Comments on: The Occupied Majdal Shams http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/05/the-occupied-majdal-shams/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:07:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Yossi http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/05/the-occupied-majdal-shams/#comment-46943 Yossi Tue, 26 May 2009 01:52:42 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=8137#comment-46943 On the nonsense myth that Michael in the comment above refers to, I ask the readers to see what Uri Misgav an Israeli historian says few days ago in Yediot Ahronot. http://www.latma.co.il/Latma/UploadFiles/pgallery/4723110689.JPG Here is the translation if you do not read Hebrew: "This is the Myth: Our farmers went to work their fields and Syrian soldiers fired on them for no reason, our sons wanted to play in peace but the Syrian shells kept them in underground shelters. And here is the fact: Israel was not on the receiving side of provocation, on the contrary, Israel was the side who initiated those provocations. IDF (The Israeli Occupation Army) sent Israeli settlers to plow Syrian fields (east of Israeli-Syrian border) knowing that Syrians will open fire on them and thus provide a pretext to IDF for an intense retaliation. It is worth learning this material because (Mr. Barak) Obama just started to delve in the Palestinian issue, Soon he will also be interested in the Golan." On the nonsense myth that Michael in the comment above refers to, I ask the readers to see what Uri Misgav an Israeli historian says few days ago in Yediot Ahronot.
http://www.latma.co.il/Latma/UploadFiles/pgallery/4723110689.JPG
Here is the translation if you do not read Hebrew:
“This is the Myth:
Our farmers went to work their fields and Syrian soldiers fired on them for no reason, our sons wanted to play in peace but the Syrian shells kept them in underground shelters.
And here is the fact:
Israel was not on the receiving side of provocation, on the contrary, Israel was the side who initiated those provocations.
IDF (The Israeli Occupation Army) sent Israeli settlers to plow Syrian fields (east of Israeli-Syrian border) knowing that Syrians will open fire on them and thus provide a pretext to IDF for an intense retaliation. It is worth learning this material because (Mr. Barak) Obama just started to delve in the Palestinian issue, Soon he will also be interested in the Golan.”

]]> By: Michael http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/05/the-occupied-majdal-shams/#comment-46827 Michael Sun, 24 May 2009 17:20:18 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=8137#comment-46827 Yes, good for you, Arnon. This sort of propaganda can go far in the West, especially among young people who do not know history or do not know how to ask the right questions. There are many reasons why Israel was forced to capture and then keep the Golan, first among them being to prevent the Syrians from shelling innocent people in the Galilee. Second would be to indeed protect a large part of Israel's water supply, which Syria tried to divert in the 1960s. Let's continue to resist these lies and tell the truth about Israel and Israelis. Yes, good for you, Arnon. This sort of propaganda can go far in the West, especially among young people who do not know history or do not know how to ask the right questions. There are many reasons why Israel was forced to capture and then keep the Golan, first among them being to prevent the Syrians from shelling innocent people in the Galilee. Second would be to indeed protect a large part of Israel’s water supply, which Syria tried to divert in the 1960s.

Let’s continue to resist these lies and tell the truth about Israel and Israelis.

]]> By: Yossi Sareed http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/05/the-occupied-majdal-shams/#comment-46513 Yossi Sareed Thu, 21 May 2009 05:13:37 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=8137#comment-46513 Thanks to Arnon for explaining and to Fred for supporting the just reasons behind the removal of the trees. you should say it very loud and prod: Israel has special forces who can remove MINES from LANDMINES (the capitals come from Arnon's post) who come at the dark of the night to do their job, risking their own lives and stepping on MINES in the LANDMIN and by accedent remove trees. They also Assure everybody that no jewish settlements will be built on LANDMINES, Settelemnts are only built after LANDMINED are cleared by the special forsec who work only at night. Thanks to Arnon for explaining and to Fred for supporting the just reasons behind the removal of the trees. you should say it very loud and prod: Israel has special forces who can remove MINES from LANDMINES (the capitals come from Arnon’s post) who come at the dark of the night to do their job, risking their own lives and stepping on MINES in the LANDMIN and by accedent remove trees. They also Assure everybody that no jewish settlements will be built on LANDMINES, Settelemnts are only built after LANDMINED are cleared by the special forsec who work only at night.

]]> By: Fred http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/05/the-occupied-majdal-shams/#comment-46460 Fred Wed, 20 May 2009 20:08:43 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=8137#comment-46460 Thank you, Arnon. I was going to say something, but you said it better. Thank you, Arnon. I was going to say something, but you said it better.

