Huckabee’s policy toward Israel disqualifies him as president
MSNBC host Chris Matthews recently referred to Mike Huckabee as a lunatic, accusing him of wanting to remove all Palestinians from the West Bank in a policy that would amount to ethnic cleansing of millions of people.
Huckabee, appearing on Laura Ingraham’s radio show, quickly returned the fire.
“Chris, see a doctor,” he urged Matthews. “Do it quickly. You’re out of control. You’re off your meds. You absolutely must get help, and do it today.”
Here’s the interview:
What’s interesting about the interview is that Huckabee doesn’t try to deny the basic charge that Matthews leveled against him; he simply tries to deny that it’s lunacy. He tries to justify it.
In fact, for several years now Huckabee has laid out an undeniably radical point of view on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. For starters, he opposes creation of a Palestinian state on the West Bank, which contradicts decades of bipartisan American consensus on how to resolve that issue. But that’s not the crazy part.
Huckabee also believes and has stated repeatedly that the Palestinians have no right to any of the land where they have lived for thousands of years. In Huckabee’s mind, Israelis own it all, and in fact have the right to live anywhere in the occupied West Bank they might wish, even on land technically owned by Palestinians.
“The Jewish people have indigenous rights to the land in which they occupy and live and it goes back not 60 years or 80 years but it goes back 3,500 years,” Huckabee said on one trip to Israel, making it clear that he was referring not just to the state of Israel but all of the conquered territory on the West Bank as well, from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River.
Huckabee also has strongly opposed any international or American effort to halt the growth of Jewish settlements in the region, again because in his mind the West Bank is as much a part of Israel as Arkansas is a part of the United States.
“To tell Jewish people, ‘You cannot live here, you cannot raise your children here,’ this is the true racism, this is apartheid,” Huckabee said. “I cannot imagine as an American being told that I could not live in certain places in America because I was Christian, or because I was white, or because I spoke English.”
But he is perfectly willing to say such things to Palestinians.
Theoretically, Huckabee says, he’s fine with a Palestinian state. It just can’t be in Palestine. “There are vast amounts of territory that are in the hands of Muslims, in the hands of Arabs,” he says, suggesting that the Palestinian state — and thus the Palestinian people — be moved elsewhere.
“The question is should the Palestinians have a place to call their own? Yes, I have no problem with that,” he said in a 2009 trip to Israel. “Should it be in the middle of the Jewish homeland? That’s what I think has to be honestly assessed as virtually unrealistic.”
In the end, I don’t think Matthews was far off in his assessment of Huckabee’s position. The former Baptist preacher clearly believes that the Palestinians have no right to live where they have lived for centuries because the land was promised to Israel by God more than 3,500 years ago. He has said repeatedly — and implies it again in the Ingraham interview — that you can’t have two groups of people “living on top of each other” in that region, and that a Palestinian state has to be created outside of Palestine.
Ethnic cleansing of Arabs would seem to be the only means to achieve the goals that Huckabee sets out.
I understand that for Huckabee, this is essentially a deeply held religious belief. On religious grounds alone, I can respect that. However, I do not think it possible to elect a person with such beliefs to the presidency of the United States, where he would have the power to implement such a deeply inhumane and disastrous policy.
– Jay Bookman
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218 comments Add your comment
Bosch
March 2nd, 2011
9:57 am
Jimmy,
Thanks for the history lesson — I guess I should have typed “crazy religious fringe freaks.”
jconservative
March 2nd, 2011
10:00 am
Peadawg March 2nd, 2011 8:37 am
“Damn…neither blog today is about something important going in Georgia…gas tax hike and the personal service tax.”
Peadawg – the are Republicans in charge of the State of Georgia now. There will be tax hikes. And they will be in charge for several more decades. Your taxes will keep going up. Get used to it.
It is really hard, historically, to find a group that gained control of a government and then proceeded to reduce the size of that government. The opposite takes place, government gets bigger. Probably human nature forbids one to gain control of the “empire” and then reduce its size. People, historically, want bigger and bigger.
There is another party out there that will, in fact, cut taxes and the size of state government. But people will not vote for them because they believe it will be a “wasted” vote.
Sorry to sound like a “preacher” but your comment hit a raw nerve.
TnGelding
March 2nd, 2011
10:01 am
His Christianity is his achilles heel.
Dave R.
March 2nd, 2011
10:02 am
“Eligibility…not qualifications”
Not according to our erstwhile host, Doggie.
md
March 2nd, 2011
10:03 am
“I never knew that. What other areas?”
Depending on which version of history one chooses to believe, Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.
@@
March 2nd, 2011
10:03 am
And here I thought the left LUV’D Mike.
They can have him.
Nice enough fella but fiscally conservative he ain’t.
Let me know when the Arab states start caring about the Palestinians. They’re nothing more than pawns on the global chessboard. Hamas uses them to justify their attacks on Israel.
With time, the Palestinians will become wise to the games “their people” play.
In a December, 2010 poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, it was determined that 45% of Palestinians wanted to immigrate to another country. Three months prior, it was 37%.
