“I [went from being] detached from the Jewish community and Israel, [then thanks to BR pledged] to return to campus and �stand by� Israel under all circumstances.”

“…Zionists… [have] biased political agendas and skewed worldview.”

When did you become an anti-Zionist?

I don’t know why it has to be assumed to be so sinister. Birthright strengthens students’ connection with their peers in Israel and helps them to value everything that the Israelis have worked so hard for. If we sent every college student to the rainforest for free, people would develop a connection to that and want to defend it too.

Steve, I’ve made three trips to Israel in my lifetime. I have met Israelis who have lost friends and loved ones in the many conflicts Israel has fought against its enemies. Do remember that Israel’s enemies to their share of brainwashing their own kids into hating Israel. It’s more than just staring at the guy on the other side and trying to decide if he’s friend or foe. It’s more than just hearing what may seem like a biased viewpoint from a tour guide. It’s listening to both sides, studying history and deciding for yourself what should happen next.

Israel has a few bad apples in its barrel, but Israel’s opponents tend to feel that Israel should not exist because the IDF hit Gaza too hard a year ago. But then, you look at history, you looking at the grieving parents of an IDF soldier who was killed in by a suicide bomber, then you look at the children of another dead soldier who never got to meet him, then you look at the world view of Israel, which is pretty negative right now. And finally, you look at the increasing anti-Semitism around the world and wonder where all those Jews would go if they couldn’t stick around. Now you’re back at square one. Israel is all any of us have if nothing else, a country that is half desert, surrounded by enemies but somehow manages to survive.

If it weren’t for the UN making that fateful vote in 1948 and the generosity of a handful of countries who shipped military supplies to Israel to defend itself, there may not have been an Israel. But after the generosity ends, what will they do? Who can they rely on? And that’s the point where you realize why we Jews believe so much. After 2,000 of the worst, most pervasive persecution anyone can imagine, you’d probably wonder why we didn’t just hang it up and convert to Christianity or Islam and end our own suffering. Well, there’s a reason, Steve, and you’ll find it everywhere in the Torah. Read it.

It is categorically wrong for a nation to even MENTION religion in its legal code, much less grant different rights to people of different religions or (God no!) no religion.

“the original indigenous population”? The author must mean sabre toothed cats. Because if he meant human population, then his statement is sadly delusional. All populations in Judea were descended from serial tribal invasions.

See also, “What Really Happened” http://www.terrorismawareness.org/files/What-Really-Happened.swf

Return occupied Constantinople and the sacred Hagia Sophia (Christendom’s 2nd most holy cathedral)— then victimhood cultists can howl about the alleged “rights” of Muslim invaders to other lands (from the Phillipines to Morroco) that Islamo-supremacists extirpated native populations through genocide.

The Buddha called— he’d like his Bamiyan monuments back.

Amigo, this is ridiculous. Simply put, there are rich jewish people out there who believe that the best way for them to spend their money is to sponsor today’s Jewish youth on trips to Israel. Israel is a beautiful country with alot to learn in the fields of religion, politics, language, cuisine etc…

Israel is widely claimed to be the homeland of the jewish people. Why shouldn’t Jewish people have the opportunity to visit their homeland?

Would you argue that if the Irish government decided to pay for a trip for all foreign born Irish to visit Ireland, it would be morally wrong?

Judaism is under attack here; again. The problem is that people fail to realize Judaism is not just a religion but both a nationality and ethnicity (obviously depending on who you talk to, everybody feels different on the subject) but in my personal opinion, your article is just another anti-semitic piece of propaganda trying to persuade the vulnerable, “irrational” public into turning against Israel. Look, every single government in the world should provide a service like birthright- God knows every single one of us- jewish, christian, muslim, buddhist w/e- would like to get in touch with and investigate our roots. Israel is the first govt to provide this opportunity and hopefully other countries with large diaspora populations can visit their “homeland” or fatherland.

Do they explain to the kids on these tours that people in Israel are treated differently by the law depending on their religion and ethnicity?

The point of this article is that these children aren’t provided with both sides of the argument, they are taken to a country told it’s their homeland and their exclusive right to live there. They are showed a good time so they love it and breath it. Meet the child of a soldier who never got to meet his father and the victims of horrific terrorist acts. But what about the thousands of Palestinians evicted from their homes living in poverty, victims of hatred, malnutrition and their own fair share of malicious acts.

Perhaps if Israel opened its arms to its neighbors (and citizens for that matter) instead of treating them with the same hatred they claim is expressed against them. Perhaps if they did not claim the right to live in a land at the expense of displacing hundreds of thousands while simultaneously denying the right of those displaced persons to live there.

I’ve never understood why the Jewish upper class girl who has never faced an atrocity or ill moment in her life possess a greater sense of entitlement than a starving child living on a street corner. Why is so much money poured into sending these children to a far off land to connect with their heritage, but none sent to support the people they live doors away from. Why aren’t they told and shown the whole story. Why do these Jewish children possess the sole “birthright” to go to this land and it is denied to children of Palestinian refugees.

If we continue to instill this sense of entitlement and us versus them that has plagued this area for centuries how can we expect for any progress to be made? how can we expect that these people can learn to live in peace and harmony? how can we expect to end the killings that leave the child of a IDF soldier fatherless?

Thank you for writing this article. Don’t let the haters that post here get you down.

I’m just curious, did the Badger Herald feel the need to have a self loathing Jew go on a rant against Israel just to bring the paper to a balance? I’m sorry, but the timing of this article is funny. One week after arguably the largest anti-semetic outpouring I have seen on campus in my time here, we get an anti-Israel article. Steve, I respect your views, but c’mon, did we really need to add fuel to the fire? You had all year to print this.

