Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Israel and Palestine


Over the course of the last twenty years or so, Catholic pilgrims visiting the Holy Land have come home with stories of Christian persecution from both the Jews and Hamas. It has been crystal clear from these stories that the overwhelming majority of the cruelty and persecution of Christians in the Holy Land is coming from the Israelis. The cruelty is unbearable.

Given this state of affairs, I've had a tough time ginning up empathy for Israel, though my gut instincts repeatedly tell me I should.

I don't claim to be a historian on this situation. Catholics have been preoccupied with their own persecution inside and outside of the Roman Catholic Church. But, from what I have read and observed: I get that the Jewish people were living there and were targets for the terrorism of muslims. And, let us face it - the terrorism of muslims through the centuries is insidious and well known to Christians. There is no living in peace with them.

The muslims want us dead. Both Christians and Jews.

I've never actually found peace in the displacement of Palestinians, making them refugees from their own homes to create the state of Israel. But when I cut to the chase, the Jews were struggling to survive in a place where they lived. It simply was not possible because of the terrorism. There is no living in peace. There is no chance of survival. We have seen it with our own. The Jews fought back and won a homeland where they could survive, pass on their heritage and practice their religion. The muslims have continued to throw bombs, kill and terrorize.

We've never had to live with the kind of unceasing terrorism that finds three of our teenage sons murdered in cold blood as a political message from the muslims who live next door.

At the end of the day, those wounds run deep and the situation causes people to behave in ways they ordinarily wouldn't. Each time they are dragged to the negotiation table, it seems that Israel tries to be reasonable.

Here again, we see Israel accepting a cease fire and Hamas defiantly telling them they will continue the terrorism and massacre. As Israel lays down its weapons, Hamas continues to bomb and murder.

Where is nobel peace award recipient Barack Hussein?

In six years, they have reduced centuries of leadership of this once great nation to rubble.

All he could muster was a public announcement asking Israel to exercise forbearance as the muslims throw bombs and murder their children in cold blood.

With the world watching the sissification of the POTUS, Egypt had to step in and take the lead. While he was having a supper with the muslims, Barack Hussein 'praised' the Egypt's attempt to stop the escalation in the conflict.

He either thinks the whole world is as stupid as the people who elected him or he just doesn't give a hoot how his passive-aggressive jihad is playing out.

The Canadian PM has already spoken out. Every American who has done their diligence has found out that Barack Hussein is funding and behind Hamas.

I have to wonder, is the Obama-funded ethnic cleansing of Christians in the Middle East now so victorious that they are well-positioned to attempt to conquer and ethnic cleanse the Jews?

Are our people so dead and gone, the Jews are next on the agenda?

Deos enim religuos accepimus, Caesares dedimus



13 comments:

Anonymous said...

"It has been crystal clear from these stories that the overwhelming majority of the cruelty and persecution of Christians in the Holy Land is coming from the Israelis. The cruelty is unbearable..."

Carol, are you sure you mean to say the Israelis are cruelly persecuting the Christians in the Holy Land?

M

Aged parent said...

It is extremely hard in the face of such a relentless and one-sided propaganda war to have a clear view of what has been going on over there but it is necessary for us, as Catholics, to try to understand. I will try to put it simply, if a little harshly: the main responsibility for the carnage going on over there lies with the occupiers. And if you would like to hear that from more reputable sources then you need only read the words of the Bishops who live there, beginning with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Many have forgotten that prior to 1948, Christians, Muslims and Jews lived in relative peace with each other in the Holy Land. This simple fact is never brought up in the mainstream press because it would show how the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population - a population that included Muslims AND Christians - conducted by Eastern European Jews who decided to move there and expel the inhabitants who could trace their lineage there over 5,000 years was a catastrophe and a crime. Since that time the original inhabitants have fled, fought back or been reduced to living in a prison - complete with a new "Berlin Wall" that has been constructed. In short, the Jews are making life hell for the historic inhabitants of that land. Every prelate who knows the situation has decried this injustice, every nation that has an ounce of humanity left has denounced it. Yet Israel continues with these horrors while their great patron, the USA, cheers them on.

In the recent reign of terror unleashed some days ago on these people (Muslim and Christian) over 80% of the victims have been the innocent: women, children, grandfathers, grandmothers. The government is exacting revenge on an entire population over the killing of three Jewish teenagers, whose murderers were never found, never tried in a court, nothing. The "rockets" being fired into Israel are mostly home-made cannons that are pathetic to see, while the Israelis use USA-built fighter planes and military hardware. Talk about David and Goliath. The casualties so far, as of today: 1 Israeli killed, 180 Muslims and/or Christians, mostly innocent, blown to smithereens.

