Regarding what I say about Rauner as a person – and I’m not sure if I mentioned this before – I know people who hang out with him. I wouldn’t say they are friends but, rather, friendly acquaintances. Republicans, totally in love with him and his policies (while working for a public institution and suffering for lack of healthcare, by the way, so go figure.) And even they recognize that the fellow is beyond lazy.
The Last on Rauner Today, I Promise
Clarissa's Blog 
Looks like Israel is moving into the same direction as America (after Trump appoints new judges):
The new Supreme Court: more conservative, more right-wing
Analysis: After the four new judges selected on Wednesday are sworn in over the next six months, Israel will receive a court which is more restrained in its intervention in Knesset legislation and government decisions and more ‘sympathetic’ to the rightist-religious-settler agenda.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4926529,00.html
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Most of those settlers need serious psychological help. The responsible thing would be to provide care instead of using the obviously unwell people for political gain.
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The only time these lazy bums galvanize into action when there’s suffering to be inflicted.
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We see more and more French Jews in Tel Aviv. The latest news explain why:
Two Jewish brothers ‘assaulted with hacksaw’ in Paris suburbs
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Doctors recommended the victim take ten days off work to recover from the injury.
The other brother was injured in the shoulder, according to reports.
http://www.thelocal.fr/20170224/two-jews-wearing-kippas-assaulted-with-hacksaw-in-paris-suburbs
Also:
UN rights office decries Israeli sentence as excessively lenient
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani compares Elor Azaria’s 18-month sentence for killing an incapacitated Palestinian (el: he was incapacitated following a knife attack) with three-year sentences given to Palestinian children for throwing stones; she declares that the case reinforces a ‘culture of impunity.’
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4927084,00.html
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Also, this:
Israel denies work visa to Human Rights Watch official
Accusing the NGO of ‘propaganda,’ the Interior Ministry denies a visa to HRW’s regional director, US citizen Omar Shakir, who says decision ‘puts Israel in the company of heavily repressive states like North Korea, Iran and Sudan.’
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Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon called Human Rights Watch a “blatantly hostile anti-Israeli organization whose reports have the sole purpose of harming Israel with no consideration whatsoever for the truth or reality.”
He said “there is no reason” to give a visa to a person or organization that wants to hurt the country. “We are not masochists and there is no reason we should keep doing that,” he said.
He said the decision was connected solely to the group’s activities and had nothing to do with the ethnicity of Shakir, a US citizen of Iraqi descent.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4927035,00.html
Would you be worried about Azaria’s lenient punishment or about this case, if you were an Israeli citizen?
I think Israel has every right to deny entrance to anybody we wish, especially if the person in question is working against us in this conflict.
Azaria did get off relatively easy; however, I notice that UN HR Spokeperson doesn’t compare his sentence with the reaction of Palestinians to Jew-killing terrorists who kill Jewish civilians, not attackers.
If somebody is unaware, in the West Bank they name streets and schools after those Palestinian “shahids.”
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There is this program in Spain (and I criticize it harshly in my new book) that’s called “Spain as a brand.” Israel needs something like this. Because what you describe is simply very bad branding strategy. All this “We won’t let the HRW in” is such an outdated, rickety, nation-state crap.
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\ All this “We won’t let the HRW in” is such an outdated, rickety, nation-state crap.
But we ARE a nation state, surrounded by countries which haven’t reached this level yet.
How can one have a draft, live with nation state mentality and then suddenly do 90 degrees switch at a moment’s notice and for half a minute (and then return to nation state mode of life)?
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A hybrid model is, actually, a great way to transition. A branding campaign is all about the way you discuss things. It’s ideology, not real action.
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The YouTube video in the linked post is so funny:
Bavaria tells Trump: forget Germany, we’re most like you
https://www.thelocal.de/20170213/bavaria-tells-trump-forget-about-germany-were-most-like-you
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Frustrated Russian Officials Struggling To Get Any Policies Through Dysfunctional Trump Administration
http://www.theonion.com/article/frustrated-russian-officials-struggling-get-any-po-55361
AND
A warning from Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Stephen Hawking
http://notabler.livejournal.com/624637.html
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The Onion article is not even funny because duh!
