'Hitler was right', and other rational responses

Derek Pasquill

The problem has moved beyond rational discourse - all that is left is war and the force of arms.

But perhaps this was inevitable.

Rory the Deplorable

Strikes me, all the planets are moving into position for World War 3. What a sad indictment of the post war years; the insidious creep of Socialism and the self flagellation of post Imperial Western Democracies.

shingles

All well and good Melanie, but what about the emails that fall between the two extremes of anti-semitic bile and uber-love?
The shades of grey in between are often so much more interesting, and I for one would be most interested in your response to some of those that are supportive of Israel per se, but nonetheless offer a critique on what being a"Friend of Israel" might entail.

Come on the Rachel Corrie!

Remember Rachel Corrie a true hero.

Nicholas

And they plan to let this ideological, cultural and religious basket case (Turkey) into the EU?

Terry, Eilat - Israel

As if there was ever any doubt that anti-Zionism is the new anti-Semitism.

Marlborough

For a long time I was very vocal in my hatred of Israel, but over the years, and actually doing some research and looking at both sides of the 'conflict', i've found myself agreeing more with Israel's position on many of these issues.

I do think that Israel has a slight tendency to react disproportionately from time to time, but it should be obvious to even a casual observer that this 'Peace Flotilla' was a cynical ploy to get exactly the response from Israel that it got.

I sincerely hope that any 'prompt and impartial' investigation into this incident looks closely at the decisions of the Flotilla organisers to leave port knowing exactly what would happen, and takes that into account when it reaches its conclusion.

Andrew Johnstone

Well, The Spectator has always attracted a diverse range of readers, but this level of invective is peculiar. Israel-bashing is a rather unpleasant spectacle, all the worse when she has reason, and possibly right (I am not an expert in international maritime law), to defend herself in this way. I am very pleased that you have the b*lls to make the case and equally upset by the hostile response from some readers and the general reaction from other media/persons.

Alex Bensky

I think you're being a bit unfair, Melanie. The world isn't disputing Israel's right of self-defense, as long as exercising that right doesn't cause any harm to the people who are earnestly trying to exterminate its people. Once someone on the ship stubbed his toe, Israel lost the moral high ground.

There is an undisputed video of the people on the ship chanting, in effect, "Death to the Jews!" and the studious ignorance of that fact reveals all you need to know about the nature of the reaction.

I especially like Turkey's criticism of ethnic violence--Greek Cypriots and Kurds? I haven't heard of them, either.

Peter T

Good examples of the irrational hate towards the Jews which seems to be gaining general acceptance throughout the world. Mind you, there also seems to be a general acceptance of Muslim Fundamentalism now evident amongst many of the so called peace activists who rail against the Israeli nation and Jews in wherever they may be. It is not pleasant to see.

andy

Keep up the good work Mel, you are not always right but on this you are.

EDDIE

In spite of fighting he Jihad in Iraq, Afghanistan and even at home, in spite of the loss of life, the government will not face up to the awful truth. it is scared. Now there is a lynch mob hoping that a sacrifice to these monsters will somehow assuage them. Danegelt in the shape of a country

Augustus

These are immature and stupid people. Sticks and stones...etc.

Worried (Uh, terrified?)

Having now conversed with many and followed this blog and kept an eye on our awful media, it is obvious that the reason for the status quo is that the general population has been brainwashed, bribed, manipulated and/or dumbed down to such an extent that they quite simply cannot tell the wood from the trees - or are simply following popularist trends. "Lend me your ears!" Pictures of young children, no better way to pull at the heart strings, and the evil ones know this only too well. Etc.

Steve Rolles

Did you also recieve any non-abusive emails that took a more reasonable/rational - if critical position? Or were all the critical ones like this?

a complete picture is useful for this sort of thing - lest you be accused of cherry picking.

Mark

Obviously these are vile, disgusting comments. But it does not follow from the fact that Israel has some deranged and/or evil enemies that Israel can do no wrong. It should have been possible to intercept the provocative and potentially dangerous flotilla without killing a number of the "peaceful protesters". To say this does not make me a closet Nazi or even anti-Israeli.

david elder

Mel, check out Andrew Bolt's website here in Australia. He woke up to the 'blockade' ploy faster than others here. As a result, Bolt though of Dutch descent is getting the same sort of fan-mail as you from thinkers who wish Adolf had had his way with 'Jews' like Bolt.

digbydolben

Melanie, the Economist does not agree with you regarding the innocuousness or reasonableness of the Israeli blockade on the Gaza:

http://www.economist.com/node/16264970

An American

I can only wonder if Obama and the direction that he has pushed the American government in taking a non-support, critical stance of Israel has helped kindled the Islamic extremist fire that we now see happening.

Under Bush, little of this was happening. Bush supported Israel while Obama hasn't....with Obama in the US presidency, Islamic extremism has spread into a full firestorm. How very interesting that a weak, pro-Islamic, anti-Jewish American leader can have had a devastating hand in inflaming the Middle East.

You can only wonder if this is what Obama wanted all along and why...or is he just as incompetent in foreign affairs as he's been in US affairs.

