The formerly well-respected rightwing Jerusalem Post has been trimmed down to merely a tabloid. The remaining publication has again (this is by far not the first time, and here and here and here) published an article that is misleading at best, spreading hatred for Jews and Israel to the four corners of the globe. Though it calls the terrorists “terrorists,” this seems only for good form because its headline and bottom line voice a PA’s accusation that Israel commits “extra-judicial killings of Palestinians.”
All antisemitic and antizionist positions are always based on plain lies and antipathy, I found. So the only challenge was to find the lie. It wasn’t hard.
By chance, I watched footage of the attack on a policeman close to the Temple Mount. It’s for all to see on the Internet. It shows something entirely different from what the Post describes or the PA claimed.
The Post writes and quotes (without telling us that proof of falsehood is there for all to see): “the three Palestinian assailants had been shot ‘without being arrested or interrogated.'”
Rather, they were shot at in hot pursuit of a policeman. The two youth had not “stabbed a police officer.” They were running after him with knives in the air. That’s when they were shot. One stayed down, the other still moved (trying to get up again?) and was shot at again. It’s not clear which of the two was killed and which one was the wounded one.
Also the car assailant was only shot when he tried to get out of his car. His attempt to kill was filmed too and the footage is also published.
In the past, lives have been lost by being too passive when murders go on the move. Already when you try to kill someone, you forfeited your life. But if you don’t hold still, expect to be sot on the spot. To call that “to be shot without being arrested or interrogated” is the ultimate chutzpah.
And if you don’t mind doing the math from the information provided (the Post fails to do so), the car assailant was already wounded in clashes with the IDF when he was 14. So much for youthful innocence.
The PA spokesperson is allowed to add (without any comment from the Post or anyone else): “this escalation is a dangerous indication and could continue in the period leading up to the Israeli elections in mid-September.” He suggested that the US administration is “covering up on these actions, which are in violation of international laws.” This is all too ridiculous for words but published by the Post as serious opinions anyway.
Don’t assume this was a one-off by the Post. In reporting a couple of days later, its Staff mentions again the falsehood that “Two young Palestinians were shot … after they stabbed a police officer.” They were actually shot while stabbing. (And it is possible to other outlets to report about the issue in this report in context, showing its further untruth.) This article was removed after half an hour and replaced by a different text altogether. But under a different heading still on the site. Oversight? See screen clip:
In contrast, when the Post reports on the oppression of GLBTQ by the PA police in the West Bank, both the PA and the Queer organization are quoted at length, with the latter getting the final say. But then, they’re not Israelis. (Here’s a report denying that abuser and abused are equals.)
(The Post also, in a separate recent report, weighed in on an extremist anti-Zionist Member of Congress who may have refused to meet with PA President Abbas. The angry elephant in the room is that Abbas would be even too moderate for her taste.)
(Bernie Sanders is increasingly “supportive of Israel like Obama,” a euphemism for hostile. You can’t tell from “Jerusalem” Post reporting.)
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority are forbidden to operate in Jerusalem to stop them from claiming the eternal Capital of the Jewish People. Maybe some action should be taken against the Post that seems to function continuously as spokesperson for the PA. Let them move to Ramallah.
MM is a prolific and creative writer and thinker, previously a daily blog contributor to the TOI. He often makes his readers laugh, mad, or assume he's nuts—close to perfect blogging. He's proud that his analytical short comments are removed both from left-wing and right-wing news sites. None of his content is generated by the new bore on the block, AI. *
As a frontier thinker, he sees things many don't yet. He's half a prophet. Half. Let's not exaggerate. Or not at all because he doesn't claim G^d talks to him. He gives him good ideas—that's all. MM doesn't believe that people observe and think in a vacuum. He, therefore, wanted a broad bio that readers interested can track a bit what (lack of) backgrounds, experiences, and educations contribute to his visions. *
This year, he will prioritize getting his unpublished books published rather than just blog posts. Of the 15 (!) books he has in mind, the next two are about homosexuality in Judaism and new rabbinics. Next year, he hopes to focus on activism against human extinction. To find less-recent posts on a subject XXX among his over 2600 archived ones, go to the right-top corner of a Times of Israel page, click on the search icon and search "zuiden, XXX". One can find a second, wilder blog that also may contain updates to Times of Israel posts, to which one may subscribe, here: https://mmvanzuiden.wordpress.com/ or by clicking on the globe icon next to his picture on top. *
He's getting ready to publicize books on: "Free Will, "Judaism and Homosexuality, "His parents in the Holocaust, "Judaism, "A New Torah Translation and "A New Hebrew Grammar, "Co-Counseling, "Vegan Facts, "Immortality, and more. *
