Ramallah radio station to debut, funded by South African Jew

This station should be congratulated. There is a definate need for English Language programming in the region. Its the common language of both states, Israel & the Palestinian territory. If the Israeli govt back in the 90s had licenced Abe Nathans Voice Of Peace there would be no need for the station but they didn't and shafted Abe instead. The people involved in the station are very comitted to the cause. Support the station not make all the anti comments posted on here.

This will go over like a lead balloon just like Air America in the States. Funny, how come it is only Jews who extend their hand in friendship and support albeit ridiculous as in the case of Amira Hass. If I lived in Israel I would use this venue to express the truth of what and who the arab/palestinians are. Send the message loud and clear....The Arabs do not want peace or peaceful dialogue..I hear them expressing their hate on talk shows here in the U.S. can you imagine what garbage they will spill from their own garbage heap?

I did not write that but you did not understand. He meant that Russians need money to heat their homes. There is an expression in English "burning money" which means wasting money. So the station is wasting money just as it would be a waste of money to burn it for heat (instead of using the money to buy fuel).

"He would do better giving poor russians the money to burn in their ovens to keep cold in the winter" I don't think I quite understand this... You're saying you think Russians should cook themselves to keep cool during the cold months? I'm lost.

Of course you are against such projects. Anything that approaches justice or reconciliation is negative for the Palestinians because you know that your side is on the side of death and destruction, hatred and negativity. Anything positive is anathema to you.

You talk of love for all but see justice only on the Pal side. Hypocrite.

You've obviously lived in South Africa and Israel and have chosen the path of the just.

Blacks in SA were driven by a positive desire to have equal rights in their country. On this basis it is possible to have a constructive dialog and a bright outcome for all sides. Arabs are driven by an ideology of hatred, domination of others following Islam's directives and the destruction/slaughter of an entire people. This does not allow any room for negotiations of accommodation by the Arabs of the other side. Not understanding this and attempting to see parallels with other much more benign conflicts is totally misguided and will bring the opposite result of continuing misery and suffering for the Arabs.

The problem is not that Jews and Arabs don't talk to one another. The problem is that the Arabs view the Jews as a Satanic force and will not recognize the Jews, as dhimmis, as having a right to self-determination in Eretz Israel,even though Jews have lived there longer than Arabs. Since few Arabs speak English and fewer Jews speak Arabic (a big mistake of Israel not to teach Arabic to the Jewish youth!) who is going to "dialogue" on this station anyway. It won't last 6 months.

Reading the hatred spewed out against this station I can only suggest Israel blocks its transmission. Some well placed interference equipment atop of the Ghetto wall should cover it.Pretty useful that wall.

Does anyone have information on the targetting of communications by IDF? Do they target radio stations in the occupied territories? Any serious contributions to peace by this radio station might put it on the target list. I don't just beat up on the IDF, I like to abuse all military establishments, esp. US. They tend to exacerbate conflicts whenever and wherever possible to ensure their funding, survival, and prestige.

This is unbelievable. A jew would fund this nonsense. The Arabs have lots of money and they can fund their own radio stations. This man would probably have funded the Nazis in WWII.

green-houses it's a waste of money. The station is going to spew hatred in a jiffy,as soon as opened.If it's going to open at all.

As Jews we always ask questions with questions (well its something like that,or maybe not) Two questions for you Mosheh...READY?????? 1. Are you really Jackie Mason?????? 2. If you are not Jackie Mason maybe he owes YOU $50 and 3. I know Im only allowed 2 but look I need to ask one more...if we own the whole media..tell me am I a pahrtner???????? Come on I was told Im part of the whole deal.Selling newspapers at toidy toid and toid is not being a pahtner!!!!

Kol Hakavod to Issie Kirsh. Human beings do get sick of war and there is every reason to believe that the Palestinians will pursue a Hudna. Dovishness will threaten all our brothers and sisters educated on Revisionism and Messianism, but the time has come to put the olive branch back into the dove's beak, especially as it parallels where the USA is going. One doesn't do this from wishful thinking but because of the broader strategic picture which sees Shia and Sunni in continuing conflict. The majority of Israelis still want withdrawal and truce.

