Comments on: An answer to a friend http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/ The Marketplace of Ideas Sat, 25 May 2013 21:19:56 +0300 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Esther Schwartz-Ivgy http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-71338 Esther Schwartz-Ivgy Sun, 25 Nov 2012 12:19:09 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-71338 I would suggest the following to add to all those who question why it seems to be skewed that so many Palestinians die and so few Israelis:
Israel has invested a tremendous amount of money, manpower and even legislation to protect their citizens from the unavoidable reality that it will be attacked: there are public bomb shelters, private homes mandated to build "safe rooms", the Code Red warning system, the Iron Dome system, the Home Front Command division of the army dedicated to giving direction to citizens during war. So guess what? Fewer Israeli citizens are harmed.
Has anyone heard of any Hamas actions to protect their children?
Is Israel to stop protecting its citizens because Hamas does not protect theirs?
Is it fair to Israel to be condemned for doing a good job because the Hamas fail to do so for their own people?
Too few articles and commentators in the international press have asked these questions.
Although in this round of fighting more have asked these questions than ever before.

Meanwhile I saw elsewhere that Al Arabiyah declared Israel's army more merciful than Syria's. Over 800 Syrians died during the week that the 160 Palestinians died.
If the Arabs are not merciful to each other what can the world expect of Israel?

]]> By: Esther Schwartz-Ivgy http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-71340 Esther Schwartz-Ivgy Sun, 25 Nov 2012 12:19:09 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-71340 I would suggest the following to add to all those who question why it seems to be skewed that so many Palestinians die and so few Israelis:
Israel has invested a tremendous amount of money, manpower and even legislation to protect their citizens from the unavoidable reality that it will be attacked: there are public bomb shelters, private homes mandated to build "safe rooms", the Code Red warning system, the Iron Dome system, the Home Front Command division of the army dedicated to giving direction to citizens during war. So guess what? Fewer Israeli citizens are harmed.
Has anyone heard of any Hamas actions to protect their children?
Is Israel to stop protecting its citizens because Hamas does not protect theirs?
Is it fair to Israel to be condemned for doing a good job because the Hamas fail to do so for their own people?
Too few articles and commentators in the international press have asked these questions.
Although in this round of fighting more have asked these questions than ever before.

Meanwhile I saw elsewhere that Al Arabiyah declared Israel's army more merciful than Syria's. Over 800 Syrians died during the week that the 160 Palestinians died.
If the Arabs are not merciful to each other what can the world expect of Israel?

]]> By: Michael Rogovin http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-71196 Michael Rogovin Sun, 25 Nov 2012 03:48:02 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-71196 Well written. I would only add something to the effect of that there is a difference between sending rockets aimed at civilian targets or randomly sent not caring where they land, and aiming at military targets. Both may injure children, but one is deliberate and the other is something that unfortunately happens, even when one tries to prevent it.

]]> By: Michael Rogovin http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-71198 Michael Rogovin Sun, 25 Nov 2012 03:48:02 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-71198 Well written. I would only add something to the effect of that there is a difference between sending rockets aimed at civilian targets or randomly sent not caring where they land, and aiming at military targets. Both may injure children, but one is deliberate and the other is something that unfortunately happens, even when one tries to prevent it.

]]> By: Rachel Achituv http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-70452 Rachel Achituv Thu, 22 Nov 2012 18:51:04 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-70452 Well put!

]]> By: Rachel Achituv http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-70454 Rachel Achituv Thu, 22 Nov 2012 18:51:04 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-70454 Well put!

]]> By: Marna Becker http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-70426 Marna Becker Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:58:14 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-70426 Beautifully written.

]]> By: Marna Becker http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-70428 Marna Becker Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:58:14 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-70428 Beautifully written.

]]> By: John Yorke http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-70296 John Yorke Thu, 22 Nov 2012 13:57:08 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-70296 Israel may be in the 'right'.
Israel may be 'more right' than the other side.
Israel may be totally justified in actions that result in death and destruction where Palestinians are concerned.
Israel may have no choice but to persevere in being 'right' and in the manner it has so chosen – or been forced to choose many times before.

But, sometimes, being 'right' is not the whole story. Because 'right' is always a relative term in these matters.

How more 'right' are Israelis than Palestinians, than those others who oppose Israel and see themselves as being 'in the right' also?
It is quite amazing that such a surfeit of being 'right' can produce so much that is 'wrong' for both sides here.

The only answer must be one that puts the matter beyond all doubt. For all of time. For all eternity.

THE JUDGEMENT OF SOLOMON – 21st century version.

http://yorketowers.blogspot.com

You may be scared;.
You may be terrified by the results;.
You may wish it had never happened, not been contemplated, not even for an instant;.
You may regret that such a choice was ever made in your lifetime, in your generation.

But you will also know that, finally, you are 100% right. And so will everyone else.

]]> By: John Yorke http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-70298 John Yorke Thu, 22 Nov 2012 13:57:08 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-70298 Israel may be in the 'right'.
Israel may be 'more right' than the other side.
Israel may be totally justified in actions that result in death and destruction where Palestinians are concerned.
Israel may have no choice but to persevere in being 'right' and in the manner it has so chosen – or been forced to choose many times before.

But, sometimes, being 'right' is not the whole story. Because 'right' is always a relative term in these matters.

How more 'right' are Israelis than Palestinians, than those others who oppose Israel and see themselves as being 'in the right' also?
It is quite amazing that such a surfeit of being 'right' can produce so much that is 'wrong' for both sides here.

The only answer must be one that puts the matter beyond all doubt. For all of time. For all eternity.

THE JUDGEMENT OF SOLOMON – 21st century version.

http://yorketowers.blogspot.com

You may be scared;.
You may be terrified by the results;.
You may wish it had never happened, not been contemplated, not even for an instant;.
You may regret that such a choice was ever made in your lifetime, in your generation.

But you will also know that, finally, you are 100% right. And so will everyone else.

]]> By: Dana Meijler-Gross http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-70252 Dana Meijler-Gross Thu, 22 Nov 2012 11:48:55 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-70252 Excellent! Sharing far and wide!

]]> By: Dana Meijler-Gross http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-70254 Dana Meijler-Gross Thu, 22 Nov 2012 11:48:55 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-70254 Excellent! Sharing far and wide!

]]> By: Marie White http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-70152 Marie White Thu, 22 Nov 2012 05:33:29 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-70152 Very well written, Carla.

]]> By: Marie White http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-70154 Marie White Thu, 22 Nov 2012 05:33:29 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-70154 Very well written, Carla.

]]> By: Carolyn West http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-answer-to-a-friend/#comment-70108 Carolyn West Thu, 22 Nov 2012 02:25:20 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=81132#comment-70108 What a great response.

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