22 January 2009 - Geffen accusing everyone now

Nathan Geffen, in the comments section at It's Almost Supernatural:

...it is precisely this allegation that Pollak absurdly makes against me, even suggesting I might be responsible for some unspecified dreadful action in the future:

“For the past several months, Nathan, it is you–yes, you!–who have engaged in a campaign of lies, falsely alleging conspiracies among Jews and Jewish organizations in South Africa and around the world to support “crimes” in the Middle East and beyond. It is not a far leap to conclude that your acts and speech have encouraged South African Muslims to see Jewish organizations and businesses as fair targets for boycott, protest, and–who knows?–even worse. You have never been satisfied merely to criticise Israeli policy. You have set the demonisation of Jews, Jewish organizations and Jewish leaders at the very top of your agenda.”

I really do encourage people to read Pollak's latest blog. I can't follow its logic. Perhaps someone can explain it to me.

Finally, I notice the incredibly distasteful use of the movie title "Don't mess with the Zohan" at the top of Pollak's blog in support of Operation Cast Lead. This was a military operation in which massacres and war crimes took place. Pollak's attempt at comical celebration of it renders rather vacuous the claim frequently made by some of the people who comment on this site that Jews never celebrate the deaths of Palestinians, in contrast to Palestinians celebrating the deaths of Jews.

My response:

Get real.

The post of the movie title is intended to mock the empty claims of the Israeli government that it achieved "deterrence" in the Gaza War.

If you had bothered to read my other blog posts about the war, you would know that I have been highly skeptical of "deterrence" as a war aim in and of itself.

While I supported the war I did so hoping that the outcome would be one in which Israel stopped rocket attacks against its civilians, either by achieving a cease-fire agreement germane to that outcome, or by military means if no such cease-fire was possible.

I specifically mourned the loss of civilian life on both sides. I have never celebrated the loss of civilian life--not ever, in any conflict, and I have specifically and publicly protested past Israeli actions, such as the use of cluster bombs in Lebanon, that led to civilian casualties that were entirely avoidable and disproportionate to any legitimate military objective.

I can only regard Geffen's complaint as yet another attempt to avoid engaging the substance of my criticism.

I'm not sure if Geffen has even seen the movie, but it's about an Israeli who tries to avoid fighting and is nevertheless pursued by terrorists everywhere he goes. Jokes and satirized Israeli machismo aside, there's a truth to it.

Geffen has now attacked me twice on two blogs other than this one. Maybe he's afraid of driving up my traffic.

In any case, the "logic" is simple.

Geffen has not simply criticized Israel. He has specifically singled out the organized Jewish community and accused it of being part of a "system" that facilitates Israel's "crimes."

I find that unacceptable and I will continue to object to it.