Minnie Ovens

Well, yes Melanie.
When you have such a liberal immigration policy in the UK it means we have a sizeable population whose main aim in coming to Britain is benefits and an ability to say anything they like and be labelled as "British".
Hey Ho! from Londinistan.

Rip Van Winkle

Derek Pasquill @ 10:48am

Tomorrow I book a flight to Israel. So be it.

phil

Melanie ,these idiots will never change ,and I am sure you do not care what they think .There has been anti -Semitism for so long that regardless of whatever we do we will be castigated .I should feel sorry for them ,living in a state of hatred and blinded by that hate .sadly I do not ,wish I could .
---------
I was overwhelmed to see the video of that young Jewish boy carrying the Israeli flag in the USA amongst a crowd of crazies at a pro Palestinian demo -if I had a medal I would give it to him -It brought back memories of so many brave Israelis who gave their lives in all the wars to preserve our way of life and keep a place where Jews can live -in peace?

phil

Come on the Rachel Corrie!
June 2nd, 2010 11:04am --------
----
You demean the memory of a young woman who went to do good , in her own mind ,mistaken I believe but she never went with the hatred you have displayed and then used her name -you should be ashamed of yourself .

John Norman

I was amazed by the chutzpah of the 3rd messenger. Evidently, a Turk himself, one can only presume that the genocide of the Armenians is still being withheld from the Turks. We should let the light into the dark corners of his mind.

Terry Connolly

Melanie
Keep up your excellent analysis. Thanks you. It is a shame that informed government representatives cannot see the issues as they are. Israel is simply operating a sifting blockage to avoid gangerous weapons being smuggled to terrorists. This "flotilla" was simply a PR stunt and provocation and should be primarily seen as such. The unfortunate deaths have an a priori link to the instigators of the defying flotilla and that fact should not be forgotten.

Mladen Andrijasevic

What should Israel do? Israel should do what Raymod Ibrahim suggested Americans must do:

Americans must first and foremost understand Islam, particularly its laws and doctrines, the same way Muslims understand it—without giving it undue Western (liberal) interpretations. This is apparently not as simple as expected: all peoples of whatever civilizations and religions tend to assume that other peoples more or less share in their worldview, which they assume is objective, including notions of right and wrong, good and bad. …. [T]he secular, Western experience has been such that people respond with violence primarily when they feel they are politically, economically, or socially oppressed. While true that many non-Western peoples may fit into this paradigm, the fact is, the ideologies of radical Islam have the intrinsic capacity to prompt Muslims to violence and intolerance vis-à-vis the 'other,' irrespective of grievances

http://www.meforum.org/2662/brennan-counterterror-adviser-disaster

William Boyd

Last time I email you Melanie ...

It does worry me that the media for the most are content to label the whole incident as just a PR disaster for Israel.

'Politics is the art of the possible'. If Israel can't be budged from maintaining its embargo then perhaps the international community should shift its stance. Perhaps a harbour under UN control, that sort of thing?

TomTom

You know Melanie the headers to those irrational emails would be more interesting than the prose. I bet quite a few emanate from College servers and libraries.

Quite a lot probably come from Turkey which has a disruptive Internet presence which seems to extending into the political sphere - just look at Cologne. Some people seem intent on reversing 1683 and reversing The Treaty of Sevres 1919 and Erdogan seems to head the cast

thegrandmufti

I fail to see why Israel supplies Gaza with food, water, electricity and medical services.

Any sane society would at a minimum embargo its mortal enemy if not use force of arms to pacify or destroy it.

That's why Churchill didn't supplied Hitler with kerosene during the Blitz.

Carlos Mahinga

This supremacists and exterimists are drama queens they will never want peace and will never change, anything they say is fraud, if I was you Melanie I will not worry too much.

Nom De Plume

Here is hoping that the slow and steady stream of messages of support outweight the bile. Keep up the great work, Melanie, it is more than refreshing reading someone so articulate and well researched from that of populist mainstream media.

Sean

I've many relatives over in Africa, 10 years ago there would have been unanimous support for Israel, with a decade of Islamic money pumped into the continent on a scale that's unbelievable ; even people I once considered intelligent and sound headed are full of venom. Back here at home in the UK; I'm at a loss. The country is lost to hate I simply can't understand; I just want to leave now; but where to go !

Woolf7

Melanie,

When I heard of the problems in Israel, it was your writings that I sought for the truth. I am truly horrified with the bias in the media and the contempt many journalists have for Israel.

Please keep up the good work, there are many out there that support you.

By continuing what you do, you in turn support us, we need a voice in the media.

phil

An American
June 2nd, 2010 12:17pm I think I have given him long enough and now I am beginning to think you were right on most matters regarding Obama -he is proving to be a disaster and such a divisive force -I still think incompetent and naive rather than bad though .regards from the ramparts

Joshua

If there were a Nobel Prize for courage, Melanie Phillips would have to be a leading candidate. She is an utterly amazing individual.

Dixon

You know now, when that bomb finally goes off, maybe in London or New York, who is going to be blamed for it?

I am neither a Christian nr a Jew but I have to confess that it seems to me that there truly is something Biblical about all of this. The way in which one relatively tiny group of people are blamed for every sin in the world.

