Comments on: Don’t Spy For Me

By: David S.

David S. — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:45:49 +0000

I appreciate the layout of your argument and how you appropriately lay out your position on ‘lone soldiers’ in Israel. I however disagree with the conclusion that serving in ‘volunteer army’ service for Israel “perverts the essential nature of Zionism.” Jews in America often find the best way of supporting the state of Israel is through financial donations. Are you to say that if these ‘American donations’ go towards the IDF and not to kibbutzim than it is not Zionist? Zionism is not a one dimensional expression. The state of Israel exists because it is able to excel in many facets, not just the science, not just agriculture, and not just the military. If an able bodied 21 year old living in Atlanta, Ga feels a connection to the land of Israel and is willing to give two years of his life to the IDF and do it for FREE than that is his/her way of contributing. Many of us ended up in America by chance, and have cousins in Israel by circumstances beyond anybody’s control. If I chose to fight for the cause of defending the people I love in Israel and the country I so often visit than I will do so. Your conclusion is completely ungrounded is disconnected from the substance of your argument.

By: Y. Ben-David

Y. Ben-David — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:10:32 +0000

Well, Mr Hilborn, you really did it this time. Here’s what you said:
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One woman ,who worked in Chile during the Pinocett reign of terror says there are many comparisons between those CIA trained thugs and soldiers recruited from the settlements. The swagger, the level of rudeness toward non-jews, the obvious lack of good education,poor language skills, inability to converse properly in Hebrew and almost a fanatical hatred of the Palestinians. These attitudes were not exhibited in the past when there were less members of the IDF from the settlements.
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You claim essentially that people living in “settlements” are violent, uncouth, bigoted and ignorant. There are 300,000 Jews living in what you call “settlements”. Does this fit all, or even a majority? You also imply that anyone who serves in the military is a “brown shirt” (didn’t you state that YOU served in the military). With this posting, you have lost all credibility with me. You are a biased , hyper-politicized person who can only demonize those you don’t agree with.

By: Joshua

Joshua — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:18:30 +0000

I also read that piece that Israel claims there is no spy activity in the US. That denial does not hold very strong when analysed carefully, ie Larry Franklin and the “High-Fivers” of the 9/11 attacks.

By: george a. hilborn

george a. hilborn — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:39:16 +0000

Why would anyone who is an American citizen spy for Israel or on the US ?There was a hue and cry in this country for Jonathan Pollard’s death as a traitor , fortunately cooler heads prevailed,but the position of the Israeli government has left a bad taste in the mouths of certain Americans.

Observations on the ground from some of our missionaries involved in humanitarian works involving the conduct of members of the IDF from the settlements is not positive. One woman ,who worked in Chile during the Pinocett reign of terror says there are many comparisons between those CIA trained thugs and soldiers recruited from the settlements. The swagger, the level of rudeness toward non-jews, the obvious lack of good education,poor language skills, inability to converse properly in Hebrew and almost a fanatical hatred of the Palestinians. These attitudes were not exhibited in the past when there were less members of the IDF from the settlements. The IDF according to Jeffrey Goldberg in his article in this month’s Atlantic,”Is Israel Finished?” says that the settlements contribute 25% of the present membership of the IDF . We in the US should also take note that the Army and Marines have again lowered their standards not only to include non-high school graduates, people with minimal IQ scores, but con
victed felons ; shades of Roehm’s “brown shirts”.

Again people should not be painted with a ” broad brush” and all generalities are suspect. The love of one’s ancestral homeland should not include betraying your country of citizenship by betraying trust given to you as a member of that democracy.Pollard chose not to recognize this but the young Zionist should

By: Richard Silverstein

Richard Silverstein — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:58:36 +0000

The Israeli gov’t is loudly proclaiming it hasn’t spied on the U.S. since 1985 & that the current affair happened before then. How does it square this with the Larry Franklin/AIPAC incident. I understand that Franklin’s documents were shared with an Israeli consular official (Mossad agent likely) who subsequently left the U.S. just after the spy scandal erupted.

By: maryitalia

maryitalia — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:27:46 +0000

Haim, what is your view on the Palestinians who have to deal with Americans coming over to settle in the land that they live on? Is this any way of making peace move forward? Where are these Palestinians supposed to go?

By: berger

berger — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:39:51 +0000

Yeah…and one might even add that Israel shouldn’t spy on the US period.

By: Chris Dornan

Chris Dornan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:37:26 +0000

Brilliant article Haim, and very wise. The breaking down of boundaries between the US and Israel is one of the reasons for so much confusion. This strikes at the heart of it.