Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Return of the Nerds

Here are a few links to articles about how Israelis are working to make their country stronger, or to withstand this onslaught or that, and in general things that demonstrate why Israel is not weakening.

The techies are convening. I was at one of these conferences last year, and was tickled to see all the translations into Chinese, and the Indians who got along fine with English. Didn't see may Egyptians, tho, nor even many Europeans. These folks are one of the many reasons why a boycott of Israel, or sanctions against it, won't work.

The lawyers are revving up. No-one in their sane mind thinks there's a pure legal case against Israel and its occupation and its borders. Clearly, most of the people who talk about what's legal and what's not don't know a thing about law, and care far less. The whole thing is and always was a political matter, not a legal one. Still, it's nice to see a group of lawyers play the game from Israel's perspective for once:
8. While the UN has maintained a persistent policy of non-recognition of
Israel's sovereignty over Jerusalem pending a negotiated solution, despite
Israel's historic rights to the city, it is inconceivable that the UN would
now recognize a unilaterally declared Palestinian state, the borders of
which would include eastern Jerusalem. This would represent the
ultimate in hypocrisy, double standards and discrimination, as well as an
utter disregard of the rights of Israel and the Jewish People.
Danny Gordis strikes again: Danny was invited to speak to a J-Street leadership group on their recent trip to Israel. Since he's not a government official, he can meet them without any implications of any sort - so he did. And told them how odd they appear, and how arrogant, and how unfriendly. Looks to me like he washed the floor with them, though I doubt they saw it that way.

The Money printers strike again: I've already linked to this elsewhere, but it's worth pointing out again. The reason the Hamas government in Gaza still uses the Shekel for its currency isn't because of an evil Israeli occupation. It's because they've got no better alternative. (h/t Andre)

5 comments:

yesjb said...

As I said: "Hammer back"
First a hand hammer, then a pneumatic one, then a pile driver.

Barry Meislin said...

The U.N. is beyond hypocrisy.

For the first time in the history of the the UN, and perhaps in the history of the world, a state is being promoted and created whose sole purpose is the destruction of an existing, neighboring state.

Though given that the destruction of the Zionist Entity is the highest of virtues, and that "Peace" is defined, clearly, as Israel's disappearance, one shouldn't be overly surprised.

What remains is the extent to which Israel and supporters of Israel will will assist in the process.

chiefsnark said...

I'm sorry; apparently I'm missing something.

"This would represent the
ultimate in hypocrisy, double standards and discrimination, as well as an
utter disregard of the rights of Israel and the Jewish People."

And it would indubitably do all that. But why is this considered an argument against the UN doing it?

AKUS said...

Gordis was brilliant. The arrogance of the J Street crowd, many of whom admitted it was the first time they were in Israel, yet feel they know exactly what Israel should be doing and why it it so vile, is simply breathtaking.

Steven Zoraster said...

People I talk to here in a liberal city in the US do not know there are Israeli West Bank settlements. They do know that there are IDF road blocks all over the West Bank, and that Gaza is a concentration camp.

Actually, I avoid the subject. Not enjoying arguments very much.