Apartheid Israel!

It was a Facebook post by a friend of one of my former pupils, who had been on my own "Friends" list for a number of years.  It was, basically, a 'tongue-in-cheek' comment on the late Fidel Castro, using a reported quote from this former President of Cuba.

However, some of the following comments that appeared to be praising this "great humanitarian" led me to give some of "the other side" of the story!  This, in turn, led to the former pupil informing me that I am a "pro-Zionist" who supports the bombing of innocent civilians, including children, by apartheid Israel!

That probably wasn't a wise move on his part!  My response was as follows - in case any of my blog readers think as he does!  I typed:

If that is directed at me (I was absolutely certain that it had been - but one must be careful!), you need to do some serious research on the State of Israel - and not be hoodwinked by the pro-'palestinian' propaganda that is spouted by the MSM (main stream media, in case you are unfamiliar with the abbreviation).

Just to get you started - If Palestinians were to lay down their guns tomorrow, there would be no war. If Israel were to lay down its arms, there would be no Israel.  It would be so very helpful if the 'Palestinians' were to stop firing rockets at Israel; stop digging tunnels that are intended to enable their 'soldiers' to infiltrate Israel; and stop teaching their children to "kill the Jews" (that, of course, is not confined to 'Palestinian' authorities).

There is NO apartheid in Israel!  Have you ever been there? Have you seen, for yourself, this apartheid to which you refer? Do you know how many Arabs are Members of the Knesset (the Israeli Parliament)? By the way, do you know how many Jews are involved in the political leadership of any Arab state?! (The answer to that question is easy - less than 1!!) Do you know how many Arabs are members of the IDF (the Israeli Defence Force)?  Do you know how many Arabs hold top positions in the Police, the Military, in Institutes of Higher Education (and as teachers in primary and secondary education - teaching Jewish children!), in Medical Institutions and Hospitals?

Do you know how many 'Palestinians' work in Israel - because the wages and conditions are better than anything they can obtain in 'Palestine'?  Do you know how many 'Palestinians' bring their children, and other relatives, to Israeli hospitals for treatment - free of charge? Can you provide a figure for these "innocent men, women, and children being bombed and daily harrasses or being evicted out of their homes"? Do you know how many rockets, bombs, sidearms, etc were found in 'Palestinian' hospitals and other public buildings? Are you aware of the 'Palestinian' strategy of firing their rockets, indiscriminately, at Israel - from areas of civilian population?  Do you really understand the definition of "apartheid"?  Indeed, do you know the meaning of "Zionist"?  You really should go beyond the Daily Record (a Scottish tabloid newspaper that caters for the less educated in Scottish society!) for your information about the world!

I then pointed out that, so far, 37 Arab Muslims (at least some of whom, and probably all of whom, are 'Palestinian' Arabs) have been arrested over the arson attacks that have destroyed hectares of forest in Israel.  I suggested, from another perspective, that he check out the Arab countries that do practice apartheid towards Jews!  For example, Jews are not even allowed to permanently reside in Saudi Arabia, Libya, or Jordan - and I suspect that any Jew would be refused entry to Iran!

If there ever was to be a "State of Palestine" (for the first time in the history of the world!), it has already been made clear that it would be "ethnically cleansed" of any Jews!

Well, I could have gone on - and could go on.  However, I do hope that anyone who has bought into this hype about Israel being a modern South Africa will begin to realise that nothing could be further from the truth.  There are no "Jews only" forms of transport. There are no "Jews only" beaches. There are no "Jews only" cafés or restaurants.  There are no "Jews only" washrooms.  Indeed, according to Kenneth Meshoe, a South African politician, any attempt to compare Palestinians’ experience in Israel with the former racist regime is offensive to individuals who suffered under the system of racial separation.  He said that, on a trip to Israel, "I deliberately looked for anything that looked like apartheid. I took a bus to the center of Jerusalem, but blacks, Jews, Arabs and everybody else all sat together. Swimming at the Dead Sea was mixed. I looked for the ‘black only’ beaches, but there were none. Arab school teachers stood in front of Jewish classes! That would never have happened under apartheid."

Apartheid Israel? - it simply doesn't exist!