Tikkun Magazine and the Network of Spiritual Progressives’ Statement on Killings on the High Seas
by: Rabbi Michael Lerner on May 31st, 2010 | 36 Comments »
Revised version, June 1:
We regret and deplore the killings which took place as Israeli troops, in defiance of international law, boarded and assaulted, wounded many and killed some of the participants in a flotilla seeking to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza (itself a morally outrageous policy) to bring humanitarian aid. We ask all people of peace to participate in memorials for those peace activists who have been killed (and we call upon all synagogues around the world to say Kaddish for those people at their Shabbat services this coming weekend), and for prayer for the speedy recovery of all those wounded in this attack (mostly peace activists, but also the Israeli soldiers who boarded the boats with violence).
We invite all peace-loving people to attend a public memorial for those who died in this assault in Lafayette Park opposite the White House on Sunday, June 13, at 11 am – 2 pm, sponsored by Tikkun, the Network of Spiritual Progressives, and many other groups, and which will include a larger consideration of U.S. policies. Memorial prayers and prayers for healing will be said at 1 pm.
We call upon Israel to conduct an objective, credible investigation to determine all the levels of responsibility for this criminal act, and to punish those from the top of the government down through the IDF who were responsible. If the past is any guide to the present moment, the Israel hasbara (public relations “explanation” operation) will now be working full time to put the blame on the people who sought to bring aid to Gaza, claiming that they were the violent ones and maybe even claiming that they were bringing military equipment or something of the sort.
Yet there was no need for any of this to have happened. Israel could have waited for the boats to arrive at shore and then sent military to search what was being brought to Gaza to ensure that it was in fact humanitarian aid. Moreover, as the Israeli peace movement Gush Shalom pointed out on May 31, the core of the issue remains Israel’s attempt to starve and punish the entire population of Gaza for the activities of Hamas.
We call upon the international community to stop the blockade and, if necessary, to introduce an international force into Israel/Palestine to protect each side from the other, and then to implement the creation of a two state solution, freeing both sides from the violence of the other, and giving to each side the security and self-determination to which both sides are entitled. We call upon President Obama to use this moment to take decisive steps to create the Palestinian state while providing Israel with all necessary security, and providing the Palestinian people with protection from those in Israel who have used violence to prevent Palestinian national self-determination. We continue to abhor and denounce those in Israel and those in Palestine and Gaza who resort to violence to achieve their ends, including some in Hamas and including some Israeli settlers. We acknowledge that the Israeli treatment of Gaza cannot be understood separate from the violent attacks on Israeli civilians from the shelling of Israeli cities from Gaza, nor that shelling understood apart from the blockade of Gaza by Israel, nor that violence from Gaza apart from the violence of the Occupation, nor the Occupation separate from previous acts of violence by Palestinians, nor that previous violence separate from the larger context of the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians by Israel during the founding of the State, nor that expulsion separate from the hostility of Palestinians to the creation of the State, and the story goes on and on. It’s time to stop with the blame game and simply put an end to the struggle on both sides.
We continue to support the State of Israel’s right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people, and for Palestine to exist as a homeland for the Palestinian people and the right of current Palestinian/Arab Israeli citizens to continue to reside in Israel as well as be accorded equal rights with its Jewish citizens. The violence must stop. The peace process is going nowhere. The time for decisive action to impose a just and peaceful resolution to the conflict arrived decades ago, and must be grabbed now. What level of barbarity needs to happen for the U.S. and the international community to act decisively? How many more deaths?
We mourn the lives lost, the many who have been wounded, including both those on the humanitarian aid mission and Israelis sent by a crazed and irresponsible government into actions that put their lives in danger. Israel’s security was never threatened by this flotilla of humanitarian aid, and it was only macho political motivations that led Israeli leaders to order this insane assault. Israel deserves better than Netanyahu and Ehud Barak, and the world has to recognize that this current Israeli government will never bring peace or stability to the Middle East. While we continue to deplore Hamas and all that it has introduced into the equation, complicating attempts to make peace and doing what it could to stir hatred, and while we call on Hamas to free IDF soldier Jonathan Shalit, we believe that the world and the Israeli people and the Palestinian people deserve peace and justice, and that it is our human obligation to bring that to the peoples of the Middle East. A first step is to end the blockade of Gaza. We call upon all who protest Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza to maintain a strict non-violent discipline, and to affirm the humanity of all sides in this conflict (including that of soldiers in the Israeli army, religious fundamentalists both Muslim and Jewish and Christian, Gaza residents who tragically support Hamas, American Jews who walk lockstep with Israel, Israelis who shut their eyes to the suffering they are causing to the Palestinian people, and the list goes on), even as we insist on bold and compelling action to stop the conflict. May God guide us.