Steve, I think it’s pretty ridiculous that you can attack a Jewish program for providing a one-sided story about how the current state of Israel came to be. First of all, you fail to mention that the original borders are not what they are today. I’m sure you know that the 1948 U.N. resolution had a two state plan, one Israel and one Palestine. The large Arab population in and around Israel rejected that decision and declared war on a severely overmatched group of inexperienced fighters.

“…the 1948 war through which the Zionists gained statehood is taught as a Moses-parting-the-Red Sea miracle by Birthright tour guides, when, in fact, roughly 750,000 Palestinians were forcefully evicted from their homes at the threat of Zionist guns.”

This is very troubling, Steve. The fact that the Israeli military forces were able to defeat the eight � yes, eight � countries that waged war on Israel because they refused its right to exist is absolutely a miracle. The local Palestinians were obviously forced to move, not only by Israeli forces, but by the eight countries that started the war in the first place. When Israel claimed victory, you failed to mention that those who lived in Israeli territory were permitted to return to their homes. Most of them, however, chose to move to the surrounding countries like Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

The 1967 Six Day War, which featured NINE countries attacking Israel simultaneously, was won outright by the Israeli army, and that is largely what we see today as the Israeli state. Israel does not colonize, they take back what is historically the Jewish homeland. Yeah, a piece of land roughly the size of New Jersey surely denotes a colonial empire. You are severely misled. You obviously know that the Dome of the Rock is not what was on the Temple Mount 2000 years ago. The fact that the Israeli government has not reclaimed the holiest Jewish place in the world is reason enough to believe that they aren’t “mirroring many other colonial movements throughout history.”

In 1973, I’m sure you learned on your Birthright trip that EIGHT different countries waged war on Israel in a surprise attack that cost thousands of Israeli lives. The fact that they withstood that onslaught is a miracle as well. Not to mention that day fell on Yom Kippur, the holiest of Jewish holidays.

Still, today, the terrorist group, Hamas, that runs the Gaza Strip refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist. Israel has the right to defend itself, and since the government walled off the West Bank and Gaza, the terrorist attacks have decreased dramatically. Do you remember the first intifada? How about the second? These events were instrumental in the way Israel goes about its military campaigns, and while you claim that Israel “hasn’t always been the good guy,” for the past 60 years, Israel has constantly had to defend itself from terrorist attacks, rockets fired from Gaza and Lebanon, and surprise attacks from the overarching Muslim nations that surround it.

Frankly, this article seems like an excuse to spew out your anti-Israel garbage. I’m sick of it. You complain about Birthright portraying a one-sided story, when you hypocritically do the same by defending the “indigenous” population. For us who have had peers and family live through the physical and psychological devastation a chemical weapon has done to our homeland, and for you to fail to mention the thousands of Israeli civilians � women, children, etc. � that have been murdered by terrorists in our own land, is unfortunate and irresponsible. Let us show our own people what a good time in Israel is, from our point of view. For now, we’ve earned the right.

—Jonah Braun

All the author is saying is to think critically about your surroundings. Like it or not, PR is a part of our society and it’s power lies in the fact that we don’t even realize or acknowledge that it is there. This article isn’t anti-Israel or anti-semitic, it’s just a reminder that in these confusing times of mass media and PR, its important to use our best judgement to form our own opinions.

Ironic that you probably wouldn’t have written this article had you NOT gone on Birthright. Funny, for someone so “detached from the Jewish community and Israel,” since you returned from Birthright, you served on board of MadPAC, are active in Hillel, no serve on board for another pro-Israel group on campus - Kavannah, and also use your position as a Herald writer to comment on Israel issues. Ever heard of conflict of interest?!

Steve,

I don’t why you hate on other people just trying to help in the best way you see fit, but I guess for people like you, thats all you know. For a generation, Taglit has helped bring together people in a fun and interesting way without harming anyone. At its highest level, it changes people s lives as they become more observant or a stronger Zionist. At its lowest level, it provides the free trip of a lifetime with friends to match. There is no reason to turn something so giving into something evil.

As far as your pro-Palestinian argument goes, I’ll concede they were miss treated at times, which is a terrible thing. However, if you look back to 1948 when Israel was first given its statehood, those people looked to the other Arab countries for support, but none permitted them to become citizens. It is for that reason that they became who they are today, the people of Gaza, with no other home. Your argument as to their original claim to the land confused me. I assume you live somewhere, and don’t wander the streets, so why don’t you give back and donate any living space you have for whatever time you have it to the Native American community. Surely they would want piece of land they could get back.

Overall, the Israel government has repeatedly try to come at terms of peace with the Palestinian community, as they have done with Jordan and Egypt successfully, but a few inhabitants of Gaza have been unable to accept anything the state of Israel had to offer. Those inhabitants are they same who send rockets into civilian Israeli neighborhoods, wanting nothing more than to inspire fear. They are the ones who produce guns in the basement of schools, as to use the children as shield from the IDF.

I commend you for your courage to express you opinion on such an opinionated matter, and hope you might one day again visit the land you so eagerly toss aside.

regards

” when, in fact, roughly 750,000 Palestinians were forcefully evicted from their homes at the threat of Zionist guns”

Steve, check your history. The number 750,000 is a well debated number: Many believe it was around 400,000 Palestinians who were living in then Palestine. And many of these people left on their own and/or were forced to leave by the countries surrounding Israel. Preceding Israel becoming a State in 1948, the nations surrounding, then Palestine, told the Palestinians in Israel to leave while “they took care of the Jews,” and after this so called “problem” was “taken care of,” they would then be able to return to their homes and live in peace.