With all due respect you do really need to try to read the other side of the story, the story that the corporate news media, try to keep from us. Allow me to suggest:

http://catholicism.org/170-palestinians-70-women-and-children-dead-15000-fleeing-gaza.html

http://catholicism.org/israelis-eat-popcorn-as-they-watch-the-show-from-hilltop-of-stolen-town.html

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4542023,00.html

http://www.ifamericansknew.org/

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1402862.htm

I could go on and on, of course, but those are some articles that provide the much-need other side of the story.

My humble advice would be to try to see what has become of the Holy Land since the 1948 occupation and expulsion of the inhabitants by Eastern European Jews, and to compare that with the relative peace that existed there before that terrible crime was committed. And, further, we should never forget St Pius X's stern warning to Theodore Herzl, who wanted that Pope to endorse his plan to turn the Holy Land into an exclusively Jewish state. In essence, he told Herzl, in nice popely fashion, that he could go to hell and that the Church would never sanction such an atrocity. That great Saint's wise decision was overturned by John Paul II and ever since then the situation there has become far, far worse.

Anonymous said...

But moving to the present day. I have never heard of Jewish mothers dancing in the streets to celebrate the deaths of Muslims or Christians. I have never heard of a Jewish suicide bomber with a vest filled with ball bearings. When a Palestinian teen was set on fire recently, the Israeli government denounced the crime and arrested suspects. When has a Palestinian government done that? Not that the Israelis are perfect -- far from it! -- but they do in fact offer medical help to anyone at their hospitals, include Arabs (Muslim and Christian) in their parliament, and live in a relatively transparent state with laws. They have a press willing to criticize the government, too.


M

TTC said...

M, there is no question it is the Jews that are persecuting the Christians in the Holy Land. Frankly, I was shocked to hear it myself.
I am not going by stories from any newspapers but rather hearing hundreds of accounts from Catholics who went over to visit our holy sites and came back with the stories told by Catholics and Christians there. It's really bad.

The number of people and the credentials of the people who told me their first hand experiences and stories they heard from Christians leaves no room for doubt.

Aged Parent, thank you for your perspective and these links, which I will read. As I have mentioned in my post, I have never been at peace with the displacement of Palestinians.

My thoughts are just gut instincts of watching the conflicts all over the world and reading about what muslim terrorists have been doing for centuries. They want to see us dead - both Jews and Christians - and have been carrying out their agenda for as long as history has been recorded. I can't help but think that has made the Jews bitter.

If you keep kicking a dog, eventually he's going to bite, not just his enemy, but everyone he fears.

TTC said...

M, I also agree with your observation about the delight muslims take in killing us - and that the Jews have never exhibited this insidious behavior. This is why I think their malady is related to bitterness and fear. Still, they are tormenting our people there and it is inexcusable.

TTC said...

I would strongly encourage all to read links posted by Aged Parent. Some are pretty convincing on where the empathies of local Catholics lie.

Dymphna said...

Everytime Ive spoken to Christians from the Holy Land they make it clear that their situation is grim. The incidents of Israelis spitting on them do not make the news nor does the church vandalizations.

Steve Dalton said...

Carol, thank you for presenting a balanced picture of the situation in Israel. The evangelicals never present this information in their media, and certain Catholic bloggers will scream 'Anti-Semitism!' if you dare criticize the Chosen darlings.

Aged parent said...

I would only add that with regard to M's comment about Muslims "dancing in the streets" when an IDF soldier gets killed (an extremely rare occasion, by the way) I would say that Israeli citizens sitting on a high hill overlooking the devastation, eating popcorn and cheering every time a group of women and children Muslim and Christian) are blown to bits by Israeli jets might also qualify as being outrageous behavior, no? Please see the link I procided covering this very incident.

TTC said...

Umar,

I'll go back and read my post but I didn't see it as a brief against Israel. I agreed that the centuries of the murders at the hands of muslims is causally-related to the response from Israel.

What I said was, I understand and support the defense of Israel but I do so reluctantly.

Are the Jews proactively ethnically cleansing Catholics and Christians with swords and guns? NO.

But they are starving them, keeping them from earning a living and purchasing what they need to survive, including food and medical supplies and I have no doubt that people are dying as a result.

Israelis are much more coy about being seen with blood on their hands but the ruthlessness and cruelty are beneath contempt and will not go unnoticed on this blog. You'll never see me out there cheerleeding for them. I see what they are doing to our people and so what I've said is about all I can muster.

We have no choice but to support the lesser of two evils.

TTC said...

I would encourage you to read the links Aged Parent posted -- and thank you for the ones you suggested...

peace

TTC said...




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnPc38P6WbA

Umar ibn Hafsun said...

Very interesting, however, I find this Palestinian woman's acount much more compelling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzCAqXrBGtU#t=383