By you, Ha'aretz is a moderate newspaper, and by Amira Hass, Ha'aretz is a moderate newspaper, and by Akiva Eldar, Ha'aretz is a moderate newspaper, and by Nehemiah Strassler, Ha'aretz is a moderate newspaper, BUT by a moderate newspaper, Ha'aretz is NO moderate newspaper! Hahahahaha! As Jews, we have been having discourse for millenia in topics of G-dliness. Not if the guy who is shooting at me is really my friend, could be my friend, or would be my friend once he is finished killing my neighbors. Do you have in mind to talk our ENEMIES to death? Hahahahaha! Dead PM's think you make peace with your enemies -WRONG!- you destroy them until they are begging to be allowed to surrender! BTW, my official membership card from the Elders of Zion, specifically says that we DO own the whole media (and control the money and governments, just not the oil or anti-semites).

i dont think that such ideas will work ! am against such projects!

ITS ALL BEEN DONE BEFORE ABE ??? AND HIS SHIP OFFSHORE PEACE MESSAGES GALORE THE RESULT AS USUAL MINUS ZERO !!

ditto 28

C'mon Mosheh,we ARE different.If we own the whole media as the antisemites would have the world believe then surely we are allowed a few cardboard cutout outlets??????????? meanwhile I really like the idea that as Jews we can have discourse and a free press in Haaretz its way more than all the complainers from other ME countries have.

Mr. Kirsh is funding only 25% of the investment. Who's funding the rest? No government, no NGO says the article. So who's left? Where does the money trail lead?

You hate or you love this is not braine this is heart .. you can love you fiance your mother and hate you mother in law or hate a colore ...i can say that i don t respect your way of thinking at all ...this is the shortest way to have a eternal war eternal killing you will never be able to exterminate all Palestinians .. or 75 million of Egyptians that they don t respect you love or hatred for others ..PLEASE try to think difirent and try to be an open minded PLEASE

I listned to 702 in South Africa. It provides oppotunity for direct dialogue. I hope this works here too. It's time to talk...

you would support ways to stop provoking people into killing you! Pals have a rightt o defend themselves too you know. israel has never respected the pals rights or any International laws really.they just keep on rewarding and placating the messianic, extremist zionists that are getting you and your families killed.............It is time for ALL sides to have peace......not just Jews, or Israeli's, and not just Arabs/Pals.ALL. Do you truly believe ALL Arabs want you dead? It appears not all israeli's share your extremist views. Furthermore, anyone with ANY braisn would be supporting those who search out peaceful ways............and avoid those with hate and malice and bitterness so deeply engraved in their psyche...and their hearts. Good day, sirs. I hope you find peace at some point..hate will not bring it I assure. I have had a family member murdered...and hate only prolinged MY suffering, not the perpetrators.Forgiveness cured ME, but I value my freedom............alot.

i am going to puke.

"I Hate People Who Hate And Murder Us And if you had half a brain, you would too" -Yishai Kohen Really well put. How fortunate T A Sheppard has two halves! :)

Dude, you are such a kick! Yishai writes the reality of the situation, pointing out the irony of the international community (Jimmy Carter leading the procession) calling Israel an apartheid regime, while ignoring the Arab world's (Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia) ban on Jews owning property or being citizens. For some reason all that is understandable and accepted, yet when Jews impose security restrictions that's racist!?!? And you argue that Yishai should grow up?! Into what, an ostrich like you? Reality! Deal with it! It bites!

Howzit. Good idea.

"Next maybe Haaretz will make a Palestinian moderate newspaper?" Let's see Ha'aretz make a moderate ISRAELI newspaper, first! Hahahahahaha!

A radio station that tells it like it is will be very refreshing in a polarized country where one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. In this part of the world where issues are seen just in two colors, black or white depending on your perspective, it is very diffuclt to distinguish the angels from the demons.

has he made? In Ramallah, if someone gets insulted, they don't just write letters of protest! :-) How many groups does he need to pay protection money to?

Both sides of the story? Israel won't stand for that. The station will have an IAF bomb or missile dropped on it if they do that. The official Israeli excuse will be that terrorists were using the station as a shield.

