws of moses.Is it passed down from the father or the mother or do both parents have to be jewish.Ive heard supposed jewish people say they are jewish but do not follow the laws of moses.And ive heard that for a none jew the conversion calls for him to adhere to the 400 plus laws.It gets confuseing.The jewish people i have met,look alot more polish and russian then semetic.But im just a gentile/goyim if you wish,so what do i know.

The Equalizer First let me thank you(about you know..) Had no time yesterday so I am making amends now.I will only add this,hope you don't mind. It goes thus:HA,HA,HA,HA,HA,HA. Vous me comprenez?J'espair que oui!et merci...

Kath I am at a loss here...what hateful post did you send me? What is that Ballistic talking about? I only remember you saying that it is a waste of time posting to Henderson which I agree about.Now it has evolved into me being a mentally challenged child chided by you and that my ears are still ringing from the chastising you gave me. Please respond and clarify. Thanks.

Connie Bravo,and Cheers. I can add nothing more,because you have made such a good point.As far as telling the truth you showed it with due sincerity. end

Try Orana Fallaci she described the morals of the left so perfectly. Meanwhile let's get it straight your problem does not start or stop with settlements it is Israel's existence.

If I remember correctly Kath felt it is a waste of time to direct any conversation to you. You have a knack of turning everything on its head including your info about Israel. Calling me a mentally challanged child is not only uncalled for but shows your lack of capacity for civility. My educational credentials are none of your business but I do hope that if I am working in Neveda you never need medical assistance.As for discussing relevant facts about Israel I doubt anyone could have a rational discussion with you...you refuse to look at the facts and what happened when Israel was founded in 1948... you are stuck in the quicksand of hate. If info was pushed down your throat you still would not beleive it..so why bother...and by the way REGARDS.....

According to the Geneva Conventions, i.e. international law.

I am not sure who I dislike more...Haaretz or Ballistic but both of you have a distorted view of things. Ballistic drags up info from people who have a long history of hating Israel and Haaretz does the same. Hass and Levy and the rest of the self haters and poor slobs who think they are being so fair to the arabs at the expense of the Jews. As for Ballistic whenever I try to post something negative about her asinine remarks and bias posts you never print it but you see fit to post her hate filled venom cloaked in assumptions that she knows her material. She does not....she knows one side and she stated she gets alot of her info from the BBC...so that is enough to let any clear thinking individual know what kind of mind set she has. When she crawls out from under her rock in Henderson and writes her sarcastic posts and unloads some of that putrid hatred you do not have to print it,you have censors.I know for a fact that you censor people who call her on her bias...why the favoritism?

Thanks bro - we might find we're cousins yet. I've already discovered an entire branch of my father's family in the USA (emigrated at the beginning of the 20th century and changed their name) and descendents of my father's cousin in (would you believe it) Sderot, who immigrated from Russia 17 years ago. This was through the Yad VaShem website, which is amazing.

What exactly do you mean by "that helps". Either you are boycotting or talking big. Briefly: The intel chips were developed in Israel. Haaretz is an Israeli paper whose value increases by increased correspondence. Do only NZ Jews announce their faith?My question was do you know the faith of other prominent New Zealanders.? The boycott of SA is a specious comparison by the left whose only problem in this world is Israel.Obviously you have no problems with China. You may want to ask the Maoris how happy they are with the white invasion under false pretenses and the misleading Treaty of Waitangi. When are you leaving?

ARE YOU SURE YOURE SOBER KE?? YOU HAVE NEVER SHOWN AN ABILITY TO ACTUALLY DEBATE ANY POST ON ITS MERITS BUT WRITE ATTACKING THE WRITER ON APERSONAL BASIS . YOU EXHIBIT TOTAL AND ABSOLUTE IGNORANCE ON EVERY SUBJECT

you are not consistent..sometimes you come across as rabidly anti-israel and at other times with much more sober reasoning. the whole israel/pal issue is totally overblown...you talk of children getting shot ... yes i'm sure it happens but have you asked yourself what was happening in the background...i have friends in the IDF who say that anybody and anything can shoot and those who shoot dont care who is in the vicinity at the time. IDF also has friendly fire incidents - all as a result of cock ups caused by the circumstances. Now have you considered other conflicts in the world where civilians are routinely butchered, burnt alive, kidnapped for slavery - the IDF whatver you may think of her practices is by far one of the cleanest acts around. again the problem is analysing israel in a vacuum. even kassams launched deliberately into civilian areas by pals is ignored by you...this is a blatant war crime and haniyeh should be in the hague.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with disagreeing with another poster's view. Had you followed the threads of posts of them to me and others you would clearly see that my posts were appropriate, long overdue and well deserved, and they know it. Thanks for the concern anyway. Regards.

What you and Kath do is clearly out of line!!! You post folks you do not agree with using personal insults and BS, like telling Rachel she was a disgrace to her name for her failure to agree with you. The fact that she was a fellow Jew made is all the more horrible, in that so-called democracy over there. The triumverate of the BS sling tag team never add anything to someone posting views not agreeable to your own, except with personal, hateful attacks. To you guys, I respond in kind and that is appropriate. What I posted to Indraya was appropriate given the feigned indignance of the poster. There was nothing in Kath's post to her that had one rip stitch to do with the thread; it was an undeserved condescending personal attack and I pointed it out. You are the last one who should be portraying yourself as "Miss Manners" for appropriate posts, nope, you surely are not. You are as bad as Kath! Regards.

" As for an Israeli website, blah, blah, I think the Germans hold an interest which explains why it is an open forum and not simply one to allow "victims" to massage each other`s chronic feelings of victimhood without regard to the facts or whether the status is at all justified. " Jeez you talk tripe. You obviously know nothing about Israel other than what you choose to read- where do you dig up all this nonsense? You also know zilch about Israelis if this is what you believe.

good to see you acknowledge some facts....but u see big diff is that Jews are a semitic tribe and have equal rights to the m.east as arabs. all those other countries are pure colonialist enterprises. other big difference is that the jews did not commit genocide. your anger against israel is clearly misplaced.

Toronto's finest #303 I know a few pigs in Scarborough (Ontario) The wind brings a lot of bad smell from that pig farm!!! You want to be arms supplier??? I suggest pig manure supplier..much success!!!!!

calling the kettle black, yup, and I agree with you in that you and your comrades in madness, Kath, Connie and Lynn are "nasty pieces of work" as you say. as far as the "re Ballistic", my response is "whatever"! Someone who hates so deeply like you and your comrades do generally acquire an ugly exterior to complement the underlying mindset. Bottom line is you are an occupier complaining about the occupied not wanting to roll over and play dead so you can slurp up their land. That's the issue. Describing oocupation by you and yours as a "turd" is exact and right to the point and nothing else in the English language could describe it more appropriately. Keep polishing! Regards.

Try answering the questions. BTW have you actually noticed what happens to minorities in arab countries ? why is it illegal for Jews to live in Judea and Samaria ? Why does that territory belong more to arabs than jews both of whom are semitic tribes ? why are the boycotters only boycotting israel ?

more israelis and pals are killed in road accidents than the conflict. this conflict is totally over reported and sensationalised especially by state owned arab media to distract attention from their atrocities and mismanagement. why dont you do some research on conflicts around the world...nearer to home for you...how many people died during indonesia's occupation of east timor ? crass ignorance of what is going on in the world means that people like you are so focussed on israel and the pals. tell me what u know about conflicts in africa ?

You think I'm presumptious and condescending. I'm not. I just see Israel, a place I actually quite like, slowly drifting down the route of blaming those who criticise it, rather than doing anything much to remove teh grounds for citicism. Whatever you think, Britain isn't a particularly anti-semitic country and if people in Britain feel tired of the endless semi-imprisonment of the Pals, you can bet a lot of other people around the world do as well. and as for me criticing a brilliant scientist like Weinberg, I tell you, I wouldn't even dare to criticise his science, but even the worst causes in history (and don't worry, I'm not including Israel in those) can always find some academics who'll support them.

You ask whether I remember who was pushing the most for the war in Iraq. My memory telles me: Bush, Cheyney, Rice. Are any of them Israeli?

Okay FOX, I can have at least some understanding for your thinking from an Israeli point of view, even if as a Swiss I can't share it. Let me just "dismiss" you into the Saturday evening with an old saying coming from the world of sports: " Offence is often the best defence " A very wise saying, and not only valid in the world of sports, especially when I am thinking about a certain thing called diplomacy.... Lehitraot.

I rarely agree with your positions, but I do appreciate your response on this one. I hadn't been following the whole thread between the two of you. There is much value in what you say about attacking a message rather than the messenger.

Laura, maybe you wanna have another look at my # 242. Because I stated there, that the only mistake I made in my original post, was not to mention, that also the Arab side has a responsi- bility for the hopeless situation today.

What a wonderful life I would have! People all over the world want to kill others en masse, and I could be making huge amounts of money every day. Take the middle east. Last July, the Israelis would be using up loads of inventory supplied by my customer, the USA. This week, the same customer is shipping more of my goods to Lebanon.Could anything be sweeter? In Yiddish, they say ein chazarische took....a pigs life, indeed.

We share some of the same history, probably more than we know, and thus we are therefore bound together, and I don't feel comfortable getting into more arguments with you. I salute you, sister! Shabat Shalom!

You missed the entire point that Equalizer was making - that you castigate people for agreeing with those you are agains, then come back with a back slap for Indrajaya. I stand by what I said before -, and this is also shown in 283, 285 and 286 - this forum is not about you and what you think of the other posters. You have added nothing to the subject but plenty to putting people down with your crass language, style and manners. You, Indrajaya and Moron Ann belong together and deserve each other.

"If Jewish thinkers all followed his lead the world would stop" being so intolerant, abusive and inhumane

What an appropriate name for you! Say, did you know what you and yours did to the LEGAL Pals who were in their homeland when you and yours plopped down from Europe? Have you ever read "51 Documents"! If not, it is highly recommended reading and then get back to me about other messes not relevant to the Haaretz thread. Regards.

..."To boycott Israel today would be like boycotting Czechoslovakia in 1938 when Hilter was complaining the Czechs were being unpleasant to the Germans in the Sudetenland." Another example of this man's idiocy and ill comparison where he compares the oppressed with his old masters.

My post 231 was to Equalizer in responsie to one of his posts, agreeing with him, and not re Equalizer, it was re Ballistic, and I stand by every word. You're a nasty piece of work with tunnel vision, as someone else pointed out. And your language has a turd to be desired.

Have you ever seen the DVD entitled "History of the CIA war against the Third World"? If not, get a copy and take a look and that will answer your questions about Africa and other third world countries in turmoil. Defending one's country is a relative thought. You say Zionists are defending their country; Arabs say they are defending their land from Zionist aggressors. As for an Israeli website, blah, blah, I think the Germans hold an interest which explains why it is an open forum and not simply one to allow "victims" to massage each other's chronic feelings of victimhood without regard to the facts or whether the status is at all justified. Regards.

