What are your thoughts of Netanyahu's speech in front of the World Zionist Congress? Do you support it? Why or why not? What do you think of the criticism he received for this speech?
Netanyahu blames Jerusalem mufti for Holocaust, is accused of ‘absolving Hitler’
(Feel free to check out more recent articles about this as well, since this is still on the headlines)
Also, please check out the following article as well, about the ARZA delegation to the World Zionist Congress. Having spent some time last Shabbat with Rabbi Josh Weinberg and other delegates, you will find this article very interesting!
At World Zionist Congress, Reform stakes its claim in Israel’s future
I don’t think that what he said was necessarily right or wrong. I think he was meaning to say one thing, but the wording didn’t come out right and now he’s just making some excuses to try and cover his mistake. I don’t support what he said, because I think he was simply using those words as a means to justify the conflict between the Jews and Arabs. I think he wanted an excuse to use against Palestine, regardless of the fact that his words were false, and had he looked into it he would have realized he was wrong. I think that it’s wrong to try and blame someone for something that has been proven that they didn’t do. I think that the criticism was needed, although I don’t think it needed to be so so harsh. In general, I don’t think harsh criticism is ever needed, but in this case maybe it needed to be in order for Netanyahu to realize he was in the wrong and to (attempt) to fix it.
ReplyDelete-Rachael Coleman
I think BB's comments and his apologetics are equally ridiculous and embarrassing for all of us, and I think the criticism he received is entirely justified. As PM, he is supposed to be more than a talking head, but that seems to be all he is. Israel is mired in terrorism and problems, but he continues to play a blame game instead of actually doing anything in terms of policy. I thought the point about the Lithuanian Jews killed before Hitler ever met the Mufti was well thought-out, and it parallels the experience of my own family in Baghdad. Most of them left during the 20s and 30s as opportunities presented themselves in Europe and Shanghai, but a sizable portion of my family and relatives stayed in Baghdad until the late 30s and early 40s. The Third Reich had a relationship with the Iraqi government, and in order to stir up antisemitism and anti-British sentiment they encouraged pogroms (something that had almost never happened before there) before 1941, and while it was small compared to the ones common in eastern Europe, it still had a huge effect on Arab-Jewish relations there. Today there are no more than ten Jews in the entire country by most estimates. To say that the Mufti encouraged Hitler to exterminate Jews instead of expelling them is to say that not only did Hitler only dislike the Jews and nothing more, but also that he didn't care about Jews in other countries not under direct Nazi country. I don't know how the Knesset possibly functions under such a blockhead.
ReplyDelete-Noah Arnold
I agree with Noah; I think both his claim and his excuses are rediculous and somewhat embarrassing. he is taking some of the blame from Hitler and using it to justify even further the conflict between the Jews and Palestineans. Furthermore, if it has been proven that Hitler made his decision to exterminate the Jews before his meeting with the Mufti, then his decision only becomes more embarrassing. Though the criticism might have been a bit harsh, it is completely justified.
ReplyDeleteI honestly wish I didn't have to say this, but the comment made by Netanyahu, I agree, was that of a blockhead. I don't understand how BB came to the conclusion that Hitler was given the idea of "The Final Solution" by anyone but himself. Hitler had a strong hate for the Jews sine he was a young man. This is obvious in his book, Mein Kampf. This doesn't mean Haj Amin al-Husseini didn't encourage Hitler, but he definitely wasn't the deciding factor, because Hitler had already begun exterminating the Jews. It is shameful, what BB said and it is hard to see anything good meant by this comment.
ReplyDeleteI think the criticism Netanyahu received from the critics of speech was completely justified. Netanyahu should've realized that there was proof of Hitler's decision to annihilate the Jews before he actually met with Husseini. He also should've realized that he was speaking to people that have family connections to the Holocaust as well as everyone else who blames Hitler for it. The people affected by the Holocaust know what Hitler did could never be forgiven and the fact that Netanyahu basically absolved Hitler for his actions caused much of his audience to become upset with what he was saying. Therefore, I do not support Netanyahu's speech that was in front of the World Zionist Congress.
ReplyDeleteI just as Leah, Celia and Noah think that Netanyahu's speech was absolutely outrageous. I do not understand why he would go as far as to say that Hitler was not the one who ultimately came up with the "plan" to murder all of the Jewish people. It is embarrassing to our people and not only that, but it was also false and extremely hurtful. The criticism that he Prime Minister received was one hundred percent necessary in my opinion. Not to mention that his excuses for his earlier statements were complete bogus. I understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, however as the Israeli prime minister, I feel that Netenyahu should have kept that biased and invalid statement to himself, because it not only affects how others feel about him, but also how other religions feel towards the Jewish people because he does represent our country.