I have been to Israel four different times on many different kinds of trips and have met people from across the political spectrum—and in Israel, there is such a great diversity across that spectrum. I can see why you are frustrated with Birthright; however, there is more good that comes from this trip than harm. The goal of funders of Birthright are in fact to reestablish—and in some cases, establish—a connection between Jewish students and their homeland. The trip is only offered to students who have never been on an organized trip to Israel—the same students that probably would not go to Israel otherwise. If anything, this trip enables students to start questioning, learning, and exploring the politics, religion, and culture of the country. But why can’t students have fun while they are on a trip of a lifetime? They were taken to Israel to experience the country, not sit in a classroom.

You’re seriously misinformed and a discrace to your people.

I’m not sure what exactly you are trying to convey in your article and why are you are taking such a strong stance. Consider the following though:

Is it so problematic for Birthright to be a PR campaign? The whole point is to attract people like to the land of Israel in order to encourage emigration to Israel and raise political awareness - even if a little biased. A large part of the trip is taking ignorant Americans with superficial, overly materialistic lives and showing them what it means to live morally and existentially meaningful lives. Of course everything you’ll hear is religiously infused, biased and zionist, but in order to make an impression on college kids, you have to put them in their element (drinking, debauchery) in order to gain a genuine audience and go for ideological overkill. Most of the kids that go on birthright come back with a better appreciation for their cultural (Jewish) heritage and for the history of the Israeli-Palestine conflict, but more importantly with a more grounded approach to life’s priorities. If the trip was any different, it would simply be another vacation to an exotic location and nothing would ever stick.

Relating to the bias of information propagated on the trip, the details on xyz bias are completely irrelevant. Do you expect Israelis not to advocate their opinions just like any other country, person, or organization? If you cannot form your own opinion on things, then that is your fault, and you should consider learning more about the reliability of sources of information. I mean, come on - you sign up for a free trip to Israel and expect them not to run a PR campaign? And then you go on the trip, have the “time of [your] life” and “somehow [come] back a full-fledged supporter of Israel” and complain how your objectivity on the conflict has been tainted?

If your point is that people should keep an open mind when going on the trip, I completely agree. But that does not merit this sort of attack. If anything, this article shows just how much the trip has caused you to contemplate your identity as a Jew and how it has increased your awareness about the country and its conflicts.

-Alex

I love the way the words “occupation” and “colonialism” are tossed around as if their definition was understood by all, and as if there was no argument over their meaning in regards to any specific country and/or location.

So Israel is an occupier, a colonialist, but what does that make Jordan? What does that make Saudi Arabia? What does that make Iran, Egypt, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan?

Was in not the Muslim hordes who drove out all the Zoroastrians, Christians and Jews from the Arabian Peninsula? Does that make the House of Saud a colonialist, occupying force?

And what of Afghanistan. Was it not the invading Muslim hordes who killed, forcibly converted or otherwise eliminated the indigenous Buddhists? Does that make Afghanistan a Buddhist nation? Last I�d read Afghanistan is 100% Muslim. Where did all the Buddhists go? Long time passing.

And what of ancient Egypt. Was not ancient Egypt a nation centuries before the pedophile Mohammed was even borne? How did it become 90% Muslim, a nation ruled by Muslims where the ancient Coptic Christians �a group of people whose roots to Egypt long, long, long precede those of any Muslims � are under constant threat of elimination and who cannot practice their religion without fear.

Tell me about the ancient Hindu communities of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Communities where millions and millions of Hindus were killed by invading Islamic hordes. Tell me why these countries are now rightfully Muslim, but it is Israel who is the occupying, colonialist power. Why is ALL the attention on Israel and so little of it on Islam? Were not Jews living in Judea and Samaria centuries before the misogynistic murdering Mohammed founded a religion that has spread throughout the globe by pillage and death?

And, finally tell me about Sudan. Why is it all the Christians and Animists are being wiped out by Muslims? Will that make Sudan a Muslim country, free and clear? Or will that make Sudan the latest sacrificial lamb, the latest colonialist, occupied country by Islam?

Tell me, Steven, which is it?

Great editorial Steve, good job.

In response to every comment that explicitly or implicitly implies �anti-Semitism� in the discussion of this Op-Ed.:

Anti-Semitism is a very real problem around the world that unfortunately still exists today. Thus, this term should be reserved for the disturbing and threatening language used by the hateful bigots who wrote the frightening comments on the AEPi article last week, for example. Applying the term to a discussion of the Israeli government�s PR campaign of Birthright not only undermines the severity of this term, but also insults those Jews who endured atrocities as a result of REAL anti-Semitism.

Throwing this serious term around only succeeds in diluting its meaning. Let�s get this conversation back on track�

• Anna Day

As a former UW student and writer for the Cardinal (but avid Herald supporter)I have to say: when you write an article like this, you have a responsibility as a journalist to back up your arguments and acknowledge both sides of the conflict—or if not, suffer the consequences of responses such as this one.

This article isn’t just controversial, its downright hurtful. Birthright is a cultural experience. I wouldn’t even expect a German heritage trip to spend its time wringing its hands about all the bad things Germans/Nazis have done. When you have round trip flight, accommodations, food, even spending money covered for you, OF COURSE you’re going to get its coordinators and guides cheering on Israel and taking pride in its history and current state. If the Palestinians had helped pay for your flight then maybe you could get the news updates you desired, but they didn’t. Having been on birthright myself I can say that in a short time, we were able to have much of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict explained with arguments for both side, but at the end of the day, when you have an Israel-sponsored trip, what do you expect??

Great article Steve

To ip hash 92002506 who said this: “I wouldn�t even expect a German heritage trip to spend its time wringing its hands about all the bad things Germans/Nazis have done.”

That’s incredibly uninformed. All Germans learn about the Nazi period and Holocaust extensively from STATE SPONSORED EDUCATION. They realize the terrible things they did are part of their history. IP hash 92002506 is very uninformed.

Thank you for writing the truth.

Steve, looks like you’ve been hasbara spammed. Possibly by Birthright alum. They are only proving your point.

