Aside for the curious: in case you're wondering "censored" refers to an expression that was deemed "inflamatory" by the powers that be.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
One of the unshakeable certainties shared by almost everybody, not only in western countries, but the entire non-arab, non-muslim world is the idea that Palestinians are the aggressors in the present phase of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (that extends from the first months-the second half of 1948 to 2020).
The narrative that presents palestinians as aggressors is represented by an iconic image familiar to all, even to people with the most cursory knowledge about the conflict, that shows the chronological sequence of events:
This narrative that presents palestinians as a community, a state or a quasi-state committing unprovoked violence against a neighboring state for the last 70 years is practically an article of faith in countries and regions as diverse as America, China, Africa, Latin America, etc...
Depending on how you count generations, you already have two or three generations raised on this undisputable fact. The social confirmation of the palestinian aggression comes from multiple sources.
The entire mass media, politicians and even the ordinary people that surrounds us like the leaf-blower guy who annoys you every week, everybody confirms the fact that palestinians launch unprovoked attacks against their neighbor.
For the past 70 years almost the whole world was bombarded by a massive propaganda campaign echoed by virtually all media accusing the palestinians of aggression (even muslim majority countries like Malaysia jump on the bandwagon as you can see below):
Israel Retaliates for Suicide Blast
Israel retaliates after Hamas launches at least 200 rockets into Israeli territory
Israel strikes Gaza after rocket fire
Israeli tanks shell Hamas position in Gaza in retaliation for rocket launch
Israel retaliates against Gaza rockets | The Malaysian Insight
This same narrative is incessantly repeated by an endless stream of american presidents and british prime ministers and just about any non-arab political leader around the world etc...
(Speech to the World Zionist Organization)
The combined effect of the portrayal of Palestinians as the aggressive, belligerant part by the world's most important political leaders, echoed by the global media is the transformation of this idea into a dogma, an article of faith whose veracity is not even open for discussion.
You can have an idea of the near unanimity that 7 decades of continuous repetition of this 'Palestinians attack Israel' mantra has generated in the minds of the average western, asian, african and latin-american citizen by a small sample of quotes by some of the members of the US Message Board:
It's interesting to note that the unanimous opinion expressed above is 100% based on the headlines and reports presented by the global media and the statements given by politicians and 0% based on serious, impartial historic research.
You can bet your soul that Coyote, FY436, RoccoR, toastman, Hollie either don't know or pretend to ignore the historical genesis of Palestinian "attacks" on Israel.
They don't know or pretend not to know anything about the historical context of the "attacks":
1 what caused them,
2 when they started,
3 who perpetrated them,
4 the nature of the attacks (rocks, firearms, bombs, etc...)
Their ignorance (when it's indeed a case of ignorance and not of bad faith) is absolutely understandable.
You can't reasonably expect millions of american, chinese and indian citizens to be experts on the history of Palestine.
And besides, why should they even bother to study a subject upon which there is such a massive unanimity?
Dozens of american, african, latin american and chinese presidents, dozens of Canadian, Indian and Japanese prime ministers cannot be all wrong.
Dozens of the most prestigious TV networks, newspapers and journalists (CBS, ABC, BBC, The Times of London, LA Times, The NY Times, Cronkite, Rather, Jennings, etc...) cannot be lying.
But we have a solitary voice stubbornly denying the official narrative accepted by almost the entire world that portrays palestinans as the aggressors:
Someone who has the gall to defy such a universal consensus cannot be taken seriously. Most people liken Tinmore's outrageous statement that Israel is the aggressor to those mentally disturbed caricatural prophets of the end of times that roam big cities like NY, LA and Miami:
He also reminds people of that crazy, outspoken uncle that embarrasses everybody at family gatherings. Nothing but a contrarian.
Tinmore is definitely a minority of one but as Gandhi said "even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth".
But ask yourself this:
What really motivates an American president or Japanese Prime Minister to accuse Palestinians of aggression against Israel?
The real history of Israel-Palestine or the special US-Israel relationship?
