What if Israelis had abducted BBC man

Watching the horrible video of Alan Johnston of the BBC broadcasting Palestinian propaganda under orders from his kidnappers, I found myself asking what it would have been like had he been kidnapped by Israelis, and made to do the same thing the other way round.The first point is that it would never happen.But just suppose that some fanatical Jews had grabbed Mr Johnston and forced him to spout their message.What would the world have said? the denunciations of the extremist doctrines of Zionism,would have been complete.If Johnston had been forced to broadcast saying, for example, that Israel was entitled to all the territories held since the Six-Day War, and calling on the release of all Israeli soldiers held by Arab powers in return for his own release, his words would have been scorned.But of course in real life it is Arabs holding Mr Johnston, and so everyone treads on tip-toe.Alan Johnston, under terrorist orders, spoke of the "absolute despair" of the Palestinians and attributed it to 40 years of Israeli occupation, "supported by the West". That is how it is presented, night after night, by the BBC. The spotlight is not shone on how the "militants" (the BBC does not even permit the word "terrorist" in the Middle East context) and the warlords maintain their corruption and rule of fear, persecuting, among others, the Palestinians.We keep giving sympathetic air-time to their death cult. To quote a well known joke if Moses had taken five steps to the east instead of the west, the Jews would have the oil and the Arabs would have the oranges, what a different world it would be then! here

I would not jump so fast to the conclusion that all Alan Johnston said was due to "terrorist" intervention. He has been a journalist living in Gaza for 14 years, he knows about the region. Having read many of his articles, he has always sympathised with the Palestinian cause, hence the outcry when he was kidnapped in both Palestine and here. Also, to claim that Israeli's would not stoop to the level of kidnap is absurd. The reason that Palestinian militias use such means is because they have no other way to fight back. Firing rockets and street skirmishes barely scratch the beast that is the IDF. They are supported by the biggest military on earth. If such wasn't the case then they would no doubt be using other means, means similar to what the Israeli militias LEHI and Irgun did prior to American backing. Like in April 1948, when both groups, with support from the Haganah, entered Dier Yissin, a village that had signed a non-aggression pact with the Haganah, and massacred 254 men, women and children. They then paraded the bodies around the streets, as a warning to surrounding arab villages. If that is not an example of terrorism then I don't know what is.
I don't support the kindapping of Alan Johnston, nor do I think such acts should be an example of the Palestinian people as a whole. However, it is interesting to note that since his kidnap, there has been a much larger focus on the region, and the plight of all civilians involved, and people asking questions as to why such kidnapping happens. If this will shed light on the atrocities made in the name of the "defenders of Israel" then that is good, as I for one am sick of only ever hearing terrorism linked with muslims or those fighting oppressors.
Also, constantly claiming that Palestinian militia groups are terrorists is a bit off target. When was the last bombing made in Israel or Palestine? Over a year at least. Rocket attacks have been in retaliation of Israeli breaks in the truce. And the civil war going on in Gaza and the West Bank, between Fatah and Hamas supporters is supported by Israel, so does that make Israel a supporter of terrorists?

when the big bully kidnaps someone, of course there would be more outcry. israel is a nation that has all the power in the situation and is callously abusing it against people who they train their children to believe are tainted... just the same thing they criticize the palestinians for doing to their children.

there are 6 steps that would eliminate this conflict

1: eliminate judaism
2: eliminate islam (do this alongside step 1)
3: eliminate christianity (do this alongside step 1)
4: make intermarriage less taboo
5: create an economic situation in which wealth eventually worked its way around
6: single secular state solution

[edit on 6/5/07 by madnessinmysoul]

I've been thinking on what would it take to calm this region down for a while now. We all know that the current plan from both the Israeli and Palestinians is not working in any way shape or form.

We also know that eliminating religion as madnessinmysoul has mentioned is impossible, impractical and insulting so anyone of who's faith is in Islam, Judaism or Christianity.

So how do we stop the violence and allow the people of both Israel and Palestine coexist without all of this violence?

