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The Forum > Article Comments > Obama - dancing with the devil in the West Bank > Comments

Obama - dancing with the devil in the West Bank : Comments

By David Singer, published 8/6/2010

Palestinian journalist, Khaled Amayreh, has indicated the direction America and Israel need to go to see a possible end to the conflict.

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Dear Mr Singer,

You said; “I prefer to use the term "Palestinian Arabs" in my articles as another search by you on Firefox will no doubt establish.”

No you don't and no it doesn't.

I have searched the last six pieces and not one mention by you of Palestinian Arabs. I have even gone back and extra couple to give you the benefit of the doubt, still no Palestinian Arabs mentioned there either.

I am less offended than deeply suspicious of whatever you may write by your non use of the word Palestinians (please note it can be written without quotation marks) and now it would seem we can add Palestinian Arabs.

That deep suspicion has just been reinforced.

Perhaps it is my search methods so if you can show me a single use of either word by yourself in the last half dozen of your articles I will attempt to move on.
Posted by csteele, Thursday, 10 June 2010 12:33:21 AM
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You wrote: "" … the Jordanian and Palestinian peoples are the two most homogeneous and closest Arab peoples, given their ethnic, cultural and religious commonality. We are actually one people, as Arab clans on both sides of the River Jordan have one common ancestry."

That may quite well be true. However, you neglect the powerful forces of nationalism and identity with a homeland. I know several Palestinian Arabs. They feel an identity with Palestine not Jordan. During their struggle with Israel they have developed a national feeling which those other Arabs who have not been involved in the struggle do not have.

That may be true for you and me also. I am a Jew of European descent. Probably you are also. I have lived most of my life in the US and now live in Australia. Although ethnically and religiously I am closer to Jews who live in Israel I feel very little connection with Israel. That is because I identify much more with my homeland, the United States. One reason we Jews have done well in the United States is because separation of religion and state has allowed us full citizenship. I belong to organisations which promote that separation as it is under threat. I do not support any foreign country which does not have that separation.

I appreciate both Australia and the United States as they have given people of various ethnic and religious backgrounds an opportunity to be free citizens in their country. I am somewhat disgusted with you. You are a Jew who has received an education to become a lawyer in a multicultural country. You don’t seem to appreciate your blessings but try to limit other people to a primitive ethnic nationalism. If Australia were a Christian country you would be a second class citizen. The same is true for me. Remember that!

I prefer an open society where people of any ethnicity and religion have equal opportunities. You have had those opportunities but promote ethnic nationalism for others. Shame on you. SHAME
Posted by david f, Thursday, 10 June 2010 12:42:08 AM
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#csteele

Perhaps if you search the following you will see that I do use the term "Palestinian Arabs" on many occasions.
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=%22palestinian+arabs%22+%2B+david+singer&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

I suppose it would be too much to expect an apology from you and you obviously don't want to comment on any aspect of my article.

The best thing indeed is for you to move on.
Posted by david singer, Thursday, 10 June 2010 10:31:52 AM
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David.F. I commend you for your latest comment and I will be interested to see how D.Singer responds to it, or if he does.

It's a shame there aren't more moderate Jews like you living in Israel. Then I guess, once Jews move there, they get caught up in the mob mentality or perhaps fear repercussions from more fanatical Jews who seem to run the show.

Currently, Israel is a sick nation. People like D.Singer don't help the situation.
Posted by David G, Thursday, 10 June 2010 10:58:01 AM
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#davidf

I did not write:

" … the Jordanian and Palestinian peoples are the two most homogeneous and closest Arab peoples, given their ethnic, cultural and religious commonality. We are actually one people, as Arab clans on both sides of the River Jordan have one common ancestry."

That was written by a Palestinian Arab journalist Khaled Amayreh.

In my opinion Amayreh's comments are very significant as the "two-state" solution favoured by all the world sinks further into the quicksand as attempts to bring it to fruition continue to go nowhere after 17 years of trying.

You can spruik your proposed solution - the "one state" solution as long as you like but it can never happen - except by an attempt to impose it by armed conflict.

Negotiations between Jordan and Israel in my view do have a chance of success and the sooner they are started the sooner the current unsatisfactory and dangerous status quo will be ended.

Who you think I am is entirely irrelevant. Personal attacks on me do nothing to advance the resolution of the conflict. It seems you are incapable of understanding this.

Rather why don't you spend your time more positively by expressing your views on the following written by Amayreh:

" Palestinians should welcome and encourage any Jordanian orientation to cancel or reconsider, even if gradually, the unwise Jordanian decision of 1989 to dismantle the administrative and legal ties with the West Bank. The Re-institution of these ties should strengthen the Palestinians’ ability to survive and thwart Zionist efforts to empty our homeland of its real people.

In the final analysis, the people of Jordan and the People of Palestine can’t and will not have separate fates. According to the Islamic prophecy, the liberation of Palestine from the hands of Zionist Jews, will come from the east, namely from Jordan.

Our fate, our kismet is that we are one people. We must not escape this ineluctable fate."
Posted by david singer, Friday, 11 June 2010 10:19:28 AM
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"Our fate, our kismet is that we are one people. We must not escape this ineluctable fate." Thus spoke David Singer.

I guess, David S., looking at what your crowd have been doing to the Palestinians since 1967 demonstrates that, Jews, as a people, have little to be proud of.

I mean Israeli Jews have excelled at collective punishment, genocide, land stealing, militarism, brutality, war crimes, humiliation of the Palestinians to say nothing of starving them, destroying their farms, separating them from each other, bombing them, using phosphorous shells on them, demolishing their homes, assassinating their leaders, taking their taxes...I could go on.

Given this record, I would hide my ethnicity but, of course, Jews have no shame, have they?

P.S. I have listed the atrocities that the Israelis engage in on several occasions but, thus far, you have ignored the points I've made. You may be one people but, judged by your actions, who needs or wants your people? The world would be better without them!
Posted by David G, Friday, 11 June 2010 11:09:44 AM
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