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Interesting post:
Русские Львова
http://algalagan.livejournal.com/345491.html
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\ A hybrid model is, actually, a great way to transition. A branding campaign is all about the way you discuss things. It’s ideology, not real action.
I am not sure what you mean here by “a hybrid model.”
Could you write about the concept of a country “as a brand”? What would Israel need to do in practice?
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The only brand attached to Israel these days is ‘apartheid’. You figure out what you need to do in practice.
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That’s exactly what I’m saying: it’s a shitty brand. Spain, for instance, is investing tons of money to clean up its image from the damage done to it by Spain’s atrocities in the 16th century. That’s half a millennium ago. And still it hurts Spain’s economy today.
This kind of stuff keeps biting you for a very long time.
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\ the damage done to it by Spain’s atrocities in the 16th century. That’s half a millennium ago. And still it hurts Spain’s economy today.
The equation you proposed is too straightforward.
Germany has the strongest economy in Europe after doing a genocide two seconds ago.
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“Germany has the strongest economy in Europe after doing a genocide two seconds ago.”
Two points:
1 German exceptionalism, Germany is doomed to either dominate or wreck any European configuration it finds itself in. It’s the absolute crossroads of European political (and other) culture and has too many unresolved contradictions.
2 Most of Europe has not even begun to process WWII in any kind of productive way. Most of the biggest problems now directly stem from that failure. I might say that some Warsaw pact countries are doing better but only because the trauma of WWII was directly followed by the trauma of Soviet imposed communism (the trauma of which they haven’t really begun to address).
IIRC the Spanish economy has still not really recovered from its plunder of silver from the Andes, I think that has a more direct influence than events surrounding the reconquista.
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Spain entered late into capitalism and into modernity. The first modern empire failed at capitalism because it was, in its nature, profoundly anticapitalist. This doesn’t mean it was “good.” But it was about something entirely different than what people ascribe to it from today’s perspective. I can’t say I have seen an intelligent, profound discussion of the Spanish empire anywhere. Everybody who writes about it describes it as a sort of a medieval version of the 1980s USA. It’s beyond idiotic but that’s the accepted approach.
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” I can’t say I have seen an intelligent, profound discussion of the Spanish empire anywhere”
Spanish exceptionalism! I do agree the familiar heuristics just don’t seem very informative when applied to anything Spanish.
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It’s another case of just-liking. So annoying.
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Germany apologized and made amends. But hey, if you think that the boycott of Israeli goods is something I’m imagining, that’s fine. 😆
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“Germany apologized and made amends.”
And still manages to sit right on top of the two biggest issues pulling the EU apart, the Euro (which will and can never work longterm for the southern or eastern countries) and migration policy… They just can’t help it.
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Yes, absolutely, they have managed to conduct a very successful re-branding campaign, clearing themselves from the stain of the Nazi legacy. But now they are pissing it all away. In Spain, for instance, the centuries-long tradition of worshiping everything German (“We are true visigoths at heart!”) has given way to a hatred of the Germans because of how they acted during the global economic crisis. And since Germany is being very unapologetic about this, this is what will do real damage to its image.
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Uri’s column:
until now, it was accepted that at least one almost sacred institution stood above the fray, beyond any controversy: the Israeli army.
The Azaria affair demonstrates that this last bond of unity has now been broken.
WHO ARE these camps? What is the most profound element of this division?
There is no way around it: it is the ethnic factor.
http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/channels/avnery/1487945729
I do not believe he is right here, btw.
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\ Germany apologized and made amends. But hey, if you think that the boycott of Israeli goods is something I’m imagining, that’s fine.
Since peace is impossible, what can we do?
You previously said, “A branding campaign is all about the way you discuss things. It’s ideology, not real action.”
So, we should discuss how Palestinians don’t want peace in a different fashion?
Lieberman tried to create good PC for Israel by promising Gazans a port and an airport, if Hamas disarms. Is it the way to go? I find it hard to believe.