Its as though, whatever they do, they have indeed been "chosen" to be the centre of something that is now aching to occurr!

gary ashton

keep up the good work melanie, you speak for many

Augustus

Phil - The Rachel Corrie is also the name of one on the Free Gaza movement's blockade busting ships which was to have been part of Monday's flotilla but couldn't keep up. Now it is to attempt a further trip to Gaza laden with aid (including
apparently cement, which the Israelis won't allow into Gaza),
has left Malta, and is due to arrive sometime early next week. On board are the Irish Nobel Prize winner, Mairead Corrigen Maguire, and Dennis Halliday, a former UN diplomat.
The ship might arrive sooner and the Israeli Navy is fully prepared.
has left

Rob-NY

Thank you Melanie for putting up with these insults because you simply tell the truth. In the USA we have a significant and steadfast portion of the media which defends Israel by the constant reviewing of the facts in the face of distorted sophistry and hate. In Britian, you are very much on your own in the media. Thank you for being one of the precious few voices of reason in this debate in the UK.

Zachary

Keep up the good work, Melanie. The hostile reaction to Israel shows the lunatics are running the asylum.

Bob Latchford

I would imagine that this is the first time that 80 year old Holocaust Survivor Hedy Epstein has been called a terrorist

Toni

shingles, get off the fence. You cannot support Israel's right to exist and the people who fight to destroy Israel in any way they can, at the same time. Be honest already and choose one side in this war. Sometimes things are not gray.

watttyler

Derek Pasquill

Like I have been saying for a long time, you can only persuade an anti-Semite to adopt a rational point of view by slapping it into him.

Liz

Melanie, it must be very unpleasant to receive such vile and threatening emails - even if they are only composed by pathetic left-wing undergraduate types, for whom suppression and subversion is a way of life. I thank you sincerely for having the courage to be a lone-voice of reason in the British media and for articulating so eloquently what many of us would like to say but can't since we lack both the platform and the skill. It is indeed, a very worrying time to be Jewish. I fear that those who wish harm on Israel, and for whom life is cheap, will rejoice at the outcome of this latest PR coup. They will be emboldened to do more of the same. I do believe that life for Jews in both Israel and the diaspora is set to become increasingly more uncomfortable. For all America's hollow words of support, they are now too lacking in resolve to stand by their 'friend' in any meaningful way. At this moment, Israel's very existence rests on a knife's edge.

Carol Gould

The Jewish Agency London's facebook page was corrupted yesterday and MPACUK has a poll running about Israel being punished by being 'moved to America.'

phil

Augustus
June 2nd, 2010 3:28pm I knew that I was chastising the person who was cheering on the ship and thereby demeaning the name of the young woman ,whose politics I did not agree with but who I believe went with good intentions to help what she saw as the underdog ,no matter that she was wrong .I have never believed that she was killed on purpose either .It has been a sad episode for everyone made worse today by the disgusting use of her name .

GaryO

My heart aches for Israel. I fear it is being cornered. What's done it for Israel is the support Hamas and Palestinians have garnered in the West by their incessant violence and vocal muslim population and their supporters in the media.

Now Jeremy Greenstock has weighed in by a truly obnoxious piece in Guardian's Cif.

Israel needs to change tack(pardon the nautical pun).

blue_&_white_avenger

It was instructive - if not horrifying - to watch the video and see ISM & other western "activists" savagely beating Israel soldiers with clubs & the like.
These are one and same people who have pusillanimously yielded to Somali pirates with never a blow and whose once-renowned western navy, the RN,hauled up the white flag to Iranian thugs quicker than you could say Allah Akbar.
It show that good old anti-semitism is alive & kicking - literally

Baron

those in the right have never had it easy, Melanie.
I do admire your courage and tenacity. Take care.

Mr. Mabutoh Afunfa

May God Bless Israel and America.

Southsea Expat

I disagree with those telling you not to worry, Melanie.

To me this incident has shown two things - the general media bias in reporting Israel and the extent to which that has already adversely affected public opinion. Despite the evidence of the videos, those for whom Israel is "known" to be a brutal regime persist in their irrational version of what actually happened.

Charles Crawford wrote an excellent piece yesterday about "a new Strident Irrationalism, aimed at delegitimizing not only Israel but Truth itself": http://charlescrawford.biz/blog/israel-delegitimisation-hope-nihilism#idc-container

For me, the torrent of lies and venom about Israel and the Jews are chillingly reminiscent of the 1920s and 30s. The international scene seems more unstable than for many years and Obama's election has in many ways made things worse. In my gloomier moments I'm inclined to agree with Rory the Deplorable.

Andrew

Your 1st example is very enlightening. It leads with the cover of criticizing "Zionists" but immediately reveals what they really mean...

It won't be long until these types don't feel the need for any cover at all.

Rip Van Winkle

Augustus @ 3:38pm

If the Rachel Corrie continues to Gaza after being warned of the consequences a succession of shots should be put across her bows: if she still continues, holed below the waterline.

Come what may the world must understand Israel's limit has been reached.

The Wimpy West will then realise Israel has been pushed too far. Reappraisal will follow for wimps don't like bad endings.

