Comments on: A Delusional State

By: Ben Needleman

Ben Needleman — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 01:11:53 +0000

If I didnt believe what I did, I wouldnt write it- I believe strongly what I write.
As for this not mattering to me, I see Israel as my home, and view myself as an Israeli expat. Since my birth I have lived and breathed zionism and am thinking very hard about whether or not to make aliya (I dont know whether you made aliya but it is an extremely difficult decision to make) and so, far from me making judgements about distant unrelated matters-these issues are deeply personal and relevant.

As for deleting posts- its not because I dont believe them/have confidence in them-its more a matter of insurance. Im a bit of an old schooler and still view political opinions as a rather private matter and would rather keep my viewpoints not online till the end of time. You may disagree, but thats how I feel.

So to sum up- I am a devoted zionist, I love Israel, I campaign for Israel, and there is a very good chance I will come to live in Israel (and even if I dont, I wont be uninvolved). I want an Israel where there is a separation of synagogue and state not because I hate religious people, but because I believe in freedom of conscience and that the state shouldnt impose beliefs on people. I want an Israel where arabs have the same opportunities as Jews- If we as Jews should have equal rights and opportunities in the west, why should arabs not get it in Israel? I want an Israel which has peace-so that jewish children and arab children can live full lives without fear and terror. I want an Israel which doesnt control the lives of millions of people and doesnt give them equality.

I want an Israel that is a democracy and a state with a Jewish character-where Judaism is not forced on people but where yiddishkayt is living and breathing in every jew.

Its clear we dont agree on lots- but you perhaps you will agree with me on some of this.

By: Yonatan Knickerbocker

Yonatan Knickerbocker — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:39:00 +0000

Glad you got a laugh out of it. Let's drop everything else for a minute.

How can you expect anyone to take you seriously if your not willing to go on record and stay there? Either you're serious about your positions or you're not. Since I read that from you I can't take anything you write as serious. Is this just some exercise for your debating position?

This perfectly illustrates my position that your opinion on these life and death matters are irrelevant. You don't find them important enough to even leave your name attached to them.

By: Yonatan Knickerbocker

Yonatan Knickerbocker — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:39:00 +0000

Glad you got a laugh out of it. Let's drop everything else for a minute.

This perfectly illustrates my position that your opinion on these life and death matters are irrelevant. You don't find them important enough to even leave your name attached to them.

By: Becky Rowe

Becky Rowe — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:58:57 +0000

Thank you.

By: Ben Needleman

Ben Needleman — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:16:15 +0000

lol

By: Jonathan Zausmer

Jonathan Zausmer — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:00:19 +0000

Becky, in an atmosphere of fad parties who have disconnected themselves from reality, and in this case the obdurate belief that by burying the head of Israel so far into the ground that the impending haraikiri will not happen, you have outlined the delusional state as you say, that brings in its wake the end of Zionism as we know it. The story of the Bennet is the story of how the Judea and Samaria council and its advocators have seized control over Israeli democracy by abusing the primary system within the Likud and with the same resources, bringing pressure to bear from without.

By: Yonatan Knickerbocker

Yonatan Knickerbocker — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:34:38 +0000

Minimal online footprint…So you're an aspiring politician and can't have a trail of your bile follow you around. There's nothing quite like debating someone who doesn't want his views to be recorded. Nice, you make me sick Ben, on many, many levels. I'm going to make sure to warn others when they begin debating your inane ideas that you won't stand behind those same ideas.

By: Ben Needleman

Ben Needleman — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 01:09:31 +0000

I support gay rights, womens rights, the rights of palestinians, of mizrachi jews, of the poor etc. The list could go on. Does that make me a poor, gay, female, palestinian Jew?
I delete all posts after a few days. its called leaving a minimal online footprint.

Again you havent addressed my issues and turned this 100% personal-hence this thread has lost all meaning. I look forward to seeing your next post-no doubt bagging leftists and palestinians.

By: Yonatan Knickerbocker

Yonatan Knickerbocker — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:41:34 +0000

PS – can we expect you to delete all your posts again after you realize how foolish you sound like you did in the other blog?

By: Yonatan Knickerbocker

Yonatan Knickerbocker — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:39:50 +0000

I'm sure that writers on these blogs are sooo happy when you comments on their posts. It's the kiss of death to real debate.

Stop hating.

By: Yonatan Knickerbocker

Yonatan Knickerbocker — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:37:26 +0000

Vitriolic homophobia? What part of "I didn't create the Torah and it's laws" don't you understand? The Torah says that homosexuality is a transgression. So it is. That doesn't mean I hate you, if you're gay.

As to your attitude towards me – I don't care what you think about me and I didn't ask for your respect. Again, I don't care.

Seriously, I think you have major issues that need addressing. One of them is to grow up.

The rest of your arguments are pointless. You don't live here to share the pain with us and eventually learn the truth of the situation here like so many of us have.

By: Ben Needleman

Ben Needleman — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:55:22 +0000

Here is exhibit A: http://oi45.tinypic.com/2drdg7t.jpg

By: Ben Needleman

Ben Needleman — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:00:53 +0000

Oslo got peace with Jordan. Oslo established a palestinian authority which administers the lives of 95% of the palestinian population and has disavowed violence. Olso did not get final peace but it was an essential stepping stone to further negotiations and normalisation of talks.

Gaza failed miserably because it was withdrawn from by a right wing government which refused to talk! refusing to talk meant there were no safeguards in place! Withdrawal from the W bank would not end up like gaza if negotiations take place which hand over control in stages with safeguards-exactly like in the Sinai with Egypt! Thats an example of a successful exchange.

As for my attitude towards you: I treat people with respect when they show it to others. You show a total disregard for the rights of palestinians, a disdain for democracy and a vitriolic homophobia that is disgusting. I have no reason to show people like you respect.

By: Ben Needleman

Ben Needleman — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:00:53 +0000

By: Yonatan Knickerbocker

Yonatan Knickerbocker — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:57:37 +0000

You still didn't answer my original comments. Oslo has failed. Gaza has failed. Lebanon has failed. We receive punishment on a daily basis for these failures, yet the left keeps beating the same drum. The left has failed.

The fact that you don't live does delegitimize your arguments. You don't have to live with the failure of your ideas. There's no cost to you. Having ideas that are valiant and noble are more important to you.

Your statement here and on other blogs doesn't jive with reality. I brought up a valid point to debate. G-d was not mentioned in it. The very first thing you did was attack my religion. You are full of it Ben and you're not a very nice person.