To Johann Hari

Bravo Johann.... thank god for journalists like you. The truth about Israel should be general knowledge, should be taught in every school room. It was at least a hundred years before true story of the genocide of American Indians came to light. Thanks to you and other brave journalists, it won't take that long for the true history of Israel to be known.

Well done Johann. Your articles on Israel are the some of the best written in any UK newspaper. It is bizarre how some journalists such as Melanie Phillips seem to believe an alternative and fantasy version of Israeli history without ethnic cleansing or the destruction of Arab villages. Israeli independence day is not something that should be celebrated however if there is a permanent and realistic peace settlement with Palestine then there should be an Israeli Peace Day which we could all celebrate.

I wonder how long it will be before Gordon Brown brings the UK into line with the US, by making it actually illegal to criticise Israel (intentionally or unintentionally)

http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/new_testament_anti-semitism_13.html

Great article. The quote are quite disturbing. I am amazed so many people continue to deny what happened to the Palestinians, when such information is readily available.

Well done, Johann. I might add that what no British politician seems to have the courage to say is that the fundamental problem is the Jewish religion – their view that Israel is theirs by Divine Right.

It may not stay there long, but as of 0240 BST, comment #3 in this thread links to an article by Reverend Ted Pike at American Free Press. I personally am not religious, one way or the other, and I think it is worth pointing out that Pike represents the flip side on US evangelical protestantism, which is not merely anti-zionist, but religiously anti-Jewish, and thus plays directly into the hands of our critics. The fact that so much US anti-zionism continually does this is one of our main problems.

Along the same lines, the current comment #5 identifies zionism with "the Jewish religion," which accords with the view of the dominant religio-zionist nexus in the USA, but not with my conception of zionism, which is based on a sort of Hannah-Arendt-style, basically secular, concept of "the Jews" as a nation, and zionism as a means of getting back to nationhood from the diasporic form of organisation, which was indeed religious. From my point of view, both pro-zionists and anti-zionists are digging themselves into deeper and deeper holes by reverting to religious world-views.

Well done Johann, the truth about Israel can only help the cause of peace.
The cry of "anti-semitism" is no longer a means of censorship.

Rowan Berkeley: Like yourself I am not religious, I knew nothing of Reverend Ted Pike or his views, nor do I greatly care. The article in question is about a State Department Office of Global Anti-Semitism report. The paragraph which caught my eye, was the following ---

"Bible believers aren’t the only ones at risk. The State Department report also says it is anti-Semitic to: Allege “intentionally or unintentionally” that the state of Israel persecutes Palestinians; criticize “intentionally or unintentionally” Zionism or Israel if such criticism leads to lowering of public opinion of Jews or the government, military, or people of Israel; publish cartoons depicting the Israeli government and military as similar to Nazis; diminish the 6 million figure of Holocaust dead in any amount; allege that Jews exert undue influence in Congress, the White House and the media; and/or allege that American Jews are equally loyal to Israel."

This, I am sure that you will agree, is a monstrous attack on freedom of speech, well deserving of being publicised. If you would care to suggest an alternative link which highlights the same piece of tyranny, I will gladly use it in future posts.

Meanwhile, back in the real world, colonial Syria and Iran and their proxy army of fascists are currently conducting a coup in Lebanon, confident that they can now start a war with Israel and destroy it once and for all.

But, yes, let's waffle on about a quote that 'proves' not a great deal and have a sort of Israel hate-fest on the message boards for a change.

We are all Hizbollah now eh...

Hari has the excuse that he has been made to look a rather shrill idiot by superior and braver journalists than he and his ego is a little damaged. Angry emails from Honest Reporting are not a patch on the death threats and vitriol aimed at Melanie Phillips daily. But the rest of the commenters here just don't like Israel/Jews very much and have some sort of sad obsession with not being 'allowed' to criticise Israel.

Ps Johan, no-one has 'sent me in' to put this comment. I did it all by myself (anyone who has actually read Hari's bitter and ill-judged rant about smearing will get the joke.)

Anyway, I don't like to engage with idiots. I'll leave you all to your little hatefest.

Anyone can select a handful of quotes and paint whatever picture they want. Here are a few for you below, pasted from MP's own website. So, what do they prove? I guess they prove whatever people want them to.

People (your audience Johan) want to hear that they are being silenced and smeared into submission. That there is this great 'cover-up' of the real history of Palestine and anyone who bravely uncoves the 'truth' is silenced by this dark hand.

What a load of nonsense. Journos can write about Israel conducting genocides (remember thousands of dead in mass graves in Jenin) with no evidence whatsever except hope! They are still writing for this paper, The Guardian, reporting for the BBC etc. The jews haven't got rid of them; they are still about hoping for the next war-crime. Get over yourself Johan. You wrote a poorly researched article which could have been written equally strongly about India, Britain and a whole load of other countries. You've been exposed as a bit crafty and somewhat loose with the facs and you don't like it.

Some quotes, enjoy.....

‘There is no such country as Palestine. “Palestine” is a term the Zionists invented. [...]Our country was for centuries part of Syria. “Palestine” is alien to us. It is the Zionists who introduced it.’
Auni Bey Abdul-Had, Local Arab leader to British Peel Commission, 1937

‘There is no such thing as Palestine in history, absolutely not.’
Professor Philip Hitti, Arab historian to Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry, 1946

‘It is common knowledge that Palestine is nothing but southern Syria’.
Ahmed Shukairy, United Nations Security Council, 1956

‘The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct “Palestinian people” to oppose Zionism.’
Zahir Muhsein, PLO March 31, 1977
‘Jordan is Palestine and Palestine is Jordan.’
King Hussein 1982

‘Why is it that on June 4th 1967 I was a Jordanian and overnight I became a Palestinian? We did not particularly mind Jordanian rule. The teaching of the destruction of Israel was a definite part of the curriculum, but we considered ourselves Jordanian until the Jews returned to Jerusalem. Then all of the sudden we were Palestinians - they removed the star from the Jordanian flag and all at once we had a Palestinian flag. When I finally realized the lies and myths I was taught, it is my duty as a righteous person to speak out’.
Walid Shoebat, former PLO terrorist.

Mr. Underwood, when you say "I knew nothing of Reverend Ted Pike or his views, nor do I greatly care. The article in question is about a State Department Office of Global Anti-Semitism report," you are demonstrating a dangerous carelessness with your sources. This is a minefield, you should know that. Please google Pike to find out his associations, and if it is the State Dept. report that you wish to cite, then google that too. I am not asking much of you really, just basic internet literacy.

In fact, if you can find the time, I suggest googling the American Free Press itself, Willis Carto, the Liberty Lobby, and so forth. That way you will avoid giving the unintentional impression that you support well-known US neo-nazis.

I would like to thank Johann Hari for great reporting - and for courage. Сhauvinists have ruined many a country, and your fight against israely chauvinists is good for everyone - and for Israel most of all. Best luck!

Hari, thanks again, for your lucidity. I guess honest reporting has to do with using your brain (just like you do) instead of your heart or another body part to figure out things.

I hope I haven't made Mark Underwood feel too unconfortable - we all went through this. At least, it explains why Johann, and anyone else wading into this field, naturally finds himself stuck with a quite unintentional set of bad associations. It's also a good, though frightening, introduction to the new web-based world of psychological warfare. Talking of which, my Jobseeker's Agreement says I should try to parlay all my skills into jobs, so if anyone wants a leftish info warrior, I am available for hire.