Ex-parliament speaker paints Israel 'Zionist ghetto'
Fri Jun 8, 11:19 AM ET
JERUSALEM (AFP) - A former speaker of Israel's parliament considers the country a "Zionist ghetto" whose self-definition as a Jewish state is the key to its ruin, in an interview published on Friday.
It can't work anymore. To define the State of Israel as a Jewish state is the key to its end. A Jewish state is explosive. It's dynamite," Avraham Burg, parliamentary speaker from 1999 to 2003, told the Haaretz newspaper.
"People find this (Israel as a Jewish democratic state) very comfortable. It's lovely. It's schmaltzy. It's nostalgic. It's retro. It gives a sense of fullness. But 'Jewish-democratic' is nitroglycerine."
Burg has newly written a book, "Defeating Hitler," in which Haaretz says he describes Israel as a "Zionist ghetto" and compares Israeli behaviour in the occupied Palestinian territories to that of Nazi Germany.
Also a former chairman of the semi-governmental Jewish Agency responsible for immigration to Israel, Burg called for discussion of the law of return, under which any Jew is able to come to live in Israel.
"The law of return is an apologetic law. It is the mirror image of Hitler. I don't want Hitler to define my identity," he said.
Religious and a former activist in the anti-settlement Peace Now movement, Burg is today a businessman who considers Israeli society paranoid and comparable to pre-Nazi Germany.
"The separation fence (built by Israel in the West Bank) is a fence against paranoia ... There is something so xenophobic about it. So insane," he said.
He criticised targeted assassinations carried out by the Israeli army against Palestinian militants and compared "some of the certainly" to murder.
Wow, Israel has a leftwing:eek:
Of course, being a western democracy Israel, just like the rest of the west faces the same wackos on the left as it sees on the right. But they are there, they critize and they serve a very important purposes in always questioning government and ensuring liberty.
When was the last time the Egyptian left (do real political parties actually exist there) openly able to critize your government in exactly?
Magnetonium
Dang, Mr. Avraham Burg understands the threat to his country's security from the current policies of the Israeli government. I am sure he is not just against his own country, he is merely pointing out the problems the state of Israel will have in the future if the status quo is maintained. He is worried for the future of Israel.
spiflicated
quote:
Originally posted by Fir3start3r
Wow, what a load of crap.
+1
George Smiley
quote:
Originally posted by Yoepus
Wow, Israel has a leftwing:eek:
Of course it does! Until America began sticking it's oar in Israel was going to be a Marxist paradise as intended by the original Zionists!
:p ;)
M.Johan
quote:
Originally posted by Fir3start3r
Wow, what a load of crap.
quote:
Originally posted by Yoepus
Wow, Israel has a leftwing:eek:
Of course, being a western democracy Israel, just like the rest of the west faces the same wackos on the left as it sees on the right. But they are there, they critize and they serve a very important purposes in always questioning government and ensuring liberty.
Avraham Burg shows a clear view about Israel and its neighbours and the Israeli society in general.
There're many discrimination actiones against other minor groups like Israeli arabs and Non-Orthodox Jews inside Israel.
quote:
When was the last time the Egyptian left (do real political
parties actually exist there) openly able to critize your government in exactly?
Don't get away from the topic bec. it's not about left but about (Zionism right wing)'s :rolleyes: in Israel.
however the left wing in Egypt has only eight seats but they can do political parties.
xiad
you need to remember that although egypt may seem like a democracy on the outside, due to pathetic backing by the Bush himself, it is almost completely irrelivant what Egypts left or right says about Israel. What they do to Palestinians is apartheid, hands down.
M.Johan
quote:
Originally posted by xiad
you need to remember that although egypt may seem like a democracy on the outside, due to pathetic backing by the Bush himself
Originally posted by xiad
it is almost completely irrelivant what Egypts left or right says about Israel. What they do to Palestinians is apartheid, hands down.
Did sure?:conf:
xiad
On paper, Egypt is a democracy. But how can you ignore the fact Husni Mubarak wants to make his son the next 'President' of Egypt. That sounds alot like a hybrid monarchy to me. And yes, Israel has waged a BLATANT apartheid against the Palestinian people.
Fir3start3r
quote:
Originally posted by xiad
On paper, Egypt is a democracy. But how can you ignore the fact Husni Mubarak wants to make his son the next 'President' of Egypt. That sounds alot like a hybrid monarchy to me. And yes, Israel has waged a BLATANT apartheid against the Palestinian people.
Evidently you have no clue what 'Apartheid' is so here's a primer...