Thank you for the quick, comprehensive statement on the tragic deaths in the seas off Gaza.
Will there be a Bay Area Memorial for the peace activists?
Carl Halpern
Alameda
Why does your magazine hate Jews and the State of Israel? What has happened to all of you?
Where do you see the hate in this article? It’s neutral,condemns violence, and points out each parties responsibilities. I believe that it is intolerance and nationalism that arouses hate in you. Please reflect about the simple principles of humanity, not politics and hate history. Violence is violence.
I condemn the acts of Israel, however through this magazine I can see that there is an intelligent, aware, and progressive community within the Jewish world who do not practice dogmas and support peace and freedom for all, Israeli and Palestine. Let there be an Israel where these kind of people can lead this country into an era of tolerance and respect for the rest of the world’s inhabitants.
Not the power abuse, despotism, massacre lead, separatist current government that only dishonors humanity within Israel.
Peace!
Shabtai,
The magazine doesn’t hate Jews. It only hates those Jews who decide to disobey the ten commandments.
It only hates those Jews who decide not to follow the Deuteronomy clause of treating thy neighbor as you would thyself.
Seriously, as a Jew, I’m appalled at the actions of Israel. Humanitarian relief workers shouldn’t have to face the guns of Israel, when that’s all the are doing. I suggest you read the entire article, and you’ll see there are ways of countering it if you fear the humanitarian aide is not really humanitarian without subjecting them to violence. But no, Israel’s military chose the course of violence. It is time to be objective here, and realize that Israel isn’t completely blameless here. There are refugees here who don’t attack Israel who want nothing but peace. Instead, the only help they can get is by risking violence from their old attackers. That’s called being double f*ed. You can’t get help, and you can’t get aide without risking your life. So essentially Israel is saying instead of killing the refugees on the spot, they are going to do it slowly in the hope the “problem” as they see it disappears. Whether you do it fast or slow, it won’t disappear unless you are willing to make peace, not war.
this piece of work makes me feel good to be a jew. it gives me hope when i see jews looking at thisn problem through jewish and not political eyes. thank you
it seems to me that this magazine doesn’t hate anyone…except maybe some are highly vocal in their criticism of President Obama and rather than ahting what he DOES< it comes across as hating him.
I am appalled and heartbroken by the whole scene and the loss of human being who can no longer drink in the ether of the air in spring, laden with flowers, or the gritty smells of a city csomewhwere redolent with the odors of local food and happy noises of busy, various, vital traffic and commerce.
from what i have learned here and elsewhere, the great challenge is how to address this situation in a new way. in a way that deosn't demonize and spew hatred into a neverending battle of wills and separation of souls. it seems to me that we can try a new approach, because we no longer as a nation or a world value the victims sufficiently to make non-violence effective. human many, many people do not want their "peace and love' feelings which do not exist as facts, disturbed on their social networks or in their bustling lives. it is just a ho hum over coffee.still others have learned as international media evinced such a negative view of msulims, to blame the victims, just as the bullies in any nation do, whether Israel here or an Arab, or USA there.
i cannot think of anything to do except to surround the situation with prayer and with love and hopefully a discussion of how we can apporoach this situation newly.i think it is important not to demonize Israel, while still holding her accountable, and to offer some suggestions, but they must be workable and real, and preferably gleaned from dialogue with gazans and isrealis. i do not hear the voice of Gaza, she ahs been silenced for so long.