The historical facts that occurred in Palestine in 1948-2020 or the diplomatic and economic ties between Japan and Israel?
No matter how much credibility Reagan's, Thatcher's, Kennedy's statements may apparently have... No matter how authoritative and respectable the NYT's, LA Times' headlines and articles may be on the surface...
They have the ability to extract the historical context, to decontextualize the news and present something that bears little resemblance to reality.
Politicians' statements and newspapers' articles will never be substitutes for serious historic research.
So let's try to find out the truth about the rocket "attacks" and the israeli "retaliation" not in presidential speeches and newspapers' headlines but in serious historiography.
Our journey has only just begun.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
One of the unshakeable certainties shared by almost everybody, not only in western countries, but the entire non-arab, non-muslim world is the idea that Palestinians are the aggressors in the present phase of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (that extends from the first months-the second half of 1948 to 2020).
The narrative that presents palestinians as aggressors is represented by an iconic image familiar to all, even to people with the most cursory knowledge about the conflict, that shows the chronological sequence of events:
Palestinian militants launch a volley of rockets.
After a few minutes, hours, days or weeks comes the inevitable israeli retaliation
This narrative that presents palestinians as a community, a state or a quasi-state committing unprovoked violence against a neighboring state for the last 70 years is practically an article of faith in countries and regions as diverse as America, China, Africa, Latin America, etc...
Depending on how you count generations, you already have two or three generations raised on this undisputable fact. The social confirmation of the palestinian aggression comes from multiple sources.
The entire mass media, politicians and even the ordinary people that surrounds us like the leaf-blower guy who annoys you every week, everybody confirms the fact that palestinians launch unprovoked attacks against their neighbor.
For the past 70 years almost the whole world was bombarded by a massive propaganda campaign echoed by virtually all media accusing the palestinians of aggression (even muslim majority countries like Malaysia jump on the bandwagon as you can see below):
Israel Retaliates for Suicide Blast
Israel Retaliates for Suicide Blast
Israel retaliates after Hamas launches at least 200 rockets into Israeli territory
Israel retaliates after Hamas launches at least 200 rockets into Israeli territory
Israel strikes militant sites in Gaza after rockets fired at Tel Aviv
Israel strikes Gaza after rocket fire
Israeli Tanks Shell Hamas Position in Gaza in Retaliation for Rocket Launch
Israeli tanks shell Hamas position in Gaza in retaliation for rocket launch
Israel retaliates against Gaza rockets
Israel retaliates against Gaza rockets | The Malaysian Insight
This same narrative is incessantly repeated by an endless stream of american presidents and british prime ministers and just about any non-arab political leader around the world etc...
"Israel's got a right to defend herself; Israel must not
feel constrained in terms of defending the homeland."
feel constrained in terms of defending the homeland."
Bush Reaffirms That Israel Has Right to Defend Homeland
By David Stout
By David Stout
We are committed to Israel's right to live in peace with all its
neighbors, within secure and recognized borders, free from terrorism.
On the 1st Anniversary of the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty Remarks, March 23, 1980.neighbors, within secure and recognized borders, free from terrorism.
"The United States is prepared to supply military equipment necessary to support
the efforts of friendly governments, like Israel's, to defend the safety of their people."
the efforts of friendly governments, like Israel's, to defend the safety of their people."
(Speech to the World Zionist Organization)
The combined effect of the portrayal of Palestinians as the aggressive, belligerant part by the world's most important political leaders, echoed by the global media is the transformation of this idea into a dogma, an article of faith whose veracity is not even open for discussion.
You can have an idea of the near unanimity that 7 decades of continuous repetition of this 'Palestinians attack Israel' mantra has generated in the minds of the average western, asian, african and latin-american citizen by a small sample of quotes by some of the members of the US Message Board:
The idea that the Arab Palestinians had a "defensive position"
of any sort, is nonsense. They were not defending anything.
of any sort, is nonsense. They were not defending anything.
Israel has NO reason to attack Palestinians other than
to defend Israel from further attacks or to retaliate.
TOASTMAN
to defend Israel from further attacks or to retaliate.
