Barenboim condemns 'Palestinian suffering'

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Germany's best-known Jewish musician has used a prestigious awards ceremony to demand that Israel recognize the "sorrow" of the Palestinians and withdraw from the West Bank.

Famously left-wing conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim, an Israeli expatriate who was born in Buenos Aires, made his comments while accepting the Award for Understanding and Tolerance from German Chancellor Angela Merkel at Berlin's Jewish Museum Saturday night, for promoting reconciliation between Israel and its neighbors.

Barenboim conducts a multi-faith orchestra made up of Israelis and Arabs that tours the world.

Barenboim said Israel needed to show more tolerance toward its neighbors. "We cannot forget the values that were respected in the whole of Jewish history, namely dignity, generosity and intelligence," said. "We must acknowledge the sorrow of the Palestinians. This doesn't make us weaker. We must remember that Israel at its foundation promised all citizens equality, including the non-Jewish ones."

He also said, "We, the Jewish people, have no right to occupy the territories, and we must find the intelligence and strength to fight for peace - in fact, with at least double the intensity with which we led war. That is our Jewish heritage."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1162378444568&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[no_hypocrisy]

1. An argument can be made that the Palestinian PEOPLE are suffering

due to a combination of THEIR leadership (inept and corrupt as ours) and the dual aggressive-defensive stance of the Israeli military. They are truly sandwiched in by competing entities, both of which do not have their best interests at heart. I've never understood why the UN hasn't stepped in on their behalf.

[Vorta]

2. The Palestinians make their own trouble. Israel could give them half the country and they would

try to take the rest.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. you mean give them back 1/2 of palestine. That's big of you

wow. I never thought of it that way. magnanimous, actually.

[Vorta]

4. That's a pissing contest. I'll pass. Thanks.

[IntiRaymi]

5. Curious how so many people here speak for Palestinians.

But no actual palestinians do the talking. I would appreciate it if statements such as these were minimized... The wrong crowd is trying to form opinions of their adversaries to the public at large.