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A recent anti-Israel letter was signed by assorted denizens of Hollywood. Here, Michael Kaplan responds to several of its central claims: “Do Uninformed Hollywood Celebrities Realize They Are Hurting Chances of a Gaza ‘Ceasefire’?,” by Michael Kaplan, Algemeiner, September 19, 2024:
I could point out that Israel is not “waging a war of collective punishment on the civilian population of Gaza,” but rather going to extraordinary lengths to avoid civilian casualties to an extent unprecedented in modern, urban warfare.
A simple thought experiment underscores the absurdity of the above two claims: imagine if Israel actually did want to commit genocide or wage a war against the civilian population. What would that look like? Obviously, hundreds of thousands if not millions would be dead. Not tens of thousands….
And since Israel is being charged with “genocide” by Ruffalo et al, here’s another bit of data that they might want to consider. In 1967, when Israel took control of Gaza, here were 400,000 Arabs in the Strip. By 2005, when Israel pulled out of Gaza, there were 1.4 million Arabs — a more than tripling of the population in 1967. Furthermore, in the West Bank, when Israel took it over in 1967 after the Six-Day War, there were 900,000 Palestinian Arabs living there; today there are three million. And in Israel within the 1949 armistice lines, there were 160,000 Arabs, and today there are two million Israeli Arabs. Genocide, Mark and Susan? What genocide?
I could point out the brazen audacity of calling for the “release of all hostages — both Palestinian and Israeli” as though terrorists and armed enemy combatants taken prisoner are “hostages,” and in any way comparable to women and children dragged from their beds.
The Palestinians who are to be released in any exchange are prisoners, and should not be referred to as “hostages.” And most of those whom Hamas wants freed in an exchange have been imprisoned for their support of, or participation in, acts of terrorism. So the proposed exchange should more accurately be described as one of “hostages for terrorists.”
I could point out the inanity of the oxymoron “permanent ceasefire,” when a “ceasefire” by definition is temporary, just like the ceasefire that was in place on October 7, 2023, before Hamas violated it by invading Israel — and just like every other ceasefire that has been agreed to and violated by Hamas over the past decades….
A “permanent ceasefire” means an end to the war, with Hamas still standing and Israel still short of attaining its key war aim — to dismantle Hamas as a military threat. And that’s what Ruffalo, Sarandon et al think Israel should be forced to do: halt its operations before it has achieved victory, which would allow Hamas to proclaim that by “still standing” it has “defeated the mighty Zionist army.”
In its 1988 charter, Hamas has proclaimed its goal of destroying the state of Israel, and driving out, or killing, all of its Jewish inhabitants. This will not change. Any “permanent ceasefire” will be broken by Hamas as soon as it believes itself sufficiently powerful to take on the IDF again, akin to what Muhammad did when he broke his ten-year “treaty of al-Hudaibiyya” with the Meccans after 18 months, which is when he felt that his forces were sufficiently strong to defeat the Meccans. He was right. And the making-and-breaking of the Treaty of Al-Hudaibiyya in 628 A.D. became the model, for Muslims, of all subsequent treaty-making with Infidels.
These Hollywood types exploit their celebrity status to push an anti-Israel narrative that grades into antisemitism, and includes their baseless charge that Israeli Jews are committing “genocide.” They refuse to recognize that the IDF does everything it can to minimize civilian casualties, while Hamas — the terror group they never mention by name — tries to maximize those casualties. They may be famous, they may be rich, but these celebrities are just as malignant and stupid as any down-at-the-heels obsessive antisemite ranting at Hyde Park Corner, spouting his antisemitic drivel before a rapt and appreciative audience of Muslims.
Intrepid says
Who remembers the film Exodus, one of the early post WWII films celebrating the formation of Israel. It was preachy and a bit tedious but it was an early attempt to point the finger at both Nazism and British duplicity. Paul,Newman was badly cast as well.
But sympathy for the European Jews and Israel was fashionable, as long as the Jews were seen as victims.
Then the Jews started winning their wars against the Muslims and by the time of the 6 Day War all of that sympathy vanished. The Israeli army kicked Muslim tail and have been pretty much doing so since.
Well, we can’t have that now, can we. Times have changed “back”, and Jew hatred is in style again. From Suzy Q. Sarandon, to Vanessa Redgrave and Roger Waters, to the dodgy Ivy League college students with their keffiyas leading the pack. And it’s a new school year….a time for beta boys to cut class and chase the silly girls at the pro-Palestinian rallies.
Hopefully the Biden Jew haters in the W.H. will be shown the door this time around.
Richard Craycroft says
It’s been a long time since I saw that movie. But didn’t Paul Newman’s character say something along the lines of “Jews don’t walk willing into gas chambers anymore.”
The enemies of Israel ought to keep that though in mind before making war on Israel.
Intrepid says
I don’t remember that line but it’s been a while since I saw the movie.
