We'll do better next time

Look, admit it: these guys at the UN are busy. With so many countries as members throwing parties, and so many countries inviting so many people to come over for a visit, who has time to work?

But they do work, these poor bastards. They have their own little trick to get the work done and show the world that they, the UN, work hard for their money. Excuse me: for the loads of money.

So let's have a look at their average week and how things are done, the UN way: demonstrations in Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt (yep, they are still at it!), Ivory Coast, Libya… The UN took a quick look and, ok, so these local dictators shoot at demonstrators, but let’s not get carried away and raise the oil prices, surely there must be bigger problems in the world.

And while they European hypocrites changed their tune against Gadhaffi from praising the chairman of the UN committee for Human Rights (you have to agree – these guys have a sense of humor!), to chasing a head of state just because he tells the truth about them and dares to stand up against them. The EU, as well as the US, are very concerned about Libya, you know: they kept calling Shell, Chevron and BP non-stop, so concerned they are…

When the Japanese Disaster happened, the UN took a wise decision. They figured that Japan has no oil and with all this radioactive stuff around, they better play stupid (a part that fits them naturally) and look the other way. Only one country helped immediately and sent Geiger counters as well as a field hospital equipped for such disasters: Israel. Those damn Jews again!

When that same Israel started to be bombarded by Hamas and was hit by close to 50 rockets and mortars in one morning, the UN was out for lunch. Or dinner. When in less than to days later this number went over the 300, the UN was busy. Too busy. When the allied forces bombarded Libyan civilians the UN was at a party. Just like in the good old days, when millions of people were killed and murdered in Ruanda and Darfur – the UN has more important things to do.

But when Israel retaliated and shot back at Gaza – lucky us – the UN was there. Forgetting they announced that Hamas is a terrorist group, the UN went to work. And how they work! 18 minutes after Israel shot back at the sources in Gaza that were bombarding Israeli cities for days, the UN was in full swing and issued its statement denouncing Israel for its barbaric behavior. These Jews again! They can't let a person have a quiet lunch!

Yes the United Nitwits work hard. And just.

Yesterday a bomb was detonated in the middle of Jerusalem.

I apologize: only one dead and 34 injured.

With the help of the UN, we'll do better next time.

©Simon Soesan

Do not disturb

Do not disturb

The world told us not worry and stop being hysterical: these two innocent Iranian marine ships should be allowed to pass the Suez Canal. What harm could they do?

And so the Iranian ships passed the Suez Canal, on their way to a Syrian port. The world went on watching games, movies or other more important things. Lucky for us, the Bible teaches that those who watch over Israel do not doze nor sleep, and they kept their eyes on these innocent Iranian ships, even watched them unload in the Syrian port, after which they left, while the Iranian government blamed the Zionist conspiracy for telling lies about the devout Iranian people.

When the Victoria started to load the unloaded cargo from the two Iranian ships, we still were watching. Even when the ship anchored in Turkey and just stayed there, idle, as if all is well, we were watching. When the Victoria left for Egypt, our guys entered the ship and found 50 tons of arms. The ship surrendered, was taken to Israel, where the loot was put on display. Crates and documents stated clearly the arms came from Iran, which started to shout bloody murder and cursed those damn Jews.

Right after that the Turkish government forced down an Iranian cargo plane on its way to Syria. The contact was so disturbing, that Ankara sent in nuclear experts to understand what the mad scientist from Teheran was sending to his buddies in Syria. Again, the nitwits in Teheran claimed the plane and its contents had nothing to do with them…

While they were shouting out their complete innocence, the Egyptian army seized a shipment of arms from Sudan, originating from Iran, en route to the Gaza strip and Beduin gangs in the Sinai desert. …

How sad. These Jews! They interfere with everything and accuse the Iranian madmen falsely! It has to stop!

And indeed. It has to stop. The world leaders, who were informed of the catch, were not interested in this kind of news. Well, not entirely: some expressed interest in the addressees, so they can try to send replacement for the lost arms….business is business….

Having informed the world leaders about three arms shipments caught, within 24 hours, is very annoying. And we apologize.

Maybe we shall send the arms back to Iran, where they came from.

