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Israel's real rotten apple

Friday, 27th March 2009

In today’s Ha’aretz, Anshel Pfeffer has written a wounded defence of the paper’s publication of the claims by Israel Defence Force soldiers that their comrades had deliberately killed Palestinian civilians in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead, having been given explicit orders to do so. Pfeffer had nothing to do with the story but, feeling besmirched through ‘guilt by association’ as a result of being given a lot of grief over his paper’s behaviour, he seeks to defend it.

In particular, it appears he was mortified by my blog posts here and here about ‘the Ha’aretz blood libel’. Anshel makes his points in a gracious and rounded way, acknowledging the need to fight the onslaught of anti-Israel hatred and Zionophobia around the globe. But unfortunately he does not acknowledge the part played in this onslaught by his own paper.

His essential point is that such discussion about Israel’s ‘rotten apples’ must be brought out into the open, and that the angry responses have been merely to

brand Israelis who are sincerely concerned for their society and the actions of their government as traitors to the cause.

This is to miss the point by a mile. Of course valid criticism must be made of Israel’s ‘rotten apples’. But the whole point is that these were not valid criticisms because they were not true.

The article gave the impression of widespread war crimes having been committed, which in fact boiled down to two allegations of intentional killing of Palestinian civilians made by two soldiers. But there was zero evidence to support these allegations, and it rapidly became clear that they were no more than recycled rumour -- with one of the soliders admitting that he was relying solely on hearsay. Subsequently, the IDF said that one claim was a false rumour arising from a warning shot having been fired but which did not kill anyone, and the other incident never happened at all.

Furthermore, the transcript of the soldiers’ conversation, which Ha’aretz published on the second day of its running story, revealed that other soldiers in this discussion had not only cast doubt upon these false claims but had produced evidence of their own of the extraordinary lengths to which IDF soldiers had gone to behave decently towards the Palestinians. (As for Danny Zamir, the ultra-leftist instructor who presided over their discussion and whom Anshel defends, the transcript shows how Zamir perversely described an account of soldiers being instructed to wash the floor of a Hamas activist’s house as evidence of ‘an army with very low value norms, that's the truth...’). It was Haaretz that had chosen to spin this transcript – and indeed, its own published story -- in a way that was wholly misleading and most damaging to the IDF and to Israel.

Also disgraceful was the way in which Ha’aretz implied that ultra-nationalist rabbis were somehow instrumental in causing the IDF to behave in an unethical way – a suggestion which is wholly unfounded but which is now being taken up not just by enemies of Israel but by secularised Jews with obsessive scores to settle against religious Zionism, and who are now themselves thus contributing to the global auto-da-fe. The only disquieting part of the soldiers’ chat which actually stood up – the disclosure that soldiers were wearing tee-shirts with disgusting motifs glorifying ‘kills’ of Palestinians – rightfully drew instant IDF condemnation. But reprehensible as that practice is, wearing tee-shirts is not a war crime.

The Ha’aretz claim that Israel had committed war crimes provoked the widespread flak which has so upset Anshel Pfeffer because the story fell apart and was shown to be merely maliciously spun froth. Presented with such allegations made about the conduct of a war, any reputable paper would check them out before sailing into print with them. For Ha’aretz not to have done so in the current circumstances, with both the Arab and Muslim world and the western intelligentsia incited by the constant bombardment of such lies to genocidal frenzy against Israel, was beyond appalling.

Anshel makes it very clear that he recognises the pogrom-style atmosphere towards Israel in the UK. The contribution to that irrational hatred made over the years by the distortions and lies pumped out by Ha'aretz – which, consumed by the obsession with the disputed territories of its publisher Amos Shocken, long ago lost its journalistic marbles along with any claim to integrity – is incalculable. It is Ha’aretz that is one of Israel’s ‘rotten apples’.

Anshel is a good reporter who has fallen amongst thieves. I sympathise. I did after all work for Guardian Newspapers for two decades. But he is defending the indefensible. And I think he knows it.

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Carl

March 27th, 2009 12:44pm

Melanie, you might like to check your first link which is a page of hatred directed against Iran.