The news:
Lieberman added that Israel would turn the Gaza Strip into a prosperous territory if its people toppled the enclave’s Islamist rulers, or if the militant group changed its ways.”The moment Hamas gives up on tunnels and rockets, we will be the first ones to invest and build them a seaport, an airport, and industrial zones by Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings,” he said. “And of course, and this is the first and most important step, [facilitate] the return of the bodies of our soldiers and the citizens who are held captive by Hamas,”
http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-defense/137824-170216-liberman-offers-gaza-airport-sea-port-for-return-of-israeli-hostages
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The oppressor with his boot on the neck of the oppressed: ‘They don’t want peace. What can we do?’
You’re mentally ill.
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The discussion started with whether it’s a good idea not to let Human Rights Watch in. The point I’m making is that it’s a bad idea. It’s impossible to contain information no matter who you do or don’t let come in. The only goal this achieves is reinforce a negative image of Israel.
As for the rest, as I said before, I believe that the only real solution here is a dramatic and rapid improvement in the living standards of Palestinians.
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“I believe that the only real solution here is a dramatic and rapid improvement in the living standards of Palestinians.”
In other words there’s no solution, because so far they don’t seem to have what it takes for that to happen. Or are thinking of this as the Israelis burden?
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“because so far they don’t seem to have what it takes”
Yes. Basic human rights.
“Why isn’t the Palestinian economy booming? After all, we’ve created the ideal conditions on the ground to enable this growth,” asks this nutjob.
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There’s been no peace in the Middle East since 1948 for exactly one reason:
The Palestinians have never wanted peace with Israel — for them, the only acceptable “peace” is the total destruction of the Jewish state.
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Yeah, all those Palestinian air force planes reducing Israeli cities to rubble every few years. And those Palestinian bulldozers flattening Israeli homes. The horror, the horror.
But some mullah said ‘death to israel’, so, you know, both sides.
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Have you talked to any Palestinians? Because the ones I have talked to have zero interest in the destruction of the Jewish state. The ones I’ve met are quiet, nice, normal people. The sense I got from them is mostly that they want to be left in peace to go quietly about life, just like anybody else.
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Try reading a little history:
Between 1948 and 1967, the entire West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the entire Gaza strip were in Arabian hands — no air force bombings, no Israeli soldiers in that territory, no Jewish settlements.
The Palestinians had nineteen years to build a Palestinian state in exactly the same location that they now claim to want to create a “peaceful” nation in, and the ONLY thing that their “leaders” ever talked about was the destruction of Israel. Why didn’t they talk peace then?
You haven’t talked to the leaders of Hamas, who are the people making the decisions that control the Palestinians’ destiny.
Of course the mothers and parents and the “nice, normal people” among the Palestinians just want a normal, peaceful life for their families — just like during World War II, when Germany was getting bombed to rubble, the families and “nice, normal” citizens of Germany just wanted the war to end and the bombing to stop. The ordinary citizens weren’t interested in conquering Russia or exterminating all the Jews in Europe — but their views were irrelevant, because the Nazis were calling the shots and determining Germany’s actions.
As long as of leaders of the Palestinians are unwilling to accept peace with Israel, there’ll be no Middle Eastern peace.
And there’s no moral equivalence at all. Israel is defending its people and its state against vicious savages longing for its total destruction. If anything, Israel has been far too restrained in responding to the unending stream of terrorism.
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I have no knowledge and, frankly, little interest in what happened in Gaza in 1948. What I do know is that I see no road to peace that doesn’t pass through a dramatic increase in the living standards of Palestinians. Once that happens, Hamas leaders will find it so much harder to recruit. There is currently no ideology on the planet stronger than hedonistic consumption. Even ISIS uses consumption and not religion to lure fresh followers.
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“I see no road to peace that doesn’t pass through a dramatic increase in the living standards of Palestinians. Once that happens, Hamas leaders will find it so much harder to recruit”
That’s the problem, neither Hamas nor Fatah have any real incentive to improve lfie for Palestinians. If life gets easier for Palestinians then political parties have to figure out a new appeal for votes. What political party wants that?
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What’s all this euphemism about increase in living standards? How about basic fucking human rights?