USinUK
March 2nd, 2011
10:05 am
Paul – 9:55 – emphasis on CON
Joe The Plumber Too
March 2nd, 2011
10:05 am
Let me fix that headline for you Jay. obozo’s policies toward freedom of the people disqualifies him from being President. Oh well, what can we do, 22 more months and the clown will be sent back to the armpit of a city he claims to have come from. There will be a Republican in the Oval Office in 2013, no matter who it is, it will be better than the joke of a little boy who sucks his thumb in there now.
Paul
March 2nd, 2011
10:06 am
USinUK
“emphasis on CON”
Like I asked, isn’t that like Louis Farrakhan?
USinUK
March 2nd, 2011
10:07 am
Fred – it’s a historical fact that there WAS, indeed, a Palestine, which was my point.
as far as the decision to fight – gosh, I’m sure you’d be MORE than happy if people came in and stole property that was yours and your family’s for hundreds of years!
open arms and all that.
jm
March 2nd, 2011
10:08 am
Another sideshow.
The main show is here: http://www.usdebtclock.org
Armaggeddon awaits….
Hell even Obama supporter Warren Buffett said the deficit commission proposals should be entering enactment stage. Hell, they’re not even on the “back burner” for Obama. He moved that cookware out to the dumpster.
jconservative
March 2nd, 2011
10:09 am
I vote for letting the Israeli’s and Palestinians decide the issue.
Or we could give the Palestinians west Texas, nobody lives there anyway.
USinUK
March 2nd, 2011
10:09 am
“In a December, 2010 poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, it was determined that 45% of Palestinians wanted to immigrate to another country. Three months prior, it was 37%.”
considering they live penned in like veal thanks to the “peace wall”, is that any surprise?
USinUK
March 2nd, 2011
10:10 am
jcons – ever been to Idaho? we drove for hours without seeing … well … ANYthing …
md
March 2nd, 2011
10:13 am
“it’s a historical fact that there WAS, indeed, a Palestine, which was my point.”
Interesting, considering there has never ever been an Arab ruler of the territory………..
Now, version of the term “Palestine”…….yes, people that identify themselves now as “Palestinians”…yes………….Palestine…….doubtful.
AmVet
March 2nd, 2011
10:14 am
Joe The Plumber Too, you seem like a huge “fan” of us Hebes.
Take a stab at this one (None of the other four I’ve queried this morning will touch it with a 3.084 meter pole.)
Why is it that American Jews ALWAYS vote overwhelmingly against you supposed friends of Israel?
kayaker 71
March 2nd, 2011
10:14 am
Religions have been responsible for the reshaping of the world’s countries for the last two thousand years. The Jewish claim of a sovereign homeland based on some Old Testament claim is about as bogus as white Europeans invading Muslim countries to smite the infidel. Or Henry VIII establishing the Church of England so he could divorce a wife he didn’t want to marry another. Or the Catholic Church sharing their power with no one, becoming the most demonic force in Europe while doing away with hundreds of thousands of “heretics” and “non-believers”. Things have not changed much with the Muslims. Basing their beliefs on some prophet born in 570AD who lived in a cave and had a revelation from God that his chosen people were so much better than the average guy, they were supposed to kill anyone who disagreed with them. Maybe John Lennon was right.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
March 2nd, 2011
10:16 am
Dear Decibels @ 9:46, “Why is it that American Jews ALWAYS vote overwhelmingly against you supposed friends of Israel? … So, um, rightie-regulars? An answer to that, pretty please with candied cherries on top?” Good question. Norman Podhoretz (whom leftists despise as the original neo-conservative) wrote an entire book on the topic (”Why Are Jews Liberals”) and his Commentary magazine later sponsored a symposium of prominent Jewish conservatives to offer their thoughts. I thought Michael Medved hit the nail on the head:
“For most American Jews, the core of their Jewish identity isn’t solidarity with Israel; it’s rejection of Christianity. This observation may help to explain the otherwise puzzling political preferences of the Jewish community explored in Norman Podhoretz’s book. Jewish voters don’t embrace candidates based on their support for the state of Israel as much as they passionately oppose candidates based on their identification with Christianity—especially the fervent evangelicalism of the dreaded “Christian Right.”
“This political pattern reflects the fact that opposition to Christianity—not love for Judaism, Jews, or Israel—remains the sole unifying element in an increasingly fractious and secularized community. “
Joe The Plumber Too
March 2nd, 2011
10:18 am
Guess they have about as much in the brain department as the rest of you libs. Why do the poor, black and latino’s vote for the most part dimocrap, when that is the party that has made them reliant on government and continues to hold them down?
md
March 2nd, 2011
10:18 am
“considering they live penned in like veal thanks to the “peace wall”, is that any surprise?”
What utter bunk………….pinned in? Uh….does the wall go all the way around the territory??
Folks always look at Israel……never at the OTHER surrounding countries.
Egypt???
Jordan??
Why is it that those two countries always get a pass when it comes to “hemming in” the Palestinians??
Flying Spaghetti Monster
March 2nd, 2011
10:18 am
If Mikey keeps up with all that jibber jabber, vengance will be mine!!!! (in the form of a delicious marinara, of course)
Bosch
March 2nd, 2011
10:19 am
kayaker,
Yeah, I’ve always found the whole “resurrection” thing as a simple metaphor and not literal — it’s been so “done” by others. Just an observation.
