52 Dead in Gaza Protests as US Embassy Opens in Jerusalem

By Jeralyn, Section Trump Administration
Posted on Mon May 14, 2018 at 11:22:41 AM EST
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Whatever Donald Trump does, he stirs up a hornest's nest. He's like the bull in the China shop. Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, is no different.

52 protesters have been killed (some were reportedly putting bombs on the street)

Palestinians now make up 38% of Jerusalem,

The new embassy hasn't even been built.

A small interim embassy will start operating from Monday inside the existing US consulate building in Jerusalem. A larger site will be found later when the rest of the embassy moves from Tel Aviv.

Palestinean leaders say the move dooms any peace prospect: [More...]

A spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday: "With this step, the US administration has cancelled its role in the peace process and has insulted the world, the Palestinian people and the Arab and the Islamic nation and it has created incitement and instability."

There were a lot of no-shows of diplomats invited to the party who didn't attend:

Israel said all 86 countries with diplomatic missions in Israel were invited to the event, and 33 confirmed attendance.

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52 Dead in Gaza Protests as US Embassy Opens in Jerusalem | 41 comments (41 topical)

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already are two states (1.00 / 2) (#26)
by thomas rogan on Tue May 15, 2018 at 08:26:56 PM EST

In 1948 there was a two state solution. The Palestinian state was called Jordan. It happened to be ruled by Hashemite king, just as England at times had a German as a king.
For decades after that the Arabs including the Palestinians tried to throw the Israelis into the sea. Gulf states hired hundreds of thousands of people from Pakistan, Phillipines, etc but didn't let Palestinians in.
There is still a Palestinian state called Jordan. The Arabs who live in Gaza speak Arabic and could be part of Egypt. Many of them have Egyptian names. Oh, but Egypt doesn't want anything to do with them.
People who throw themselves at an armed border of another country kind of are asking to be killed, aren't they?

How therapeutic of you, Dr. (5.00 / 2) (#27)
by MKS on Tue May 15, 2018 at 08:37:45 PM EST

No responsibility for those doing the shooting.

Wonderful.

Moreover, Israel is in violation of the U.N. Charter creating it. It has occupied far more land for decades than the original borders, than the 1967 borders. Everyone knows this. Your drive-by simplistic assessment is interesting to me: what did you hope to accomplish by posting it?

The treatment of those in Gaza is horrid. How anyone with any humanity can deny that is beyond me.


Anyone know how many Israelis (none / 0) (#29)
by Anne on Tue May 15, 2018 at 08:47:51 PM EST

have died in this border confrontation?

Because as I understand it, the Palestinians are armed with rocks and the Israeli army is wielding automatic weapons.


: An astonishing lack (none / 0) (#30)
by MKS on Tue May 15, 2018 at 08:51:29 PM EST

of crowd control. The National Guard killed fewer at Kent State.

Your repudiation (5.00 / 1) (#28)
by MKS on Tue May 15, 2018 at 08:47:10 PM EST

of the true two-state solution, which involves the state of Palestine (not Jordan or Egypt), and your espousal of a long discredited idea of completely expelling the Arabs from Palestine and the West Bank places you in very small and radical minority.

The State of Israel needs to come to grips with the Arabs of Gaza and Palestine and the West Bank and Jerusalem. In a few short decades, the Arab population will exceed the Jewish population in Israel proper and the occupied territories.

Israel's continued existence as a "Jewish" state will require an apartheid that denies the Arabs the rights of citizenship. A two-state solution for the Arabs in the West Bank is necessary if Israel does not want to become the 21st Century South Africa.

Israel is no longer the underdog.


: The Israeli embargo (5.00 / 1) (#31)
by MKS on Tue May 15, 2018 at 08:58:48 PM EST

of Gaza includes cement. So, they cannot (legally) rebuild schools or hospitals. Nice, huh?
The rationale: cement can build tunnels.
They have gone too far.

From the US Ambassador to Israel (none / 0) (#1)
by RickyJim on Mon May 14, 2018 at 01:08:43 PM EST

Link to mp3 of broadcast.