anyway, to me another thing we can do is to try to live in such a way that we support truthful reporting and do our best to get the truth out no matter who it hurts 9and forget all this lying, manipulation and cheating on the facts qsome justify as deconstruction) there is a body count. i do not trust israel or any American news source to count it accurately and that is damn sad.
yesterday i received a good deal of video from the ship, most of it from Arab sources and dome from the Isrealis. i heard as is probably susual some conflicting reports, but what cannnot be argued with i do not think, is video stream live from the ship before the tv cameraman was shut off by the isrealis. it was clear that at that time, right at the beginning of the event, the ship was trying to get the kids and families off the deck, and that they had raised a white flag AFTER the first shot, which took all by surprise, and that the israelis were firing semi automatics into the crowd.
the first shot was to the head of an actvist. not a paintball. whther that came from the ship before they boarded as many ahve said or after their heavily armored soldier was greeted with a rugby scrum i do not know.
also another thing si cler, the israelis considered it a military action the turkish taope shows a flyer dropped on board by a soldier searching the unarmed men for a partciular list of faces that was on the glyer, whcih was a miniwanted poster.
i do not expect the news to get any of this right. and that is pretty sad.the protestors were so demoralized after the first shot that we may enver know the actual numbers injured and killed…so easy to drop bodies into the ocean.
that sentence which started human…should have read..
human life has become much cheaper than during the days of the civil rights movements and civil strikes of Gandhi. when you value your new shoes more than a neighbor, as happens unless we remain vigilant in most socities that do not mainatin empathy and dignity within them, whatever their political and economic format, it becomes very difficult to appeal to reason and to conscience.
Gopher and Aminah, I challenge you to watch this footage of the ‘peaceful’ activists and still maintain your positions!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYjkLUcbJWo
News-Flash: Pirates – Borded in international Waters – and were pro-voked – and killed several members of the ship – - – No-body has a right of self-defense – except the pirates !!!! atleast thats what the pirates wants us to – - – GET-IT !!!
You really think that this was a humanitarian gesture, pure and simple? The IHH (the organizing body) is a violent and extreme organization who was behind the attempted bombing at LAX in 2000.
There is no hunger in Gaza,
There are photos widely available of open air markets filled with food and goods.
If these protestors really wanted to get their good to Gaza, they would have taken up Israel’s offer to dock at Ashdod, have the cargo inspected (just like in any other country) and transport it by truck to Gaza.
There were members of Jihad and the Muslim Brotherhood on these ships.
The situation in Gaza is to be blamed on Hamas. They are spending their resources on rockets, guns and the digging of tunnels to smuggle in more weapons.
Israel fell into the Sitra Achra, the “Other Side.” (entrapped sparks became shrouded in layers of darkness when broken vessels tumbled down through the metaphysical void, trapping within themselves sparks of the emanated divine light) The world, instead of being composed of the pristine archetypal values of Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Love, Judgment, Beauty, etc. was now formed of the broken, displaced, and obscured lights and vessels as they coalesced as Kellipot (Husks, complexes).
It is time for all those of decency to declare, “Enough.” was written in the text below. But I fear this time is over. It’s impossible to dialogue with Israeli hawks who are incorrigible warmongers. (A warmonger is: “One who advocates or attempts to stir up war.”)
Shalom Hartman Institute – Jewish Scholarship, Education, Leadership for Israel, Diaspora
http://www.hartman.org.il
Israel has been at war since his 1948 inception…not her choice but the choice of all those whose irrational hatred of the Jewish people refuses to leave her alone and grant her the right to exist.
Sadly the cost of peace seems to be the end of Israel which whether the world realizes it or not is not going to happen.
Typical Tikkun Israel-bashing.They feel Israel has right to exist, as long as it allows Arabs to live nearby in peace, and the Arabs to continue to fire weapons daily from their Judenrein territory. Currently the Arabs are stockpiling chemical weapons, while Israel is supposed to let any cargo in.
They talk about the Arabs displaced during Israel’s birth, but nothing about the greater number of Jews expelled by Arab countries, all of them welcomed and sheltered by Israel, while the Arab governments kept their refugees in camps to train them as cannon fodder.
Tikkun will rejoice when the last Israeli is dead.