Nice Guy
March 2nd, 2011
10:20 am
Jay – “I do not think it possible to elect a person with such beliefs to the presidency of the United States, where he would have the power to implement such a deeply inhumane and disastrous policy.”
The same was said during Obama’s campaign for the Presidency.
USinUK
March 2nd, 2011
10:23 am
md – do you even know what the cities are like after the wall was erected?
“…it is difficult to overstate the humanitarian impact of the Barrier. The route inside the West Bank severs communities, people’s access to services, livelihoods and religious and cultural amenities. In addition, plans for the Barrier’s exact route and crossing points through it are often not fully revealed until days before construction commences. This has led to considerable anxiety amongst Palestinians about how their future lives will be impacted…The land between the Barrier and the Green Line constitutes some of the most fertile in the West Bank. It is currently the home for 49,400 West Bank Palestinians living in 38 villages and towns.” (report from the UN)
jm
March 2nd, 2011
10:26 am
In related news, I’m glad to see the pope has exonerated Jews for Jesus death. 2000 years is a long time, but I guess for Christ, a reasonable amount of time.
Wonder if that has anything to do with Huckabee’s stance? Now that Jews have been exonerated, they can do as they please?
Sorry to be flippant about an actually serious subject. I just feel there are more serious subjects at the moment….. like the financial viability of our nation.
Joe The Plumber Too
March 2nd, 2011
10:27 am
(report from the UN) now theres an organization we can trust.
jm
March 2nd, 2011
10:29 am
BTW, I don’t buy into this: “Huckabee’s policy toward Israel disqualifies him as president”
If everyone had an “every single issue litmus test”, no one would qualify. There are a cr-pload of things I disagree with Obama on. But given the choice between Obama and Palin, Obama would still win my vote.
For some people, the Israel-Palestine thing may pull the plug for Huck (although I don’t think Jay was going to vote R anyway). But not for everyone, and nor should it.
USinUK
March 2nd, 2011
10:29 am
jm – “but I guess for Christ, a reasonable amount of time”
now, that’s funny.
Joe – hrm, opinion of people who have actually, you know, BEEN there vs. the opinion of a blogger from GA who HASN’T …
tough decision.
md
March 2nd, 2011
10:31 am
And why was the wall built usuk? Had the poor pitiful folks on the other side stopped lobbing rockets into civilian areas of Israel, it is doubtful the wall would even be there…..actions…consequences….
Doesn’t change the FACT that there IS another way out, and it is blocked by ANOTHER country. To lay all the blame on Israel is intellectually dishonest or one just hates Israel…….
Of all the other Arab countries in the area, not a single one of them have offered to ease the plight of those oh so poor Palestinians……….yet they get a pass too………….
It isn’t about finding a home for those people……it is about the centuries old war between the two…..those poor folks are pawns in a political game and too many have sided against Israel, and turn a blind eye to the Arab regimes.
Bosch
March 2nd, 2011
10:31 am
USinUK @ 10:23
Yeah, from people I know who’ve spent time in the area — it is exactly as you just described — and this is coming from some Jews I know who spent about a year in the West Bank.
Bosch
March 2nd, 2011
10:33 am
“Had the poor pitiful folks on the other side stopped lobbing rockets into civilian areas of Israel”
I’ll stop right there as most of the folks who live on the other side of that fence did NOT lob rockets — they spend most of their day waiting in check points to get food.
Joe The Plumber Too
March 2nd, 2011
10:33 am
Oh well, I must go earn a living to do my part to support the worthless and useless living off the government teet for another day.
md
March 2nd, 2011
10:34 am
Oh, silly me, forgot to mention that prior to the wall, Israel was an open border with many many Palestinians traveling back and forth to WORK……….then those poor pitiful folks from the west bank started going in wearing homicide belts and blowing up busloads of oh so guilty civilians…………
Bosch
March 2nd, 2011
10:34 am
” to support the worthless and useless living off the government teet for another day.”
You shouldn’t talk about Wall Street CEOs like that.
@@
March 2nd, 2011
10:34 am
USinUK:
The poll was centered around their two governments (Fatah and Hamas). Fateh comes out on top.
Findings of the fourth quarter of 2010 indicate an increase in the level of
pessimism regarding the chances for reconciliation and restoration of unity
between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
But when asked about the future of the unity of the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip if Hamas wins new elections, 55% say such a win would consolidate the
split. But if Fateh wins, only 31% say its win would consolidate the split.
Only 13% say a Hamas electoral victory would consolidate unity while 30% say
a Fateh electoral victory would consolidate unity.
Their greatest enemy resides within. It’s Hamas.
I’m out.
The Adventures of Huckabee Finn
March 2nd, 2011
10:36 am
…and so I says to Sarah, you knows the world is both flat and square and I knows the world is both flat and square and thats why we should join up and runs for office together and then she goes on about how it ought to be Palin/Huckabee and I tells her that just aint gonna happen and so now Ima thinking that I need someone that is more in tune with my way of thinking than Sarah so I done put in a call to brother Newt so we can sit a spell and talk about how he feels about Huckabee/Gingrich in 2012…
md
March 2nd, 2011
10:37 am
“I’ll stop right there as most of the folks who live on the other side of that fence did NOT lob rockets”
Unfortunately Bosch…..it doesn’t take too many rotten apples to spoil the barrel.
