The Shiv‘a ‘Asar beTamuz War
Over the past year back in the States, I've gotten out of the habit of constantly checking the news. Now I'm back in Israel for a month, and there are Ḥizballáh katyushas falling on Nahariya and Tzefat. Israel is bombing Lebanon and Gaza. Qassām rockets are falling on Sedeirot. Soldiers are being kidnapped and killed.
On the 17th of Tammuz, the walls of Jerusalem were broken through.
Today the walls of denial were broken down.
From Haaretz:
"I understand your feelings, an eye for an eye"????
Prime Minister こいずみ， you don't understand at all.
On the 17th of Tammuz, the walls of Jerusalem were broken through.
Today the walls of denial were broken down.
From Haaretz:
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's first visit to Israel yesterday was overshadowed by the Hezbollah attack in the north.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said at a press conference yesterday that he had considered canceling the meeting with his Japanese counterpart, but decided to hold it anyway. "I reached the conclusion that it was not appropriate to cancel it, due to the special circumstances of our relationship, Japan's international importance, and the unique importance of Prime Minister Koizumi, who is a world leader," said Olmert.
Koizumi stressed the benefits of restraint, saying: "I understand your feelings, an eye for an eye, but it's important to maintain hope for the long term - and restraint is also important."
"I understand your feelings, an eye for an eye"????
Prime Minister こいずみ， you don't understand at all.
carved on the walls of the caverns by Steg (dos iz nit der šteg) at 7/13/2006 07:59:00 AM
2 Comments:
I think you're right. He doesn't seem to have much of a concept.
He should've quoted Elvis instead. That he grasps.
Why is revenge associated with Sicilians* and Jews**, but not with the Japanese inhuman concept of honour? Or the Arab one? Or the one in countless other societies, actually nearly all but ours.
Probably because the general society's (read: pagan/secularised Christian/19th century romanticism) ideas about honour are similar. As I see from discussions on the Areivim list, it's more and more widespread even among observant Jews, though mainly in the honour-obsessed US.
* Alright, we know it's because of Mafia and vendetta clichés in motion pictures.
** And we know that's because of Christian misunderstandings, later conscious anti-Semitic distortions, about "the god of vengeance" and "an eye for an eye".
Post a Comment
<< Home