If no reappraisal it all ends ........................

ann farmer

According to received world opinion, the only way for Israel to achieve peace is to cease to defend itself and prepare its people for annihilation. Why is Barack Obama colluding in this? The much-abused George Bush had the view that the poorer nations of the world would benefit from democracy; now his supposedly enlightened successor seems to hold the old reactionary view that it is easier to deal with a good old-fashioned dictator. Has the US abdicated leadership of the free world? Is the state of Israel now considered expendable in the quest for the good opinion of dictators? Nothing less than the extermination of Israel will be acceptable to them. And their own people will not be a jot better off.

blue_&_white_avenger

"Southsea Expat" - I agree entirely. Israel is steadily being pushed into a corner.
The Gaza war was unavoidable & militarily won Israel some breathing space, (if not the destruction of the Hamas regime, which is what should have happened) - but won Israel no plaudits. The reaction and then antagonism of Turkey was no gain but again unavoidable with the new Islamic government they have there.
The business in Dubai eliminated one terrorist but caused widespread opprobrium, the failure to address the problem of Iran and its nuclear pretensions at the NPT conference but again spotlighting Israel, which is not a signatory to the Treaty, which has been flouted by those who are and finally this.
It all reeks of the 1930's over again when the world ganged up against the Jews.
It is imperative that Israel / Netantahu stay firm, obstinate & unyielding.
On the other hand, a more careful weighing up of future actions might be wise. Also, disproportionate use of force would have been more appropriate in this case.

d1carter

The dishonest and incompetent western media is heading for a catastrophe..Keep up the good work Mel but be careful. The thugs are being embolden by the Marxist administration in America.

Alan Meyer

I seldom comment your articles, so as not to waist your time, But after Reading all that, have hat to tell you that you doing a great Job and I ' link most of your articles in my blog and on face book!
Those are hard days for Israel! thank you, Dear Melanie, very much!

Alan Meyer, Berlin

Jon_Boy

As Israel is critiscised by the British government for this incident I bet you many of the British citizens returning who are Muslim or European converts to Islam will be put under scrutiny by MI5.

The hypocriscy of international politics and the politics of hate will mean that the UK government will call them peace activists in public but will be secretly worried that a number of them are possibly invoved in Jihadist activities back here in the UK.

The extreme left and their strange bed fellows of international Isalmo fascists throughout the world have simply repackaged violent fascist and ethnic ideology using the now vacuous language of freedom fighting, human rights and most ironicaly of all the language of anti racism politics.

I also particularly enjoy the BBCs reference to Turkey as a former ally of Israel without putting any perspective on the Turkish/Israeli political situation.

The BBC has made no reference to the Islamic takeover and steady Islamification of the turkish state over recent years by the current Islamist ruling party.

This is even a bone of contention within Turkey with the traditionaly liberal urbanites of that country objecting to the blatant Islamification of the Turkish state by the current ruling party which is supported by the growing population of the more traditionally Islamic rural population of the country.

It is obvious that this Turkish government is seeking to create friction and confrontation with Israel at every and any opportunity in order to try and unify Turkish nationalist opinions at home and consolidate their domestic Islamic agenda and at the same time improve their interantional Islamist credentials abroad.

Beware Europe, Turkey is on a dangerous spiral which will mean it can never be admitted to the EU without possibly bringing violent Jihad to the heart of EU and may well possibly lead to either civil conflict within Turkey or confrontation with nearby states like Greece and Macedonia and future conflict within the Balkans too.

Trumpeldor

@Melanie,

What was the ratio Support/hate messages?
Here in Belgium,I feel 2/3 of average citizens support Israel whereas the "red-green club" +medias+government express the oposite

logdon

An Englishman here who's with Israel all the way.

Ironically we're also a real endangered species whose history, culture and very soul is being trampled upon by those who would create a Eurabia right here in my homeland.

The left who so defend Islam and Palestinian rights talk of a people whose way of life and land were removed by invaders. Isn't it so laughable that when it comes to ours they do not give a damn. They just give it away with a smile to the Muslims and a get used to it for the rest.

I am that rest. And I'm not going to get used to it. And I am not alone.

Pride and nationality is fine when they talk of Gaza, yet if I aclaim my Englishness, I'm a nasty Little Englander bigot who hates 'the other'?

Today's British MSM has fallen hook line and sinker for the taqiyya being pumped out from Ban ki Moon, Desmond Tutu and any moron downwards. The Islam infested UN is doing what they always do and the predictability has the precision of a Swiss watch.

Israel must ignore this vile onslaught. This is a 1930's Groundhog Day, nothing less where age old antisemitism is bundled into a Gazan rights issue and just as the Nazi's concocted world Jewry conspiracy slander as cover for their ultimate plan, this is also believed within the quarters who are so dim they want to believe it regardless of the facts.

This is a Manichean struggle, it's not our choice but of those who wish to eradicate anything but Islam from our planet. It's similarity to communism and fascism who tried on the same trick is manifest.

Back then the world was also stuffed with appeasers and only the prescient ones such as Churchill who hated both totalitarian dogmas stood up against the tide of servitude inducing repression.

Who will stand up for us now?

logdon

"jon boy

Beware Europe, Turkey is on a dangerous spiral which will mean it can never be admitted to the EU."

Imagine eighty million muslims with free, and legal access to France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and not forgetting good old Britain?