A case in point re my last post - yeas, Palestinian students do have problems getting to lectures due to checkpoints - but this is only since the start of the intifada and the spate of suicied bombings. There is a REASON for the checkpoint that the article forgot to mention. And yes, innocents suffer. Israeis cannot enter a mall, bank, cinema or restaurant without having their bags checked. I know an Arab med student who complained that he was checked whenever he entered the hospital - but then so is everyone, including all Israeli med students. Besides, these hardships do not apply to Israeli Arabs, Israeli citizens. To avoid these hardships, why don't they study at Palestinian universities in the WB until there is peace?

dino I have to explain to you, that I personally found myself opposed to the whole settlement enterprise after my first visit to the West Bank in 1974. I saw the look in the eyes of the Arabs and realized that this dream of the settlers was bound to be trouble. Not that these folks were against occupation, they have always lived under occupation for a thousand years, but they did not take kindly to being "ruled" by jews. Please check out "Story of Dogs" by Nathan Weinstock, google it, an easy and short read, very intersting. I would like to see the settlements gone, but it is definitely not going to be easy. Now I realize that the Pals under Hamas are certain that only violence will achieve their goals, but I believe that if Gaza had turned out quiet and the inhabitants and their leaders had turned to the rudiments of nation building, then the next step, which Olmert has been pushing more than anybody for the last four years would have been easier. As for now, no way

I respond in kind to what I get. If you send me personal BS, I send it back. Except for the BS sling tag team members, who ALWAYS send me personal attacks, I post on the thread. Note poor ole Uncle Tom's post to me. I sent him an appropriate answer, but Haaretz did not post it as it dealt with his history and documents laying out his history, not at all flattering. Regards.

Been there, done that - not personally, but my Parent's families in Europe were not chased out, they were murdered and their properties and lives taken away. I have visited the house that my grandfather built in Lithuania (now the municipal offices in that town) and the house my mother grew up in (and from where her mother and 2 brothers were led away to the nearest forest ..... All I can say is thank God my parents picked themselves up, dusted themselves down and looked ahead, instead of wallowing in self pity and basing their lives on vengeance and revenge. Instead they focussed on working hard and providing us with an education, instillin in us a work ethic, humanitarian values. Although they themselves vowed never to step foot in Germany, they never once tried to pass this down to their children. So don't talk to me about human rights, especially when there is no such thing as "right of return" in history.

You have it wrong - it was actually Israel that saved these poor souls that were rejected from the rest of the western world after having gone through what they did - something the western should be ashamed of. My relatives wanted to come only to Israel, knowing that wherever else they went, they would still be open to anti-Semitism and that building a Jewish state would be a good investment. My mother's brother was on the Exodus and I don't have to tell you about the trials and tribulations of that journey - thanks to the British. Funny thing is that all those European countries who worked hard to get rid of their Jews, then worked hard to prevent them from returning, are now battling with problematic Muslim communities - and still blaming the Jews and Israel. Jeez, what a world.

to use your vernacular!! What part of defending your country and it's citizens against Arab agression do you NOT understand? If you would spend half as much time on the deep problems in Africa as you do making inane comments on an Israeli Newspaper online, you would indeed at least be helping your fellow Africans. Join the Peace Corps like my daughter did in Malawi Africa and do something positive for the world and get you mind out of the gutter of bigotry, jealousy and hatred. Cheers.

I liked your last paragraph (and your honesty). As we know the media in England (and other places shows you what it wants you to see. Have they ever shown you the thousands pf Palestinians receiving cancer treatment and heart surgery in Israeli hospitals? Or the joint organizatin of bereaved families on both sides? Or what actualy provoked a specific incident? I've seen headlines screaming about an Israeli raid or attack following some hostile action against Israel without the cause of the raid or attack. There is a lot about Israel that is not shown in the media becasue it is slanted. Why don't you come over and see for yourself?

Illegal according to what law?

That's exactly what you do..attack posters..you never have an original thought,you just sort of lurk in the background and then attack/slander other people that have an opinion It's fine to disagree with the opinions of others but not in the malicious way you do it..and you call Kath a hypocrite?? Give me a break.

to post me or about me? Kath instructed you not to post me, and by implication that means posting anything about me. Gee, the whole BS sling tag team is on duty today. Say, do you have any opinions about the articles or is your sole mission to post BS attacking posters personally? I realize theft and occupation are hard concepts for folks like you to grasp, but try harder. Next time, check with Kath before you post to or about me. She chided you like a mentally challenged child on another thread for doing so. Don't be hard headed. Regards.

Well, if it is the second in command captain of the zionist BS sling tag team; we are only missing Lynn. Forget posting BS. I remember your post to an Israeli named "Rachel" who didn't agree with you and you told her she was a disgrace to her name and should change it because she indicated Zionist behavior was very bad. Yes, indeed, birds of the feathers flock together. You, Lynn, Kath and Connie make a good team. Kill em all, let God sort em out is your motto. What a hateful person and you are in good company with your team members. It is impossible to polish the occupation turd, however, no matter, you keep trying. Regards.

My bottomline was: My (nightmare) scenario for Israel, at least if the citizens keep on following their politicians: Continuation of settlement expansion in the West Bank till the point of no return (politically and due to the facts on the ground) = No more separation possible from the Palestinians = One day Palestinian majority in "Greater Israel" = Start of boycotts against Israel because the world might not accept a situation on the long term where the majority has no right to vote = Sooner of later the end of Israel as a predominantly Jewish state. Such a scenario could take many decades, maybe even a few centuries and there is no guarantee that it will happen. But there is also no guarantee that it won't. And as an Israeli I wouldn't wanna take the slightest risk of depending one day on the mercy (minority rights) of another people. No way.

underlying argument, that you and yours should be allowed to continue trouncing the Pals cause other folks did it in the past? Unfortunately, for those in the past, they did not have a 1.2billion + constituency coupled with the threat of nukes over there with one shakey Muslim country already possessing nukes. Regards.

Am I not allowed to object to this for instance? Or is it anti-semetic for me to do so? A few people who have responded to me say that Arabs and Palestinians can go to Israeli Universities. Yet I have read on Haaretz that Palestinian students are denied residency permits so they can live near the university, and the Israeli checkpoints make commuting daily impossible, therefore denying Palestinians and Arabs from completing the course. Am I not allowed to state this without being accuse of being an anti-semite? Jews are allowed to attend University in the UK, they can live where they want in the UK, yet apparently according to this Professor who is boycotting the UK whilst not wanting a boycott, doesn't mention this fact. Is that not one sided Anglo bashing? If I am not allowed to discuss the fate of the Palestinians who try to attend university. Not all Palestinians are terrorists, yet I am not allowed to say this without being accuse of being an anti-semite terrorist love

...you might think in terms of illegal, immoral, and ill advised. If your country was invaded by foreigners, I am sure that the government would recommend evacuation. When the hostilities were over, you would expect to excercise your human right to return to your home and property, wouldn't you? Those countries who excluded Jews before and after the war, wanted a Jewish State so that they could dump our survivors, like waste, in another place.

Your post was very interesting...but I am afraid it fell on deaf ears if you were trying to educate Ballistic about anything. She is to wrapped up in her hatred of Israel to worry about what is happening to blacks around the world. Pity isn't it when someone has such tunnel vision that they cannot see the forest for the trees. Keep trying though...something should get through that bigoted head of hers, some slice of wisdom without the trace of islamo/fascist propaganda. Must be the heat in Henderson,Nevada...you know sun stroke can do strange things to people.

Problem is her hypocrisy, not spelling as we all make typos. She plainly massacres words, but then criticizes others. So, what I point out is her hypocrisy re the vicious personal attacks on posters she disagrees with rather than attack the substance of the post. Her defense of another based on feigned indignance belies names she herself has personally called other posters, including me. I do agree that such attacks indicate no defense of the indefensible, which is my point exactly. She knows the deal and she knows I will point it out whenever I see it. Attacking a post is one thing; attacking the poster personally and hatefully is quite another. Regards.

Don't exagerate please . There was certainly one Muslim Nobel prize , he shared the 1979 Physics with Steinberg and Glasow , both Jewish of course . He was Pakistani , maybe not Arab but profound believing Muslim .

...a very large family in the camps, except for my 16 year old cousin.We found her in a huge refugee camp in Italy. All she wanted was to come to her family in England, but the Brits refused entry to ALL suvivors aged 16 and over.(A kindly Red Cross lady told he to change her age to 15, and she came to join us.) The wonderful Western nations that refused visas to our survivors before and after the war,were more than happy to send them elsewhere. Why not establish a nation to send all these people? They knew, as my cousin related to me, that most of the survivors wanted to join family, or Jewish communities in the USA, Canada, UK etc., not start to live a life of hardship in the desert. Zionism saved these coutries from having to take in a load of Jews. So, without a vote - in a land with a Jewish minority owning 10% of the land,they forced the UN to "create" a Jewish State. Legal? Immoral? Ill advised? If this was imposed on you, you would contradict me?

But he first won the Benjimen Franklin Prize! He's more American than apple pie! Hundreds of millions of Arabs and not one home grown Nobel!Little Israel with democracy and 5 million Jews has science Nobels! Read: After continued studies in the U.S.A. he graduated for Ph.D. in 1974 at the University of Pennsylvania. After the completion of his Ph.D., he went to the University of California, Berkeley, as an IBM research fellow. Zewail was appointed to the faculty at Caltech in 1976 at the age of 30 as an assistant professor of chemical physics. In 1982 he was tenured, as he became a full professor, and in 1990 was honored by the first Linus Pauling Chair at Caltech. At the age of 52, Zewail won the ?Banjamin Franklin? prize after his latest scientific achievements known as the femto_second which is the smallest part of he second. In 1999, Dr. Ahmed Zewail, a laser expert was nominated for the Nobel Prize.

post 233.

Can someone tell me why the Arab world has not produced a single candidate for the the Nobel prize in the field of science? Perhaps they are just too busy fighting and argueing with themselves and others! Maybe they just exist on the edge of civilization, still not convinced that it is time to come out of the desert. Perhaps this also has something to do with their notorious politics and backward religious fundamentalism. George Bush had the great idea of bringing Democracy to the Arab masses, based on the theory that it was only the Arab leaders like Saddam, Kaddafy, or Assad that were keeping democracy from the Arab masses. Good Ole Boy George sure got a lesson in Arab tolerance for the other! So have the Sudanese in Darfur, so did the 1 million Sephardic Middleastern Jews who were expelled from their homes by the Arabs in places like Egypt and Lybia. The Lebanese are getting a lesson from Hizbollah and Syria right now!

What I am trying to understand, is why this professor boycotts the UK whilst at the same time states that he does not wish to see a boycott of the UK. It confuses the life out of me. Secondly I am confused about what makes up an Anti Semite, which is what I have been accused of in this talkback. I have never on this website or anywhere else mentioned anyones religion, each to their own is my philosophy when it comes to such matters. In fact I have recieved kickings for looking after my Jewish friends. I can understand people getting upset about some of my attacks on the State of Israel's policies in the past, fair dues to that, but I have also on Haaretz consistently condemned Terrorism wherever it occurs. Prehaps my view of Israel is skewed, I get my information from the media, but how am I suppose to react when I see settlers in Hebron stoning kids on their way to school, whilst the IDF does nothing. Yet if Palestinian kids stone anybody the response is a 5.62mm bullet?

he was in fact nothing but a groupie for arafat. bit long in the tooth but nothing i see has changed.

but who is surprised?his country holland were right up in front in deporting its jewsih population.