Bruce Levine

March 27th, 2009 1:27pm

Ms. Phillips:

I cannot tell you how grateful I am for your efforts over the past week. You are spot-on. It was one thing to take on the rotton apples in Israeli society as in every society. It is quite another thing to assume the worst about a people--particularly with knowlege about what such assumptions feed--without doing elementary work to test assumptions about what is allegedly rotten.

David

March 27th, 2009 1:31pm

"Of course valid criticism must be made of Israel’s ‘rotten apples’."
Really? You've shown no acceptance that any criticism of Israel is valid.
Every criticism is met by you with claims that either it's unfounded (very often using rebuttals that are no less allegatory, yet on which you somehow place greater weight), or that the other side is somehow worse, so that's alright then.

Perhaps you'd be interested to know that when I proposed you as a speaker for my shul, not a single person wanted you past the threshold. Think about that.

stanley Jerusalem

March 27th, 2009 1:42pm

David
March 27th, 2009 1:31pm
"Perhaps you'd be interested to know that when I proposed you as a speaker for my shul, not a single person wanted you past the threshold. Think about that"

Groucho Marx

stanley Jerusalem

March 27th, 2009 1:47pm

David
March 27th, 2009 1:31pm
"Perhaps you'd be interested to know that when I proposed you as a speaker for my shul, not a single person wanted you past the threshold. Think about that"

I presume that you either worship at the Neturei Karta Shtiebel in Cazenove Road [well known for their undying support of Ahmed Dinnerjacket] or possibly at the Congregation of St.Apologia the Divine within Chumley cum Salterton Chevra Kadisha.

Joshua

March 27th, 2009 1:56pm

"Perhaps you'd be interested to know that when I proposed you as a speaker for my shul, not a single person wanted you past the threshold."

Such nonsense. Melanie Phillips is a great hero to the vast majority of Jews in Britain, fighting as she does every single day on the front lines against the twin tsunamis of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism that have swept right across Britain in recent years.

Yisrael Medad, Shiloh, Israel

March 27th, 2009 2:12pm

Anshel, who is religious (last time I looked at his head), started off a decade ago with the local Jerusalem Haaretz-sponsored "Kol Ha'Ir" and moved on up. Must be his pension, as well, that keeps him loyal.

Btw, while I manage to get letters published there (in the Hebrew), my most worthy cuts are censored out. Quite frustrating.

Good work Melanie.

LaurenceF

March 27th, 2009 2:17pm

Really, David? Your shul refused to let Melanie speak? Please let me know where you pray - I should be proud to stand on Melanie's side of the threshold.

Ian C

March 27th, 2009 2:27pm

David

You should probably re-read what Melanie has written - both recently and over the years. She is as consistent in the criticisms of Israel as she is of the bias that there is against Israel. It is a huge task as the volume of the latter is far in excess of the criticisms one can make of Israel - which are mainly to do with policy regarding the West Bank settelements.

Truthtriumphs

March 27th, 2009 2:35pm

David.
"Not a single person" wanted Melanie past the threshold of his shul. "Think about that".
That would occupy a nanosecond of a thought.
It was obviously a Reform/Liberal shul with its "enlightened" agenda.
Trouble with your so called criticism of Israel is that it is in effect a fig leaf for Israel's condemnation, delegitimisation and ultimate demise.

Aitch

March 27th, 2009 2:48pm

David, that must be a Liberal synagogue. Maybe tha outspoken supporter of Israel, David Goldberg's? No other Jews in the UK do other than welcome Melanie's efforts whole-heartedly.

Mark

March 27th, 2009 3:08pm

Well David, should that really be the case maybe you and or the western media have done such a "good" job of indoctrination that they no know no better than you...and are thereby basically doomed. Dont worry youre not the only ones. Just dont expect the rest of us to take any notice of you whatsoever.

Meir Kahane Lives

alan cooper

March 27th, 2009 3:12pm

white phosphorus?

Peter Burman

March 27th, 2009 3:53pm

Thank you, Ms. Phillips, for your defense of Israel. I simply cannot comprehend the vitriol behind the anti-Israel protesters in Europe. It is like Alice Through the Looking Glass. Thank you for your hard work!

stanley Jerusalem

March 27th, 2009 4:00pm

For the ritually uncircumcised - Chevra Kadisha deal only with dead bodies.
I leave you to draw your own conclusions about the flock of St.Apologia.

