Here's a message to those who walked out of an israeli-palestinian debate at the union-at the university of leeds. It's also a response to maryam ahmed who wrote to the student newspaper defending the actions of Palestinian Solidarity Campaign which i believe included herself.
1. The guy who defended israel was not israeli - are we now allowed to have people on
campus who defend the right of the state of israel- or do you call extreme allowing
israel's right to exist - and having a representative of the israeli government.
2. The palestine solidarity group -the speaker you wanted to bring in was a supporter
from hamas - you mention racism - yet Hamas is racist, sexist, anti semitic and
homophobic. They voice islamic extremism and last month kiled 50 palestinians for so
called collaboration with israelies. Do you support a hamas group -which says it wants to
throw all jews into the sea, who are sponsored by the leader of iran mahmoud ahmadenejad
who has denied the holocaust repeatedly. Are you really surprised then that the union
didn't support your choice - a guy who supports hamas -with all the problems that entails
-im not saying israel is always right-but im giving you the chance now loud and clear to
condemn hamas
3. You have used similar tactics before when lorna fitsimmons came to speak-she rightly
criticised islamic extremists -not muslims in general -but just the small minority of
extremists -yet you just ignored this and said she was islamaphobic -by virtue of this are
moderate muslims such as Ed Hussain, Shiraz Maher and stephen schwartz -islamaphobic and
self hating muslims
4. The panel was neutral -1 pro palestinian, 1 neutral, 1 pro israeli -what more do you
want. You criticise the israeli guy for defending israel-yet this was why he was bought -
let him do his job and then debate im -dont just walk out and act like a spoilt child
5. What happened in gaza wasn't a massacre-please may i remind you of the context a-
Israel for 4 years had had thousands of rockets fired at it - for no other reason then
they were israeli-the only reason the casualties were low was because the israeli
government unlike the palestinan government spent money on protecting it's citizens in
bomb shelters. If france constantly rocketed england - trying to kill as many civilians
as possible- would you expect the english government to do nothing. B-hamas hid in
civilian areas including in schools, hospitals and houses - they had people as young as
12 fighting for them , they fired from civilian areas and used civilians as human
shields, and dressed up in civilian clothes - it is therefore largely there fault for the
civilian deaths - they used civilians to protect themselves -and this led to deaths.
Still noone knows the exact number of dead but it was predicted around 800 of the 1200
deaths were hamas - yes the other 400 is to high but you have to put it in the context
that israeli army posted leaflets telling people to leave and phone calls before
strikes-hamas told them not to.
6. do you support the two state solution-like me - and yes i do think israel should get
out of the west bank - or do you just want israel not to exist whatsoever.
7. Do you recognise the jewish nature of the state of israel- just as im sure you would
recognise the muslim nature of saudi arabia.
8. You weren't prevented from taking part of the discussion -you walked out - what a
childish action. i cant help think you are insinuating that jack codd is biased through
doing this action hwich he isn't
9. are you taking the piss the palestinian voice is heard all the time from the un -to
the un palestinian refugees commission- yet my grandparents who were kicked out of iraq
because they were jewish and israel was created- along wth 750,000 others are ignored
-they dont have millions of pounds given to them, there plight is ignored, they dont have
international sympathy- or any redress from the crimes committed from arab governments.
It is the palestinian leadership which has failed the palestinian people- if in 2000 they
had accepted - barak's peace plan we would have never been in this mess -yet arafat chose
terrorism through the intifada.
10. It's not to do with racism or religion it's to do with land- a -yes israel should get
out of the west bank - b- recognition of a sovereign nation-ie israel which most arab
countries wont do or hamas - whilst that stays how can israel have peace with a group who
wants to kill them.
11. The comparison with south africa is rubbish -firstly israel has many black citizens
of its own, israel is not racist, yes they have made mistakes -but on the basis of trying
to defends its citizens - for example israeli arabs whilst by no means are there
conditions perfect-have the highest living standards in the arab world
12. What would a boycott actually achieve -you would make the israeli people more extreme
-and the groups you would be targeting like universities are the hub of the israeli peace
movement -way to have a non-joined up policy.
13. Some in your group shouted victory to the intifada -do you know how insulting this is
to jewish people -where hamas for example sat actively to kill as many people in israel
simply for being a jewish state.
- look forward to hearing a reply from you,
stephen hoffman
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