Faraz, you are asking for an Israeli pull out of the West Bank, and I think the creation of a Palistinian state. Well, Israel voted in a new political party headed by Olmert whose platform is just that. In fact, the leaders of this party under Ariel Shron, proved their sincerity by pulling out of Gaza. What Israel got in return for giving Gaza was the election of Hamas that does not recognize the existence of Israel and has continuosly launched killer rockets into Irsraeli towns. Abbas and Fatah know that Israel wants to give back the West Bank and wants to have peace, but now even they also must fight Hamas and the Islamic radicals. Israel is not going to commit national suicide by giving up its legal military occupation of the west Bank to Hamas and all of the Islamofacists of the world that would go there to use it as a base to attack Israel and further the reach of radical Iran in the ME.Faraz please look at the situation clearly, without your hatred of all things Jew.

camped out in the middle of cairo were massacred by egyptian police?did you know that no one protested?

Like how many Arab academics are silent about the occupation of Kurdistan? And please, don't drop that Apartheid word: Why do all the minorities (Circassians, Druzes, Beduins, ... and even Christian Arabs) not only prefer to live in Israel instead of "Palestine", but also serve in the Israeli army? Look at the Arab states and their treatment of their minorities (somebody said Kurds or Sudanes Christians?) first before complaining about Israel... Your citing of Einstein is complete nonsense. Where did you get this from?

Don't you think Arab nationalism is narrow minded. Maybe the Jews had a universalist outlook because they had no home for generations. Thank God Zionism saved us from people like you.

"how narrow minded Jewish nationalism threatened to undermine the universalist outlook of Judaism." You've really got a lot of nerve. Self preservation may be narrow minded, but then I guess all humans are narrow minded. Is Palestinian nationalism narrow minded?

Dear Laura, Thank you for taking the time to reply. First of all, I think you misunderstood Yonatan?s posts to me. Yonatan rejected the idea of there being many Palestinian refugees as a means to deflect my accusations of ethnic cleansing by the Israelis. Then he said that this is what happens in war. My response to this has been yes, refugees are an outcome of war. But if they are never allowed to return then they have been ethnically cleansed. There are millions of Palestinians living in refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan and elsewhere. They are testament to Israel?s continuing policy of ethnic cleansing. The World Bank report of two weeks ago says the areas now in accessible to Palestinians in the West bank is now 50%. It is Israeli government policy which has the full support of the majority of Israelis. That much is clear simply from monitoring Talkback. Your second issue is that many Jews were expelled from Arab countries in 1948. My question is, were they cause of Israel?s own policy of cleansing or the effect?

The friction between Kath and I goes back a ways. She has sent a # of personal attack posts to me and others having NOTHING to do with the thread. It matters not who she was posting, in this case Indraya, because her complaint was a case of the pot calling the kettle black and I reminded her of her hypocrisy. Given what she called me, why should she attack Indraya for addressing "Juli". It should have been left up to Juli to complain, but as usual, Kath will pick up on the post and attack the poster personally without any mention of the issue. It was not about the misspelling of one word, but is simply a case of my pointing out to her her hypocrisy which she likes to lay on everybody not agreeing with her. Regards.

Aval chamor im nedaber Ivrit lo tavin kloum . Trad for illiterate Sam : but donkey , if we will talk Hebrew you will not understand anything . You have to know that a great proportion of Israelis speak more than one language , you maybe also Afrikaans , but where can you come with it ? [ SA means south africa , no ? ]

I have only one thing to say : your interpretation of facts are wrong . Try to read some neutral [ true neutral } litterature , and then you can talk .

Your claim that both Oslo and Camp David were "dummy offers" is based on what? The final offer was made at Taba (December 2000) and in Washington (January 2001) AFTER the beginning of the 2nd intifada. It was in fact Arafat's rejection of this offer that resulted in Barak's defeat and Sharon's election, because Israelis interpreted Arafat and his intifada as indications that he was not seriously interested in a two-state solution. Having a plan for what to do in the event of an attack is not the same thing as planning to attack, but I don't expect you to understand that difference.

Perhaps you should stick to fruit. In saying that "Israel denys basic human rights to people it has occupied for 60 odd years", you show that you don't have a clue what you are talking about. Egypt occupied Gaza, and Jordan the West Bank, from 1948-1967. Why weren't you and the rest of the world crying about Palestinians' human rights then? Or are Arabs exempt from human rights concerns? That must be why its OK for them to fire kassam rockets into a town of civilians, but not for Israel to act to stop them from doing so. You don't give a kiwi about human rights.

Like how many British kept their mouths in the GB's colonial phase when they occupied a quarter of the world? Did I hear double standard?

Retaliation? They ARE already DOING it, haven't you read this article?

Jews who want to become citizens of the Palestinian state, should have no problem with continuing to live in the Westbank. They will be able to express their spiritual association with the land, but as Palestinian citizens. Right now their presence in the Westbank remains illegal.

You surely are wondering the same thing as I... Living in Israel during almost four years, the main impression is, that I have never met people(as a whole, not individuals) who are so rough and arrogant.I have lived years in France,Japan,Spain,Belgium...Ant this is not only my opinion.I had no kind of pre-attitude before coming here...It is only so, the intelligence has nothing to do with "the intelligenge of the heart" -on the contrary. The arrogance is only the biggest kind of stupidity.

Sorry, I must have missed that the English language is a British product which you can buy at a market price... Or shall I write: Slicha, canireh fisfasti she ha safa ha anglit tozeret britit she efshar licnot be mehir shuk... I am allowed to use Latin letters, right? Or are they, too, British goods you can buy at a store (I don't use the word "shop", because you know ...)?

It is common knowledge that both were dummy offers.CD simply was supposed to formalise the Oslo which brought more settlements and cut up the West Bank into separate enclaves and allowed Israel to make more dents into P.land.The land swaps were not that great either.No wonder that Arafat did not sign on to Camp D.The intifadas were popular uprisings.The story that A. wanted them is just that.And who shall forget Sharon's provocative walk about at a Muslim holy site?Re: occupation,why not make a clear and straightforward Declaration now of ending it ?Most people around the world believe that Israel wants status quo, so it can continue with the settlements and continue withholding tax monies and customs monies from the P.Most people believe that last year's war against Lebanon(planned 6 months before Hezbollah captured the soldiers)was Israel's plan of Greater Israel and the monopoly of water.

In answer to your questions: :No, I have never spoken out against the Jews, nor am I asking for a boycott against Jews, :Israel denys basic human rights to people it has occupied for 60 odd years, I do not regard this as minor, if the occupied people were Jewish I would be at war right now, what would you be doing? : All people living in the area should have the same rights, all should have the right to return home, and to vote, : If you deny human rights to one group you deny it to all of us, : I am shocked anyone would call this conflict insignificant, obviously London is very far away from what is happening in the middle east?

Ben misquoted the man, but wrote that Einstein had written,in the 1930's. "How narrow minded Jewish nationalism threatened to undermine the universalist outlook of Judaism." Hmmmmm...Einstein wrote this in the 1930's, he fled Germany ion 1933 and was raising funds for the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Ben come on now, I realize that it is nice to take one line from a man's whole life. You also took it out of context. He was commenting on the Jabotinsky elements in Zionism. This is certainly understandable since Germany and Italy were experiencing hyper nationalism at the time, tainted with anti-semitism. Einstein was a complex man, and I would hope that he was capable of asking himself questions. Since Israel had not yet existed it definitely was abstract and something to be debated. Einstein after Hitler changed his tune. Turning down the presidency more due to the weather, the lovely civilized grounds of Princeton and Marilyn Monroe.

Answers are requested :Yes we have a Bengal tiger, very nice to, :I know they are Jewish because THEY pointed it out, they seemed quite proud? Shouldn't they be? :You obviously don't read New Zealand newspapers, people here are quite open about their origins and religions, it's not a big deal :Kiwi's have all sorts of religions and backgrounds and we all live together quite happily, why shouldn't we? We all have the vote here, it seems to help, :My computer says made in China? the Chinese are quite clever, our Telecom has a virtual monopoly on the internet, our government on drugs :No I don't speak for all New Zealanders, you will have to ask our future Prime Minster what he thinks of Israel, why don't you? :For someone from Australia you are not well informed :The boycott on South Africa didn't start at government level, it was grass roots, :Yes I read Haaretz, yes I am still laughing, now try putting aside everything that does not say "Made in Australia",

"The real problem is the Israeli regime`s determination to maintain Israel`s Jewish majority at all costs. This is profoundly anti-democratic" Israel was established to provide a place for Jews to be safe. That would not be the case if Israel were to be become majority Muslim. All democracies exercise the right to control their borders and to control immigration, and have the right to exercise that control in a way that maintains the "flavour" they wish. Why do you single out Israel for its exercise of this right? Why not pick on Saudi Arabia for refusing to let a Jew to even enter its country?

"if Israel would have found a peace- ful solution to the conflict with her Arab neighbours" How can Israel find a peaceful solution with neighbours who don't want peace? It wasn't Israel who insisted on armistice lines rather than borders after the 1948 war. The Arab states insisted on that, because they refused to recognise Israel's right to exist. It wasn't Israel who started the 1967 war, or who refused to negotiate the return of the occupied territories immediately afterward. It isn't Israel who rejects a two-state solution. Is is Hamas. Why are you making Israel responsible for the Arabs' refusal to make peace?

pls what a dumb post...every country tries to maintain a majority. r u saying the UK would allow in 40 million non-white asians ?

if you want ethnic cleansing try a little close to home ie burma and the karen people. u r of course correct that there was an attempt at ethnic cleansing in 1948 but it was the arabs trying to ethnically cleanse the land of jews. i see you are a revisionist. you also fail to include in yr malevolent analysis the fact that jews accepted partition ie sharing and teh arabs didnt. clearly you feel that the jews should have allowed themselves to be slaughtered. unfortunately for you the jews won the war and survived. I'm not going to apologise for that. The people of israel will outlive those with evil designs. BTW...how's the islamist war in southern thailand..was it triggered by a wall or settlements ? it seems to me a lot of buddhist monks are being butchered by these jihadists.

Dear Yonatan, I accept that both sides in the 1947-48 committed atrocities; the Palestinians as well as the Jews. I cannot see how it could have been otherwise, given the stakes for both sides. Nobody came out of it with their reputations intact. But, and it is a big ?but?, the side that wins must show magnanimity, certainly if it wants to be considered a modern secular democracy. There can be no other way forward. The route that Israel has chosen by building settlements on the West Bank leads inexorably to ethnic cleansing, and ultimately to genocide. It is also the logical outcome of a search for a military solution. I believe that ethnic cleansing has happened already. Firstly, with the first wave of refugees that fled in 1947-48. You say that refugees are a natural consequence of war. And so they are. But if the refugees are then not allowed the right of return, then that is in effect ethnic cleansing. Secondly, the recent World Bank report makes it abundantly clear that 50% of the West Bank is now inaccessible to the Palestinians. Again, that is ethnic cleansing. Ethnic cleansing is incompatible with the declaration that a country is a modern secular democracy. It is one reason why I do not consider Israel one.

