1. eotw said:

Hmmmm.... using innocent (and brainwashed)children in a political conflict....now who else in the region do these pleas for sympathy remind me of...

Don't you all see what your becoming?...very sad...

2. Akiva said:

Those children are on their way to school, how are they in the political conflict?

Oh yea, they live in an area where THEY'RE KIND aren't allowed.

3. eotw said:

"how are they in the political conflict?"

1. Yeah those shirts and hats are totally apolitical eh?
2. You are posting their picture.

4. Akiva said:

That's your complaint? Orange shirts that say "I'm a part of Gush Katif and the Shomron"

Pretty mild I'd say. No bombs, no threats, no pretend explosives, just a simple statement, "I live here."

But that's exactly the problem, isn't it. They're not allowed to live there, NO JEWS ALLOWED.

5. Joseph Alexander Norland said:

Dear Eyes:

1. Why don't you post your e-mail address so people like myself can correspond with you?

2. Why don't you post your views in an article, the way Omri Ceren does, so that we can have a proper dialogue?

3. And to repeat what Akiva said: Jews are being deported, Jews are being brutally attacked, the security of Jews under enemy attacks is being compromised - all this by the white/blue Securitate and the Israel Destruction Forces (IDF), and all you can comment about is orange shirts of children en route to school? Have you no shame? You definitely have no eyes, regardless of your pseudonym.

4. Don't forget: it is now entirely clear that Abu Omri invented the Deportation Plot to cover himself against corruption charges. You know it, the whole world knows it (and Ruth Matar's letter, to be posted tonight on IsraPundit underscores it) - in your defence of a corrupt, anti-democratic regime you must answer for this too.

5. Etc.

6. eotw said:

Joseph,

I certainly do post my email address...you simply click on my name....what's the problem?

I have ceased to write for this site because I simply dont feel like sharing my experiences with this audience anymore.

I was unaware that the comments section was not a legitimate place for dialogue...if you would like me to stop commenting I will.

My initial comment was not complaining about their shirts. If it wasnt clear enough, it was complaining that slowly the far-right is becoming "Palestinianized" with their tactics, but Akiva asked how precisely they were being manipulated for political gain so in my second comment I showed him two ways right off the top of my head. (To further illustrate this phenomenon of far-right Jews taking a page out of the Palestinian book I could write an article about the purim carnival in the Shomron (I mean Sumeria for all you Jesus-people and Helenists, the Northern West Bank for all you anti-Semites) I had to guard in March and the sorts of costumes and signs(and fake missles)the Jewish children were carrying...but again I've lost the desire to share these insights with this audience.).

From afar it seems like a worthy cause, but from close-up...

But again, it seems that I am now the enemy right?

Your points three and four are laughable...by the way Joseph, 90% of Israel (even on the right) does not take the ubiquotous Ruth Matar seriously.

Lastly, how removing 8000 people (many of whom are supportive of the move, or are we still disputing that?) from harm's way in a place that has nothing to do with biblical land of Israel (or do we still dispute that too?)compromises their (and the other 5+million Israeli Jews') security is beyond me.

But again, you are entitled to your opinion and I will continue to fight our real enemies for your right to be free enough to hold that opinion.

7. Akiva said:

Hey Eyes:

People feel strongly on both side, please do continue to comment.

I think your comment "Jesus-people and Helenists" is rather poor, it's a given that people have a different perspective, some of it fed by the media, some learned and some they just don't know. No reason to disrespect them, in my posts (not too many here recently, but on my blog Mystical Paths I provide my reference with some cross-references to allow others to relate.

While I don't _currently_ live in the Shomron (West Bank), I have spent significant time there in the past. I am not indicating that it's some kind of nirvana or eden, or that the people who live there are better than others living elsewhere (though I respect that many have made significant sacrifices to live there and are very committed to being there). They've got plenty of problems, some are unpleasant people, local political issues, control, friendliness, keeping things they're own way, etc.

Some are there because it's cheap, because they like space, they like to be alone, or they're really weird and it's a place where they can express their weirdness without significant reprecussions.

Frankly, if all the above wasn't the case, there would probably be double the population in the Shomron and Aza (Gaza) now.

All that said, why can't Jews live there but Arabs can live in Haifa? Missles are hitting S'derot, how is leaving Aza going to help that?

8. BobW said:

Shalom EOTW,

Is not a knitted kippa and a large black hat also a political statement? Political symbols are not necessarily evil.

You've got a good point re Gaza not being part of biblical Israel. Sampson traveled to Timnath to meet his date, Delilah. (Sampson also has a police record. He was arrested by the Tribe of Judah.)

Leaving the subject of Gaza, what is your position on Chebron ?

Kol tuv,
BobW

9. eotw said:

Bob,

Here is what I have to say aqbout Hebron.

http://www.israpundit.com/archives/2004/07/a_response_to_j.php

10. BobW said:

Thank you for the reply, Eyes. I just read it.

Shabat Shalom,
BobW
Bavel West - eastern Virginia