Suffolkbor

March 27th, 2009 5:45pm

Alan Cooper :
" White Phosphorus ? "
Are you buying or selling ?

Sam Armstrong

March 27th, 2009 8:24pm

David, why would you propose to speak at your shul somebody whose opinion you cannot bear?

We didn't make that one up did we?

Nannette

March 27th, 2009 8:33pm

Thank you for telling it like it is about Ha'aretz Melanie.

They shill for the Palestinians all the time, and put down patriotic Jews trying to defend their homes and homeland.

Of course, with British and other Europeans newspapers quoting their lies and distortions, they shouldn't have been surprised at the antisemitic backlash their venom has caused around the world.

Quite a few years ago, I said that they could be held partly responsible for a future Holocaust in Europe, and I still stand by that today.

They're self-haters, and that's that.

EDDIE

March 27th, 2009 9:01pm

David sounds as if he is a bit of a fantasist. I cannot think of any Jewish organization, liberal ,Orthdox or reform where all the member would agree with each other. Maybe he was in a Church at the timer but didn't know it

Jerry

March 27th, 2009 10:07pm

Mr. Pheffer - truth is difficult to ascertain in given situations, so people are stuck with just the simplest of facts upon which every observer would agree in order to subsequently characterize a situation. If journalists eschew "facts" as a basis for drawing conclusions, then there is no hope. We are doomed to a Marxist future of principles denuded of reality. "This is the way it is, because I said so." Ha'Aretz should do its homework before degrading anything at all - the country, its soldiers, even its politicians.

James Scobbie

March 27th, 2009 11:23pm

Alan Cooper :
" White Phosphorus ? "

Suffolkbor:
Are you buying or selling ?

Go to Gaza its delivered free.

Daniel Remler

March 28th, 2009 12:58am

Oh Melanie... since I first discovered you many years ago when that French ambassador's wife made the famous "Sh*tty little country" in reference to Israel, I've been in rapturous love with your reporting and opinions ever since. It's not just the understated indignant tone -- which you British seem to have mastered far more than us Americans -- but your seemingly limitless energy, your doggedness, and of course your absolutely clear analysis of thought on *every* issue about which you have written.

And then there's the amount I learn -- for example I've always known Ha'Aretz was Left-wing, but in Anshel Pfeffer's reply to your earlier columns he came right out and stated something I was not entirely aware of:

"For the last 40 years, Haaretz has seen the promotion of this debate as its central role. This paper has never made a secret of its opposition to the occupation and the subjugation of another people - not just because of the injustices inflicted upon the Palestinians, but even more because of the deep moral and material damage it has caused Israel"

OY. Not only did I not know it was essentially their mission to "fight the occupation" (sounds like an famous American rap song of about a decade ago) but the quote is so dripping with "deep", "oh so deep" concern for Israel's "morals" -- one can imagine that he would stand there in the the South and sermonize while the missiles rained down ever deeper into Israel towards their grand prize of Tel Aviv. And then I can hear him say "I told you so!"

It's one thing when your country is entirely secure and essentially without enemies (let's say Norway), it's quite another when literally the entire world is against you to some extent or another. It's this last fact that seems not to sink in at the guardians of Jewish Moral Virtues over at Ha'Aretz. I would simply invite them to "step down" to Norway or Sweden seeing how they seem to be their idyllic countries.

In any case, thanks Melanie from your ever loyal American fan in Williamsburg.

Linda Smith

March 28th, 2009 10:54am

Daniel Remler: haven't you noticed that Norway and Sweden are battling an Islamist threat within?

Graeme Thompson

March 28th, 2009 12:15pm

Leftists, and Israeli ones are no different, are so champing at the bit to prove their 'moral superiority' that they completely ignore one of the most basics of law and justice that you dont go making serious allegations without serious evidence. Once a leftist stops having a love affair with themselves they stop being a leftist. Until that time comes, so blinded are they with self-love, they are shilling for genocidal anti-semitic terrorists.

