Quote:
Originally Posted by Bleeding Red
Want to see ethnic cleansing done right look a little South West of Israel - no Jews in Gaza, No Jewish businesses in Gaza, no synagogues in Gaza, no Jews allowed to visit Gaza. No Jews allowed in Saudi Arabia or Syria either.
There a few Jews in Iran, but they are basically showpiece hostages - someone has to stand trial for being an Israeli spy every few years.
IF Israel were really trying to do as you say, then please explain the Arab businesses operating through out the country? Or the Mosques in Jaffa, Acco, and Nazareth (among other cities)? Or the Muslim/Arab members of Parliament? Or the Arab Cabinet Minister?
Having a problem with Israel's settlement policy in Judea & Sameria is a legit position. Israel withdrawing to the pre-1967 boarders would bring about peace is also a legit position. Accusing Israel of ethnic cleansing or that "they seem to believe [Arabs] are subhuman." is boarderline antisemitic. Accusing Israel of this is subtext for the ages old accusation that Jews fundamentally believe they are the "Chosen People" and that gentiles are beneath them.
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You've got some good points in your post, but I really have to disagree with your characterization of the Gaza strip. If it is an example of ethnic cleansing, then it's the only instance of a population ethnically cleansing itself. Israel voluntarily and unilaterally dismantled all of its own settlements there and removed the roughly 9000 Jews, almost all of whom had moved into the strip during the post 1967 settlement period. Just as the poster you were criticizing, you're throwing the phrase 'ethnic cleansing' around in a complete baseless way.
And the 25,000 Jews living in Iran would disagree with your characterization of them as 'showpiece hostages'. While life is far from easy for them, they do have freedom to maintain synagogues and practice their faith, the are allowed their own schools, cemetaries, newspapers, and hospitals. Despite being strongly anti-zionist, the Iranian government has traditionally been very supportive of the Iranian Jewish community.
Despite financial incentives they would receive for emigrating to Israel, less than 200 (less than 1%) have left in the last year. I wouldn't be surprised if the obvious fraud of the most recent election resulted in an uptick in Jewish emigration, though nothing on the scale of the 20% of the Jewish population that left after the Islamic republic was formed.
You're completely right that it's important to separate the reality of the settlement policy from accusations of ethnic cleansing, but it defeats your arguments when you turn around and do exactly the same thing in your description of Iran.