You going to say the same thing when suicide bombers start entering the US across our borders, or are you going to demand something be done to stop them??
USinUK
March 2nd, 2011
10:37 am
“Had the poor pitiful folks on the other side stopped lobbing rockets into civilian areas of Israel, it is doubtful the wall would even be there…..actions…consequences”
hrm. last time I checked, walls don’t do diddly about rockets. look at the pictures – they’re not that high.
this is about a land-grab, pure and simple. this is about bankrupting the Palestinian people. this is about ghettoization (in the most historic use of the word)
as Bosch pointed out – the majority of Palestinians do not lob rockets or strap on bombs or do anything like that. they are farmers, they are merchants, they are families just trying to live their lives.
stands for decibels
March 2nd, 2011
10:38 am
Rags, thanks for that, um, really unique analysis from the apparently-acceptably-Hebraic Michael Medved, but, um, what do YOU actually think?
Are you on board with Medved’s assertion that it’s based mostly on a fear and loathing of “real Christians”, you know, the ones who think Jesus packs heat and drives a Hummer?
(I don’t really have to tell everyone else here that, based on repeated exposure to Medved via his radio program some years back, I think he’s a few cards short of a full deck…)
The Adventures of Huckabee Finn
March 2nd, 2011
10:38 am
Oh well, I must go earn a living to do my part to support the worthless and useless living off the government teet for another day.
Good for you. Everyone should pay their own way.
@@
March 2nd, 2011
10:39 am
But before I go.
USinUK:
I’ll assume that you see Hamas as freedom fighters….much like Che Guevara.
Now I’m out.
The Adventures of Huckabee Finn
March 2nd, 2011
10:40 am
Unfortunately Bosch…..it doesn’t take too many rotten apples to spoil the barrel.
It only took 94 in Georgia’s legislature.
Disgusted
March 2nd, 2011
10:42 am
Nobody “stole” anything from the Palestinians. Israel was the creation of the UN. If we’re going to talk about stealing, I suppose the folks in the former Czechoslavkia would have something to say about it. Borders change, often by decree of authorities.
And there wouldn’t be a wall and separation of the Palestinians if it were not for acts of terrorism and rocket-lobbing by Palestinians. And anybody who thinks Israel should just return to former borders and trust a Palestinian state to play nice is smoking something currently illegal. You don’t make peace with a new country that sets as its priority your obliteration.
That doesn’t make the deplorable living conditions of the Palestinians acceptable, no more than it makes a doctrinal maniac like Mike Huckabee acceptable. It’s just that it’s necessary to face facts. Israel is dead-set on surviving as a state. Surrounded by enemies, it will do whatever is necessary to ensure its survival. If the Palestinians want to put a terrorist party like Hamas in charge of their governance, they have to accept the consequences of that action.
tony
March 2nd, 2011
10:43 am
Hope he runs, hope he wins.
Bosch
March 2nd, 2011
10:44 am
“You going to say the same thing when suicide bombers start entering the US across our borders, or are you going to demand something be done to stop them??”
What a stupid question. I’m thinking you get the Drama Queen Tiara today.
I can tell you this though, I will not demand that the country where this suicide bomber comes from — all the people be rounded up and put into refugee camps.
md
March 2nd, 2011
10:49 am
“hrm. last time I checked, walls don’t do diddly about rockets. look at the pictures – they’re not that high.”
You are correct…..I was mistaken…..the rockets used to kill innocent civilians were primarily coming from Gaza.
It was the homicide bombers from the West bank that brought out the necessity of the wall……..maybe you remeber seeing all those blown up buses of innocent civilians.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2004-08-31-israel-blast_x.htm
Since 2000, over 150 bombings…………….wonder how many you folks would put up with in the US or UK.
jm
March 2nd, 2011
10:51 am
amen
Speaker Boehner this morning will address the Credit Union National Association conference, where he will criticize Leader Reid: “It has now been 11 days since the House passed a bill to cut spending and keep the government running through September. The bill we passed contains billions in spending cuts needed to create a better environment for job creation. … Unfortunately, Senator Reid still hasn’t taken action on this, or any other bill to keep the government running. Yesterday, we passed a second bill that cuts spending and keeps the government open. We’ve done this to give Senator Reid another two weeks to heed the will of the people and take up the bill the House passed 11 days ago. I’m not sure whether Senator Reid has a plan to cut spending and keep the government running. If he does, I think the American people would be interested in seeing it. If he doesn’t, I think he owes the American people an explanation.”
Bosch
March 2nd, 2011
10:51 am
“…………….wonder how many you folks would put up with in the US or UK.”
And I wonder how many bombings or terrorist attacks have been found out from the FBI/CIA and intervened?
That’s how we deal with terrorism here — we don’t lock up the terrorists’ farmer cousins.
getalife
March 2nd, 2011
10:52 am
Gomer’s comments is like he is responding to con trolls on a blog.
Take your meds?
Stop stealing my stuff gomer.
md
March 2nd, 2011
10:53 am
“I can tell you this though, I will not demand that the country where this suicide bomber comes from — all the people be rounded up and put into refugee camps.”