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That’s a given. But it’s not enough. People need to have their lives rebuilt after the blockade, the occupation.
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Yes, but the people you’re arguing with won’t even concede something that you’re calling a given.
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“Yes, but the people you’re arguing with won’t even concede something that you’re calling a given.”
Also, I believe that if we are to give money, improving the lives of Palestinians would be a much better use and a much better help to Israel than giving Israel money for more weapons. Israel is currently like an addict relative that we are slipping drugs because it’s convenient to keep him doped up and crazy. And that’s called “love for Israel.” It’s very sad.
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I am unsure what SB means by basic human rights. Seriously. Is freedom of import/export one of them? Bacause if satisfying those rights means Hamas getting more money for weapons, killing more IDF soldiers and raining better rockets on our heads, I am against it.
I do not see how one can raise the standard of living in Gaza, if Hamas is there ready to take by force money and resources from civilians to invest in tunnels and better weapons. Clarissa, you present it as if bypassing Hamas is super easy.
SB, you do not seem to differentiate between Gaza and the West Bank. The latter have much better standard of living, yet are against giving their leaders permission to make a peace agreement with the demanded consessions.
I already do not believe anything will change in my lifetime, if no huge regional war drives all Palestinians to Lebanon or another Arab state.
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Concessions, not consessions.
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Clarissa, you are in a good company:
Former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party reiterated his view that Israel should try to oust Hamas.
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Lieberman said he thought steps should be taken to raise the standard of living in Gaza to “reduce the motivation of civilians to join Hamas – Hamas which steals its citizens’ money and construction resources.”
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.715500
Also, this banning does look stupid, if we walk back on it after two seconds:
Israel walks back barring Human Rights Watch worker from countryNGO’s regional director Omar Shakir, who previously campaigned against Israel and led BDS efforts, may now enter on a tourist visa and then seek work visa; 2 US Jewish groups protested earlier ban
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-walks-back-barring-human-rights-watch-worker-from-country/
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If I say today is Saturday, I’ll be both in bad and in good company because everybody in the world will agree.
And I’m glad you see how useless this whole HRW debacle has been.
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Liked this Russian post about Ukraine (and Israel is mentioned too 🙂 ):
http://trim-c.livejournal.com/1605437.html
He says “Вот почему внутренний раскол украинского общества … Это раскол между историческими эпохами. Это не разные взгляды на одни и те же вопросы — нет, это разные вопросы, актуальные для одних и непонятные для других. ”
Interesting how it may be applied (if at all) to America and Western Europe. Do those “different questions” he mentions stem only from (not) understanding the times are a-changing and we must enter the new world, the one w/o most manual jobs, or is there something additional? You called it global vs. local.
In other words, is it only about accepting (or refusing to accept) reality, or may it also be a legitimate conflict of values?
For instance, Philip Bobbitt talked about different possible kinds of market states, and citizens may disagree about their preferred version.
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Something positive from Israel:
Rivlin, Deri inaugurate Haredi business hub in Jerusalem
The Bizmax Business Center for Innovation, near the capital’s central bus station, seeks to integrate more Haredi men into the workforce; the president calls this ‘a national priority of the highest level.’
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4927300,00.html
And something curious, if you haven’t heard of them before (the problem is that “their anti-Zionist outlook has also influenced the main Haredi movement and all its factions”):
A rabbi in Iran—the Neturei Karta’s fight against Israel
A peculiar sight was present in the crowd of an international conference against Israel: an ultra-Orthodox rabbi, listening attentively to anti-Israel rhetoric; what drives these Haredi Neturei Karta Jews into the arms of Israel’s enemies, and why they are not alone.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4927401,00.html
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And the last thing, I saw this photo in an Israeli newspaper, was moved and then found the photo online. Wondered whether posting it right after the discussion about Palestinians was the best idea, but it is all connected in all kinds of ways, so:
http://www.onlysimchas.com/news/46970/savtas-salute-israeli-grandmother-waves-to-her-grandson-who-pilots-the-helicopter
And I am proud, glad and lucky my people achieved this.
Even though the state of Israel couldn’t have been founded w/o hurting Palestinians and creating the current conflict.
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