Deir Yassin is actually an indication of how civilised the jews are hence why it is so well known. totally blown up out of all proportion, try brit mandate records to see how many people actually lived there. that'll give you a max casualty figure. arabs massacring arabs along sectarian divides obvioulsy doesnt bother you.

... but it won't solve any problems. The real problem is the Israeli regime's determination to maintain Israel's Jewish majority at all costs. This is profoundly anti-democratic, and I just hope it is still possible to steer away from that.

why is it illegal for Jews to live in Judea and Samaria ? Why does that territory belong more to arabs than jews both of whom are semitic tribes ? why are the boycotters only boycotting israel ?

Yes, of course I am including Iraq into the ME sea of blood. With good reason. Do you remember who was pushing most in the U.S. for going to war with Iraq....??? If those people (Neo-Cons) wouldn't have had the security of Israel in the back of their head, they most probably wouldn't have had the same motivation to insist on attacking Iraq. Means again, if Israel would have found a peace- ful solution to the conflict with her Arab neighbours, the world might have been spared from the bloodbath in Iraq. I conceed, that then the Iraqi people would still be under the fist of Saddams regime, so there are always two sides of the coin. No, the only reason why I called my original post one of my "dumber" ones, was the fact that I forgot to mention that many of the Arab (Palestinian) politicians are the same flops as Israels. Two peoples politicians = 2 (total) failures

do you intend boycotting anybody else on planet earth or is yr boycott and moral outrage exclusive to Jews ? Somehow, you fail to see how insignificant this conflict is in human terms compared to all other conflicts (of which you obviously have no knowlegde). FYI more pals and isrealis are killed in road accidents than in the conflict.

has it occurred to you that you have far less rights to be where you are than jews in Judea and Samaria. The West Bank is a very new name designed to deny Jewish ownership of the land. perhaps you didnt know that Judea means jew. BTW...there is also the judean desert or should we try and provide an anglo name for that too.

"Your dismissal of the flight of Palestinian refugees as a fantasy is a wonderful piece of fiction." Yonatan didn't dismiss it as a fantasy; he said that this is what happens in war. Where is your indignation over the ethnic cleansing of Jews beginning in 1948 from North Africa, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and more Arab countries? Do you even know that at least as many Jews were driven out, without their property and with no compensation, from Arab countries? Where is your concern about their "right of return" or for compensation in lieu?

Dear Yonatan, My post to you did not refer to ?modern secular democracy?, although I have repeatedly written here on Haaretz that I don't believe Israel is one, that is true. I asked you to draw comparisons with Edward I?s expulsion of the Jews with the Israelis? expulsion of the Palestinians. The second part of the post was to do with the nature of the relationship between Oliver Twist and Fagin. I said I thought it was one of compassion and love. I would add that Fagin is a wonderfully complex character and if anything the ultimate victim of the story. Matching the Wandering Jew with a bunch of orphans asks the reader to consider the plight of all those who have lost their homes, including the children of God. Should the Jews have the right of return? Yes. But to return and make the Palestinians homeless and then persecute them seems at best ironic.

An interesting glimpse into this is seen in the documentary "Jenin: the making of a myth". The producer interviews the British journalist Janine di Giovanni, one of the first to accuse the IDF of genocide in Jenin. Even after the death toll was determined to be either 52 or 56 Palestinians, she insisted that this "atrocity" was morally equivalent to the hundreds of thousands of dead in the Rwandan genocide. She refused to sit in the same room as a member of the IDF, and when he left, she asked the producer if he was Israeli or Jewish. This is the strongest example from the documentary, but there are others. I highly recommend it.

Dear Yonatan, Thank you for your reply. However, you make the mistake of believing that your interpretation of the facts is the truth and that everybody else?s is therefore, quote, Ignorance, bias or both. Unquote. Your selective interpretation of the 1947-48 War makes no reference to the proactive nature of many of the Jewish terror units, including the Haganah, in the first two phases of the War, and the atrocities they committed against the Palestinians, e.g. The Irgun at Deir Yassin on 09 April 1948. This sort type of omission does not advance your cause. Your dismissal of the flight of Palestinian refugees as a fantasy is a wonderful piece of fiction. There are certainly Arab Israelis living in Israel, but to suggest that a Zionist State is going to allow millions of non-Jews to threaten the demographics is facile. Yes, there are millions of Palestinians living in the West Bank but as a recent World Bank report pointed out, the Palestinians are denied access to over 50% of it. That is in effect ethnic cleansing. I suggest you keep up with the news.

at the Auckland Zoo,a recent major internet service set up in New Zealand by an Israeli company,drugs by the worlds largest manufacturer of generics.etc etc. Oh yes and Haaretz.Still laughing? By the way how do you know ALL those people are Jews? who pointed it out? Do you know the religions of ALL the other successful people in NZ? You sure you speak for ALL New Zealanders?

"But the analytical skills of even a great theoretical physicist are not sufficient by themselves to validate one`s position on issues with cultural, historical, and moral dimensions." And the analytical skills of someone with a PhD in English literature, critical theory, sociology, economics, biology, engineering, or virtually any other academic discipline necessarily are? Please don't make me laugh. The rabid left in academia is rooted first and foremost in fields like literature and critical theory, people who are largely a bunch of self-flagellating moralistic buffoons who make a living out of telling everyone else who bad they are, from their own elevated positions of self-righteousness and self-imposed ignorance.

Steven Weinberg may be an eminent physicist, but that does not guarantee wisdom on the political or moral front. It is his decision to withdraw from his speaking engagement at London University, but implying that the motives of people who want to boycott Israel are suspect without addressing the background makes him look distinctly apologetic. He should read up on what that other eminent physicist Albert Einstein had to say in the 1930s: how narrow minded Jewish nationalism threatened to undermine the universalist outlook of Judaism. And what about the verdict of Theodor Meron, in 1967 legal adviser to Israel's Foreign Ministry and now one of the world's leading international jurists. Meron, who is a judge on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, warned the Israeli government in 1967 that it would be illegal to build Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. Now, 40 years later he says: "I believe that I would have given the same opinion today."

He's doing exactly the right thing. We should all follow his example by calling anti-semitism when we see it and not being afraid. This is the big difference between today and the 1930's. We're not going to take it; we're going to stand up for ourselves and for what is right. Britain is full of anti-Jewish sentiment and they can lie all they want about it. They will get what they deserve.

She has much to say to deride pro-Israel posters and ther supporters - and there she goes rah-rahing Moron Ann, Indrajaya et al. Not an original thought in that silly head (another thing in common with Mo Ann). I sometimes wander why it is that pro-Israel or neutral posters are able to argue even with and against each other, while Israel bashers (that's what they are) adhere to each other like leeches.

Why do you think British academics and journalists were not outraged at the refusal of Egypt, who illegally occupied the Sinai, and Jordan, who illegally occupied the West Bank, after the Arab war of aggression against Israel in 1948, to grant autonomy to the Palestinians? You claim that your concern is a "democracy with issues". But the selectivity you and your fellow Brits exercise strongly suggests that your issues are with Israel and Israel alone, and the only possible reason for your unique focus can only be Israel's unique quality - it is Jewish. And that is why you are your silly boycotts are antisemitic.

"if people believe there is an issue within a democracy which needs addressing and are ignored they will boycott until the state agrees to debate the issues." Boycott away, Chris. But please do explain why Brits are so obsessed with "an issue within [the] democracy [of Israel]", and not with "issues" within totalitarian regimes like Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, Syria, Uganda, just for a few examples. Can you help me understand why for British academics and journalists human rights everywhere else in the world, except in territories Israel legitimately occupied in a war of self-defense, are unworthy of their attention? And while you are at it, would you please let me know why British academics were not exorcised with indignation when the Arabs refused to accept the UN resolution to partition Israel in 1948 and then Jordan after taking Jerusalem inviolation of the resolution, refused to permit Jews to worship at the Kohel?

Lets get this straight, In New Zealand the leading business people are Jewish, ex all blacks and local heros are jewish, and our preferred Prime Minister is Jewish and leading in the polls more than any Israel prime minister could dream of (sorry to mention!), we just don't like what you are doing, please dont confuse anti zionism with anything else, we are boycotting you as we did South Africa and for the same reasons, and I can't find one thing with "Made in Israel" anywhere so its quite hard!. Please don't believe the UK or NZ are not on your side, but sort things out! (soon!)

he told the UN peacekeepers to leave.He brought his army up to the border of Israel.Syria mobilised their army as well. Why do you think they did all that then close off the Straits of Tiran for good measure.? PS there was tit for tat long before the 1948 war,it was internal.Arab pogroms dating back to the mid 1800's,but formal war with invasion by outside Arab armies came from the Arabs.

Fourthly, another large part of the Palestinians fled because their own leaders and those of the Arab Staes told them to do so, promising them that they would return in a short time after the Jews were driven into the sea. Fifthly, it was only a small fraction of the Mandatory Palestinian population that was driven out, principally those living between Tel-Aviv and Beer-sheva, in order to make the roads to the Negev secure (Arabs had, for example, been shooting at Israeli convoys going southward from Tel-Aviv from - guess what - the Hassan Bek Mosque! Mosquseand churches are great places for Palestinians to hole up (the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem a few years ago), store weapons, or use as fortresses. And sixthly, and in conclusion, you are either ignorant, or conveniently ignore, the fact that Jews were "ethncally cleansed" from the Old City of Jerusalem and the Etzion Bloc in 1948. That's what happens in war, Nick, only honest people don't call it "ethnic cleansing".

i agree 100% with you that the genocide against the native americans is one of the greatest crimes in history. Jews have also suffered at the hands of christians. I am simply posting here against the anti-jewish bigots.

Hi FOX, don't worry, both my girl friend and my mother ALWAYS do agree with me. (Holy Swiss tradition...:) And if you had read enough of my posts (don't worry, I really can't expect that you read all of them...), you might have realized that I am hardly ever posting on articles with the Iran/Israel topic. Because this is one of the problems where there really is no easy solution and therefore I would rather be care- ful with criticism. NO, 99 % of my "bashing" on Israels political establishment is in relation to Israels handling of the conflict with her Palestinian and Arab neighbours. And there first and umpmost the fact that with their chronic (diplomatic) passivity they are seriously endangering the future of Israel as a Jewish state. Continued.....

"What then do you call the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians today, in the 21st century by the Israelis?" Again you reveal your ignorance, or bias, or both. First of all, you don't even know that the Palestinian "refugee" problem was created in 1948 (the 20th century) throught the actions of the Palestinians themselves and their allies, the Arab States, who attacked Israel the day it declared its independence (the Palestinians began their mass attacks on 30 Nov. 1947). Secondlym if there had been an "ethnic cleansing", would there be millions of Palestinians living in Israel today or in the WB or Gaza? FYI, most Palestinians never left their homes. Others simply moved from one part of Mandatory Palestine (e.g., Beer-sheva) to another (e.g. Gaza). Thirdly, most of the Palestinians did flee did so not because they were forced out but out of fear of warfare, as the inhabitants of Sderot are doing now, or as the residents of N. Israel did last summet during the Second Lebanon War.