As a present to the opposition forces, which are being butchered, while the world watches games, movies and other important things.

Because this world is very involved, you know. See how the world stepped up to help the Libyan opposition, or the demonstrators in Bahrain that are being shot in the streets by Saudi soldiers. Or look how much humanitarian help was given to Japan.

Yes, this world is very busy and should not be disturbed. Everyone really should do his own thing.

So will we.

©Simon Soesan

Back to Basics

Back to basics

In all my years in the country I live in, Israel, I have always tried to seek peace. I have never turned the other cheek, but always tried to reduce the need for violence by talking, getting to know each other, trying to create respect for the other side's different views.

In my many years here, I made it a point to live in the only city that promotes co-existence: Haifa. Among my friends I am proud to find people with different background and religions, most of us with the same goal: secure peaceful lives for our children. We do that by sending them all to the same school and crush prejudice by teaching them to live together as Israelis, as equals and that violence cannot be the answer to the tragic conflict of the Middle East.

Yet there will always be people who can only exist by living off violence. By ensuring people will continue to hate. By inciting people to commit atrocities and even offering their own lives in the process. No, not the lives of those preaching and leading these extremists. They know better: they send others, preferable those who have lost all hope. These people are the best messengers of hate and violence and, with the help of same extreme religious indoctrination, they are capable of anything.

And so, just a few days ago, these 'messengers' reached the house of the Fogel family in the Itamar settlement. Mind you, I am against the misuse of these settlers, against the misuse of their religious beliefs and their Zionism. But slaughtering a family is not the solution, is not what these people deserve, is not acceptable, is not human. The slaughter of the Fogel family puts everything back into perspective for me. Slicing throats of a whole family, including a baby, indicates exactly where we are. Butchering a family, after which candies are distributed in Gaza, tells us what fools we have been. Receiving no condolences from countries we thought were friends, even those with criticism, shows us the reality we live in.

A European Union that subsidizes TV programs that teach hatred and promotes the slicing of Jewish throats is no friend of ours. A USA whose leader praises Islam, without mentioning the extremists' madness, is no friend of ours.

I know, our shameful government has created our isolation and our diplomacy is at its lowest level ever, while our leadership resembles a windmill turning in any wind direction. And I am aware that I am a tough critic of this government that is not mine.

But nothing, nothing at all justifies this atrocity. Nothing can mend this hurt. Nothing can explain this butchering. Nothing.

And so, we are back to basics: on our own, with our back pressed against the wall and with a world that confuses fierce resistance from an underdog against terror and hate with violent imperialism called Zionism. Again we can count on no-one else but ourselves and must find a way to resist the death sentence proclaimed by the extreme Islamists.

No we are not angry. We understand that the world has other priorities than dealing with Jews that refuse to die, refuse to be butchered. We understand that protecting business interests has a higher priority. We are not even disappointed from a world that let our people march to gas chambers, refused to take our people in when we had nowhere else to go and kept refusing to lift a finger when millions of other persecuted people in the Balkan and Africa where murdered. We understand. We understand it's all business, nothing personal.

However, cutting the throats of a family is not business and certainly not business as usual. Cutting up a family is a personal thing. We take that very personal, especially when textbooks at Palestinian schools teach not only hate, but describe in detail how to cut Jewish throats. With the subsidy of the EU, of course.

So we are back to basics.

"If I am not for myself, then who is?", can be read in the Bible. And while we are criticized for building settlements, the Arab Legion and the Palestinian Authority are allowed to keep the total destruction of Israel as their main goal in their manifest, while we are asked to stop complaining about these petty issues and stop building in areas we conquered in wars that were forced upon us.

Back to basics means we understand that our neighbors do not want a piece of us, nor do they want peace with us. Under the patronage of Iran they want only want thing: they want us dead and gone. And the US, as well as the EU, with their roaring silence and quiet help simply agree.

Back to basics means it's up to us to decide what will happen next. Back to basics means we stop apologizing to the world that today's Jews hit back and do not walk anymore in silence to their deaths.

If no-one is for us, then we will be for ourselves.