Well first of all, I would take issue with beginning the history lesson in 1947. Go back another 3,500 years. Go back to the Bible. I'll tell you an interesting story. One of the great commentators on the Bible, his name was Rashi, and he said, the reason that the Bible begins with the creation of the world is to create the chain of title from God directly to the Jewish people for the land of Israel, so that if the nations of the world say that the Jewish people don't own the land of Israel, they would point to the fact that God created the world and gave it to them.

Yikes!

Heard this on the radio this morning (none / 0) (#11)
by Peter G on Mon May 14, 2018 at 03:03:05 PM EST

I could hardly believe my ears.


By "the world" does he mean (none / 0) (#12)
by jondee on Mon May 14, 2018 at 03:20:43 PM EST

the entire universe or multiverse?

This is sounding more and more like the railings of the little people in Gulliver's Travels.


Thank you for the audio link RickyJim (none / 0) (#33)
by linea on Sat May 26, 2018 at 07:37:05 PM EST

Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac of Troyes (France) is by far the most influential writer of modern Judaic thought and theology.

The comments by Ambassador David Friedman represent legitimate Orthodox Judaic belief and for anyone to exclaim `yikes!' or `I could hardly believe my ears' or to assert that the highly respected and revered commentary of Rashi is equivalent to the `railings of the little people in Gulliver's Travels' seem to me profoundly inattentive of the religion of Judaism and of the popular sentiments of Israeli citizens.

From my experiences, I can state unequivocally that it is the popular sentiment and religious belief of Israeli Jews that Muslim Arabs are illegitimate squatters on the land that God gave to the Jews and that this is traditional Judaic teaching. I have no idea what uninformed bubble people on this forum live in.

My opinion.

P.S. Israel isn't actual a topic that I have a strong option of.


I can't speak for RickyJim or Jondee (5.00 / 3) (#34)
by Peter G on Sat May 26, 2018 at 09:59:19 PM EST

but I did not fail to recognize that Friedman was spouting traditional Orthodox Jewish doctrine. What I could not believe I was hearing was that a U.S. Ambassador would suggest that traditional, ultraconservative Orthodox Jewish doctrine, purely religious and sectarian in nature, helps explain U.S. foreign policy.


Considering that only about (5.00 / 3) (#35)
by jondee on Sun May 27, 2018 at 02:17:12 PM EST

one-in-ten Jews self-identify as Orthodox, it's highly questionable whether an Orthodox Rabbi from the 11th century could be be unequivocally declared "the most influential writer of modern Judaic thought and theology."

With all due respect to Linea's polymathic scholarship and learning.


It's true (none / 0) (#36)
by linea on Mon May 28, 2018 at 03:58:55 AM EST

Re: `It's highly questionable whether an Orthodox Rabbi from the 11th century could be unequivocally declared "the most influential writer of modern Judaic thought and theology." With all due respect to Linea's polymathic scholarship and learning.'

Thank you! Thank you for being polite. The medieval French rabbi - Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac (Rashi) - authored a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud and Tanakh and is most certainly and unequivocally the most influential writer of modern Judaic thought and theology. I know I'm young but I've had experiences and I'm actually very knowledgeable on a seemingly arbitrary assortment of issues.

❤️


Oh my God!! (none / 0) (#37)
by linea on Mon May 28, 2018 at 04:39:57 AM EST

Thank you so much!

Re: `With all due respect to Linea's polymathic scholarship and learning.'

I tried to Google translate `polymathic' and it remained unintelligible but the scholarly word means - a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas and who draws on complex bodies of knowledge.

I'm more than flattered. Thank you. It's true, I'm very knowledgeable on specific experiential things but I struggle with some things that others consider pedestrian.


Wowza! (5.00 / 1) (#38)
by vml68 on Mon May 28, 2018 at 10:08:27 AM EST

Thank-you, Jondee :-)!


One of those pedestrian areas (5.00 / 5) (#39)
by Peter G on Mon May 28, 2018 at 10:39:45 AM EST

apparently being the detection of irony.


: If you ever tire of practicing (5.00 / 5) (#41)
by oculus on Tue May 29, 2018 at 03:42:08 PM EST

law, try stand-up.