However, American Jews may not walk willingly into gas chambers anymore, but they sure do vote for their own executioners every two years. Is there a difference?
This Tikkun Olam (fix the world) crap must stop. The focus on talmud teaching has to be combined with self defense. A little ‘krav maga’ and some firearms training would go a long way to end the way Jews are treated on campus. Most Jewish kids look like a stiff breeze could blow them over. No wonder they get pushed around.
Ahadhaamoratsim says
Liberal Jews who (mis)use the term Tikun Olam have never seen the inside of a Talmud in their lives. If they had, they’d know that they are using the term in a way that flies in the face of the original meaning, which was rabbinic decrees for the good of society. Two actual examples: not ransoming captives at an excessive cost so as not to encourage taking Jews captive to hold for ransom; and not making it overly burdensome for creditors to collect loan debt, lest the poor be unable to borrow money because no one would be willing to lend to them. Not a word about global warming.
Mike says
God how the Politically Correct Peace Loving World hates it when Jews actually defend themselves and refuse to go quietly to their deaths. They just can’t stand it.
Edward Amos Brandwein says
Hollywood: a brooding nest for useful idiots, Jew haters and HAMAS sympathizers
Seekers says
Mark Ruffalo, who is Jewish himself, may be a fine actor — I’ve seen him in a lot of films — but he’s a schmuck when it comes to politics. He doesn’t realize that Israel’s very existence is threatened by Hamas.
evildoctor says
According to Wikipedia, the putz’s “father is of Italian descent, from Girifalco, Calabria, and his mother is of French Canadian and Italian ancestry.” In any case it doesn’t matter as there are plenty of dumb left wing Jews who are support causes and politicians who are inimical to Israel & Jews.
Allan Goldstein says
Damn right! Causing your Jewish grandparents to all turn over in their graves — in unison — is no accomplishment.
MuggsSpongedice says
Really so MR is Jewish ?-No I googled it – though he did act in Yiddish theater –
Nonetheless, this is to the unfathomable self loathing Jews 2 days short of the one year since the genocide of October 7, 2023 and the post Jewish massacre tsunami of antisemitism – WTF is wrong with them?
I very successful and famous TV producer, creator and writer of several hit series, one was the “Kung Fu” television series of the 1970’s that made martial arts popular and martial arts movies a hit – told me on the phone in April, 2024: “Because of the diaspora Jews have lost their identify and keep voting for the wrong people” I immediately thought of Jews voting for hitler then my mind bounced to Jews voting for Biden!
And here is yet another confused, lost and self loathing Jew not championing President Donald J. Trump, who’s very beloved precious daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism to marry and is raising their children Jewish and President Trump fulfilled Bible prophesy by moving the US embassy to Jerusalem in Israel’s 70th year – and kept peace in the region by talking softly but carrying a big stick.
Self loathing Jews are worse then RINOs
MuggsSpongedice says
Really so MR is Jewish ?-No I googled it – though he did act in Yiddish theater –
Nonetheless, this is to the unfathomable self loathing Jews 2 days short of the one year since the genocide of October 7, 2023 and the post Jewish massacre tsunami of antisemitism – WTF is wrong with them?
I very successful and famous TV producer, creator and writer of several hit series, one was the “Kung Fu” television series of the 1970’s that made martial arts popular and martial arts movies a hit – told me on the phone in April, 2024: “Because of the diaspora Jews have lost their identify and keep voting for the wrong people” I immediately thought of Jews voting for hitler then my mind bounced to Jews voting for Biden!
And here is yet another confused, lost and self loathing Jew not championing President Donald J. Trump, who’s very beloved precious daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism to marry and is raising their children Jewish and President Trump fulfilled Bible prophesy by moving the US embassy to Jerusalem in Israel’s 70th year – and kept peace in the region by talking softly but carrying a big stick.
Self loathing Jews are worse than RINOs
I can no longer listen to Pink Floyd, Cat Stevens, and the list of HellyWeird actors movies I will not watch if they are in it is getting bigger than the HellyWeird actors I will still watch – as well as the studios all of which were created by Jews, now pandering the globalist antisemitic rhetoric.
MuggsSpongedice says
“In its 1988 charter, Hamas has proclaimed its goal of destroying the state of Israel, and driving out, or killing, all of its Jewish inhabitants. This will not change.”
The first use of the phrase “never again” in the context of the Holocaust was in April 1945 when newly liberated survivors at Buchenwald concentration camp displayed it in various languages on handmade signs.
NEVER AGAIN was used as Israel’s motto.
NEVER AGAIN means just that – don’t test it with Israel to your dread and blood and death.
This will not change. Israel is a friendly neighbor with brotherhood to all. Israel helps neighboring and global nations with all it’s technology.
Don’t test or mess with the brotherly love Israel has for it’s global neighbors.
The HAND OF THE ALMIGHTY YHVH IS ON ISRAEL – and USA – and any peoples of all nations on earth if we choose.