Great article. I agree BirthRight is pure Hasbara, Israeli propaganda. Props to you for seeing that in the end. As a Christian American from Palestine I only wish my fellow Christians would also see the Zionist propaganda/ hasbara within Holy Land Tours serviced by Zionist Travel Groups. Waiting for someone to right that article …

And for those interested there is an anti-racist organization that will show you a very different side to Israel and Palestine, called BirthRight Unplugged

http://www.birthrightunplugged.org/unplugged/

Some alternative travel organizations that might interest people (some are secular, interfaith or faith specific):

*Sabeel *Holy Land Trust *Musallaha * Christian Peace Team *ICAHD (Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions) *ISM (International Solidarity Movement) *BirthRight Unplugged

The real Israel?

Think breakthroughs in technology. Technology that has advanced microprocessors and cell phones to highlight just one or two examples. Think of a country that has produced more scientific breakthroughs per capita than any other nation in the world. Think breakthroughs in medical research. Research that saves lives daily. Think breaktrhoughs in medical research per capita as compared to any other nation in the world. Think breakthroughs in agriculture that has enabled a desert country to become a large exporter of food. Think of a country that has turned the desert green.

The real Islam?

Think breakthroughs in suicide bombing techniques. Think breakthroughs in ways to blow up planes. Think breakthroughs in ways to fly planes into buildings. Think breakthroughs in murders in more countries in the world than any other group of people ever. (Thailand, Sudan, Palistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Nigeria, Iraq, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Yemen, Egypt, Algeria, etc…) Think brutality reminiscent of Nazism.

Or, if you�d rather see it factually instead of taking someone’s word for it just visit this website:

http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/index.html#Attacks

I love your honesty! Birthright is a definitely a way to tell jews that since you are jewish, you must be a zionist… Although I think some go on the trip with good intentions, I think the majority go for a free plane ticket and the chance to hook up with some hott israeli soldiers.

Steve,

I am very troubled to read this article, especially after we discussed, one-on-one on our own birthright trip, complicated issues regarding various problems in Israel, our personal Jewish Identity, Jewish people and youth in the United States, and many other issues. These issues went far beyond anything we were learning from the “PR tool used by Zionists to promote their own biased political agendas and skewed worldview”. While it�s true that Taglit is obviously a pro Israel trip, it clearly allowed us to and I would even argue that it promoted the opportunity to question everything regarding the Israeli-Palestine conflict, and as well as many other issues. This article doesn’t make any sense to me because I know that we personally had conversations that explored the very issues that you are implying don’t happen on Taglit. While it�s true you can’t learn everything regarding Israeli history, culture and problems in 10 days, it is a remarkable start.

Jeremy Greenberg

To IP hash: c5a809d9—please calm down. I KNOW that German education includes history/Nazi/holocaust included. Did you not read my post? I was making an example of a cultural heritage trip…its called a hyperbole…an extreme example where I was trying to say I would not expect a state funded program for out-of-state citizens to spend its time talking about all the bad things its people have done. Yeesh. That was no even the point of the post.

Point is, I went on Birthright with Steve, so we shared the same experience. We have talked in depth about this and while all points are valid, of course, I strongly disagree with this one.

This is a great article. Thanks.

Looks like you stirred the ZioNest.

http://jewssansfrontieres.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-make-case-for-israel-and-win.html

“How to make the case for Israel and win”

To the benefit of the many not-very-bright zionist wannabe apologists who read this blog assiduously, I decided to offer a clear and simple method of arguing the case for Israel. This clear and simple method has been distilled from a life spent listening to and reading Zionist propaganda. It is easy to follow and results are guaranteed or your money back.

So don’t hesitate! Take advantage NOW of this revolutionary rhetorical system that will make YOU a great apologist for Israel in less time than it takes to shoot a Palestinian toddler in the eye.

**Ready? 1..2..3..GO!***

You need to understand just one principle:

The case for Israel is made of four propositions that should always be presented in the correct escalating order.

   1. We rock
   2. They suck
   3. You suck
   4. Everything sucks

That’s it. Now you know everything that it took me a lifetime to learn. The rest is details; filling in the dotted lines.

You begin by saying how great Israel is. Israel want peace; Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East; the desert blooms; kibutz; Israelis invented antibiotics, the wheel, the E minor scale; thanks to the occupation Palestinians no longer live in caves; Israel liberates Arab women; Israel has the most moral army in the world, etc.

This will win over 50% of your listeners immediately. Don’t worry about the factual content. This is about brand identity, not writing a PhD. Do you really think BP is ‘beyond petroleum’?

Then you go into the second point: They suck. Here you talk about the legal system of Saudi Arabia, gay rights in Iran, slave trade in the Sudan, Mohammad Atta, the burqa, Palestinians dancing after 9/11, Arafat’s facial hair, etc.

There is only one additional principle you need to understand here. It will separate you from the amateurs. You need to know your audience. If you’ve got a crowd already disposed to racist logic, go for it with everything you have. But if you get a liberal crowd, you need to sugar coat the racism a bit. Focus on women rights, human rights, religious tolerance, “clash of civilizations”, terrorism, they teach their children to hate, etc. Deep down your audience WANTS to enjoy racism and feel superior. They just need the proper encouragement so they can keep their sophisticated self-image. Give them what they crave and they’ll adore you! But be careful not to ‘mix n match,’ because it will cost you credibility.

When you’re done, there will always be dead-enders insisting that abuse of gays in Iran does not justify ethnic cleansing in Palestine. Take a deep breath, and pull the doomsday weapon: You suck!

You’re a Jew-hater, Arab-lover, anti-Semite, you’re a pinko, a commie, a dreamer, a naive, a self-hater, you have issues, your mother worked for the Nazis, Prince Bandar buys you cookies, you forgot you were responsible for the holocaust, etc. The more the merrier. By the time you end this barrage, only a handful would be left standing. For mopping them up, you use the ultimate postmodern wisdom: Everything sucks.