And once again, there is another way out……..you give them a pass?
Drama Queen? 150 bombings Bosch………..150. I’ll bet those involved thought it was pretty dramatic………but you go right ahead and play it down.
jm
March 2nd, 2011
10:55 am
A $1.7 Trillion deficit is hard to understand. How about this: our deficit is 1,700,000 MILLION dollars (ie, 1.7 million, million) and not getting much better.
md
March 2nd, 2011
10:58 am
“That’s how we deal with terrorism here — we don’t lock up the terrorists’ farmer cousins.”
You sure about that?? If Mexico elected Qaddafi as president, and he started sending in hit squads from the south, it would be all out war……..I give the Israeli’s credit for showing restraint.
If the Palestinians don’t like their conditions, maybe they should think about removing a terrorist organization as their representative gov’t.
Bosch
March 2nd, 2011
10:59 am
“……..you give them a pass?”
No, md, I don’t, but you don’t punish everyone in the region for what a few do.
Do you ever watch that show NCIS by any chance? Not trying to change the subject, but there is alot of this discussed on that show (not that I form my opinions by the TV shows or anything).
And just for the sake of argument, I do agree that the Palestinians are the Arab World’s pawns.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
March 2nd, 2011
11:02 am
Dear Decibel @ 10:38, I perceive the aphorism “hit the nail on the head” is outside your acquaintance. It is a Southern-carpentry reference, meaning the same as the law school expression “on point.” You’d know lawyers would prefer a term taken from the world of ballet.
Bosch
March 2nd, 2011
11:02 am
“You sure about that?? If Mexico elected Qaddafi as president, and he started sending in hit squads from the south”
Whoa there md, did you stretch properly before making that leap? Wouldn’t want you to tear a hamstring or anything.
“If the Palestinians don’t like their conditions, maybe they should think about removing a terrorist organization as their representative gov’t.”
I agree with that to some extent, but again, most Palestinians spend a majority of their day just trying to get from one check point to the other.
extremerightwing
March 2nd, 2011
11:07 am
Who has control of the land we call Israel depends on who you believe was Abraham’s son…Isaac or Ishmael. One of the boys received the covenant that was promised to Abraham. If you believe(as I do) it was Isaac as the Bible teaches, then Israel gets the land. If you believe it was Ishmael as Islam teaches, then the Palestinians.
This is all clearly recorded in the Book of Genesis.
While we may not understand this point in the U.S…folks in the Middle East understand it. Just go ask any imam and they will tell you.
md
March 2nd, 2011
11:07 am
“I agree with that to some extent, but again, most Palestinians spend a majority of their day just trying to get from one check point to the other.”
They also exercised their vote…….actions have consequences.
killerj
March 2nd, 2011
11:09 am
Hey Jay,you would be a perfect candidate to go to that country and tell us how it really is,a white boy ought to do pretty good investigating for a good story,please let us know when you “get back”,Go Tea Party.
Bill Orvis White
March 2nd, 2011
11:10 am
I always agreed with Governor Huckabee’s correct viewpoint on this pressing issue: It’s the Hebrews’ land. History proves it. The scriptures prove it. On those in Secular Europe, Coastal America and Godless Canada disagree with this fact. Why can’t the pan-Arabic community invest in a program in which they simply move the Gazans to any one of their countries making the way for the Hebrews to settle on their own soil? I just don’t get it. I’m also all for all American Jews to re-settle in Israel, our partner in spreading Democracy in that region. The American Jews have been trained in this area, so why not have them fight for our way of life over there and stop the spread of Islamo-Fascism?
Amen,
Bill
George W
March 2nd, 2011
11:12 am
Hey Jay….doesnt the fact that Obama was not born in America mean he is disqualified from being POTUS?
Doright
March 2nd, 2011
11:13 am
For those of you calling this idea ethnic cleansing, have you considered that the whole idea of a “Palestinian State” is to utterly destroy the Jews???????? Huckabee wants the illegitimate residents to find new turf on which to raise their flag of hatred…I say send em some u-hauls. Moving peopke to a different location is not ethnic cleansing—-Palestinians seeking to purge Jews from the face of the planet—THAT’S ETHNIC CLEANSING!
Van Jones
March 2nd, 2011
11:17 am
Did you think trying to work in the “ethnic cleansing” phrase a few times would get people stirred up? Poor writing, Sir.
Fred
March 2nd, 2011
11:35 am
USinUK
March 2nd, 2011
10:07 am
Fred – it’s a historical fact that there WAS, indeed, a Palestine, which was my point.
as far as the decision to fight – gosh, I’m sure you’d be MORE than happy if people came in and stole property that was yours and your family’s for hundreds of years!
open arms and all that.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
your complete ignorance on the subject is blatantly displayed in your comments above. There is no way I can condense years of study and research into a few cute little catch phrases so I won’t even begin to try to educate you. In short, the Jews stole NOTHING. They BOUGHT acres and acres of unwanted deserts and marshlands and through years of hard work converted them into arable land.
The Dome of the rock came AFTER the Muslims destroyed the Second Jewish Temple. As Islam is an offshoot of Judaism, they is no rational way to state that the ‘muslims were there first.”