©Simon Soesan

Lounge Zionists

Lounge Zionists

They do not live in Israel, but will explain in length how much they love Israel and why they cannot live there – right now: the government, the taxes, the weather, the Arabs, the Jews…they will sincerely explain why not and then they organize a conference.

“We love Israel – that’s why we criticize Israel” is their main slogan. They bring in mediocre politicians, extremist rabbis – whether reformed or orthodox – and they bring in the press. They will shout “shame on you, Israel”, while swearing they love us.

And then they go home.

And from the safe comfort from their living room, far away from Israel, they write their articles criticizing us. But of love. Out of kinship. Of course, they will send the kids over. For a fortnight, mind you, and only if it is subsidized or for free. Here in Israel we see these buses with youngsters and flags saying “Birthright” or “Taglit”. Ignorant spoiled kids that come for a while, wipe a tear from sheer emotion and then go home, more than 90% do not return to live here. But hey, they visited, so now they are experts and can criticize, just like their parents.

J-Street is the latest sign of this disease. Full of air and criticism, they will spend time and money explaining to whoever wants to hear what is wrong with my country.

No, they will not come and live here, join the army, work here and pay taxes here. Send their children off to school in buses that might explode. They will not become part of our society and help it improve – yes, we need to improve a lot. They will not come and live here and vote.

No, much better at home, far away from Israel and trying to influence foreign governments that have no obligation whatsoever to Israel, besides the fact that some ignorant lounge Zionists will try to influence policies that should be focused on the needs of the country they live in. And at the end of the day they will send money. Lots of money, so our corrupt civil servants have more to share between them – and waste it on issues that have no importance to Israel, but pacifies the minds of those living so far away and criticize us. But hey, they send money, so why complain?

For almost 40 years I live in this country called Israel. A difficult country to live in. We have corrupt politicians, mentally challenged extremists and are surrounded by neighbors that hate our guts and rather see us dead. But it is OUR country. We are building it, we are trying to fix our mistakes and we are trying to make a life in the only country in the world we Jews can call “home”.

You want to criticize us? You think we are doing such a bad job? Come live here and join the fun. Join the adventure and join the problems. We do not need lounge Zionists and we do not need your money.

We need you to come home.

For Dutch Readers only - De Telegraaf

The following is for Dutch readers only, dealing with two antisemitic article in the largest Dutch daily, the Telegraaf, to which i reacted in detail.

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Part 1.

Letter to Mr. Noord:

Geachte meneer van Noord.

Ik refereer naar uw artikel: http://www.telegraaf.nl/reiskrant/9188651/__Reclame_misleidt_toeristen__.html?p=2,1

Mijn naam is Simon Soesan. Ik woon in Haifa, Israel.

Sinds 1973.

Als zakenman ben ik onder andere partner (50/50) met het Egyptische reisbureau Skyline. Ook ben ik, als inwoner van Haifa, zeer betrokken met de samenleving in onze stad. In Haifa leven Christenen, Moslims, Druzen, Bahai en zelfs Joden in vrede en behoorlijk goede harmonie.

Ik heb uw twee stukjes vrij vertaald aan mijn vrienden voorgelezen, die allemaal uit de bovenstaande religieuze achtergronden komen. En allemaal met ongeloof hebben geluisterd. Want wat u schrijft, meneer van Noord is niet alleen onzin, maar uzelf misleid de toeristen.

Ik ga niet beginnen bij de bijbel, noch zal ik u verwijzen naar Elzas-Lotharingen in Frankrijk, ooit van Duitsland geweest, wat, na het verliezen van een door de Duitsers begonnen oorlog, door Frankrijk werd geannexeerd.

Als u het niet erg vind, meneer van Noord, dan wil ik gewoon uw stukje langsgaan en u op uw fouten wijzen, begrijpende dat u misschien liever niet door een Jood en noch een Israëli ook, op fouten wilt worden gewezen:

1. Arabische Moskeekoepels zijn een onderdeel van het landschap hier. Er worden nieuwe gebouwd en er worden oude moskeen onderhouden: waar u ook bent in Israel vindt u moskeen, dus uw opmerking “moskeen en gebieden die dit land niet toebehoren”, is niet alleen misleidend of onjuist – het is gewoon een domme opmerking.