Palestinian thug gangs have no respect for palestinian radio and media stations. Why should these people possibly think they will be treated better? Unbiased reportage? Refuse to call someone who blows himself up a 'martyr'. You will definately be getting a visit from your local hams thug gang, if not from the family of the dead Arab themselves. I advise them to invest heavily in every type of insurance available and make sure that death from terrorist gunshots is not excluded from their policies for the sake of their families. I suppose this Mr. Bolton thinks he has natural immunity from poisonious snake bites as well.

Feeling good with yourself Kohen? Getting one over on the other writers, right? Wrong! I am sorry to say you live in a dream world. The vast majority of Israelis think you are sick, evil, robbers of other peoples’ property. You will leave the West Bank before the Palestinians and if you don’t you will have the choice of either taking Palestinian citizenship or ending up in a fortified ghetto with no future and no way out, just hope you have a cliff by the side of your settlement - to jump off when the time comes. There is no way Israel will annex the West Bank simply because those who advocate it are a very small minority of bigots and irrational fools driven on by messianic religious fervour.

To all those that have closed the door to anything good happening,its sad to lose hope.Of course on the other side the risk of befalling with naivity should be carefully watched. But to give up and say its impossible is not what my people of the beacon should be doing. This man may be naive but positive things have happened and do happen.

This effort, which may be noble, is fruitless. It is built on the false assumption that Palestians have legitmate rights to the Land of Israel. Which they don't. The only thing one can hope for is that the Arab population aspire to the some moral equivalent of descency as Jews. That means that grievances do not justify sub-human behavior. Unfortunately this may never be achieved because Isalm justifies transgressing human descency when dealing with those people that do not accept their divine right to rule over non-moslems. By the way, Jews are not considered non-moslems, therefore any violence against them is praised and encouraged. Try talking peace with people that don't respect anyone but themselves.

There's no equivalence here- not moral and not other. THEY violently rejected a state MANY times- NOT with Israel "imposing" anything. They violently rejected one in 1937, in 1948, etc... They vowed to "throw the Jews into the sea" even when there were NO Jews in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza- from 1948-1967, etc... "Provoked" nothing. They chose war and bloodshed- and apartheid, where NO Jews could live where the Arabs ruled. We won't allow that here in OUR land. If they give that up, then there will be peace- radio station or not. If they don't, then they will ultimately cease to exist here- again, radio station or not. They can then open a radio station in THEIR land- Jordan. It's really quite simple.

He would do better giving poor russians the money to burn in their ovens to keep cold in the winter. If the station by the way will not use the word terrorist, above all when dealing with the Palestinians, it will only in the end support terror and appologize for it. The man might have money, but he is not smart.

The pals hate those who murder them also. It's not black and white that the Pals refuse a state.they refuse to only accept israel's trems....and quite frankly Israel ITSELF has provoked and encouraged much fighting and violence also.it goes both ways in this situation. Not all Pals are bad evil murdering thugs...just as I assume not all israeli's are.....Open your mind......it could a world of good.

And if you had half a brain, you would too. Once they give that up, there might be room to discuss peace, but while they STILL murder, while they STILL claim that Jews can't livde in certain places- and certainly can't rule ourselves, there's nothing to discuss. And remember, THEY chose war instead of a state NUMEROUS times.

Great mix of music on this station. We've been listening and hooked on it for a month now. Good alternative to the local crap.

in your heart. It will take ALL sides in this conflict to work towards peace. Attitudes such as yours limit the potential for peace. Grow up.

"We're committed to telling both sides of the story," Andrew Bolton, the station's news editor said. Any relationship to John Bolton the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations??? Oh Boy! Why am I worried???

Excellent demarche. Hopefully they will have internet transmission with the time too and that the station itself will be more concrete-armoured to resist Hamas' and IDF's shells, than fearful of them in terms of the contents of transmission.

While Jews are not "allowed" to live in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza- even though Jews ALWAYS did; for THOUSANDS of years STRAIGHT until ALL Jews were ethnically cleansed by the Arabs in 1948? While it is a CAPITAL OFFENSE to sell land to a Jew? See House Rpt.105-176 - FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 1998: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&db_id=cp105&r_n=hr176.105&sel=TOC_228355& I hope Kirsh goes broke. I personally will try to avoid all products advertised on his station and encourage others to as well until this Arab apartheid changes.

This is something that HAS to be positive and can only be rejected by those with narroiw interests. Next maybe Haaretz will make a Palestinian moderate newspaper?