Netanyahu at the UN: Enter the twilight zone

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

http://972mag.com/netanyahu-at-the-un-enter-the-twilight-zone/79906/

Netanyahu introduced himself:

I feel deeply honored and privileged to stand here before you today representing the citizens of the state of Israel. We are an ancient people. We date back nearly 4,000 years to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We have journeyed through time. We’ve overcome the greatest of adversities. And we re-established our sovereign state in our ancestral homeland, the land of Israel.

Of course, 1.2 million of Israel’s citizens are Palestinians. About 20 percent of Israelis are non-Jews. Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear that he does not speak for them. We Palestinians kind of already knew that.

In America, about 13 percent of the population is black. In today’s world, we cannot imagine an American president, even a white one, explicitly stating that he does not include them in his ranks. But to Netanyahu, these 1.2 million people do not exist. If that’s not living in another dimension, I don’t know what is.

[oberliner]

1. America doesn't define itself as The White State

Last edited Fri Oct 4, 2013, 06:55 PM - Edit history (1)

Or present itself as a haven for white people escaping discrimination.

It's so weird when people make these kinds of comparisons.

[Scootaloo]

2. Now, imagine if it DID.

Imagine if by doing so, it ignored or infringed on the rights of its citizens who are nonwhite, both within the country itself, and within the territories it controls - the Marshall Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, etc. Imagine an America where a pale-skinned person fresh off the boat from Smolensk has more rights, privileges, and government access than a dark-skinned person whose family presence in California predates the foundation of the English colonies.

Does this strike you as a primitive and backwards concept for the foundation and principle of a modern nation? I suspect that, were we talking about any nation other than Israel, you would recognize the problem immediately.

[oberliner]

3. This post explains a lot

Last edited Sat Oct 5, 2013, 05:19 AM - Edit history (1)

It helps I think to understand where you are coming from. To not be able to make a distinction. That you (seemingly) seem to Israel as a country whose foundation is similar to what you describe there is fascinating to me.

[Scootaloo]

4. And yet you seem to understand very little.

Your earlier post seemed to be making the point that since Israel defines itself as a Jewish state, and the United States does not define itself by ethnicity, that the two states do not bear comparison.

Now you're clucking your tongue about how I "think" Israel defines itself as a Jewish state - apparently you changed your mind? Did Israel abandon the "Jewish State" rhetoric between your post and mine, and nobody notified me? Are you just arguing to up your post count? Maybe you need to cut back on drinking the kimchee juice?

I asked you to think about if America followed this model, defining itself as a white nation, and what that would mean for everyone else living in the nation.

You're not a stupid person, Oberliner, so I'm pretty sure you're capable of imagining such a thing. I just don't think you're willing to challenge your own perceptions in such a way.

[shaayecanaan]

6. Its the get out of jail card...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113428938#post43

[shaayecanaan]

5. Do the Israeli Arabs need to be separately represented at the UN?

It would seem so. After all, Netanyahu only claims to represent 80% of Israeli citizens.

Nice job endorsing his position, by the way. It must warm his cockles to see support from such lion-hearted liberals as yourself.