War, genocide, racism, oppression are everywhere. From the Roma in Italy to the Native-Americans in the U.S., the weak are victimized. Why pick on Israel? It’s the way of the world. Look! Right is only in question between equals in power; the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must. Ethics, schmethics. Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Eat, drink! Carpe diem! The Palestinians would throw us into the sea if they could. Ha ha!

Trust me, that’s as far as words can go. If you followed this method faithfully, you’ve done your work. You should leave the few who are still unconvinced to the forces of order.

Congratulations! You are now ready to apologize for Israel like a pro.

Way to go, Steve — an intellectually honest piece about the Zionist indoctrination funded by US taxpayers and known as “Birthright.” It’s basically a drink-the-KoolAid ritual meant to create a zombified army of hasbaratchiks on US college campuses.

Also, as Adelson states, one of its most important missions is to be certain that young Jews don’t marry goyim. Very crucial. http://mondoweiss.net/2009/12/adelsons-most-important-work-is-sending-jewish-kids-to-israel-so-they-wont-marry-non-jews.html

This article is starting to get global attention. http://mondoweiss.net/2010/02/birthright-veteran-says-the-debauchery-produced-dubiety.html

Anon wrote: “When you�re done, there will always be dead-enders insisting that abuse of gays in Iran does not justify ethnic cleansing in Palestine.”

“Ethnic cleansing?” Yeah right, escept Anon is accusing the only country in the area that does not engage in ethnic cleansing with that same crime.

I wonder why Anon knows so little about a subject he pretends to know so much about. Or, maybe, he is just Anon in Josef Goebbel’s clothing.

Saudi Arabia: 100% Muslim/Not one non-Muslim citizen. Iran: 98% Muslim. Turkey: 98% Muslim. Afghanistan: 100% Muslim. Pakistan: 95% Muslim. Somalia: 100% Muslim. Sudan: Estimated 70% Muslim. I wonder how long the genocide will continue before it is 100% Muslim? Libya: 97% Muslim. Somalia: 100% Muslim. Algeria: 99% Muslim: Yemen: 99% Muslim. Israel: 75% Jewish. 16% Muslim with the Muslim population the fastest growing.

Tell me, Anon, who is the real practicioner of “ethnic cleanising” in this world today?

I’ll give you a hint. It is one of the following answers:

a) Muslims b) Muslims c) Muslims or, d) Muslims

to IP hash: 92002506 one more time:

I was not criticizing your point—i would not think a tour of the the united states capital would include all the stories about what was done to the native Americans—but was saying that with a German heritage trip, addressing the singular, and unique evil, of the holocaust would be included, because while the situation in Israel has happened countless times throughout history, the holocaust has only happened once, and the depths of its evil have never been seen in a modern context before or since.

Germans understand that their heritage now includes truly evil acts done. Israel’s actions are nowhere near as bad as what the Nazis did, obviously, but just because something is not as bad as the Nazi’s does not mean it should not be addressed if it is happening right now. I think one can learn to love Israel and while acknowledging their foibles.

That said, let me help Anon4fa with just one or two facts, not that this is what he�s looking for. He wrote, �When you�re done, there will always be dead-enders insisting that abuse of gays in Iran does not justify ethnic cleansing in Palestine.�

The canard of Israel�s �ethnic cleansing� is frequently used by Hitler mini-mes, like Anon4fa.

But let�s dig a little deeper on this one specific issue.

I have listed the percentage of Muslim citizens in a handful of countries. In each of the countries listed the trends are toward the percentage of Muslims increasing. Of course where Muslims have already �ethnically cleansed� 100% of all non-Muslims the demographic percentages are not changing, i.e., it is not as if Saudi Arabia has initiated a policy recently giving Christians tax incentives to move to Mecca.
Saudi Arabia: 100% Muslim/Not one non-Muslim citizen. Iran: 98% Muslim. Turkey: 98% Muslim. Afghanistan: 100% Muslim. Pakistan: 95% Muslim. Somalia: 100% Muslim. Libya: 97% Muslim. Mauritania: 100% Muslim. Yemen: 100% Muslim Algeria: 100% Muslim. Sudan: Estimated 70% Muslim. I wonder how long the genocide will continue before it is 100% Muslim? Israel: 75% Jewish. 16% Muslim with the Muslim population the fastest growing demographic group. What is interesting to think about (unless you are Anon4fa) is to wonder how all these countries became 100% Muslim. How is it that the world�s youngest major religion came to dominate, in fact become the only religion, in all these countries? Gosh, Anon4fa, you don�t suppose �ethnic cleansing� might have been involved, do you? Nah. Can�t be. There�s NO QUESTION that today�s Islamist genocide in Sudan is an isolated instance in the history of Islam. Why would anyone in their right mind possibly think Sudan-like genocide also occurred to the ancient Buddhist civilization in Afghanistan, or the ancient Animist communities of Mauritania, or Algeria, or Yemen, or Somalia. What a silly, silly idea to think that the religion that means �peace� would have �ethnically cleansed� all non-Muslims from an entire region just like they�re doing today in Sudan. Shame on me for even thinking such an outlandish thing! �Ethnic cleansing?� Tell me more Anon4fa. Weave me some more webs made of Nazi lies.

“The lens through which Israel�s history is taught by the tour guides is always that of the small guy defying the odds, with Palestinians or other opponents always portrayed as the evil villain.”

I’d like to point out that I was on Steve’s birthright trip and that not once did they portray the palestinians or any arab for that matter as ‘evil’. This is garbage, and all of these conclusions must have been drawn after you came back home steve. This is a blatent lie of what happened on our trip, and everyone who went on birthright 09 knows it.

u just plainly suck…don’t ruin it for other people let people believe what they want(as for you too) by what post it now and now 4 months ago. and i see it u are as well telling your “one side” of the story.