Then our problems would begin.

alan stoddart

This is how Hamas, or at least one method, deals with opponents:

http://www.road90.com/watch.php?id=OrfFEfyK5F

Look forward to seeing the viseo on the BBC.

Raymond in DC

William Boyd writes, "If Israel can't be budged from maintaining its embargo then perhaps the international community should shift its stance. Perhaps a harbour under UN control, that sort of thing?" Sure, put UNIFIL on it. After all, they've done a bang up job of preventing missiles getting to Hizbullah.

phil writes, "I believe but [Rachel Corrie] never went with the hatred you have displayed and then used her name -you should be ashamed of yourself ." Corrie was a stupid, stupid girl who demonstrated her hatred of both the US and Israel quite clearly.

To Bob Latchford: I myself wouldn't call Holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein a terrorist. I would call her a terror enabler and a "useful idiot".

david Gray

The hate towards the Jews in recent times has been driven by the media......I have been watching close over the past few days to see some degree of balance in the reports and it simply is not there. People are generally too stupid to go and find the facts themselves and end up swallowing every single piece of crap pumped out by the BBC etc. One guy today who was on the boat as the IDF guys came down those ropes said that they were firing guns at the them....presumably the proof would be on the footage with the ignition of the bullets showing up on the white on black film that has been released. The idiot interviewing this lier simply nodded his head in agreement with everything being said without stating what I just have. We are not talking about a slight hysteria....we are talking about bare faced lies. I think Israel is in danger of falling.... and all because her so called friends dont have the guts or the stomach to help her.And dont anyone here think the media will bring balance to this debate....the lie about Israel every single day.

Zsa

Simply put the unhinged world is smelling blood and are going for the kill. They believe the time has come and they are showing who they are. But the righteous shall prevail and the righteous are on the side of Israel.
Remain strong Melanie.

Andreas

I must say, Melanie, you are an inspiration, a beacon of hope and truth. I'm a 21 year-old American college student, and your articles are a sigh of relief after having to endure hours of liberal brainwashing. please keep up the good work.

DavidLondon

Melanie, I agree with you on this one. I've been appalled by the hysterical and unbalanced reporting of this on the BBC. Israel tried to enforce the blockade, but it did not start the violence.

Robert

The events of the last few days are just part of a much wider conflict. It's Islam v the rest.
But so many in the "REST" don't understand this, yet.

Joe Strummer

Time after time I hope folk in the UK will see through the obvious Islamofascist propaganda, this " Gaza aid boat" stunt being the latest. But no, its big, bad Israel getting the blame again. Then again, it is the BBC with its usual selective reporting.

Elena

Do not wave, Melanie; you are doing a fantastic job as a reporter: your articles like a drop of crystal-clean water in the sea of dirt. Please accept my admiration and support

An American

Phil,
Thank you for admitting that you now believe I might have been right about Obama in the beginning.

Every single decision Obama has made has been detrimental to the American people with a responding negative affect for other countries.

The fellow lacks common sense and has no moral compass telling him the difference between right and wrong, good and evil...its all just about HIM.

Borneo man

melaine,

U and Israel have my support!!

Bogdan of Australia

Some two years back I wrote a comment to GREAT Caroline Glick's article in The Jerusalem Post in which I expressed my opinion that Israel had no longer any other choice but to arm her nuclear warheads with DEUTERIUM AND TRYTIUM shells and tell the world: "If we go down you go down with us."
It would be the only case when the so called "world" were willing to listen.
This is even more relevant today than it was two years ago.
And I'm saying that as a NON JEW!

Jerry Bolton

I believe Derek is correct.

Ralph Pattison

my enemies enemy is my friend.
Next time torpedo them and say the North Koreans did it. It worked before, should again.

rudolph camillo

stick with it melanie, i will get worse yet, until they get a new pres in usa, to replace this high school sophomore

phil

An American
June 3rd, 2010 1:59am If you remember I did say I would ,but I wanted to see the man who had been elected given his chance ,he has and it appears he has failed -I hope now the USA has woken to the truth .

Geoff Miller

I heard a comment yesterday that sums the whole situation up.

"If the Arabs laid down their arms there would be peace in the Middle East.

If the Jews laid down THEIR arms there would be no Jews in the Middle East".

Why are so many people deaf and blind to the ranting, racist Muslims?

Why do they fail to see what is going on in the Holy Land, Europe, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, North Africa, Nigeria, Sudan etc etc?

We face a worldwide Jihad. Islam is on the march.

And we? We just don't see it.

logdon

Melanie Phillips is the most rational and intellectual blogger on this site.

None of the wooly tosh or bogged down in trifling side issue, she gets to the point immaculately and with precision.

At the risk of being my being hagiographic or fawning, she is a bloody national treasure.

I'd urge all to grab her new book, The World Turned Upside Down, read it nice and slowly, absorb, rationalise and connect her thoughts with what's going on out there and come out of the experience with the ammunition to tackle what is heading to be a very incendiary world.

If anyone thinks this is an Israeli problem, think again and watch how it all unravels back here.

We are stuffed with Muslim immigrants courtesy of the last government and their overidding allegience is to the Ummah.