Like most of his readers, he believes in being friendly, respectful, and loyal. However, if you think those are his absolute top priorities, you might end up disappointed. His first loyalty is to the truth. He agrees that in a post-truth world, that's irrelevant, but then this is for the record. He will try to stay within the limits of democratic and Jewish law, but he won't lie to support opinions or people when don't deserve that. (Yet, we all make honest mistakes, which is just fine and does not justify losing support.) He admits that he sometimes exaggerates to make a point, which could have him come across as nasty, while in actuality, he's quite a lovely person to interact with. He holds - how Dutch - that a strong opinion doesn't imply intolerance of other views. *
Sometimes he's misunderstood because his wide and diverse field of vision seldomly fits any specialist's box. But that's exactly what some love about him. He has written a lot about Psychology (including Sexuality and Abuse), Medicine (including physical immortality), Science (including basic statistics), Politics (Israel, the US, and the Netherlands, Activism - more than leftwing or rightwing, he hopes to highlight reality), Oppression and Liberation (intersectionally, for young people, the elderly, non-Whites, women, workers, Jews, LGBTQIA+, foreigners and anyone else who's dehumanized or exploited), Integrity, Philosophy, Jews (Judaism, Zionism, Holocaust and Jewish Liberation), the Climate Crisis, Ecology and Veganism, Affairs from the news, or the Torah Portion of the Week, or new insights that suddenly befell him. *
Chronologically, his most influential teachers are his parents, Nico (natan) van Zuiden and Betty (beisye) Nieweg, Wim Kan, Mozart, Harvey Jackins, Marshal Rosenberg, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and, lehavdil bein chayim lechayim, Rabbi Dr. Natan Lopes Cardozo, Rav Zev Leff, and Rav Meir Lubin. This short list doesn't mean to disrespect others who taught him a lot or a little. One of his rabbis calls him Mr. Innovation [Ish haChidushim]. Yet, his originalities seem to root deeply in traditional Judaism, though they may grow in unexpected directions. In fact, he claims he's modernizing nothing. Rather, mainly basing himself on the basic Hebrew Torah text, he tries to rediscover classical Jewish thought almost lost in thousands of years of stifling Gentile domination and Jewish assimilation. (He pleads for a close reading of the Torah instead of going by rough assumptions of what it would probably mean and before fleeing to Commentaries.) This, in all aspects of life, but prominently in the areas of Free Will, Activism, Homosexuality for men, and Redemption. *
He hopes that his words will inspire and inform, and disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. He aims to bring a fresh perspective rather than harp on the obvious and familiar. When he can, he loves to write encyclopedic overviews. He doesn't expect his readers to agree. Rather, original minds should be disputed. In short, his main political positions are among others: anti-Trumpism, for Zionism, Intersectionality, non-violence, anti those who abuse democratic liberties, anti the fake ME peace process, for original-Orthodoxy, pro-Science, pro-Free Will, anti-blaming-the-victim, and for down-to-earth, classical optimism, and happiness. Read his blog on how he attempts to bridge any tensions between those ideas or fields. *
He is a fetal survivor of the pharmaceutical industry (https://diethylstilbestrol.co.uk/studies/des-and-psychological-health/), born in 1953 to his parents who were Dutch-Jewish Holocaust survivors who met in the largest concentration camp in the Netherlands, Westerbork. He grew up a humble listener. It took him decades to become a speaker too, and decades more to admit to being a genius. But his humility was his to keep. And so was his honesty. Bullies and con artists almost instantaneously envy and hate him. He hopes to bring new things and not just preach to the choir. *
He holds a BA in medicine (University of Amsterdam) – is half a doctor. He practices Re-evaluation Co-counseling since 1977, is not an official teacher anymore, and became a friendly, powerful therapist. He became a social activist, became religious, made Aliyah, and raised three wonderful kids. Previously, for decades, he was known to the Jerusalem Post readers as a frequent letter writer. For a couple of years, he was active in hasbara to the Dutch-speaking public. He wrote an unpublished tome about Jewish Free Will. He's a strict vegan since 2008. He's an Orthodox Jew but not a rabbi. *
His writing has been made possible by an allowance for second-generation Holocaust survivors from the Netherlands. It has been his dream since he was 38 to try to make a difference by teaching through writing. He had three times 9-out-of-10 for Dutch at his high school finals but is spending his days communicating in English and Hebrew - how ironic. G-d must have a fine sense of humor. In case you wonder - yes, he is a bit dyslectic. If you're a native English speaker and wonder why you should read from people whose English is only their second language, consider the advantage of having an original peek outside of your cultural bubble. His posts are spell, grammar, and style polished by AI, but all written by himself. *
To send any personal reaction to him, scroll to the top of the blog post and click Contact Me. *
His newest books you may find here: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AMoshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&s=relevancerank&text=Moshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1