TOASTMAN
The Palestinians have not been able to to stop aggressive attacks on Israel's civilian populace. ... much of their military actions against the Palestinians have been in response to these attacks which no other state would be expected to tolerate.
NO state can tolerate attacks on its civilians, NO state should
be expected to. Why would you expect Israel to tolerate it?
Agree. So why the hell did they continue lobbing rockets
into civilian areas? Come on - these are civilians.
NO state can tolerate attacks on its civilians, NO state should
be expected to. Why would you expect Israel to tolerate it?
Agree. So why the hell did they continue lobbing rockets
into civilian areas? Come on - these are civilians.
You didn't answer her question. Deflection. What kind
of "defense" is lobbing rockets into civilian areas?
of "defense" is lobbing rockets into civilian areas?
Indeed, the Palestinians commit acts of war constantly.
Hamas and Fatah have entire infrastructures dedicated to promoting acts of war.
Indeed, why are you surprised when Israel responds?
Hamas and Fatah have entire infrastructures dedicated to promoting acts of war.
Indeed, why are you surprised when Israel responds?
HOLLIE
It's interesting to note that the unanimous opinion expressed above is 100% based on the headlines and reports presented by the global media and the statements given by politicians and 0% based on serious, impartial historic research.
You can bet your soul that Coyote, FY436, RoccoR, toastman, Hollie either don't know or pretend to ignore the historical genesis of Palestinian "attacks" on Israel.
They don't know or pretend not to know anything about the historical context of the "attacks":
1 what caused them,
2 when they started,
3 who perpetrated them,
4 the nature of the attacks (rocks, firearms, bombs, etc...)
Their ignorance (when it's indeed a case of ignorance and not of bad faith) is absolutely understandable.
You can't reasonably expect millions of american, chinese and indian citizens to be experts on the history of Palestine.
And besides, why should they even bother to study a subject upon which there is such a massive unanimity?
Dozens of american, african, latin american and chinese presidents, dozens of Canadian, Indian and Japanese prime ministers cannot be all wrong.
Dozens of the most prestigious TV networks, newspapers and journalists (CBS, ABC, BBC, The Times of London, LA Times, The NY Times, Cronkite, Rather, Jennings, etc...) cannot be lying.
But we have a solitary voice stubbornly denying the official narrative accepted by almost the entire world that portrays palestinans as the aggressors:
The Palestinians have the right to defend themselves from Israeli aggression.
Israel always has to "defend itself" from the people it is attacking.
Everything, including armed struggle, is legitimate self defense.
BTW, Rocco, what people, besides the Palestinians, have no right to defend themselves?
Israel always has to "defend itself" from the people it is attacking.
Everything, including armed struggle, is legitimate self defense.
BTW, Rocco, what people, besides the Palestinians, have no right to defend themselves?
Someone who has the gall to defy such a universal consensus cannot be taken seriously. Most people liken Tinmore's outrageous statement that Israel is the aggressor to those mentally disturbed caricatural prophets of the end of times that roam big cities like NY, LA and Miami:
He also reminds people of that crazy, outspoken uncle that embarrasses everybody at family gatherings. Nothing but a contrarian.
Tinmore is definitely a minority of one but as Gandhi said "even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth".
But ask yourself this:
What really motivates an American president or Japanese Prime Minister to accuse Palestinians of aggression against Israel?
The real history of Israel-Palestine or the special US-Israel relationship?
The historical facts that occurred in Palestine in 1948-2020 or the diplomatic and economic ties between Japan and Israel?
No matter how much credibility Reagan's, Thatcher's, Kennedy's statements may apparently have... No matter how authoritative and respectable the NYT's, LA Times' headlines and articles may be on the surface...
They have the ability to extract the historical context, to decontextualize the news and present something that bears little resemblance to reality.
Politicians' statements and newspapers' articles will never be substitutes for serious historic research.
So let's try to find out the truth about the rocket "attacks" and the israeli "retaliation" not in presidential speeches and newspapers' headlines but in serious historiography.
Our journey has only just begun.
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