That they may be living courtesy of benefits or child and tax credits accounts for naught. They regard it as the jizya and their absolute right.

We are mere infidels, ignorant of the truth of Islam and as such beneath them.

Thats how it goes whether we like it or not.

marc antony

It's the corpses that are whipping up the hysteria, not the media. The dead are neither sane nor decent, they are just dead, murdered. You won't be receiving a steady stream of messages from them.
Are you going to speak for them?

Ching ha

Logdon, you said imagine eighty million muslims with free and legal access to France Portugal, Belgium, Spain etc, Good thinking! but let's not forget 80 million will be nothing because when Muslim marry they convert to Islam the person, if 80 million Turks are allow to be the EU, when they get marry 4 wives from the western Christian community they gonna make sure they are muslims and it will be billions Turks in the EU less then 30 years it is easy way to spread the believe.

Adam B.

The BBC is an absolute disgrace. Their headline "Doubt cast on Israel version of events" was a brazen attempt to present Israel as lying, by quoting an "eyewitness" (i.e. one of the "activists" - hardly an impartial person) who said there were only two and a half wooden batons used as weapons. This is demonstrably untrue. Two of the Israeli soldiers have gunshot wounds, whilst others have stab wounds. Were these done with wooden batons? this is easily verifiable, yet the BBC doesn't care - it is more important to present the narrative of Israel always being in the wrong, whatever the facts. Furthermore, has anyone heard the BBC mention that three of the boats came from the IHH - a terrorist organization which has provided jihadis to Chechnya, Bosnia, and, yes, Afghanistan (fighting our own forces?) Nor did they report the antisemitic chanting of those on the boat, available to see at MEMRI.

The predictable lemming like condemnation by Cameron and Hague is disgusting.

Jon_Boy

Geoff,

There are none so blind as those he choose not to see.

Archie

Courage, Miss Phillips. You and Israel have more supporters than you might think.

An American

Geoff Miller,

You are completely correct in you assessment and I, like you, can't understand why governments and people can't see the writing on the wall...it is clearly written for all to see. I can only put it down to the hatred of Jews.

I just got back from Turkey ...am still jet lagged, and Islamic extremists are taking over that country. Attaturk took a third-world Islamic backwater theocracy and turned it into a thriving Democratic secular country which is now reverting back. If Islamic extremists can take over modern, prosperous countries like Iran and Turkey, it can happen anywhere.

Obama's America has helped embolden Islamic extremists worldwide...I don't see Obama coming to Israel's aid should a full blown war break out and I believe that Israel knows that.

Our only hope is to get rid of Obama and his leftist government and for the once world power that use to be the US, to once again stand for up and protect what is right in the world... before we have a WWIII.

It's amazing the world-wide destruction that just one man like Obama can bring about...the world today is in peril.

S Brown

The more idiots like this post their bile, the more convinced I am that I am right to support Israel...

An American

Ching ha,
My recent visit to Turkey showed a country at the cross-road. It is prosperous and thriving in the western part of the country...but the government has been taken over by Islamic extremists. Turkey now spends twice on Mosques than it does on education...it is slowly reverting back to a theocracy. Turkey could very well be in for a revolution...most of the people in the cities were normal people going about their lives, ignoring the constant call to worship...unfortunately, the hardcore Islamists have the political power over the poorer eastern part of the country and the farm people have always been very religously conservative...the jihadists have worked their way into the government and taken over...A good example is what is happening in the US with Obama and the leftists. The inmates are now in charge of the insane asylum.

At the rate the EU is failing, Turkey is now probably happy they weren't included in that sticky morass.

Groovy Times

At last the mask is off and we can see the convergence of left-wing anti-Zionism with traditional anti-Semitism. It shows us that the sanctimonious left-wing anti-Israeli agitators of today have inherited the legacy of their right-wing Jew hating European forefathers.

I can see that anti-Semitism is not a perversion of European values but the very essence of a culture on which one's morality, social acceptability, and identity are gauged by one's hostility towards the Jewish collective.

An American

Jon_Boy
That goes for American liberals too. Amazingly, after a year and half of worldwide failure and the destruction of a great nation, Obama still has a 46% approval rating...go figure.

Barry Larking

This kind of reponse Melanie Philip's highlights is quite disgusting whatever one's reactions to the events are.

phil

Geoff Miller
June 3rd, 2010 10:11am I was just trying to write to agree with what you have said when my keyboard cut out and An American beat me too it -you are both right and so is Adam B -Last night PAXMAN tried his best to get the American state dept man to condemn the Israelis ,thankfully he resisted .As usual both Paxman and Wark shout down anyone who does not agree with their rhetoric ,interrupting continually -its a good job for them that they do not interview me ,you know I am outspoken and I would tell them to shut up and let people speak the truth:)- a truth that the BBC was once famous for --thrown out immediately of course :)---well said all of you .

Graeme Anderssen

In a (Western) world obsessed with appeasing militant Islam and bullying the small and isolated who are politically defenseless in the global forum, Melanie Phillips is a lighthouse in the dark storm.
She provides the alternative view, which, whilst largely unpopular in the UK is far closer to the truth than anything that mainstream British journalism churns out.
Hang in there Melanie, you are doing justice the service it deserves.