: Blame yourself (none / 0) (#40)
by CaptHowdy on Mon May 28, 2018 at 10:56:06 AM EST

Modern-day colonization continues (none / 0) (#2)
by vicndabx on Mon May 14, 2018 at 01:15:43 PM EST

Few US leaders call this what is plainly obvious. I can only imagine the outrage if 50+ Christian protestors were killed by Arab, African or any other country's military.

Also, here's the golden boy speaking without any hint of irony:

Kushner did address the violence at the border, saying the protestors were "part of the problem."
"As we have seen from the protests of the last month and even today, those provoking violence are part of the problem and not part of the solution," he said. The comment was not included in the excerpts of his remarks delivered to the press ahead of time.

Corrected Link Below (none / 0) (#3)
by vicndabx on Mon May 14, 2018 at 01:29:28 PM EST

Time


The relative aquiescence and silence (none / 0) (#4)
by jondee on Mon May 14, 2018 at 01:42:50 PM EST

from the world about the slaughter of 2000 Gazans, including 500 children, and the destruction of 18,000 homes during Operation Protective Edge, did nothing but enable this kind of thing.

And to those who still want to crow the party line and obfuscate about "human shields", when you're dropping one ton bombs in populated areas, everyone becomes a human shield.


It's been exactly one hundred years since ... (none / 0) (#20)
by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 15, 2018 at 04:04:51 PM EST

... the Ottoman Turks were ousted from present-day Israel / Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Iraq during the late stages the First World War, which allowed colonial powers Britain and France to redraw the map of the Middle East in their own short-term favor.

British and French hegemony over the region quickly flickered and flamed out after 30 years, which resulted in their military withdrawal, Israel's unilateral declaration of independence, and a lot of subsequent socio-political chaos in its wake. What's since followed has been three generations' worth of strife, bloodshed and heartbreak, and many lifetimes of bitter experience from which the Trumps, Boltons and Cheneys of the U.S. right-wing world have apparently learned absolutely nothing.

We're likely due to get that punch in the gut which we truly deserve.


I (none / 0) (#21)
by FlJoe on Tue May 15, 2018 at 04:12:14 PM EST

wouldn't say that they haven't learned from it, they feasted on it. Strife, bloodshed and heartbeak is their sustenance. They learned plenty, they learned peace is their enemy.


: While pursuing my M.A. in history at UH-Manoa, ... (none / 0) (#23)
by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 15, 2018 at 04:37:20 PM EST

... I had a professor, Dr. Edward Beechert, a self-avowed socialist who taught history from a perspective of labor and economics. He succinctly explained the British Empire's collapse after the Second World War with three brief words: "Empire is expensive."
Dr. Beechert died four years ago. But what he said that day in class was absolutely right. With some notable but rare exceptions such as Imperial Rome and the Qin and Han dynasties in China, large expansive empires have also tended to be relatively short-lived from an overall historical perspective. The British Empire reached its pinnacle of power during the Victorian Era (1838-1901), and that peak actually lasted less than a century.
We may be top dog in the world today. That may not necessarily be the case 20-25 years from now, especially given what's going on in Washington right now. We are not omnipotent. We are not Ronald Reagan's "bright, shining city on the hill" that's somehow immune from domestic socio-political strife. And anyone who thinks otherwise is a friggin' fool.
Aloha.

A day that will live in infamy (none / 0) (#5)
by Militarytracy on Mon May 14, 2018 at 01:43:59 PM EST

Along with many others this year. But Vice news called SNL out for too many Trump skits. And the NYTimes and the WaPo both have put Liberals on notice. Conservatives must do these horrific things because I don't approve of them doing horrific things especially in the name of God and country.

: Hurt feelings are more important that actual lives (none / 0) (#7)
by vicndabx on Mon May 14, 2018 at 01:58:45 PM EST

that's the lesson taught by SJW's doncha know?

Mission Accomplished (none / 0) (#6)
by CST on Mon May 14, 2018 at 01:55:39 PM EST

Right on time F*cks News (none / 0) (#8)
by jondee on Mon May 14, 2018 at 02:07:43 PM EST

is busy informing their audience on why the Jerusalem move is "important to Christians".

Because he came not to bring peace, but a sword..