Jews have contributed much more than any other people [ not race ] to Humanity . This contribution was out of proportion to their part in the world population . Do you know that at least 17 % of all nobels prizes were awarded to Jews ? and that they represent less than 0.01 % of this population , so not as every "race" as you wrote , but very much more

I don't know which of my postings you mean, because I haven't written about "secular modern demcracy", but you prove the point I made in #45 about British anti-Semitism, when you wirte: "Perhaps you could go a stage further and avoid calling Israel a modern secular democracy, because by its monstrous occupation it cannot be." By turning a political-national dispute into a religious one by denying the secular nature of Israel (i.e., bearded, Talmudic Jews persecuting the freedom-loving, religiously tolerant - LOL - Palestinians), you are again demonstrating that British anti-Semitism is alive and well. And as for Israel being a modern democracy, Israeli Arabs vote, are elected to office and there is an Arab minister, even though they refuse to serve in the IDF. Can you say that about Syria, Jordan or Saudi Arabia, where Jews aren't even allowed to live? You've been reading the Guardian, or watching BBC-TV too much, or both.

Weinberg is not an Israel, and Israel is not boycotting Britain. It is in fact British professional bodies who are proposing boycotts against Israel. Very irritating for Israel, I can assure you. Weinberg is acting on his own behalf only, according to his moral concience. And good for him too. But please don't confuse the issue. And as for him being wise - well I hardly thin you are in a position to judge the widom of a person of this professional and intellectual stature - a bit presumptious of you. You post sounds like a warning, and a very condescending one at that. People like Weinberg are way above worrying about what the Brits think of him. I wonder why the Brits aren't concerned about what we in Israel think of them?

another point of view and you come back with a pat on the back for the bigot Indrajaha. Do you get more rights than others? Do you really think it is classy to criticize the spelling of one word? Try to think out some intelligent thoughts rather than knee-jerk, close-minded, bigoted,petty remarks against anything Jewish or Israeli. I guess spending time helping Africans in dire trouble is beneath your dignity.

Hey Channah, I do not believe we have spoken thus far. I would like to commend you on your post to Tornoto's Whatever. I marvel sometimes at how history is dealt with so brazenly with little account for the emotions and situations of those involved. Toronto finds it difficult to show any empathy for those who might have been him, if he had been born in Europe fifty years earlier. But I am quite familiar with his eduaction, being from Toronto myself. it is a very difficult place to grow, regarding fathoming the rest of the planet. I travel to Toronto twice a year, and I am always shocked how the media depicts Israel. I am often a touch scared to return to my hosienda here in Karkur. The picture the media paints is somewhat like the media paints of the States, guns going off, murders and basically all hell breaking loose all the time. I understand him, but detest much of his drivel. Thanks for the post sister, it was great.

1967 : Nasser had first of all the UN observers to leave the Sinai , had entered many divisions there , was shouting that Israel will be destroyed and the Jews thrown into the sea . This is of course peacefull in your eyes . You are wrong , the Jewish population did defend herself against the attacks by the irregular bands first [ they were supported by the surrounding countries ] and the regular armies after may 48 . Their goal was to throw the Jews in the sea , and they told the arabs to leave their homes , bullets and shells can't make differences between Jews and Arabs , and they were promised that they can return in the footsteps of the victorious armies . The US has hold some Japanese Islands after WWII . But look at the European map , what changes . Yes Deir Yassin , was a crime . But remember 87 doctors and nurses , on their way to Hadassah Hospital were also murdered ! We are singing peace songs , not death to the palestinians .

In 1948 the UN was sidelined by the Arabs in this conflict when they attacked Israel with 5 armies on Israel's decleration of independance.The partition was approved by the overwhelming majority of the world. Tha Arabs sent terrorists into Israel from their territories therafter,it was an ongoing act of war,by the Arabs.There was,by Arab insistence,NO peace treaty only an armistance where the Arab armies were stopped.They never observed the armistance att The Arabs were offered the West Bank and Gaza in return for peace they turned it down with the decleration of No peace,No negotiations and No recognition of Israel. You talk so sanctimoniously of occupation.What other occupation has had the repeated offer to be terminated and been refused? Which other occupied group calls for the TOTAL destruction of their opponents? Slavery?Do the Arabs in the West bank and Gaza give all their output to Israel?Not keep anything? Hamas,the elected govt.of Palestine,openly proclaims NO peaceEVER

"ethnic cleansing of Palestinians"? My ass! Where do you get these wild misinterpretations of reality? PA TV? British radical left? Your delusional dreams?

Just which countries do you include in your "sea of blood?" You must be including Iraq, since otherwise your metaphore makes no sense whatever. But then, what has it to do with any lack of wisdom on the part of Israeli politicians? I seriously doubt that you can talk your way out of this one. Courtesy of the lady.

As to the Brits being irked by the memory of their 'defeat' by the Hagannah/Irgun, hardly anyone there has any knowledge of that particular nasty little war, which was merely one of dozens Britain fought during its imperial retreat. And the entire period of Imperial retreat is just a tiny minute in the country's long history.

I agree that Britain is the most antisemitic nation on earth......apart, this is, for France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria , Poland , Russia, Hungary, Ukraine, Romania, Spain, Portugal, the USA (don't be fooled), South Africa, Argentina, Greece, Ireland, the entire Islamic world etc. etc. As to all the antiquarian stuff about Edward 1st's expulsion of the Jews, that was long before Britain became a nation in the modern sense. It was just a series of feudal estates ruled by French-speaking Kings, who were normally more intersted in hanging on to their rather more lucrative estates in Aquitaine. The so-called anti-semitic Church of England was loud in its condemnation of Nazi barbarism and active in promoting the Kindertransports. By the time World War Two broke out, more than 25 percent of German, Austrian or Czechoslovak Jews had been granted entry visas to Britain continued

Yea pal, As if you understood WHAT he was saying!!!!!! LOL. Go back to your tree!

Hey Billy, yup, the Native americans got a rough deal. But I do not know what this has to do with the conflict here in the middle east. So be it. I think your attention should be focused on Doris (Dutch). You being knowledgable in Native American history must be aware of the place Doris' hometown NATICK plays in both Indian and Christian history. Doris, the OCCUPIER, happily resides on a Nat. American burial site. Put your qeustions to her, I would be interested in her meally mouthed reaction. As for the Native folks today, it is time you took your futures in your own hands. The time is now, you got lots of land, gambling, the cigarette market into Canada cornered, tax free alchohol, these are great businesses, cash cows, do something with that new-found wealth. You can choose to hunt, something the "pale face" ain't allowed to do anymore. It is considered "primitive' in the slaons of New York and California. Or you can fund your schools with this wealth.

Why ignore it.? Along with anything the Arab side may have done,does,or promises,in writing,to do. While there is no OFFICIAL antisemitism in most of the world,it has not disappeared,there are anti semites around on a personal level as there always has been.Being seen as achievers is an unforgivable sin in the eyes of some. Criticising Israel is fine,distorting the news in any of a number of ways does not have to be accepted.Why is that done? who knows for sure.

Dear Charles, Thank you very much for your reply. In response, there were three distinct phases in the 1947-48 war. It was only in the latter stage was there a distinct Arab attack on Israel. In the first two phases it was very much tit-for-tat, including the infamous Deir Yassin massacre by the Irgun. So it is disingenous to see this as solely an attack by Arabs on the Jews. I see you make no reference to the 1956 Suez campaign where the Israelis did attack the Arabs first, or for that matter to the 1982 Invasion of Lebanon. As for the 1967 War, Israel may have claimed that international law had been broken but Egypt claimed the straights of Tiran were in its territorial waters. That Israel made this a casus belli can also be open to criticism under the rule of proportionality. To attack a country without warning just because they closed off their own international waters was a deliberate escalation of the conflict. Menachem Begin also acknowledged the Israel started the conflict. As for keeping land won after a war, that is a very doubtful proposition in today?s global environment. Even after WW2, the US and the US did not keep any land won. Their aim was regime change, and they returned sovereignty to the Germans and the Japanese as quickly as possible. Israel has no such plans. Israel has used every opportunity and every conflict to take as much land as they can. When give the option of land or peace, the Israelis have always chosen land. With all due respect, I do not accept your remarks that Israel is looking for peace. Nothing in their 40-year Occupation gives any credence to such a claim. They are the 21st century?s moral equivalent of the Confederate plantation owners. They will tyrannize and oppress to get their way.

Most people in Britain have little interest in the Middle East and little interest in boycotting Israel, however, Israelis boycotting the UK is only going to irritate them. Israel has far more to lose from picking a fight with Britain than Britain has. The UK has been one of the pro-Israel voices in the EU. The nightnare scenario for Israel is if the EU, Israel's biggest trading partners ever starts seriously demanding improvements in Israel's tretament of the Pals. Having said all that, only 0.01 percent of people in Britain have ever heard of Weinberg and even fewer have heard of his boycott. He may be a nobel laureate. That doesn't make him wise.

The suffering of the Native Americans at the hands of the white newcomers was a travesty and your description of events is chilling. Christians caused much suffering in the name of Jesus to inddigenous populations around the world - European Christians who thought they were doing the "primitives" a favor and saving their souls. The Nazis were also Christians and the Jews often suffered the same fate. This is the anti-Semitism that is rampant in Europe today - many claim that Jesus was killed by the Jews. However, what does all this have to do with Rich's comment about Jewish contributions to the world?

"Do I KNOW that the establishment of the State of Israel was illegal, immoral, and ill advised? ? You can't KNOW these things - you can only think them - illegal (legality is based on law ? so according to which law is it illegal?). Immoral is a judgment term (some think stoning a woman to death not only is moral, but in fact protects morals). Ill-advised? - well that depends . For Jews who fled the pogroms of Europe over a hundred years it was very well-advised. What was ill-advised were the orders the Arab league gave to the Palestinian population in 1948 to vacate, leaving the field open for them to implement their nasty work on the Jews. Ill-advised were those who adhered to these calls. Ill-advised were the provocations that led to the 1967 war, the invasion of Lebanon and the last Lebanese war ? and needless to say the latest barrage of qassams on Sderot.

hey Dino, yes those Jewish scientists are really smart, and I know the easy, snide thing to say is that the politicians do stupid things. Imagine you are the prime minister of Israel. Let us place you in the position of Dino the Prime Minister of Israel. You have recieved reports from the Mossad, the CIA, KGB, Chinese intelligence and the Saudis that tomorrow morning the Iranians are coming on line. In less than twnety hours the Iranians will have the bomb. This could be in two years from now, or three or ten. Doesn't matter. In the previous months the leaders of Iran are screaming that they will soon have the bomb and use it on Israel. Dino what do you do. Think about it, I already have thought out the options. What I am getting at is that unlike the gov't of Switzerland, our problems are life and death, daily. It is not an easy job and no matter what you do some very intelligent scientist will disagree with you. Your wife and mother may even disagree.

Well, if the ME is not a sea of blood, at least compared to other regions of this world, what is it then...??? And with regard to the contents of many of your posts, the Swiss gentleman will (once again) remain silent. Swiss courtesy....