I’m very happy to be identified and labeled as Tikkun fellow with Israel bashing in your own words, not mine. You missed the point Charles Kuttner, I’m are deeply concerned about Israel future within a new paradigm and not the contrary.
kol tuv
Claudia
Some interesting information on the “peace” activists behind this flotilla:
http://counterterrorismblog.org/2010/06/shooting_the_messenger_a_look.php
If you want to see more, with video footage:
http://www.israelproud.blogspot.com
Laurence
wow. i had hoped that indeed there might be some notes and responses that were full of Love and sorrow, as mine i hope is. well one thing. Amnesty International has assessed the situation in Gaza and finds that 4 out of 5 gazans are in urgent need of medical and physical assistance including food and living necessities. so much for flourishing market stalls.
second here is a quote shared with me by a FB friend, a writer in damascus who got it from another wtriter still. so now it is in the domani of public property:
interesting comment I found on someone else’s page: “the civilian aid workers are hostages. They were illegally boarded in international waters, taken into custody and incarcerated. The armed Israeli boarding of the ship was an attack, an assault. They aid workers defended themselves and some were murdered. The aid workers never broke the blockade or the law. That was Israel, again.”
BTW no mention of who was shot –will we ever get names adn gender, ages?
A quote from ANERA fact sheet
The death and injury of humanitarian activists this weekend should not have happened. This needless tragedy is the direct result of the Israeli blockade that has caused enormous suffering for innocent families in Gaza. We at ANERA are deeply saddened by the loss of life in the Mediterranean this weekend – and we are extremely concerned that it will lead to further suffering for the men, women and children living in Gaza.
Israel’s three year closure of Gaza has robbed 1.5 million men, women and children of everything from basic necessities like paper and pencils to essential life saving medicines and medical equipment. This has led to the loss of hundreds of lives in Gaza – and now, the blockade has caused even more deaths in international waters.
ANERA is one among a small group of organizations allowed to deliver food and medical supplies into Gaza, but the widespread suffering means that many families can’t get the help they need. The World Food Program estimates that Gaza’s population needs at least 400 truckloads of supplies every day – yet an average of just 25 trucks are permitted by Israel. The difference means increased hunger and misery, the loss of life and human dignity.
This tragedy may be turned into many things by pundits and politicians, but the basic reality of the suffering in Gaza must not be forgotten. Stand with the people of Gaza by signing your name to ANERA’s Humanitarian Pledge today, and tell the world: Feeding a hungry child is not a political statement – it is an act of compassion.
Having bothered to actually watch the videos – eg, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LulDJh4fWI&NR=1 – Can’t help but wonder: if these were US Nave SEALs boarding this ship, would there be only 9 deaths? A thousand dead Somalis might suggest otherwise. But more interestingly, would the Spiritual Progressives hold a public memorial for the dead “Peace Activists” in front of the White House?
As for “Israel hasbara (public relations “explanation” operation) will now be working full time to put the blame on the people who sought to bring aid to Gaza”, I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry. Yes, Israel has such great PR all over the world…
By the way, both Israel and Egypt offered the “activists” to transfer their cargo to Gaza via land, following inspection, as this video proves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKOmLP4yHb4
Though shalt not lie, Rabbi Lerner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR2GQQBGTlY
Live undoctored footage from the ship
disporoving israili accounts. this came out DURING the attack by satteklite, not heavily edited or staged version hours later
showing the activists being advised that in addition to the tear gas and stun guns that the commandos are shooting to kill (at least two dead as the tape goes on)
in Arabic and English
more footage of the murderous assault which shows the commandos dropping a wanted flyer as they examine unarmed passengers (by Israel’s own immediate body count 19 were killed,,,now it has become 9–magic!)
http://www.stargazete.com/video/guncel/1/israil-gemiyi-bu-olum-listesiyle-basti-v1285.htm
Jesus was a Palestinian
Thank you for this clear, compassionate statement!
Nir, your last comment is the best. The same goes for Rabbi Brant Rosen who would not even allow my posting on his blog. No response or reason either. I guess politeness is not yet learned in the progressive community.
First this incident.