If you truly do care to educate yourself rather than repeat repudiated lies and half truths, you could perhaps start your research by googling the Zionist Movement. Then maybe move on to the actual events that transpired during and after WWII leading up to the formation of Israel. Then research HWY and WHEN and under what circumstances the “Palestinians” left their homes.
Search for truth, not cute little slogans. No one stole anything from the people who left with the intention of banding together and returning to murder the entire Jewish population.
While the REGION has been called Palestine (among other things), since around 450 BC, there had in fact never been a Country or State called Palestine.
joe
March 2nd, 2011
11:43 am
To be fair, to date, there hasn’t ever been a Christian or Jew convicted of terrorism. Only Islamists. So, as Barney Fife used to say, you gotta Nip it, in the bud. We’ll all be better off for it.
BFD
March 2nd, 2011
11:45 am
@Jay “So Barak, you’re cool with the forced eviction of millions of people — men, women and children — whose families have lived on that land for literally thousands of years.” Forced eviction? You are so off point here on the truth of history it is laughable.
When the country of Israel was created, citizens of the region who could not beleive in coexistence with Jews, chose to leave the land in advance of the armies from Arab countries. Then, guess what, the Arabs lost and the “refugees” were offered absorption into Israel and most refused. F*ck them. – Those that chose to be part of the new country are members of the Kenesset, hold office, get educated, have jobs, own businesses and live better than a vast majority of all the people in the middle east.
As for Huckabee, he can go on playing the banjo and sucking on hayseeds.
reebok
March 2nd, 2011
11:46 am
interestingly, huckabee’s ignorance of the history of the palestinian people and his complete lack of willingness to see nuance or ambiguity, will actually ENDEAR him to some on the right…
dawg
March 2nd, 2011
11:48 am
Jay–Please show me in the old testament the word Palestine…If the Arab world were so compassionate then some of these “refugees” would have been assimilated into Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Saudia Arabia, Iran, etc. Unfortunately, we now have in Bookman a younger version of Jimmy Carter..God help us..
John
March 2nd, 2011
11:49 am
Jay:
Chris Matthews is nuts. For him to refer to this as ethnic cleansing is insulting. The Nazis attempted to “ethnically cleanse” the world of the Jews. There is no similarity or moral equivalence in proposing that certain people who are a threat to Israel be deported. We do the same in the US.
As for Huckabee’s comment, from a technical,standpoint he is correct. Palestinians generally came from Jordan. However, as a practical matter Huckabee’s proposal cannot he done. But, the solution is actually quite simple. First, surrounding countries must give some land to their Palestinian brothers. Second, all Arab & Persian countries and organizations MUST agree to Israel’s right to exist. Israel was created by the UN. The UN cannot stand by silently any longer. It MUST insist that all countries and organizations recognize Israel.
Israel has already agreed to a 2-state solution years ago. Likewise, Israel does not lob bombs daily into its neighbor’s land and it does not publicly call for the annihilation of anyone (unlike the “peaceful” Arab & Persian countries and organizations who routinely call for the end of Israel). If the Arab & Persian countries and organizations would agree to these 2 simple points, there would be peace in the Middle East. Otherwise, Huckabee is technically right. People who seek the destruction of Israel should be allowed to stay.
John
March 2nd, 2011
11:51 am
I meant to say that People who seek the destruction of Israel should NOT be allowed to stay.
47 Percent
March 2nd, 2011
11:52 am
md and Fred, don’t present them with facts and logic, they aren’t smart enough to figure it out. The only want to continue being the liberal sheep they are and listening to the liberal media. Which is Israel = bad, Islamic terrorists = good. That is what this boils down to.
lovelyliz
March 2nd, 2011
11:56 am
Don’t cofuse adoration for Israel with ANY affinity for the Jewish people. It’s all about the land they sit on and a certain sect of American Christians who believe their version of the Bible tells them that it’s theirs when they couldn’t care less for the Jews.
Unless of course they had to pick between the Jews and the Muslims (i.e. any person for over there with dark skin)
dawg
March 2nd, 2011
11:59 am
When the terrorists love their children more than they hate the Jews, then and only then will there be peace in the middle peace. When Israel was declared a nation, they offered peace to non Jews who wished to stay and they have prospered along with Israel. Those who left did so in hopes that their brethern would rise up and destroy Israel. Well, this has been proven wrong on several occasions.
False Evidence Appearing Real (FEAR)
March 2nd, 2011
11:59 am
“Qualified’ or not, I would love to see this guy run. Obama would dust the floor with his arse if he were nominated. He’s completely revealed himself as the snake oil salesman he truely is. After his comments yesterday on WOR radio in NY where Huckabee flat out lied and stated that Barack Obama grew up “in Kenya”, he has officially lost any smidgen of credibility or integrity he may have held among the serious minded.
Reality_Check63
March 2nd, 2011
12:02 pm
Historically, he is not too far off base. Former Israeli PM Ariel Sharon repeatedly, much to the consternation of King Jordan, stated that there already existed a Palestinian State and it is called “Jordan.”
WOODSTOCK MIKE
March 2nd, 2011
12:04 pm
Jay??
Where do you get “ethnic cleansing” from Huckabee’s comments??