Excellent article Steve! It took come serious chutzpah to criticize, quite rightfully, the birth-right PR machine. Don’t let all the haters get you down; they wouldn’t be compelled to histrionics if you hadn’t made a convincing argument, which you did. Though it’s too bad since some of the hysterical nonsense above would be pretty funny if it weren’t so racist. Anyway, keep up the good commentary. That’s the only way forward, especially on this issue.

Steve, did you forget that all Birthright attendees have the option of extending their return ticket for 9 weeks? If you or anyone is interested in learning more about the political situation, you could always have stayed longer or done a separate trip. But did you do this or even mention it in your article? Nope.

Quality journalism Steve. Something you probably would have learned had you gone to the J-School.

I’ve too gone on birthright with Steve. As a supporter of free speech, while I am not be able to agree with all Steve’s points, he should be able to speak his mind. While it is clear birthright desires to make you more pro-israeli, but do keep in mind as Jeremy said one can not cover the whole conflict in ten days. I know your taking a class on the issue right now. Also, because someone expresses an opinion outside of the mainstream community on Israel does not mean everyone should instantly call them anti sematic or a self hating Jew. If anything Judaism tells us to question things and be open minded.

It is true israel has it’s faults, but what country does not. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and as such this is shown. Where else will the Supreme Court be able to challenge it’s on government actions in war? The governmet does not kill it’s rivals - but instead embraces them in coalitions. While yes the situation has not work and something else needs to be done. Where is the moderates in the Middle East coming to try to settle the situation. Further, Israel is not the same situation as South Africa. This must be treated as such differently. South Africa denied certain rights to African Blacks, but Israel allows equal representation of Arab Israelis (note Israeli). Back to birthright. the soldiers were not allowed to speak their mind during the program.

As such, the issue was not talked about for them. The focus of the trip was of one’s Jewish culture and how it relates to Israel: the best parts and meaning of the trip was to connect you with your Jewish roots and introduce you to israel. Therefore it succeeded for had it not there would be no article. Burthrigt may like you to move to Israel but we are all rationL humAns and as such can make are own choices. Yea there may be propogand, but as u learns in j201 not all of it is bAd. Further you should take advantage yo learn both sides. Also I will not talk about history since anyone can check the facts on their own. Thanks Scott Abromowitz

Thanks for speaking out about this Steve.

I’d like to stay to IP a3553c96, that you were not told the truth in your Taglit trip.

40% of the people who are subjects of the Israeli government have no vote. This has been the case for over 40 years now (that’s over 2/3 of Israel’s existence!).

There’s no equal representation for Arabs. Even though Arabs are 50% of the population (and have been, again, for over 40 years), they have 16% representation in the Knesset. Sounds a bit more like South Africa, or the American South before the 60’s.

Is that what you call a democracy in the States? Is this what your Declaration of Independence describes as a just government?

I am proud to be Israeli, but I am not blind to the gross injustice that is the current system in Israel. I would like to see my American Jewish cousins come here and learn about what’s really going on and help me fix it. It really hurts that you guys are shown a thin facade over the reality on the ground, and then go home and you are only able to discuss the good with very little knowledge of the bad.

Israeli

Steve, your opinion and efforts are noble but your perspective is off-base. You have been on one trip with one tour guide with a specific provider. There are about 20 different providers, hundreds of guides. The goal of Taglit is not aliyah (not even close) and it’s not PR for Israel (although that’s certainly an objective). Most providers do a good job of presenting the complexities of Israeli society from both the right and left.

In terms of what happened in ‘48 and in pre-state Israel, in short, many Arabs were forced from their homes and many were convinced by Arab leaders to leave and return later after the Jews were (they hoped) slaughtered in the impending war. There have been both Jews and Arabs in the land of Israel going back thousands of years. Both sides have grievances, no doubt. To only focus on one is disingenuous. But your claims about Taglit are simply wrong.

Thanks for speaking out about this Anon6c29.

I’d like to say you were not told the truth being raised as a Muslim.

Only 98% of the people in your country (Turkey) are Muslim and the other 2% are not allowed to vote.

There is no equal representation for the Kurds or Armenians. They represent less than their 2% of the representation in the Turkish parliament despite making up 2% of Turkey’s population.

This is true because I said so. Do NOT check these facts out on Wiki or any other source because you will find something entirely different if you do, and only I know the real truth. I know everything about Turkey and Israel too. Just ask me.

Is this what you call equal representation? Is this what your Declaration of Independence describes as a just government, or is it just any old government? You tell me Anon6c29. Yes, you know what I am talking about. Yes, yes, yes.

I am proud to be a Turk even though my heirs committed the 20th centuries first genocide, when they sadistically killed 1,000,000 Armenians in the most cruel forms of torture imaginable. I would like to see my Turkish cousins come here and learn about what’s really going on and help me fix it. It really hurts that you guys are shown a thin facade over the reality on the ground, and then go home and you are only able to discuss the good with very little knowledge of the bad.

Allah Akbar!

Steve,

What do you think about this? Why isn’t the SJP talking about this?

At the end of the Gulf War, Kuwait expelled some 400,000 Palestinians after the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had aligned the PLO with Saddam Hussein, who had invaded Kuwait.[citation needed] The exodus took place during one week in March 1991, after Kuwait was liberated from Iraqi occupation.

The exodus has caused great strain on the Palestinian economy, since many Palestinians working in Kuwait have been an important source of income to the Palestinian economy.[citation needed]

Prior to the exodus, Palestinians made up about 30% of Kuwait’s population.[citation needed] By 2006 only a few had returned to Kuwait and today the number of Palestinians living in Kuwait is less than 40,000 (under 3% of the population).[citation needed]

Steve,

What about this?