ReplyDeleteReading this article, I found myself thinking that Netanyahu's accusations and claims are not only ignorant, but blatantly untrue and maybe even stupid. He set himself up to look bad and deserves all the critism he's getting from the media. If it's invalid that Haj Amin Al Husseini told Hitler to kill the Jews when his initial plan was to just expel them, that is completely absolving Hitler of his plans to commit genocide. Although he may have been inspired or encouraged to do this by Husseini, he can't say that it wasn't Hitler's intentions if Jews were already being murdered by Nazis at that point. In my opinion, Netanyahu deserves all of the negetive feedback he's recieving from that statement.
ReplyDeleteI feel as this line put in had so much potential to be seen negative, and understand the bad thoughts. After reading this article though I understand why Bebe could feel that way.In the article the conversation between Hitler and the Palestinian leader was displayed, and at the time Hitler wanted to expel the jews, and the Palestinian leader said the would all go to him, and suggested to make a more final solution. I feel as this could be in modern day Israel no way related to modern day Palestine. Some people suggested that this was exempting Hitler, which no way was it said that Hitler was less responsible, it only made another leader responsible.
ReplyDeleteNetanyahu's words seem to me, to be ignorant, and a rather desperate plea for attention or support. A comment like that was obviously made with the intent of incitement or rallying people against a specific group. This is certainly what Netanyahu wants, and a strong, unified public is definitely what he needs, but the method he attempted to use to try and achieve this is utterly ridiculous. The criticism he received for his comments was well deserved. In a country as complex as Israel, even though the prime minister is expected to be completely unbiased, it's unrealistic to expect. Yet, playing the blame game paints Netanyahu as a desperate child, just grasping at straws in order to somehow justify the events of the past few weeks. It seems to me that Netanyahu is slowly running out of ideas and productive/constructive arguments.
ReplyDeleteI think that BB's comments are first of all way out of line and secondly just absurd. I think as a nation (of Jews might I add) that anyone would be embarrassed to have a leader like this and his apologies are just trying not to lose face (more than he already has). As the Prime Minister of Israel I think he should be trying to solve our current religious disputes and otherwise generally be reasonable. All it seems he can do is talk and try to escape any and all repercussions. The criticism he received was completely justifiable given how out of line he was. BB's claims if not Holocaust denial was a publicity stunt, there's clearly proof against his statements and speech which if it's propaganda... it wasn't very thought out, nor was it very researched
ReplyDeleteWhile Netanyahu's comment was shocking to many people, I feel it is important to remember that there are a lot of publicists whose job it is to make him look bad. During Shabbat this weekend I had the opportunity to speak with someone who was there, listening to this speech in person. She felt saddened by the news, saying that this comment was taken completely out of context. However, I do not completely understand how this is possible seeing that the quote brings enough context for itself. Without apologizing for Netanyahu's words or actions, I think that often news can be twisted. There is no logical reason why Netanyahu would say something so factually incorrect. The entire situation was confusing for me.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what Bibi was thinking when he said this. While I was aware of what he said, I didn't realize that this wasn't the first time he has said something like this. You would think that somebody would have came up to him and said "hey dude, you're not only offending everyone, but you're also wrong. Get your facts straight". I clearly don't agree with this, just from a factual standpoint. He deserved the criticism that he got. Anyone who says something that idiotic and un-factual deserves what he gets.
ReplyDeleteI think BB all along knew exactly what he wanted to do and that was cause incitement against the Palestinians with our current wave of terrorism that is going on. Though as a side affect of these recent comments he shift blame from Adolph Hitler to Mufti for the death of all those jews during the shoah. I believe these comments are disgrace and an insult to the Israeli people because with their prime minister making such comments it sends the same message as the palestinian leaders and Israel should never sync to their level. I believe all criticism of his comments are well deserved and that he should never make such a bold statement like that without factual information.
ReplyDeleteI think that the point that Netanyahu was trying to make was an important one; however, I believe that he used a very bad example. The point that I believe that Netanyahu was trying to make was that anyone who has a say in any war plans or execution is just as responsible as those who carry them out. I am not sure if he misspoke or had the wrong idea; but, what he said about the mufti was false. If he had worded it better or used a different example than I think he would have come off a lot better. I think that he deserved the comments and criticism he received because not only was what he said wrong, it offended many people.
ReplyDelete