Schindler's List and the Middle East

Before I start, a little history about my heritage. On my Father's Mother side, she switched from Jewish to Catholicism. What I heard she was a staunch Catholic. I don't know the circumstances of her departure from being Jewish to a Catholic, but it's always been a family secret.

I was very moved by this film, if not a little confused why in the beginning they made out Oskar Shindler to be this self obsessed narcissist, when he was actually moved by the plight of the Jewish suffering as his accountant was about to be shipped off the a termination camp. If Spielberg was trying to make a point, fine!I suppose we only care unless something is happening to a dear friend.

I'll freely admit I cried a few times, one thing I want to put out there! Do we, even the Jewish people, learn from past wrongs? Is not Palestine not a Ghetto of the 21st Century? Just because you, the Jewish people, suffered horridness acts by persons/people that despised who you were, doesn't mean you can inflict the same sought of segregation that you're doing now to the Palestinians.

I didn't means this to become a spiteful thread, but it just amazes me that a nation who suffered so much can be so callous in their approach to a country that is suffering so much hardship. I'd be f*****g angry too, if I had to deliver goods from a bloody tunnel because all 4 to 12 road blocks won't allow mobile phones through. The Jewish people, please! Think about the price they paid, and start looking at the bigger picture.

I, as a Catholic Australian start to wonder, all these Movies made about the injustices and terrible acts upon the Jewish people, and then I hear on the news, how Israel Commando's will storm a ship delivering vital needs to Palestine.

Do we ever learn from history? F*** NO!

It's a tough situation, for sure. I tend to get frustrated when i start worrying about it, so I tend to take a rather daft stance towards the whole issue at this point. I just don't worry about it anymore.

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Comparing Palestine to Nazi concentration camps is completely beyond the pale. There is no comparison.

I don't know how to respond to the oversimplifications about tunnels and supplies; you have to at least acknowledge the Israeli position, which is that these methods are often used for infiltration and attack. Hiding among civilians and civilian supplies is, sadly, an effective and popular way of attacking an enemy, and it puts nations like Israel in impossible situations.

There's plenty of nuance to this discussion, of course, but it should be had in its own thread (we have a few on the topic, I believe), and it should at least attempt to address the Israeli position, rather than pretend the counterargument doesn't exist.

If you'd like to reply, I'll either move these posts into a new thread, or into an existing one.

See one movie and suddenly you're an expert passing judgment on Israel. You need to read the history of both sides instead of absorbing Palestinian propaganda that they were just sitting there peacefully when the mean ol' Jews attacked them for no reason.

I commented on how Israel as a country will segregate, much like the Germans and Pols did, there is no comparing the atrocities that occurred to the Jewish people. I think the problem is, we the industrialized world, don't want to offend the Israeli's, for their lack of human rights. Dear God, the you jump on the back of someone who actually knows the military tactics of this nation.

The problem really begins and starts with the settlers, fix that, and you'd be half way there. So, don't preach to me about something you are most likely, for whatever reason biased about.

I was in the Military for 10 years, so I have an understanding of how the Israeli forces like to neutralize their enemy. History is a cop out, they despise one another, that said, Israel with their heavy handed tactics only inflame the situation. Get your facts straight!

No, I respond to your description of their "tactics" with a counterpoint that the Israelis have been offering for quite some time. Which was: seemingly harmless routes and methods have often been used as a means of attack, because there are terrorists involved who have no compunction about hiding among civilians. This puts nations like Israel (and any other under similar circumstances) in impossible positions.

It's easy to say "they're blocking supply tunnels!" and make it sound horrid. But if those same tunnels can and have been used to attack their people, then the description is omitting one of the basic facts of the situation. I don't know if you simply choose to ignore this, or were unaware of it, but there it is.

First off, I'm not preaching, I'm making arguments. Second, I'm not Jewish, have never been to Israel, and can't come up with a single reason I would have some special bias towards them. And it's ridiculous to just randomly toss out that I'm "most likely...biased" when the claim is based in absolutely nothing.

Regardless, I could be a flippin' Rabbi, and it would have nothing to do with whether or not what I'm saying is true, because I'm not asking you to take any opinion of mine as fact, or any belief of mine on faith. I'm giving you a simple response to your complaints. You can either address it or not, but speculating wildly about me doesn't do anything.

Now that might impress me if you were in the Israeli Army. Or even the Egyptian Army. Or the Jordanian Army. But 10 years in the US Army don't make you George Patton or an expert on the Middle East.

On the other hand, I don't claim to be an expert on the Middle East, but I've actually spent time in Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Interviewed several Jordanian officials including the crown prince about the occupied Palestinian area. So I have plenty of exposure to the facts of both sides, while you regurgitate Palestinian propaganda and accuse everyone else of being biased. With your vast military experience you should understand when I say blow it outta your barracks bag, buddy.