After the six days war , people of the west bank could travel freely . Tourist , Israeli and foreigns , walked around everywhere , without any problem . I did it also . All those problems for them began because of terrorism . Would you let eventual murderers come into your house ? would you not control those people ? This terrorism against Israel existed also from 48 to 67 , And then there was no Israeli "occupation" . They do not accept a democratic Jewish state here . And i told you already , we could use the money we have to throw away for defense , in a much more interesting and needed way . But to make peace , you need the two sides to want it . We want , the other side not . We have build a state , they have only demolished .

You are very wrong regarding attacks . In 47 , already arab bands began attacking in many places . In may 48 , after the british left , all the surrounding countries attacked , Israel had to defend herself . In 67 , there was a casus belli , did you hear about this , or do you know what it means ? Egypt closed the straits of tiran , shuting off the acces to Elath , the southern Israeli port , this is in international law considered to be a declaration of war , an attack . Israel defended herself again . If there is a people here who wan peace , it's the Israeli one . We do not teach our children hatred , we do not figure them out as animals . We wanted to make hughe concessions for this , but i told you already what the answer was . In the whole world history , a country who initiated a war , and lost , had to pay a price . Germany lost parts to France , Poland as samples . Why should it be different here ? we wanted to give them 98 % of all the territories they lost , to no avail

Do "I KNOW that the establishment of the State of Israel was illegal, immoral,and ill advised? Yes!" This was a gem buddy. Once again think before you go comotose. Illegal, absolutely not, you remember the U.N., sure you do. Actually Israel is as legal as Canada and the United States. Please argue this point if you can. I can only imagine how you would have felt if as a long lad in Poland you were gathered along with your family and taken by some very nasty uniformed folk to the Warsaw ghetto. Afte the usual starvation, rape and beatings, (yawn eh) you are put onto a train to a Murder Camp. Luckily you make it through hell, lose yor family, and find yourself trying to start you life anew. Canada will NOT take you in, nor the States or Britain. But you hear there is a land, where Jews live free , head south young man. You make it to Greece get on a rickety boat, with Haifa on the horizon your boat is shot upon and turned back by the Brits. Think about it.

I certainly hope that you enjoy my anecdotal proes, because here comes another one. Back in July of 2005, actually on July 17 a Mr. San Pedro, Columbia graduate and BBC reader, intereviewed a dog trainer in California. San Pedro opened the interview, "How do you feel training dogs for the Israeli army, isn;t this Nazi-like? The interviewee said "No". On July 19th San Pedro once again took to calling the IDF Nazis in another interview with an Israeli victim of Terror. sure they write once a month a critical story about Russia and Darfur. As for China forget, they have spent this year leading up to the olympics licking the Chinese drooling over their great success. Money has a tendency to make the BBC blind. As for the Zionist state, it is legitamate simply because the UN brought it into being. It also fought the traditional war of Independence and to the chagrin of the Arabs who are not noble losers, the Jews won. Rejoice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Hallelujah

It's mistake. Country boycotting Jews and the only democratic country in the Middle east as Israel is completely fashist ones.

Prof. Weinberg, thank you. I wish Bar Ilan University had guts like you. We need leaders like you to stand up to those who impose double-standards.

hey T.O. interesting opening to your posting..."turn brain on before typing", a deep thought should be shared so I trust you will take your own advice as well. I used to play in a ball-hockey league in Scarborough, another life. My friend, please read and comprehend my posts before responding. I did not say that you screamed about anything. I was commenting on the relentless media headlines, not you, you are a minor character in this play. It is nice that you now accept the state of Israel. It is interesting to see that you have taken the fashion line regarding the green line. As you know with your adroit knowledge of Zionism, that the "green line" was the cause of the 67 war, remember sir that it was the Arabs who negated this line, not Israel. As for the BBC, it is obvious you do not listen to the World Service everyday. I do, it gives me a taste of how much of the world's population gets it's information. An anecdote on the way......cont.

....Enjoy your well thought out posts. Keep blogging. Regards. Ballistic... That's a nice suggestion. I will. Regards

Dear Charles, Thank you very much for taking the time to reply to my post. I?ve read your post 188 and there are some factual inaccuracies. Israel has attacked first, several times: 1948, 1956 and 1967. And this does not include the invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Your defence of the Israeli occupation is similar to what the Southern Slave owners said. Blacks needed to be kept in chains and whipped because of they didn?t they would revolt! Give us a break , please. Israel is in breach of many of the key articles of the Universal Declaration of Human rights in its brutal suppression of the Palestinians. Their justification for tyranny is similar to the Confederacy?s. If Israel was looking for peace it would never have built settlements. If Israel was looking for peace it would not have denied the Palestinians access to 50% of the West Bank (see latest World Bank report for details). This is ethnic cleansing. Everybody has the right to fight back under these conditions. None of what I have described here is commensurate with the claims of being a modern secular democracy. Elections themselves count for nothing, if in the heart of the people there lies tyranny. The majority of Israelis support the Occupation and the land theft it implies. Occupation is tyranny. In their acts of rebellion the Palestinians have huge democratic legitimacy; for support I refer you to John Locke and the American Declaration of Independence.

Dear Sg, You request that Martin go back and read some history. Could I suggest you do the same? You say, quote, The behavior of Chamberlain and Bevin toward pre- and post- Holocaust Jews was appalling. Unquote. Well, Neville Chamberlain died in November 1940, so how you work out that his behaviour to post war Jews was appalling, beats me. Bevan was the minister who introduced the National Health Service, a domestic issue, so quite what his connection was foreign affairs is also a mystery. Perhaps you are referring to his criticisms of the Suez Campaign when he lambasted the British Government, and therefore probably the French and Israeli ones too? He was also critical of Churchill for not opening up a second front against the Nazis sooner, a policy which, if it had been practical, would have brought the Holocaust to an end sooner. That doesn?t fit the portrayal of the man you have in mind either. The rest of your article is at best a collage of fact and opinion, neither of which is ascertainable. I would of course be delighted to consider any factual evidence you may present which support your creative handling of the facts.

Dino: "It was probably one of the dumber posts of mine." It was the dumbest, among many other dumb ones. Nor was it by mistake. You repeated the phrase "a sea of blood" three times. You can take in my friend Danite, but you will never take in others, including me.

Come on SG, don't take each word of mine face value.... By the way, it was probably one of the "dumber" posts of mine...:) Nevertheless, there is simply an amazing gap between the intelligence of Jewish scientists and the often strange, not very intelligent (to put it mildly...) acting of many Israeli politicians, their leaders included. Even you can't deny that.

Yes Nick , Israel is a democracy . Regarding "occupation" look at my # 188 . If not a democracy , how do you explain Arab Knesset [ parlement ] members and even an Arab minister ? they are not only in the great Jewish parties , but in pro palestinian opposition . How do you explain that there are pro palestinian newspapers ? How do you explain that Arabs , Israeli and palestinian alike , can go the high court of justice . So what is a democracy in your eyes ? have you lived already in a democratic state ?

Yes Jewish people are leaders in many intellectual fields, as so many of you so frequently point out. Can you then answer why you as a state are so politically hopeless? Not hopeless in the sense of playing a political game, but hopeless in the sense of reaching any humanly useful outcomes?

Listen , i of course knew what you are "talking" about . You are right , there are many checkpoints and so in Judea Samaria . But who is to blame for this ? If there were no terrorist attacks , suicide bombers , and so , there would be no need for this all . Do you think that we spend all this money for our pleasure ? We could make an much better use of it . do you think that our soldiers would not prefer to go to the beach with their girlfriend instead of standing there controlling people ? You certainly will tell me that we have simply to end the "occupation" . We wanted , Barak offered 98 % of the territories , including the non Jewish part of Jerusalem , to Arafat in 2000 . His answer was : intifada , killings and bombings . We left Gaza , result : Sderot is bombed . So who is to blame ? Not the Israelis . And if you go back in history , it's the same . Israel never attacked , always had to defend herself . That's it , sad to say .

Dear SA, You deny anyone who doesn?t live in the Middle East the right to imagine the conditions the Palestinians live in. Does the same logic apply to history that you apply to geography? Because we didn?t personally witness what the Nazis did we cannot possibly comment on WW2 or the immorality of the Holocaust? Give me a break! Of course we can. And it is right that we do. And the same applies to the Israeli abuse of the Palestinians. It is real and horrific.

Dear Yonatan, You say that the edict of King Edward 1 for expelling the Jews over 700 years ago was mistreatment. What then do you call the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians today, in the 21st century by the Israelis? Again, let me guess. Justice? As for your character portrayals of Jews in English literature, your take is a deliberately false one. Of all the underworld figures that Oliver Twist dealt with it was Fagin that perhaps he had the most love and compassion for. The real evil resided in the character Bill Sykes, an Englishman. Now there lies a story!

...But the analytical skills of even a great theoretical physicist are not sufficient by themselves to validate one`s position on issues with cultural, historical, and moral dimensions... That's a good one, buddy.

Dear Judith, You call British academics and journalists thugs for demanding that Israel abide by its human rights obligations. What invective do you have for those Israelis who kill unarmed Palestinians? Let me guess. Heroes?

Dear Yonatan, Perhaps you could go a stage further and avoid calling Israel a modern secular democracy, because by its monstrous occupation it cannot be. This would certainly dissipate some of the heat out of the debate.

...Here on a daily basis spewing inane rhetoric How dare you!!... People like you make me dare to "SPEWING INANE RHETORIC". So angry, huh? Don't let your enemy read your true feeling so nakedly. LOL.

Dear SA, I am pleased to see that you accept the legitimacy of democratic citizens to boycott those they see as a threat not just to other peoples, but also their own beliefs and value system. Because that is what is at stake. One nation, claiming to be a modern secular democracy, is undermining the whole system so as to gain advantages to abuse in a disgraceful manner the basic rights of others. That is totally unacceptable. That abuse is no longer going to pass without comment, or action. Should you wish to declare your own boycott then that would be your prerogative. But bear in mind that when they banned the Slave Trade 200 years ago, the British people accepted there would be economic consequences. They believed that this was a small price to pay for ending the heinousness of slavery. Finally, anyone who reads beyond the front page of their newspaper will quickly recognize that Israel has trashed the Universal Declaration of Human rights almost beyond recognition. This is constitutionally not acceptable. The UDHR must be as central to the new global community as the Declaration of Independence was for the birth of the US.

...Just show respect,and be not so presumptious!... Wow, Kathy.

Dear SES, In your vitriolic burst of outrage, perhaps you need to be reminded that this is the year that the British celebrate the 200th anniversary of their abolition of slavery. Within 30 years they had extended this to a world-wide ban. Unfortunately it took another 30 years before the US followed suite; after the genocide of the indigenous North American peoples. It also took until the 1960s before the iniquitous Jim Crow laws were repealed and the US could then claim to be a full democracy. Occupation is a new form of slavery and must be resisted. I trust Americans are not going to take another 150 years before they too realize their moral obligations and join the clamour for an end to Israeli tyranny and oppression.

What did #169 do in life except to hate others and call for the extermination of non-Moslems?