The act of trying break the embargo was an act of defiance and hostile in its very nature. The other boats surrendered, this one boat put up a fight purposefully. They got off easy. Israel could have sunk the boat, next time maybe they will.
This is another terrorist stunt that backfired in one way but really succeeded in getting the disappearing liberal Jews to bash Israel. I say disappearing because if they turn their on Israel they are almost lost.
Here is the end game in case you haven’t thought this aspect through. There won’t be a Marshall Plan or flowers of peace. This is it whether you like it or not.
President Obama appears to be trying to undermine Israel at every step leading to a quite obvious solution. The end G-d Forbid of Israel. Stricken of her nuclear weapons, territory that closes them in step by step, it is only a matter of time before Israel succumbs to her enemies unable to withstand the onslaught and without the support of the USA.
If this time ever comes G-d forbid it will be because Jews caused this, just like the golden calf, the spies, the second temple destruction, in Spain and the Inquisition, in Germany the holocaust. Jews selling each other out so assimilated that their Jewish spirit has shrunken to nothing. Jews calling themselves liberal code word assimilated code word haven’t got a clue. Then with Israel gone Hashem forbid terrorism reaches USA shores THEY ARE ALREADY HERE in such massive acts of violence that the natural insane response is to of course persecute and destroy the Jews. After all that is why terrorists are coming to this country. What do you think the World Trade 9-11 thing was about.
Moshe following the Chet Egel incident says…’who is for Hashem step over the line,’ those who did were the Levi’s who then purged the camp.
For any Jew not to stand with Israel in her hour of need is suicide. These Jews love being Jewish except when it is time to stand with Israel and then they make up intellectual excuses and act as though like being American trumps being Jewish. Doing the right thing for Hashem and his people trumps everything else.
It is during times like this when everything becomes clear. When Jews are marched to holding areas in the USA you might begin to understand just what happens.
How strange when Jews forget after the six million. What a shanda for Jews to think they are safe anywhere. Standing up with the status quo in galus has never worked except for a temporary reprieve meanwhile those Jews who transgress their own kind suffer in the world to come and are doomed to reincarnate over and over again making the same mistakes but given Hashem’s mercy they get another chance.
It is time to stand up and come over to Hashem. Ironically most Jews who are liberal minded and bashing Israel because a sense of fair mindedness are so far assimilated they are Jews in name only regardless of their affiliation.
Am I mad. No. But Hashem is and that is quite a different story.
So what is the upshot. Israel prevails takes over Lebanon, Syria, takes back Jordan, Gaza and the Sinai. An unexpected ally not the USA surprisingly comes to the rescue. What did you think Hashem would abandon Israel?
Wow, dude, there’s some serious hyperbole and shameless belief based on zero evidence. No wonder this is and continues to be such a mess. I hope you can get into some therapy, Mark and heal some of the trauma that seems to cloud your otherwise logical mind.
Mark what a clear and concise outlook you have. I agree with you about how Jews are their own worst enemies.
There are always those who over intellectualize everything and think emotions are trite.
When it comes to Israel and the peacemakers ironically they should butt out. Especially those in America who think they know what is best for Israel.
I say to those peacemakers…your well meaning help…has caused more wars than can be imagined…WW II was filled with apologists for the Third Reich.
Then there are the atheists who cringe at anything that smacks of ‘belief’
It is funny really. I guess they have never been in a foxhole which has been known to make believers out of quite a few avowed atheists.
Interestingly, though unsurprisingly, the blind faith and advocacy evident in the hasbara apologists looks EXACTLY like the vocal element of the fundamentalist Xtian Right, and likewise the Wahabist bunch on the Muslim end. All passionate blind belief in spite of evidence and facts. Change the facts to fit the belief is the m.o. here. And don’t forget to heap on the venom and seething rage in the defamation contest.
Meanwhile the peacemakers are chastised, castigated and defamed ad nauseum. Maybe an all out slug fest is in order between the extremists. We can probably recover the survivors.
This is just madness. Sheer unadulterated madness.
I would say “blind belief” is a good term for making your judgment without bothering to actually watch the videos from the incident. Categorizing anyone who disagrees with you on this as “hasbara apologists” does remind me of certain fundamentalist sects.