Augustus

One the face of it, the creation
of a seperate Palestinian state,
even only with temporary borders, would be in the interests of the Palestinians. They would then have a bona fide
international judicial position from which to negotiate with Israel. Furthermore, they could show the world that they would be capable of actually running a country, and use the opportunity to increase the welfare of their citizens in Palestinian areas. So why don't they do it? Because the majority of Palestinian politicians only want one thing:
The destruction of the state of Israel. And the creation of a Palestinian state is a severe disadvantage to destroying the state of Israel. The new state would then be responsible for its own borders, and terrorists
would need to be put out of action. And above all, as prosperity increased in the daily lives of its citizens Palestinians would increasingly
have less appetite to offer themselves up for Israel's destruction. That is the sad truth of why there is such an impasse. Palestinian leaders
are (as they have so often been
throughout most of the last century) not real nationalists at all, but the pawns and hirelings of radical Islamists throughout the region.

Derek BLADES

An American, 2 June wrote "You can only wonder if this is what Obama wanted all along and why...or is he just as incompetent in foreign affairs as he's been in US affairs."

President Obama has averted a global economic crisis by his bold spending programme, passed a health bill that eluded the best efforts of presidents from Eisenhower onwards, and is now bringing major reforms to the finance industry in the teeth of scurrilous Wall Street propaganda.

In a hectic eighteen months in office, President Obama has shown himself to be one of the most astute, intelligent and resourceful politicians since Roosevelt. If An American thinks Obama is incompetent the poor fellow must be bonkers.

jdude

You're a voice of rationality in an ever increasing irrational world. Melanie you're rockin =)

JOHN ROOSEVELT

Derek Pasquill
June 2nd, 2010 10:48am
"The problem has moved beyond rational discourse - all that is left is war and the force of arms.

But perhaps this was inevitable."

You seem to think it was ever any different.

Israel has always been under siege.

It all boils down to how well that siege is managed.

Simple, really...

john robert

If it comes to it I will go to Israel and fight to defend the only decent people in that part of the world. The rest are all followers of an insane death cult and have brought only darkness to the world. There are enough of us to defeat them and we ARE on your side Melanie,

Brian Williams

I love this phrase "disproportionate". Was it disproportionate when the Allies bombed Dresden and Hamburg? Or Hiroshima? I'm afraid, that's war. Just because Hamas are too gutless to wear uniforms and fire their rockets into Israel from school playgrounds doesn't stop it from being war. They kill and expect to be killed back. They want to be killed. Their god will take them to paradise, give them houris, and a propaganda victory. The west plays into their hands every time.

Mjolnir de Jersiaise

There are people who regularly get their drivel posted on this blog; mine is no worse than some of theirs and yet, for some reason, my messages NEVER GET POSTED. Have I been blacklisted or something? Please tell me so that I can know if I am wasting my time trying to participate in this blog...

An American

Derek Blades,

What and how much of that kool-aid are you drinking these days?

Obama's stimulus has failed, our unemployment is still close to 10% which is twice what it was under Bush...and that is a governmental underestimation...in reality, real unemployment and underemployment is over 17%. Maybe you in the UK are use to close to a quarter of your people being without jobs and on the dole, but Americans aren't...we believe in working.

Obama has done nothing to help avert a global economic downturn...what hogwash you spew...what about Greece with Spain, Portugal and Italy in the wings, waiting to go under? There are threats from China to call in US loans and attacks on the US dollar...where do think we will all be then? Yet Obama and his commie cronies are talking about passing yet another stimulus bill...they still have people to pay off with taxpayers money (money that is not there, btw) but is being printed. We are facing a second recession sometime soon with some of the highest inflation in our history...mark my words. The US government cannot continue to spend an inordinate amount of money than it brings in. Only fools believe they can spend more than they have or will have in the future.

But Obama and the leftists plan to pass a multitude of taxes include a VAT to punish the American people for their greedy, inefectual over-spending...we are right now burdened with some 200 taxes and have one of the largest corporate taxes in the world.

60% of Americans did not want Obamacare but Obama and the leftist Democratic Congress ignored the American people and forced it down our throats anyway...while the inadequate UK and Canadian public health systems are beginning to monetarily fail. Only idiots would copy and push through a failing system.

Many of Obama's worshipful media supporters are now calling him incompetent. The blush is off the rose...Obama parties it up in the White House while oil spews onto southern beaches...doing nothing but having his Attorney General make threats to BP.

Obama is in over his head. He doesn't have a clue how to solve anything...he's a joke, a very bad joke. The American people are going to pay a big price for people who think like you who elected this arrogant fraud...

Obama's present approval rating is the lowest in American history for this period and he deserves nothing less.

It's people like you who even when the very facts and results are there to see continue to be in denial...Just keep on drinking the kool-aid while someone else pays for it.

Thinking Americans can't wait until November to go to the voting booths.

Daibhidh

The hostile emails stem from minds that have been seered and mentally unhinged by the rationale destroying postmodernist spirit of the age. No doubt these minds - that sadly pollute and dominate public discourse - have nothing to say about the real threats to world stability posed by Iran and north Korea.

