Bombing in Jerusalem!

On July 22, 1946, the Jewish “Underground” group Etzel planted a bomb and blew up the southern wing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. 91 people were killed. The area was under the control of Britain in 1946 and of the 91 killed, 28 were British. The Israeli power elite resists any attempt to label Etzel as terrorists. Rather, they were an underground group, and “underground” has a positive connotation. On July 22, 2006, a new plaque was placed on the site commemorating this bombing as a great act. Perhaps understandably, Her Majesty’s government is demanding the removal of this plaque, saying that such an act of “Terrorism” cannot be so honored. I’m sure this was all covered in the evening news. I’m sure you all knew that there were Jewish terrorists 60 years ago, bombing and killing in the Holy Land. Or perhaps we must say Jewish “Underground” groups. If you actually wish to read about this, read it in Haaretz, one of the great Israeli newspapers: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/741434.html This way, you will not be reading some anti-Israel propaganda. To understand how this bombing is viewed, the ex-Prime Minister of Israel, Netanyahu, was present and addressing the crowd. When I was young, I would thrill to the exploits of the Israeli Army. I read Bernard Malamud and Isaac Singer, and saw “Milk and Honey” and “Fiddler on the Roof”. The 1967 war was a triumph in which we all felt we shared. Only later did I discover that I had been a dupe of a concerted effort to portray all Israelis as good, and all Arabs as bad. And this is still going on today. Read the article in Haaretz if you doubt it. I found it difficult to get over this deception when I was young. I heard a Mr. Rose, I believe, on Imus in the Morning today. He used to be an editor of the Jerusalem Post. He said that there was a great irony in the fact that the UN members were condemning Israel while Israel was actually trying to enforce a UN resolution calling for the disbanding of Hizbullah. It did not seem to this man unseemly that Israel is enforcing a UN resolution by indiscriminate slaughter in Lebanon. Does he actually believe the UN intended that the resolution be carried out by bombing Beirut, Tyre, and Sidon? He is a good man, but his vision is severely skewed and there is no empathy for the Arab Other who lapses into a sub-human level in his mind. We even have a group of Christians who feel it is the obligation of this country to support Israel with no questions asked. Religious Celebrities Falwell and Hagee believe this. " Pastor Hagee, the main organiser, said the event was the first of its kind. "For the first time in the history of Christianity in America, Christians will go to the Hill to support Israel as Christians," he said. " Wednesday, July 19, 2006 Evangelical Christians plead for Israel BBC News I do not pretend to understand Pastor Hagee. Notice that the event was very close to the King David Hotel anniversary. I have said that I consider such beliefs to be greatly mistaken. I believe these gentlemen are worshipping the products of their own minds, not God. This is one reason I am re-establishing relations with the Roman Catholic Church: I sense a religious battle approaching in the USA as we watch our home-grown religious celebrities try to establish their own fundamentalist idolatry. Pope Benedict has spoken against the fighting in Lebanon. Our home-grown celebrities applaud the destruction, the more killing the merrier. I have nothing to say about the people in the administration. I am not sure that we should actually consider the current state-of-affairs as a Presidency, rather an interregnum filled with the sleep of reason.