“The Jewish exodus from Arab lands refers to the 20th century expulsion and mass departure of Jews, primarily of Sephardi and Mizrahi background, from Arab and Islamic countries. The migration started in the late 19th century, but accelerated after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

It is estimated that 800,000 to 1,000,000 Jews were either forced from their homes or left the Arab countries from 1948 until the early 1970s; 260,000 reached Israel between 1948�1951, and 600,000 by 1972.[1][2][3] The Jews of Egypt and Libya were expelled while those of Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and North Africa left as a result of physical and political insecurity. Most were forced to abandon their property.[2] By 2002, these Jews and their descendants constituted about 40% of Israel’s population.[3] One of the main representative bodies of this group, the World Organization of Jews from Arab Countries, (WOJAC) estimates that Jewish property abandoned in Arab countries would be valued today at more than $300 billion[4][5] and Jewish-owned real-estate left behind in Arab lands at 100,000 square kilometers (four times the size of the state of Israel).[1][5] The organization asserts that the Jewish exodus was the result of a deliberate policy decision taken by the Arab League.[6]”

Steve.. while your article is well-written, you really set a bad example for young Jewish people by speaking so poorly of the ideas behind Taglit Birthright. I too went on a Birthright trip this past summer, and I got a completely different perspective of and feeling about the organization than you clearly did. Instead of attacking the organization as a whole, consider the poor job your guide and/or provider did in giving you your first Israel experience. On my trip, I visited Misgav Am, the northernmost kibbutz in Israel which is right on the Lebanon border and had a war veteran tell my group about the past 4 wars he had fought in and describe the reasons behind each war. Yeah, it was all a little biased coming from an Israeli war veteran, but what do you expect? And of course Taglit wants you to come back and advocate Israel — don’t YOU want to advocate Israel as a Jew? For an all-expenses paid trip to Israel for 10 days, I think they can promote whatever the fuck they want. If you went to Israel looking to be spoon-fed a completely honest shpiel of the entire history of Israel (including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict) than you were very naive and unprepared for the trip. It’s your job as the educated trip-goer to ask questions, read, and collect knowledge on what you heard and saw in Israel and formulate your own opinions. I guess what I’m trying to say is that your article is extremely disappointing to read knowing that you have only based it on YOUR experience and YOUR insufficient use of what you learned there, and it’s a shame that your voice is representing the opinions of Jewish youth in Madison.

IP hash: a3553c96 said:

” Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and as such this is shown. “

Jewish Voice for Peace has just started a blog challenging by showing how untrue this hasbara about “Israeli democracy” is, check it out:

http://theonlydemocracy.org/about/

This blog questions the very notion of Israel as �the only democracy� in the Middle East, and puts a spotlight on the intensifying struggle for human rights largely ignored by the mainstream media. We are Israeli, Palestinian and US-based human rights activists who work to preserve and expand democratic rights for all peoples in the region including Israelis, Palestinians, migrant workers and refugees. We believe that claiming that Israel is an �enlightened Western style democracy� is misleading. In fact, there is no true democracy within the Occupied Palestinian Territories and only limited and diminishing democracy within Israel. A Western style democracy means more than just one person, one vote. It means full equality of rights regardless of religion or ethnic origin, including the right to express dissent from government policies without fear of harassment, arrest, imprisonment or death. This is not the status quo in Israel � far from it. 3.5 million Palestinians live under a 42-year long Israeli occupation in the Palestinian Territories. Inside Israel, migrants, refugees, and Israelis of all backgrounds� including Jews�are increasingly suffering the ongoing erosion of human rights. This blog chronicles the struggles waged by people on the ground, everyday, as they seek to maintain and expand full civil and human rights for all people in the region, even as their lives are shaped, curtailed and directed by the unending Israeli-Palestinian conflict and especially the Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories.

IP hash: a3553c96 said:

” Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and as such this is shown. “

Jewish Voice for Peace has just started a blog challenging by showing how untrue this hasbara about “Israeli democracy” is, check it out:

http://theonlydemocracy.org/about/

An abbreviated version of what the above blog is about in the blog’s own words but in my condensed form.

“This blog questions the very notion of Israel as �the only democracy� in the Middle East, and puts a spotlight on the intensifying struggle for human rights largely ignored by the mainstream media.”

“We believe that claiming that Israel is an �enlightened Western style democracy� is misleading. In fact, there is … only limited and diminishing democracy within Israel.”

“A Western style democracy means … full equality of rights regardless of religion or ethnic origin, including the right to express dissent from government policies without fear of harassment, arrest, imprisonment or death.”

“This is not the status quo in Israel � far from it. 3.5 million Palestinians live under a 42-year long Israeli occupation in the Palestinian Territories.”

To the Badger Herald,

It is clear that your newspaper has an anti-semitic leaning. It is absurd that this article was even published. Not only are all of the authors’ points hotly debated, he states them as fact and takes a shot at the entire Jewish community on campus in doing so. I will never read this newspaper again, shame on you.

The fact that you are a Jewish college student who went on birthright and had the “time of your life” and wrote this article is one of the sickest things I have ever heard.

The fact that you actually believe that the 400,000 palestinians who fled during the 1948 war were all “ethnicly cleanesed” by the jews and that the Palestinians are the “indiginous” people (and that the Jews have not been in Israel for thousands of years before there was even the religion of Islam) is even sicker.

The fact that you think Jews should not have a right of return to Israel is probably the craziest and sickest thing for a Jew to say.

You are a disgrace

Looks like you’ve been so brainwashed by propaganda against your own people you can’t accept they�re not the monster you always knew you were. I think you are right to double-check any information you are given. But you should also double-check information against your own people before spreading it. Even if you are given it for free on a 10 day tour that as you say was the trip of your life. I think you should give back you Jewish ticket.