First of all the leaderships need to come to terms that this violence will never stop and that they are BOTH breeding hatred in the youth on their two states. Maybe madnessinmysoul stumbled upon something though when he mentioned allowing intermarriage to become less taboo. A Romeo and Juliet situation where the children of the high ranking leadership martyr themselves for their love may help break down some barriers.

Or maybe its going to take one nation to simply stop attacking back after they have been provoked. If I were the Israeli PM I would stop attacking back. If a bus is blown up, I would attain photographs of all the victims who died in the travesty and have them printed on pamphlets. Then drop ship them over the Palestinian territories with a message stating that "We lay down our sword for these woman and children who have died, tell your authorities to do the same". After these attacks continue to happen and as they spread the word to the Palestinian people, they will demand a change in their leaders tactics.

This battle is too old to continue on any longer. How is it going to stop? The only way is to win it in the hearts and minds of the people who believe that fighting is not worth it any longer. Until that can happen no one will live in peace.

Originally posted by build319
We also know that eliminating religion as madnessinmysoul has mentioned is impossible, impractical and insulting so anyone of who's faith is in Islam, Judaism or Christianity.

well, i know it's IMPOSSIBLE... but i wouldn't say it's impractical
and insulting? well, i'd rather insult about 3.5 billion people than watch one more person die.
screw people's feelings, lives mean more. stop preaching BS and you'll start saving lives.

So how do we stop the violence and allow the people of both Israel and Palestine coexist without all of this violence?

ahh, a 2 state solution won't work, it'll just leave a 1st world country to the west and a third world country to the west... and kind of south east.

First of all the leaderships need to come to terms that this violence will never stop and that they are BOTH breeding hatred in the youth on their two states. Maybe madnessinmysoul stumbled upon something though when he mentioned allowing intermarriage to become less taboo. A Romeo and Juliet situation where the children of the high ranking leadership martyr themselves for their love may help break down some barriers.

but the taboo STEMS from religion, that's the main reason they won't get married to each other.

and stopping one side of the violence... well, that's only going to work if the israelis are the ones who stop. the palestinan attacks tend to be small, the israeli ones are disproportionate.

it doesn't matter what started the conflict at this point, but what continues it does. religion is what's continuing it.

islam and judaism fighting each other and christianity throwing in some money to help the jews. if we get rid of those 3 religions it'll be a much easier conflict... and atheists don't tend to suicide bomb.

Originally posted by madnessinmysoul
well, i know it's IMPOSSIBLE... but i wouldn't say it's impractical
and insulting? well, i'd rather insult about 3.5 billion people than watch one more person die.
screw people's feelings, lives mean more. stop preaching BS and you'll start saving lives.

Well for many of these people who have suffered so much in their life, religion is all they have got. You cannot take away someones belief all you will do is further the conflict by forcing them to practice in hiding. Many Muslim organizations already believe that is happening to their faith. Why would you want to prove them right by banning religion?

You seem to be missing the big picture that religion is not what is causing the violence. Yes, many use it as a crutch and have used it to manipulate their people but the point is that hate breeds hate.

Until someone is willing to lay down and take a few sucker punches, the fighting will continue on. Someone must stop fighting back and begin the processes of peace and dialog. There is no other option. They have to take the high ground. Whoever that is, the only way they will be able to win peace is by winning the opposing sides people over. Until then..... we have war.

Originally posted by build319
Well for many of these people who have suffered so much in their life, religion is all they have got. You cannot take away someones belief all you will do is further the conflict by forcing them to practice in hiding. Many Muslim organizations already believe that is happening to their faith. Why would you want to prove them right by banning religion?

see, that's the thing, i don't want to BAN religion, i want it to go away. i want humans to finally throw that spike-covered crutch to the side and embrace each other.

You seem to be missing the big picture that religion is not what is causing the violence. Yes, many use it as a crutch and have used it to manipulate their people but the point is that hate breeds hate.

and incompatible religious dogmas breed hatred. as i said before, atheists don't tend to be suicide bombers... and they probably don't tend to fanatically defend a "promised land"

the hatred is religious based, once people realize this we'll be able to move on more quickly