]]> By: arnon http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/05/the-occupied-majdal-shams/#comment-45805 arnon Wed, 13 May 2009 16:53:10 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=8137#comment-45805 you are wrong and you are misleading. the syrian druze are not "forced" to carry these travel documents - they are permitted to. a few of them received israeli citzenship, and all are eligible for israeli citizenship - but they reject it. the story of May Atef Sha’lan is also wrong. she is a compulsive liar, and the reason she is denied crossing is because she has attempted to do this illegally quite a few times, and she has been denied this right due to that fact. every year hundreds of druze students living in the occupied golan travel to syria to participate in syrian studies. hundreds of druze sheiks also travel to syria - all via quneitra crossing. all are allowed to travel and return to the golan. "One of such many incidents took place last month, on April 23, 2009, for the second time in a farm in Baq’atha. The owner of the farm determinedly awaited, for many consecutive days, the arrival of Israeli forces whose only purpose was to denude and strip trees from their land so that they can become potential Jewish settlements." i know this event personally, and believe me - that's not the issue. the farm owner has enlarged his growing area into a LANDMINED AREA. the reason his trees were removed was because they were IN THE LANDMINED AREA. no jewish settlements will be built on landmines, let me assure you of that. just with these three issues, i can dismiss your whole article as misleading and false. you are wrong and you are misleading.
the syrian druze are not “forced” to carry these travel documents – they are permitted to. a few of them received israeli citzenship, and all are eligible for israeli citizenship – but they reject it.

the story of May Atef Sha’lan is also wrong. she is a compulsive liar, and the reason she is denied crossing is because she has attempted to do this illegally quite a few times, and she has been denied this right due to that fact.

every year hundreds of druze students living in the occupied golan travel to syria to participate in syrian studies. hundreds of druze sheiks also travel to syria – all via quneitra crossing.
all are allowed to travel and return to the golan.

“One of such many incidents took place last month, on April 23, 2009, for the second time in a farm in Baq’atha. The owner of the farm determinedly awaited, for many consecutive days, the arrival of Israeli forces whose only purpose was to denude and strip trees from their land so that they can become potential Jewish settlements.”
i know this event personally, and believe me – that’s not the issue.
the farm owner has enlarged his growing area into a LANDMINED AREA.
the reason his trees were removed was because they were IN THE LANDMINED AREA.
no jewish settlements will be built on landmines, let me assure you of that.

just with these three issues, i can dismiss your whole article as misleading and false.

]]> By: moazzam sheikh http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/05/the-occupied-majdal-shams/#comment-45598 moazzam sheikh Sun, 10 May 2009 22:52:31 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=8137#comment-45598 If seen through the lens of colonialism, it all makes sense. If seen through the lens of colonialism, it all makes sense.

]]> By: lichen http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/05/the-occupied-majdal-shams/#comment-45585 lichen Sun, 10 May 2009 18:59:31 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=8137#comment-45585 It is so gross that israel recognizes a "right to return" when it comes to white europeans colonizing someplace they've never been before, but if poor indigenous people go out for a walk, they consider this forfeiting their right to their home, and promptly demolish and/or occupy it. It especially pains me to hear not only of the water stolen, but the fruit trees, yet again. It is so gross that israel recognizes a “right to return” when it comes to white europeans colonizing someplace they’ve never been before, but if poor indigenous people go out for a walk, they consider this forfeiting their right to their home, and promptly demolish and/or occupy it. It especially pains me to hear not only of the water stolen, but the fruit trees, yet again.

]]> By: sijepuis http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/05/the-occupied-majdal-shams/#comment-45575 sijepuis Sun, 10 May 2009 15:06:32 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=8137#comment-45575 This is very sad. Bah. But thank you for the informative article, Ms Janbey. Meanwhile, the Israeli government declared as recently as last week [for anyone who might still be wondering], that Israel as no intention of leaving the Golan Heights, ever. This stubborn refusal may have to do, in part, with the fact that Israel receives between 20-30% of its water fom Golan. To be deprived of that precious resource would place limitations on Israel's ability to settle new Jewish immigrants. Access to adequate water supplies will always remain a source of concern for Israel, but it is truly repugnant that neighboring countries are made to pay a permanent, high price for Israel's insecurity. This is very sad. Bah. But thank you for the informative article, Ms Janbey.

Meanwhile, the Israeli government declared as recently as last week [for anyone who might still be wondering], that Israel as no intention of leaving the Golan Heights, ever.

This stubborn refusal may have to do, in part, with the fact that Israel receives between 20-30% of its water fom Golan. To be deprived of that precious resource would place limitations on Israel’s ability to settle new Jewish immigrants.

Access to adequate water supplies will always remain a source of concern for Israel, but it is truly repugnant that neighboring countries are made to pay a permanent, high price for Israel’s insecurity.

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