Not many people have the gunption to do what is right as oppoed to being politically correct.

Anywhere else it is called treason punishable by death, even in "peaceful" Moslem countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh. Has no self repect but Jihadi Moslem butt ki...s..s.....ing. Not much different than a kappo.

You have stated that jews have made a positive contribution,yes they have,so has every other race.You list christ as one of them.I can tell you that the christian church brutalised the natives of america.I can tell you that they were partners in the 30,000,000 slaughterd aboriginal people.my family and friends still have the scars.They see a christian,they run.Maybe you get a positive response from the jewish people,when converting them to christianity,but i will tell you the truth behind the schools ran by the church and its hand in killing off a people whos skin color was not like theirs.How they were beaten or killed for speaking the native tounge,which was not english or french.Who were slaughtered as pagans,and devil worshippers.How the church knowingly gave out infected blankets to help kill off entire tribes.And you think moslems are brutal.You have commited more killings in the last three hundred years than any other religion.

Thank you Proefessor Weinberg.

...engage brain before typing? I have never "screamed" about anything. Do I know the history of Zionism? Yes! Do I KNOW that the establishment of the State of Israel was illegal, immoral,and ill advised? Yes! Do I believe that Israel should now exist? Yes, but within '67 borders. What is wrong with the BBC being critical of Israel? They have aired stories that can be construed as "critical" of many regimes...Russia, China, Iran, Saudi, Congo etc, etc. This called "news reporting."

Well done Nobel Laureate Prof. Weinberg, and it's about time Israel takes a definite stand against intimidations from old Europe Academias in general and Britain in particular.

friend is feeling better after rolling about n the floor. Hysteria can be quite debilitating, not only for the victim, but also for family and friends. Where i am, we see english racism and anti-semitism on a daily basis in the englsih tabloids. But I suppose you must have missed the last couple of decades' worth of reads, what with attending to your hysterical friend and all that. But you are indeed right about Israel being a light unto th nations. Which other democracy would support an Arab anti-israeli party where its leader visits enemy countries and tries to undermine the jewish homeland. Don't imagine that the british secret service would have much chop with fascist right winh hooligans. Do you?

Obviously, to single out Israel as a top priority target for soft punitive measures such as boycotts is more governed by specific political, emotional or unconscious needs than ratio. While serious transgressions occur, it’s clearly not the place of the greatest human rights violations. And the ones that take place are certainly not one-sided in nature. Hence the wide held suspicion or accusation of anti-Semitism. Or the desire to deflect from one’s own current or historical crimes. At the same time, Israeli politicians or supporters behave like a mirror image of this approach. After all, Israel is the country that enjoys more Western (USA, EU) support per capita than any other country. This relates to material, military, scientific and cultural support. Israel is subsidized by thousands of dollars per inhabitant per year by outside sources. Subsidies, not gains through trade, commerce, economic products etc. Despite all this, EU and US are relentlessly criticized by Israel and its supporters. One wonders what is the strategy behind that, and if there is one, whether it’s a really smart approach? Along comes Weinberg and wants to play the boycott game. What can he achieve? It can only work either as a part of the arsenal of a very powerful versus a weak, irrespective of justification (see Cuba etc.), or when there is potentially wide agreement on a subject based on justification of cause (e.g. South Africa).

and she will surely respond if she sees it,I am interested in the question you raise,of free speech and also democracy. Your accounts of what happens in Arab countries may or may nor be true(there is a lot of exaggeration too) but let me focus on free speech and the question of democracy.Good for Israel and good for Haaretz.But is that enough? We(the world community) expect a democracy to behave in certain ways.And the question specifically today is that of apartheid in Israel.Are you saying that Ps in the Occupied territories are not subjected to checkpoints(which delay them for many hours some times),separate roads to travel(as happened in South A. and in the U.S.before the civil rights movement etc.)? We won't talk about other issues such as the strangulation of their economy,just about the apartheid arrangement. Appreciate an answer.

following yr logic the usa should not have attacked afghanistan after 9/11

the jews are a barometer of the world's mental and spiritual health.... from the 10 commandments and then Jesus the jews have contributed positively to this planet. One thing i am sure of is that when things are bad for the jews they are bad for everyone...history bears me out on this is. If the jews go, mr malevolent that you are, trust me the world will follow shortly afterwards.

Sam...very funny ref the english language.... would you also pls change your name as it is of hebrew origin.... samuel. you must be a jew like me. mazal tov.

does stealing land apply to usa, canada, all of s.america, australia, new zealand etc ?

can u explain the difference between pro-palestinian and pro-zionist ? both are nationalisms like all others in the world. arab nationalisms are brutal against their minorities..christians etc are fleeing the m.east, sectarian violence is endemic to all arab countries (jew and pals violence is also sectarian). so why single out israel for boycott ?

So you are saying jews control the world? Wow thats interesting. We all know you think you control the world but if every jew disappeared tomorrow, the world would still go on without blinking an eye.

One of the surest signs that a poster doesn't believe their own nonsense is when they criticize the spelling of others. Get over it. If you had any real response to what Kath has written, you'd offer it. You don't. So, in the most juvenile fashion, you complain about spelling. It's too bad you don't have anything substantial to add to the discussion.

How old are you? Almost 12?

Cipora hello I shall be going off soon as well.The person I was refering was the one who had the audacity to ask if he could call you "Juli" impertinent man!You were occupied in putting him straight on our dear Professor,and didn't notice. We'll forget it,it matters not. Subject Tosefta:He was saying it to dana yesterday he'd be away for awhile.When I went to Brad's article,he was there.Curious,but,it could be dana is taking over?who knows. They do communicate by e-mailI believe.Also with Ronnie W.So convoluted,childish and ridiculous. Truth to tell,am fed up,it is an uphill task all the time! So,without further ado,I'll say au-revoir And Shabat Shalom

Please define "slurping" as you understand it. It seems to be one of your favorite words. However it puts me in mind of pigs eating.

To all those who are calling for the boycott of the british or wanting to do your part,- start by writing to talk back in Hebrew Practice what you preach.

I see. So deliberate attempts to foment antisemitism in the US are going to pay off, are they? Unfortunately I think that's a deliberate plan. I read an article in an Arab/America paper the other day deliberately comparing Nazi Germany with Israel. It's just one example of many, including hundreds of hate sites on the internet. Shame them and shame on that paper. Shame on people who deliberately disseminate these lies, and who simulataneously refuse to accept any responsibility for the violence in the Middle East. If there's another Holocaust there will have been a deliberate attempt to start one and that is worse even than Hitler's murder of millions.

Ah I see. So the only separating the bloody Middle East from being a Sea of Flowers is a little Jewish wisdom? HOW DARE YOU.

None of my posts have addressed the underlying issues of Weinberg's contentions. I replied to people who, themselves, did not address it either, but simply attacked him on personal grounds. I posted yesterday, and I repeat today: boycotts by journalists, academics, doctors, architects, or other intellectuals, are repugnant. They violate freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of press, and academic freedoms. Indeed, such boycotts violate the very basis of Western democracy. The fact that these boycotts are directed exclusively at Israel, which just happens to be the sole Jewish state, makes these boycotts all the more repugnant. There was a time when Jewish books were burnt, and Einstein's science was referred to as Jewish science. Then, too, those who engaged in those activities felt justified. Never shall I accept the idea that Israeli academics can be boycotted, without saying that such boycotts smack of Nazism and of McCarthyism and of Stalinism.

This absurdity that gets trotted out every time real antisemitism is exposed: "Well. Debating Israel Isn't Antisemitic." WHO SAID IT WAS? You can debate Israeli policies until the cows come home and nobody will accuse you of antisemitism. Everybody in Israel does. What IS antisemitic is the double standard applied to Israel and its corrolary: a complete lack of accuracy concerning the Arab actions against her. There is a real blind spot here: the "occupation" is seen as existing in a vacuum; Israeli counterterrorism is seen in a vacuum and not as a response to real and continous threats to the lives of the civilian population. Also missing: a sincere appraisal of Palestinian intentions toward Israel's existence. The proPalestinian lobby tries to convince people that Israel is somebody's "colony" rather than the homeland of the Jewish people, labels like "apartheid" stick like mud along with libels equating Zionism and racism. That's antisemitism.

Occupation, slurping and stealing Pal land. Americans are last ones to find out because of manipulation of news. Have to read BBC and other world news to see what is going on. Blair was 100% right.

Don't you have a spellcheck or dictionary? The word is presumptuous, not "presumptious". Golly. Say I read another poster told you on a thread a few days ago that you mangle the English language in your attempt to be "audacious". You called him a pillock! Regards.

The reason we're worried is because British elites have cost Jewish blood - rivers of it - and we are worried that rivers more will flow from the behavior the media and others who are influencing the discourse about Israel and the Jewish people, in patterns that are disturbingly familiar to any student of history. You don't have to get to the point where Jews aren't allowed to go to school to start being nervous. Would it impress you more if people were tortured to death, like Ilan Halimi? If "Death to the Jews" became a reality again instead of just phrases on a wall? Where exactly do you think the delegitimization of Israel and the her portrayal as a baby-eating monster is going to lead?

Dear, Kath, I am most grateful that you did come to my defense. My own posts were not put out for hours, and there is one that still has not been put out. I usually do not respond to strictly personal attacks or snide remarks about me, but I do appreciate it when others do. I did not realize that he said that he was leaving. It might be true, but then again, he said so once before, just to appear under a different name. I am quite tired myself, but will try to continue. Have a wonderful Shabbat. Regards, Cipora Haaretz, pl. put out for Kath

You're kidding right? Please go back and read some history books, British mistreatment of Jews goes back centuries. Cultural perceptions are skewed and include accusations of blood libel - you can see hideous cartoons recently published in mainstream British papers reflecting this perception. Leftwing Brits have been afflicted since the earliest days of Socialism. The behavior of Chamberlain and Bevin toward pre and post Holocaust Jews was appalling. The record in the Mandate is upsetting at best. Meanwhile, Britian supported the annexation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem by Jordan - NOT the creation of a Palestinian state - in 1949. And lest we forget: that annexation involved the ethnic cleansing of Jews from this region, where they had lived continuously for 3400 years and which includes the holiest sites in Judaism, including the tombs at Hebron and the Western Wall. Britain has been proArab since the romanticism of the 19th century. Oil reserves don't hurt.

Good 4 him, we do not want this prozionist here in the UK anyway. This is a free country, not a fascist one!

with the expected pressure from Jews had he attended. Same happened to those Jews working for Carter when he wrote his book. Of course, they said they resigned in protest, but other news articles indicated the brethren really leaned heavily on em. So, this guy is smart. He just decided not to go, but he isn't interested in any of the other political nonsense attendant with it such as a counter boycott. Good for him. He is very smart.

Just ignore her feigned indignance. Once she disagreed with a post I put out and she called me a b---h, and it got posted. Surely her post to you is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Course I responded to her out of line personal attack post. Consider the source and keep on blogging. Respect is earned, not demanded and having Kath demand respect on behalf of somebody else, given her history, is beyond the pale. I Enjoy your well thought out posts. Keep blogging. Regards. Ballistic.