Indigo121

March 28th, 2009 1:49pm

It goes something like this:

Haaretz, Sunday: "Soldier gives hearsay account of loose open-fire regulations"

Guardian, Monday: "Israeli soldiers admit to target civilians"

Independent, Tuesday: "Evidence of IDF war crimes and racist policy"

Guardian- editorial, Wednesday: The west most stop Israel's racism and deliberate practice of war-crimes

And so it goes on...

Michael B

March 28th, 2009 8:00pm

"Perhaps you'd be interested to know that when I proposed you as a speaker for my shul, not a single person wanted you past the threshold. Think about that." David, March 27, 1:31pm

What's telling is that it would never occur to the many, many Davids of the world that they're the individuals and reflective of the communities who should do the thinking, who should indulge the introspection and, likewise, who just might refrain from indulging the facile contempt. And David, are those co-religionist, or co-ideologues, at your shul, first and foremost?

Michael B

March 28th, 2009 8:24pm

A Comprehensive Look at Marx the Anti-Semite serves to reflect upon the profound differences between co-idealogue and co-religionist. Marxian thought is but one of the germinal, distinguishing markers in that vein, but it is arguably the most prominent and decisive as well. It is telling that Jewish communities worry so much over the anti-Semitic writings of a Luther - but worry not in the least over the anti-Semitic writings of Marx and Engels - even to the contrary, resolutely placing the latter in Orwell's memory hole.

Prof. Ethan

March 28th, 2009 10:39pm

I would like the specific evidence for Melanie's statement that the allegations "in fact boiled down to two allegations of intentional killing of Palestinian civilians made by two soldiers. But there was zero evidence to support these allegations, and it rapidly became clear that they were no more than recycled rumour -- with one of the soliders admitting that he was relying solely on hearsay. Subsequently, the IDF said that one claim was a false rumour arising from a warning shot having been fired but which did not kill anyone, and the other incident never happened at all."

This is important for debates I am having with my friends.

Raymond in DC

March 29th, 2009 4:53pm

David writes, "Perhaps you'd be interested to know that when I proposed you as a speaker for my shul, not a single person wanted you past the threshold."

Melanie *did* speak a while back at a Washington, DC synagogue (Ohav Shalom) and was very well received. One friend who attended (I didn't know she was coming) said she was "fantastic". Yes, anti-Zionist Jews are prominent on the "progressive" wing, and they do us enormous discredit. And we also have those on the extremist right - the Neturei Karta, but they don't number more than a few hundred.

I still scan Haaretz, as I attempt to understand the self-hating Israeli left - but I no longer grant credence to the outpourings of Haas, Eldar, Levy and the rest.

Original Tony

March 30th, 2009 2:24pm

Yawn!

Ben

March 30th, 2009 10:56pm

Haaretz has a long history of anti-national indoctrination. During the 1948 war, by far the most difficult and painful of Israel's many conflicts, Haaretz was in the forefront of the camp that was sowing demoralization and fear among the population and the fighters. During every crisis, Haaretz has been pessimistically prophesying defeat and disaster, and supporting the factions who thought that Israel will benefit if it cows and genuflects to those who hate and despise her.

The Shockens and their hirelings have the servile psychology usually associated with the Diaspora deeply embedded in them, and 3 generations of living as free men in their own country has yet to put a dent in it. In contrast, British born and bred Melanie shows few if any traces of that affliction. It is proof that "galutiyut" is a state of mind only, and not related to where a person lives.

stanley Jerusalem

April 2nd, 2009 2:34pm

Well said Ben. Haaretz, the self-appointed 'Guardian' of the peoples' morals here in Israel continues to wear it's hair shirt but the caravan has moved on and left it behind, marginalised and despised. However, when you wear a hair shirt the whole time, you don't notice the contumely heaped on you 'cos it was always there. So, they keep churning the stuff out and we keep heaping the old contumely. Pathetic really.

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Melanie Phillips is a Daily Mail columnist. She also writes for the Jewish Chronicle and is a panellist on BBC Radio Four's Moral Maze. Her most recent book is 'Londonistan', published by Encounter and Gibson Square.

For a complete set of Melanie's articles click here