Susan

It is extremely unfair on those of us who agree the attack on the flotilla was wrong/disproportinate/requires investigation etc, to simply point out the most insane responses you have received, and use that as evidence that everyone else's objections are irrational. No matter what the argument is, there will always be extreme views on each side, idiots saying things "Hitler was right". I'm sure you could find just as vile comments said by people supporting Israel.

Derek BLADES

My thanks to "An American" for his courteous reply to me of 4 June.

Let me say that I am in full agreement with you that the current US unemployment rate - a result of the financial crisis that Obama inherited from Bush - is certainly too high. Fortunately, it is coming down thanks to continued action by the Administration.

I also agree with you that the BP oil spill can be traced to the lackadaisical control of off-shore drilling exercised by the Bush administration. Again, not an Obama-induced problem but one that he is handling with his customary skill.

You rightly note that President Obama inherited a can of worms but, heavens be praised, he has the wisdom and political skills to handle these and other domestic upsets.

I am not sure why you mentioned the government debts in Portugal and Spain. I would not have thought these were Obama's problems, but perhaps you know something I do not.

Just one point of disagreement. I do not drink "Kool Aids" and to be honest I don’t even know what they are. But if it is on the level of Coca-Cola, KFC, MacDonald hamburgers and similar American schlock you may be sure I can do without them.

ward rivers

It's painfully apparent that Israel is fighting for it existence and those alleged humanitarians advocating "the peace process" know it. They just pretend it's about peace, rather than abolishing Israel. Why don't they just admit it?

phil

An American
June 4th, 2010 1:11am I see blades is squirming by pretending you are agreeing with him,when it is obvious to all what you think of him -It is people like him that continue to fuel the fires of hate and reduce any chance of us living in a peaceful world .What is being written here by so many with eyes wide open must be eating him up.

Rip Van Winkle

Phil, matey, Have noticed several of your blogs, my compliments. Rip.

phil

Rip Van Winkle
June 4th, 2010 5:28pm - Thank you my friend -if you want some fun have a look at my"discussion" with jolly roger on the death thread. He tried to bring you into it regarding my grammar lessons but I was able to tell him that you did it with good humour unlike his ignorance,it has been enormous fun at least for me,IT DOES NOT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE SERIOUS HERE ,and now occasionally I even get a comma right :) regards

An American

Phil,
Thanks for the kind words of encouragement...its infuriating that people like Blades approve of the disaster that is the Obama presidency...it takes all kinds, I suppose...I said my piece to him and will ignore him in the future since he distorted my reply to him...

Rob Herron

To "come on the Rachel Corrie". Rather than remembering a self indulgent,hysteric how about remembering some other Rachels':

1. Rachel Levy (Israeli girl age 17, blown up in a grocery store)

2. Rachel Thaler (Israeli girl aged 16, blown up in a pizzeria)

3. Rachel Levi (Israeli girl aged 19, murdered while waiting for the bus)

4. Rachel Gavish (killed with her husband and son while at home)

5. Rachel Charhi (blown up while sitting in a cafe)

6. Rachel Shabo (murdered with her three sons aged 5, 13 and 6 while sitting at home)

Snortwood

> Perhaps a harbour under UN control, that sort of thing?

So the UN can manage that as well as they have 1701 control in Southern Lebanon? Not the best idea.. . . the UN is not a viable, unbiased, fair, dependable organization when it comes to protecting Israel.

Alex

if it were up to these loony lefties, the country would have been a soviet state. i lived in Russia for years and have come to the conclusion that the best kind of red is a dead red.

Vai Tibi

A very large number of comments from both sides of the argument but not one person mentions the other end of the so called 'Israeli blockade'; Gaza has a border with Egypt which is closed by the Egyptian government, but do they get any of the opprobrium? No! just the usual anti-semitism. Hypocrisy and ignorance rule!

Hadrian

Ah, yes, Israel should just have sat back and let huge ships sail freely into her territory carrying goodness knows what evil instruments.
Fascinating to see hard corse leftists finally make common cause with that vile national socialist, Herr Hitler. And hardly surprising. May all those Islamists in Turkey never get entrance into the E.U. Perhaps the E.U. should however open its doors to Israel whose people the Continent has so long treated atrociously. That would A) make some small reparation for all the wrongs and indignities and B) ease the pressure on land in Israel if numbers of Israelites decided to migrate to other parts of the E.U. Not likely, is it?!

Geoff Miller

A question Melanie.

Is Mein Kampf still the top selling non-fiction in Turkey?

It was around 8 years ago.

And why?

Olaf Rye

Enjoy the abuse, Melanie ! Although unpleasant, it does mean that you are annoying the usual mob of complete imbeciles and Islamo-fascist nutters. You can see that they do not give a toss for freedom of expression, nor can they piece together a coherent argument. Keep it up, though, because if you do not all we have to listen to is the leftist drivel of the BBC and their fellow travellers that are appeasing the Islamo-fascists something fierce.

GK

If Hitler was right in his assessment of the Jews, he had no
right to exterminate them, that was a mafia not a state.
About the specific case, recently in the news, the ships
people were activists, not mother
Tereza to be treated with respect
especially when the the whole thing turned ugly.
If they don't like the exclusion
zone they should stop launching rokets.