If you were on a trip to Israel, financed by Israel and Zionists, why would you expect you to tell you bad things about Israel? Would you expect an Italian to tell about the faults of his country? No when you go visit a country, they will do their best to show you their best face. This is especially true when you go on a fully paid tour, you know ahead of time is meant to bring you closer to other jews and Israel. If you feel the way you do, why did you go on the trip and waste the sponsors money and take-up someone else’s ticket, of someone who believes in the cause and would have benefited from the trip. Shame on you.

“The fact that you actually believe that the 400,000 palestinians who fled during the 1948 war were all ‘ethnically cleansed’ by the jews…” - abc check first of all… where does he say that? those are your words.

“and that the Palestinians are the ‘indigenous’ people (and that the Jews have not been in Israel for thousands of years before there was even the religion of Islam) is even sicker.” 1. Palestinians are not all Muslim, dumbass. Palestinians actually separate their religion from their race & ethnicity. There are Christian Palestinians, Muslim Palestinians, and for hundreds of years, there were Palestinians of other religions- they are the semitic people that lived in the land between the Med and the Jordan River (semitic doesn’t refer only to Jews!! whoa, bet you didn’t know that Joe + all the bashers on this page, so stop the anti-semitic nonsense) 2. The Jews of Palestine who were there through Ottoman rule were not Zionists and did not support the Zionist cause. Many Jews in this sect still do not support the Zionist state of Israel even though they live within it. Take Nadav Shelef’s class and learn something other than propaganda about Jewish history in Palestine 3. This idea of Israel’s “right” to the Palestinian land is what pisses me of most when other Jews talk about it. Zionist history skips 2,000 years—like other nationalist histories that pick and choose historical events just to push an agenda. So look, I support Israel’s right to exist, I try not to think about the fact that land was colonized simply for my own conscience as a young Jewish American, who yes, partied like crazy in Tel Aviv. And from my support of Israel, I’ve come to support Palestine, because until the Palestinians are given a viable state, Israel’s security (not existence) will be threatened.

“The fact that you think Jews should not have a right of return to Israel is probably the craziest and sickest thing for a Jew to say.” If Jews have a right to return to the land, then so should the Assyrians, Christians, and yes the Palestinians, many of whom’s homes are still intact and currently house Israelis. Extending this right to return to the world Jewry only adds insult to injury with what our ppl did to the Palestinians—fine, allow Ethiopian Jews to escape horrible attacks, but also allow those Palestinians dying in refugee camps that same right. Stop with the us-them bullshit- the reason I’m Jewish is because I believe that our religion believes in the extension and protection of human rights for all.

No Joe, you are the disgrace, not steve. please.

Greatly written article! You’ve touched upon so many crucial points in so few words. I hope it’s opened at least a few people’s eyes to the fact that there’s another side to this story, one that is often ignored, silenced, or shut down as the voice of “terrorists,” when in reality they are the victims of an illegal occupation that has claimed so many innocent lives. Easy to ignore the suffering of the native Palestinians when people are luxuriously bathing in Israeli waters for free, but I only wonder who will provide free trips to the other side…to give people a glimpse of the Palestinians’ suffering under the occupation.

Anona77,

Talk about a hypocrite�well Anona77, you sure fits the definition to a �T�.

According to his logic Saudi Arabia belongs to the Zoroastrians for it is they who lived there for a century before Mohammed and his Muslim hordes invaded and wiped them out.

According to his logic Afghanistan belongs to the Buddhists for it is they who lived there for centuries before the Muslim hordes wiped invaded and wiped them out.

According to his logic Pakistan and Bangladesh belong to the Hindus for it is they who lived there for centuries before the Muslim hordes invaded and wiped them out.

According to his logic Egypt belongs to the Coptics for it is they who lived there for a century before the Muslim hordes invaded and wiped them out.

According to his logic Morocco and Algeria belong to the Berbers for it is they who lived there for over a century before the Muslim hordes invaded and wiped them out.

According to his logic Mauritania belongs to various Africa tribes for it is they who lived there for centuries before the Muslim hordes invaded and wiped them out.

According to his logic Somalia and Sudan belong to the animists for it was they who lived there for centuries before Muslim hordes invaded and wiped them out.

According to his logic Turkey belongs to the Christians for it is they who lived there for a century before Muslim hordes invaded and wiped them out. (as a side note Istanbul used to be the Christian capital, Constantinople.)

According to his logic Judea and Samaria belong to the Jews for it is they who lived there for centuries before Romans and then Muslim hordes invaded and wiped them out.

But, of course, we have all gotten used to his �logic� and we all know calling it �logic� is an embarrassment to the word �logic�, for logic presumes rational thought and there is no rational thought to the Muslims, and others, who claim Israel belongs to the Palestinians. I suppose if we were to truly carry his �logic� through than America certainly does not belong to us no more than any single inch of land belongs to any Muslim, for Islam unfortunately came to this world more than a century after that of any other major religion. Islam�s presence in any modern country today was preceded by other people who practiced other religions, and by his logic, therefore, Islam is an occupying, colonialist power that needs to be eliminated.

this article is about something political..not an attack on a religion you illiterate people..and the US and other countries as well do that constantly. this is nothing more than just that. good job steve

By the way, Zionism does not equate judaism…I liked the article.

I am Jewish and believe that Israel and Palestinians should live in peace. There is no excuse for both sides to commit acts of violence against each other.

anti-zionism is not an anti-semtic belief. I have never been on birthright but I appreciate steve’s opinion about the subject.

I see a generation gap. I always complain that our generation is known for two things: getting coco his job back and legalizing pot. I see group thinking on this subject, esp amongst jewish youth, changing some what. There is so much more information available today on the subject that peoples views are shifting. I hope my birthright experience is not inundated with unnecessary rhetoric.

No one side is right. Theres only understanding and solution.