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From: makr g Category: Art Date: 15 June 2007 Time: 02:03 PM Review: the analogy is a bad one: do you seriously not see the huge differences between Israel and apartheid south africa? can't you see israel is a convenient pariah for bleeding heart liberals like you, so much easier than criticising the repulsive state of saudi arabia, where there is no rule of law, no rights for women or minorities. but of course in your patronising neo-racism only whites and jews need be judged by civilised standards. where would you prefer to be a gay palestinian. Israel or most of the other countries in the world, or a female palestinian, or a black person or an asian or a jew (oh not that's not a good one). would you prefer to be a jew in iran or a palestinian in israel.? are women who are systematicallly oppressed in many of the world's nations not worthy of boycotts and political action. the big focus most be the quite egalitarian, quite democratic Israel. Israel is involved in a cease-fire with hostile neighbours whose main reason for not wanting Israel to exist is not the Palestinians. Their conditions and suffering is important, just as many serious injustices around the world are, the solution is not to fall into the destructive rhetoric of boycotting Israel, and thus falling into the hands of making the Jewish state an exception to world standards, as by world standards it is nowhere close to being an awful evil state. Hyperbole and inflamatory analogies wont help either. You see Israel as a democracy can be criticised and changed without the need to destroy it, apartheid could only be banished with the whole structure of the state. Start by protesting all the other evil acts of states, from the US to China, and then perhaps you will view Israel objectively, not as the latest fashion in pariah.