Well, Kath, you sure have moxie, yup you do. Can't seem to mind your own business. Connie's ears are still ringing from the hateful post you sent her, and there were MANY others having nothing to do with you, but there you are putting in your useless two cents. Do you run Haaretz? From many of your posts, one would think you run the blog except for the fact that you are the ONLY poster I've seen that has to ask Haaretz repeatedly within a post to please post your two cents, which is usually hateful and not on the issue. I recall you attempting to chastize me awhile back about a post addressed to ME and you did not like my response and, predictably, you jumped into something not your business. You're as hard headed as Connie who posted me since you instructed her not to. I hope whoever you addressed that out of line post to gives you a verbal shellacking. You're upset that a poster called her Julie; you called me a b---ch on a thread. Must we call you "Ms. Kath"? Yeah, right!

I don't think it's fair that Israel gets so much criticism in Britain, but I also don't think it's wise to put it down to anti-semitism. It's probably more complicated than anti-semitism. These are left-leaning people who read the broadsheets. They wouldn't associate themselves with racism. But they would associate themselves with what they consider 'the underdog' - basically, the person who's got the least money. They're not influenced by neo-fascism, but they are inflenced by post-imperial guilt - and we have a lot to feel guilty about in the middle-east. Hatred of judaism is far supplanted by hatred of anything that even has a whiff of religion about it. Most importantly of all, it's a lot harder to find out about the oppression in islamic states with no press freedom than it is to find out about the problems in a democratic state. Less hate, more concidental misinformation.

I don't think it's fair that Israel gets so much criticism in Britain, but I also don't think it's wise to put it down to anti-semitism. It's probably more complicated than anti-semitism. These are left-leaning people who read the broadsheets. They wouldn't associate themselves with racism. But they would associate themselves with what they consider 'the underdog' - basically, the person who's got the least money. They're not influenced by neo-fascism, but they are inflenced by post-imperial guilt - and we have a lot to feel guilty about in the middle-east. Hatred of judaism is far supplanted by hatred of anything that even has a whiff of religion about it. Most importantly of all, it's a lot harder to find out about the oppression in islamic states with no press freedom than it is to find out about the problems in a democratic state. Less hate, more concidental misinformation.

There are fascist Jews, fascist Americans, fascist European, fascist Muslims and the list goes on. Why should fascist (zionists) majority in Israel should be exempted. A spade is a spade, mate. Stay away Errr Mr Weinberg. We don't need apologists for Israel's crime in the UK. Thank you. Cheerio.

Indonesia is a collection of 13,000 islands under the control and domination of a Javanese central regime. This regime (fictitiously created just two years before Israel) has killed and displaced more Muslims than Israel ever has. The Javanese govt. has stolen land from other countries and unaffiliated cultures. Through a official govt. policy called "transmigration" ,it has placed millions of Javanese settlers and sold the stolen resources to multi-national corporations. To sit in Indonesia and criticize Israel is cynical, shortsighted, and ignorant. I have tried to explain this to Indrajaya, but she seems unable to absorb this information. Can anyone help explain this stuff to her?

apartheid in the Occupied Territories,not elsewhere.Surely,living in israel you know about the checkpoints,the lack of freedom of movement,the hours that Ps. have to wait to get from one point to another,the separate roads they must travel and so on. You can close your eyes to that and abuse me but it still does not take away from the reality of the situation. As for the excesses of the Settler movement it will fill volumes. But go ahead and believe that all is well in the state of Israel.the rest of the world sees it differently and yes you can call us anti semite,because you have no other words left to justify anything.

hey T.O. continuing on the subject of the BBC, let me relate a little story to you. A week into the Alan Johnston kidnapping I wrote a letter to "Over to You" BBC World Service. I stated that the BBC was in a bind. Since Alan was kidnapped by the Pals it compromised the BBC's reporting from the area, due to the simple fact that the BBC would be careful not to try to ruffle Pal feathers. They telephoned me to discuss this further. They told me that they found the idea interesting and wanted to interview me on the show. I asked when, and they explained that it couldn't take place until after Johnston was freed. I pointed out the irony of this statement, both the interviewer and I aware of the truth of my comments. What has followed is an intense and disturbing silence from the BBC regarding Alan Johnston. No wonderful reports and journalistic investigations as to the reasons for the kidnapping or how Pal society has made this kidnapping a certainty. silence eh.

I thought you were supposed to be away,for awhile.Leaving us with the last word: Kyrie Eleison,Kyrie Eleison, Oremuuus,Per Dominum Nostrum, Aaaaaamennnnnnnnn.

hey Toronto, Scarborough, drive-by shooting central. Good on ya eh? So now you are getting your claws into Prof. Weinberg, with brilliant lines like even a Nobel Prize Winner can be a fool. Sure I agree, Arafat and Carter are fine examples. but maybe just maybe, this gentleman has actually sat down or faced a scrum of British reporters and came out sensing that the criticsm of Israel was more than just a tad ingenuous. Maybe when one screams war crimes, geonocide, ethnic cleansing, when they do not exist makes their attacks on Israel much more than the common critiqing of a nations actions. To hear Israel's occupation of the West Bank tentamount to the worst occupation of all time is aburd. To hear comparisons to the Nazis is a sure sign of something more indeed. Now unlike you I listen to the BBC daily. they are certainly over critical of Israel, never voicing any concerns for the actions of the Palestinians, who are simply victims to be patronized.

Well many 19th century explorers mention that whole villages were empty because of unemployement . Others , Joan Peters , give not the exact numbers [ impossible ] but maintains that thousands came here because they could find work [ and at better conditions than by their "brethren" ] They came from Yemen , Sudan , irak and so on . Even today , if there had been no security problems , they would come to Israel to work , and this because they did'nt build anything . Look at what the Jewish population of the then called Palestine has achieved , and this amidst anymosity from the arab population . Some samples ? Tel Aviv , in 1909 , the Hebrew university , 1925 , Hospitals , industry , social security , and so on . Jews have built a modern country here , even before 1948 . But they did not teach their children to hate , that's probably the reason of our succes .

Cipora Firstly for not letting you defend or whatever, from the person trying to address you in such familiar way.I should have let you do it,if you so desired.I was too incensed and knowing where he comes from.And what his agenda here has been. Anyway,sorry for taking it upon myself.I just couldn't help it.I dislike that one immensly. Change of tack.Tosefta said he was going to be away,and I think he is not with us at present. He left us abruptly yesterday,with the word== "Kyrie Eleison" as though we are not aware of its meaning.Silly funny man.I was going to say to him thus:Would he continue it by:CHRISTE ELEISON?which is part of the Western Catholic liturgy. P/S Haartz this is for #115 Cipora J.K please put out,it is an apology...

Because that's what it appears to be. There is anti-Semitism in the USA - but we know who is responsible for that, don't we - the far right white supremacists (who are also anti-Muslim) and the Arab student bodies play their part too. And yes, faced with anti-Semitism, many American Jews will come to Israel.

Compared to whom? those who decided on the boycott? Hamas? What a laugh!

Again, it seems you are wielding the magical amulet Mr. Weinberg picked up in Stockholm to deflect all criticism. When it comes to debating the Israel-Palestine conflict, a Nobel Prize in Physics in worth this: a big, fat zero. It certainly gives him a platform on which to be heard, and I have no problem with him using it. But the analytical skills of even a great theoretical physicist are not sufficient by themselves to validate one's position on issues with cultural, historical, and moral dimensions. I've seen it before; physicists and mathematicians who delve into this realm often refuse to critically examine assumptions which have deeply personal ramifications. Even staunch supporters of Israel's policies should blush at his woefully inappropriate Czech analogy.

The world would grind to a halt.Your to much don.It must be hard for you to live amongst the gentiles.But even the dogs get the scraps from the masters table.

You omitted something important i think . Those universities were build during the Israeli "occupation" , not by the palestinian authority , and as you wrote correctly , not during the Jordanian or Egyptian occupation from 1948 till 1967 . Did you know that the Gazeans were not allowed to enter Egypt during all this time ? They could leave , not to Egypt , the land of their "brethren"

And don't think for one moment that you can address Ms.Cipora Julianna Kohn by calling her "Juli"! No siree!Who do you think you are?You seem to think you own this Israeli site? You then have the gall to also call Bradley CRAZY,not once but twice on the other thread! I should change your tactics as you are an irrelavant person not to be taken seriously. Here on a daily basis spewing inane rhetoric How dare you!! End

Apartheid in Israel ? you don't know about what you are speaking . Is there a numerus clausus for arab students in Israel ? no . Have they "only coloured" buses ? No . May they come anywhere they want as all the Israelis : yes . are they discriminetad : yes , in their advantage : no military duty . Can they come in all the hospitals when they need ? Yes . Do they receive the same treatements ? yes So what or where is there apartheid ? Palestinians are checked more carefully , yes , security . I prefer to be checked profoundly , so i know , i can be secure . And Israelis are also checked , in every bank , post , super market , shopping mall , everybody is controlled , has to open his [ or her ] bags . And we are talking about boycott , let the british boycott , but everything Jewish or Israeli . Look at my first tb . And that's also you place , in the dark , without cell phone and computer to spray your hatred .

What would he have said today? If you believe that what Eistein actually said means the same as "where will Palestinians go", then I do not have the intellectual capacity to explain to you on this forum why these two are very different things. I believe Eistein was a great humanist and would have strongly condemned the culture of death that was seeded and nurished by Arafat and his cronies and blindly supported by yourself and other like you. As a side note, Palestinians need going nowhere. There is enough to create a state of Palestine on the existing footprint with some modifications perhaps. Just stop violence and see how things will improve from there. Your side never tried this approach and continues by way of confrtontation and terror.

At least Israelis allowed you to open your mouth in a leading Israeli newspaper and spew your non-sense under the protections of free-speech. I am both happy and proud of my country for that. I would love to see you try similar criticism in Saudi-Arabia (for example you may object to penal amputations, inability of females to travel alone, killing family members for affairs of the heart which is sarcastically called “honor killings”, etc. ), etc. They might cut out your tongue, or just throw you in jail. An Israeli Academician

Everyone in Israel, without exeption, is allowed to practice their religion freely. So why the boycott?

Excepting that Jewish so-called liberal professionals don't make a habit of banding together to propose a blanket boycott on anyone or any country. Jewish scientists have always shared their knowledge with the rest of the world - and now they are being punished for being Jewish?

Winning a Nobel does not stop some people acting the fool. Why is he surprised that people pick on Israel? Perhaps it is the brutal occupation? The expanding of settlements? Annexation of land? Checkpoints strangling the Arabs? Everyone is a Jew hater who exposes these things....but thanks for calling of your boycott! "I see in the British press and the BBC signs of a very strong anti-Israel bias - a kind of blind hostility that whatever Israel does, it is always in the wrong - so this is not an isolated action of a small group of anti-Semitic conspirators. This represents a widespread feeling among British journalists."

England is apparently not anti Israeli civilians being killed by suicide bombers, or Israel's borders being attacked by Hizbollah terrorsts or its towns being bombarded with missiles. Yeah, right!

Forget about it - he's too accomplished, having dedicated his life to benefit the human race - to worry about something as petty as what others will think of him.