You are getting lower and lower by the day.
Accusing someone of being in favor of “ethnic cleansing” is very serious and you should be ashamed to make a remark like that.
Where do you get “ethnic cleansing” from Huckabee’s remarks??
You are a joke of a journalist. Your lucky to be a journalist in America because that’s the only place in the world that would let this kind of nonsense be written.
monty
March 2nd, 2011
12:12 pm
For a truer and more balanced view of the Arab-Israeli problem,I invite readers to read Joeph Farar’s piece today on World Net Daily called “Why Arabs love Israel.” I invite Mr. Bookman to read it also.
dw
March 2nd, 2011
12:14 pm
Jay,
Your statement “ethnic cleansing” is a huge stretch. Irresponsible on your part. You try to make it sound more like genocide, which it is not. It is moving.
So in your opinion it is best for the Palestinians to stay so intertwined (proximity wise) with people they hate on a small piece of real estate, rather than move to a large space with people of their own religion and ideology. I would think it would be more peaceful in the M.E. then. Where do you suggest the Israelis live?
dawg
March 2nd, 2011
12:21 pm
md–so exactly what is it you hate/envy about the Jewish people. G-d knows they’ve have contributed more good to this world than those who would drive them into the sea.
Fred
March 2nd, 2011
12:21 pm
47 percent: I wish it were so simple. Unfortunately the Israeli’s haven’t remained stainless over the last 60 years. While it can be argued that they were justifiably reacting to extreme provocation, that just isn’t true. they have made mistakes and committed atrocities as well.
It’s a very complex issue with a simple, (yet improbable), solution. Shed the hate, bury the past and just get along. Nothing short of that will ever work. Yet it is a humanly impossible thing to do. There will always be those on BOTH SIDES for whom the hate and bitterness is too deeply ingrained. People with the capacity of forgiveness and understanding, like Congressman John Lewis, are too few and too far between.
Fred
March 2nd, 2011
12:22 pm
Oh and Huckabee’s an idiot. He DID however write a most excellent book on weight loss.
ATLGUY3351
March 2nd, 2011
12:22 pm
@dw. Why don’t the Germans give the Jews some land and have them move there since they are responsible for the Holocaust.
Additionally, why must my tax dollars go to Israel? Some $6 Billion dollars annually. Why does every congressman have to go in front of AIPAC and swear up and down that they will sacrifice every American soldier for Israel?
Why…Why….Why…
ATLGUY3351
March 2nd, 2011
12:24 pm
During an argument between the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, Peres said that Isralis’ policies of continued violence might “turn the US against us”.
To this Sharon retorted:
“EVERY TIME WE DO SOMETHING, YOU TELL ME AMERICANS WILL DO THIS AND WILL DO THAT. I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING VERY CLEAR: DON’T WORRY ABOUT AMERICAN PRESSURE ON ISRAEL;
WE, THE JEWISH PEOPLE, CONTROL AMERICA. AND THE AMERICANS KNOW IT.”
– Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
October 3, 2001
(IAP News)
dawg
March 2nd, 2011
12:28 pm
ATLGUY3351-Because that $6B is the only foreign aid that is spent on the defense of a country not into some dictators pockets. Who do you think invented that cell phone you use every day and contributed more Nobel winners than any country besides the US?? I’d say thats a good return on our investment..
John Birch
March 2nd, 2011
12:29 pm
“Ethnic cleansing of Arabs would seem to be the only means to achieve the goals that Huckabee sets out.”
Shame on you Jay, that’s an attack dog lib style spin that is usually beneath you.
dawg
March 2nd, 2011
12:30 pm
ATLGUY3351- Did you remember to bring your prayer rug with you today ??
Tammy
March 2nd, 2011
12:35 pm
Mr. Bookman, Please explain to me how the US president would have “the power to implement such a deeply inhumane and disastrous policy.” Support it? YES. Implement it? No.
Neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians “own” that land. God does and He gave it the His chosen people, the Israelis.
Please know that those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed. I frankly stand with Israel and would (as I did in the last primary) vote for Huckabee.
reality check
March 2nd, 2011
12:36 pm
Bookman’s attempt to discredit Huckabee and credit Matthews just reflects the foolishness of the liberal lefts position. They are all so pro palestinian because big bad Israel is allowing Jews to build in their 5000 year old homeland that these two pundits have decided belongs to the Palestinians. Problem is history does not recongize any palestinian pre 1948 when Israel was recreated. Until then palestinians were arabs and lived throughout the middle east. When Israael was created palestinains fleed under the advice of arab leaders. Today thos leaders say the decendants of the palestinians who left, who now number 5m are entitled to return to their land. Sounds fair , right. But for 2000 years Jews also lived throughout the middle east, there were 500,000 jews in Iran, 250,m000 in Iraq hundreds of thousands in Syria, Kuawait, Saudi Arabia and Egpyt. Where are they today. They were sytmatically ethnically cleasened by the arabs and their possessions and land were stolen, where is Bookmean and Matthews on correcting that injustice. Where are they on the 10,000 rockets fired by hamas at schoolyards and hospitals and what about the takeover of Lebanon by Hezbollah. How about the daily rants by Iran about wiping Israel off the map. Yet Bookman and Matthews cling to their mantra that Iarael is the causee of everything bad in the middl east as well as the reason why we have radical muslim terrorists. Funny how the wikileaks and palileaks show that even the arabs do not believe that garbage. What youhave left is liberals like matthews and bookman making foolish statemtns that have no connection to hsipotry or reality. Who do they want Israel to make peace with, hamas of the PA both of which refuse to recongnize israel as being the homeland of the Jews.