Ivanka, our foreign (none / 0) (#9)
by KeysDan on Mon May 14, 2018 at 02:25:43 PM EST

policy spokesperson, seemed rapturous. Champagne flowed. Policy by End Times and midterm politics with a prayer for peace by pastor Robert Jeffries---so appropriate for the occasion, based on his previous remarks such as: God sends good people to Hell. Not only do religions like Mormonism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, not only do they lead people away from God, they lead people to an eternity of separation from God to Hell. And, not to leave out Catholics, he later has said, Catholicism is cult-like and a pagan religion.

The preacher bears no ill will, it is just the way it is. And, it is all OK with Israel's government, they love all those Christians, even though they see Israel as the combustible vehicle to usher in the end times and become beamed into heaven on the backs and corpses of Israelis.


The whole end times theme (5.00 / 1) (#10)
by CaptHowdy on Mon May 14, 2018 at 02:36:02 PM EST

Of the day creeps me totally out. Couldn't take it. Perfect day to check out of the "news"

Seriously scary sh!t

I prefer the company of cut throats and black handers


Rapture Index (5.00 / 2) (#16)
by jmacWA on Tue May 15, 2018 at 05:35:09 AM EST

Whenever something big like this happens I go check out the Rapture Index. I have my eye on a nice lawn tractor, and a couple of small trucks. This event does not seem to have moved us any closer. :)


Now you know why people (none / 0) (#13)
by jondee on Mon May 14, 2018 at 03:26:50 PM EST

are so susceptible to crazy conspiracy theories.

A lot of what passes for religion is a bunch of conspiracy theories that make David Icke look like a font of rationality.


: Now I know? (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by CaptHowdy on Mon May 14, 2018 at 03:47:41 PM EST

Seriously?
I grew up with this sh!t. I'm just not used to seeing it in the NYTimes and on CNN.

The Daily News covers Ivanka (5.00 / 2) (#17)
by leap on Tue May 15, 2018 at 08:56:35 AM EST

the way it does best.


This really rips (none / 0) (#18)
by CaptHowdy on Tue May 15, 2018 at 10:12:42 AM EST

The final fig leaf off Ivanka. That is for those who still clung to the final leaf.


: Introduced (none / 0) (#19)
by KeysDan on Tue May 15, 2018 at 11:45:09 AM EST

her new spring line of scum bags, on behalf of the 45th president on the United States. I see Nobel's in her future.

"D'Jesus Uncrossed." (none / 0) (#25)
by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 15, 2018 at 04:45:09 PM EST

LINK.


Nothing like a little massacre... (none / 0) (#14)
by desertswine on Mon May 14, 2018 at 03:27:24 PM EST

to solidify Kushner's peace initiative. I'm out of words with this administration.

It's been very depressing to watch. (5.00 / 1) (#22)
by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 15, 2018 at 04:12:34 PM EST

If Vladimir Putin himself has indeed concocted a scheme to alienate and separate the United States from its allies and friends throughout the world, he's apparently found willing allies in the fools at the Trump White House to do his bidding over these past two weeks.

Help us, Robert Mueller. You're our only hope.


: I do believe (5.00 / 1) (#24)
by KeysDan on Tue May 15, 2018 at 04:42:47 PM EST

Putin has concocted a scheme to separate and undermine Western institutions and values, forging a re-alignment of autocratic forces with a susceptible Trump and his right wing followers.
Fertile ground for Trump and his supporters retro-, anti-secularization, anti-gay, racially-infused, unwinding of global economic integration. A justice system loyal to the autocrat-- Trump and his ilk, rather than the law.
Many Republicans seem to take no truck from Putin and Trump kleptocracy and kakistocracy. And, Trump is doing his part to increase gas/oil revenues for the ailing Russian economy, by tearing up the Iran deal and to help make China great again with assistance to a sanctioned Chinese phone maker. New allies, indeed.

52 people dead for an embassy that hasn't (none / 0) (#32)
by Militarytracy on Wed May 16, 2018 at 10:02:56 AM EST

Even been built

The date of the embassy ceremony was an act of hate and spite. There isn't anything there to have a ceremony for.