“Meanwhile the peacemakers” – which peacemakers? The ones holding a memorial in front of the White House, where the people responsible for killing over a thousand civilians in drone attacks in *Pakistan alone* reside?
Here is a link
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/03/AR2010060304287.html?wpisrc=nl_pmheadline
Perhaps the best and most clear assessment of the situation.
Respectfully Rabbi Lerner has it alarmingly wrong. If the cost of peace by any means is that Israel ceases to exist then Rabbi Lerner will join those other Jews who have sold out their brothers and sisters.
Well meaning intentions? I think not. Misguided assimilation.
Israel must remain strong even in the face of betrayal, anti semitism, EU, Obama all of them et al want Israel to just go away.
Obama may not even last this term considering his poor judgement and incompetency and most certainly a Republican in 2012 or someone from his own party will out him.
I have been reading these comments and the R.Lerner article. I was wondering about the biblical phrase
‘those who bless you shall be blessed and those who curse you cursed.’
How strange for a Rabbi to curse and not bless… Especially Israel!
I have no clue why google sent me over to your but I can say I am now certainly intrigued by the content you have sourced together. How many days did it take to get this many users to your blog pages? I am fairly to this web site stuff.
Does the hard right wing government of Netanyahu understand how he is damaging Israel’s image around the world? Surely he must care. World opinion does matter. What is wrong with him? In the world of Netanyahu, if one is not in lockstep agreement with everything he does, that person must be a terrorist, anti-Israel, anti-Semite. The problem is Netanyahu and his Likud government. He is leading Israel in the wrong direction and yet he has strong support in Israel, I suppose.
What needs to be done to bring about peace? What will Israel and the Palestinians accept? Netanyahu cannot continue his expansionist policy. It will destroy the peace process. Those of you who are more knowledgeable about this subject than I, please respond. How does one address the already occupied territories, the Palestinian right of return, control of Jerusalem? What might Palestinians accept? What might Israel accept? Is there anything AT ALL that either can mutually agree upon?
Does this constant cyle of violence and retribution go on and on? Just from a psychological point of view, Americans are frazzled. We cannot take one more problem in the Middle East.
Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies now questions whether Israel is becoming a strategic liability for the United States. Cordesman is generally regarded as a centrist.
The point is this: Ties between the U.S. and Israel remain strong but do not take American support for granted, regardless of what Israel decides to do. Americans are beset with all kinds of problems–the Gulf Oil Crisis, unemployment, two never-ending wars in the Middle East, huge deficits, foreclosures. We don’t need more heaped on our plate. Patience is running very thin.
Rabbi Lerner does not have it wrong. He has it absolutely right. It is in Israel’s interest to seek peace with Palestine and vice versa. I am not clever enough to come up with a solution but it is not in Israel’s best interests to wall itself off, annex what it wants, keep a civilian population under seige, or snake in and out of the West Bank. It will do nothing but encourage never-ending pools of terror everywhere. Is this how Israel wants to live or expects the rest of us to live? Israel needs to remain strong militarily but it cannot respond with disproportionate military force to every incident. Netanyahu needs to use his head, not just military might.
The world is changing. The U.S. has interests in the Middle East that extend beyond Israel. We are fighting two wars in the M.E. and Israel needs to be sensitive to the fact that its actions effect the U.S. in the Arab and Muslim world.
Recently this video, done by a University of Colorado graduate who majored in jornalism, was removed from Faebook for its “objectionable content”. My the truth hurts, Israel!
https://secure2.convio.net/anera/site/Donation2?idb=0&df_id=3500&3500.donation=form1&JServSessionIdr004=plxouti8g2.app209a
a brief rendering of daily life in GAZA by Rania, who works for the oldest mideast refugency agency, and one of its finest, ANERA who apparently was also banned from Facebook simply for helping refugess in Palestine’s shambles
Hello, genuinely cool stuff. Such writing is rare . I will surely be visiting this blog again soon.
We’re waiting to hear from friends who were involved in the flotilla to learn first-hand what they experienced. What a tragedy.