When will the left get a brain and stop whitewashing muslim extremism as an excuse to justify their anti israel and boardeline anti semitic policies. If people want to know why Isreal doesn’t give a damn about what pundits or the idiots a the UN say any more, its because of the shrill bias that permeates everything they say about the middle east. With uprisings in tunisa, Egypt, Lybia, yemena and others, even know nothings like bookman and matthews can see that bashing Israel is nothing more than diversion. And attacking Huckabee for a brave and articulate understanding of the issues reveals that they are nothing more than biased and refuse to accept reality becasue it undermines their naive beliefs.
C'mon man
March 2nd, 2011
12:39 pm
Palestinians have no right to any of the land where they have lived for thousands of years
Check your facts…that is ridiculous to state they have been living there for thousands of years. Maybe in neighboring countries, but not the West Bank.
Really…C’mon!
Fred
March 2nd, 2011
12:43 pm
C’mom man: Here’s your sign:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5ZkdHImCuQ
Jay
March 2nd, 2011
12:47 pm
OK, John Birch, I’ll ask you what I asked someone earlier:
What means OTHER than forced ouster would allow Huckabee to realize his goals of Israeli separation from the Palestinians, total Israeli control of the West Bank and creation of a Palestinian state somewhere not in Palestine?
He has made those goals clear. So the question is simple: By what other conceivable method does he hope to realize them?
ATLGUY3351
March 2nd, 2011
12:48 pm
@reality check. If you want to get all biblical….they we should help Israel kill off every gentile from Sinai to the Euphrates….because GOD gave them that land.
Give me break man. What if the Indians all said hey all 300 million Americans should go back to Africa and Europe.
Johnny Lighting
March 2nd, 2011
12:49 pm
Hmmm — I wonder who I should agree with? Jay Bookman, Chris Matthews or the God of the bible. I think God has the better track record. When did believing in the bible make one unqualified to be US president, all of the great one’s believed it. Huckabee is simply standing by the position that is consistent to what the bible clearly states about Israel. I wonder if Jay and Chris have ever really considered that if the God of the bible is real then the brilliance of their position is the opposite of God’s. I think I put my faith in God and not Jay or Chris.
lovelyliz
March 2nd, 2011
12:55 pm
Jay is not discrediting Mr Huckabeee. The former governor is doing that job very well all by himself
ATLGUY3351
March 2nd, 2011
12:57 pm
@dawg. You make no sense.
zgoldatl
March 2nd, 2011
12:58 pm
Huckabee is spot on. Judea and Samaria are the Jewish homeland. The palestinians are an embarrassment. There is no such thing as palestine, and there never has been. Finally somebody willing to stand up for whats right. We need a president who does not compare the terrorists with the only functioning Democracy in the Middle East, and our vitally important ally, Israel. Thank you Mr Huckabee.
“Am Israel Chi” “The People of Israel shall Live”.
joe shmoe
March 2nd, 2011
1:00 pm
I agree with huckabe! there was never any palestinian govt! no country called palestine! mike never said arabs have to move out! that’s brainwash by this article! as a matter of fact, israel has no problems with palestinians living under israeli rule! ethnic cleansing? ill call it butt paste! being realistic that two countries on a grain of salt is simple unrealistic, therefore saying two countries can’t be there and palestinians should create a state elseware, constitutes butt paste on this articles much more than racism, or ethnic cleansing. actually the palestinians do state loudly they want to be judenrein! they do have in their charter to KILL every jew! R U kiddin me? who is the racist! BIGOT!
JimGaTech
March 2nd, 2011
1:02 pm
@zgoldatl. Let’s say you are right. What should be done with the Palestinians that are currently living in Judea and Samaria. Should their homes be destroyed and should be kicked out of their homes?
poison pen
March 2nd, 2011
1:17 pm
And Yassar Arrafat, was a Saint.
John Birch
March 2nd, 2011
1:23 pm
Jay – Maybe you just buy them out. My understanding is they’re generally not that well of financially. Maybe you do what needs to be done with the illegals in this country, round ‘em up and head ‘em out. Maybe you close our base and move them to the then empty space on scenic Bahrain.
No matter what approach you take they’re probably not going to want to go and there would be some collateral damage. And maybe Huckabee would tell you if they weren’t willing to go and suffered some casualties as a result that’s a them problem. But even that is a long way from ethnic cleansing, which brings to mind extreme cases like the hutus and tutsis or, probably not coincidentally, Hitler and the Jews.
poison pen
March 2nd, 2011
1:28 pm
I think Jay wants to get on the Chris Matthews show along with the other moron from this paper. Why not write about Palin tomorrow, then Bush the next day then Global Warming the next day and then Deal the day after that.
Same old crap just on another day.
PS, please don’t forget the charts.