2. “Syrische en Palestijnse gebieden”, schrijft u. Kunt u aantonen met welke Syrische en Palestijnse gebieden Israel reclame maakt? Graag referenties ook uit het internationaal recht en uw uitleg waarom, volgens uw redenering, de VN het fout heeft om de internationale grens tussen Israel en Syrië te trekken vlak voor Koeneitra. Waar is de Palestijnse grens? Volgens het Palestijnse handheft is heel Israel Palestijns, terwijl de EU en de VN verzoeken om Palestina te gaan creëren en haar grenzen nog bepaald moeten worden.

3. Jericho, Oost Jeruzalem en de Golan zijn door Israel bezet nadat 5 landen ons in 1967 en 1973 aanvielen en de door hun gestarte oorlog verloren. De huidige grenzen met de Palestijnse Autonomie zijn bepaald als tijdelijke grenzen met instemming van alle partijen in het conflict. Weet u iets wat zij niet weten?

4. U schrijft “tot vrede komen met haar buren”. U bent zich bewust dat we vrede hebben gesloten met Jordanië en Egypte? U bent zich bewust dat er interim akkoorden zijn getekend met de Palestijnen, met instemming van de Palestijnen? Of moet ik u even naar de referenties verswijzen? Weer uw huiswerk niet gedaan, meneer van Noord?

5. De UN heeft inderdaad opdracht gegeven aan Israel om te onderhandelen tot een terugtrekking naar de grenzen van 1967, d.w.z. van voor de 6-daagse oorlog van toen. Maar deze opdracht is gebonden en verbonden aan opdrachten aan de Palestijnen, Syriers en anderen, die opdracht kregen terreur acties tegen Israel te staken, om maar een conditie te noemen, was u dat vergeten of heeft u gewoon weer uw huiswerk niet gedaan?

6. U schrijft “Tegen alle bepalingen van het volkerenrecht in, annexeerde Israël Oost-Jeruzalem “. Kunt u deze bepalingen aantonen? Hebt u een referentie voor me? Kunt u de lezers uitleggen wat u hier bedoeld? Het volkenrecht van de VN rept hier namelijk niet over. Weet u iets wat de VN niet weet? Meneer William Davies, hoofd van de VN informatiedienst (telefoon +1 (202) 331-8670) vond uw bewering “amusant” en was verbaasd hoe een serieuze krant zoals de Telegraaf ongebaseerde nonsens drukt. En nee, meneer Davies is niet Joods en heeft niets met Israel te maken.

7. U schrijft over de vierde conventie van Geneve en dat het exploiteren van bezette gebieden tegen de mensenrechten is. Graag referenties waar u het over hebt? Welke vierde conventie? Gaat u nu ook, gebaseerd op deze woorden van u, alle wijn en kaasproducten uit Elzas mijden en het toerisme uit Nederland naar Elzas stoppen?

8. U zegt dat u “men lene een ei” uit een Joods kookboek citeerde. Welk boek is dat? Wie schreef het? En gaat u uzelf nu vergelijken met Max Tailleur? Bent u moppen aan het tappen? Wat een belediging voor Max Tailleur! Ik raadt u aan geen moppen over Joden te vertellen. Bijna geen enkele niet-Joodse Nederlander heeft het recht om moppen over Joden te tappen. Dat recht is verspeeld na het samenheulen met de Duitse bezetters en het uitleveren en het laten afslachten van meer dan 90% van de Joodse Nederlanders aan diezelfde Duitsers door de grote meerderheid van de Nederlandse bevolking.

9. Ook het aanhalen van de oude rabbijn Soetendorp doet u onder valse voorwendselen. Hij had het zeker niet over rare stukjes zoals die van u.

Meneer van Noord, bijna 40 jaar hou ik me bezig met de samenleving tussen Joden en niet-Joden in Israel. Ik doe zaken met Palestijnen, bezoek ze bij hun thuis, ze komen bij mij over de vloer. Ik heb vrienden en zakenpartners in Egypte, Jordanië en andere Arabische landen. Ik schrijf al meer dan 10 jaar columns in diverse media over deze pogingen, die aardig lukken. Soms komt er en gek langs, zoals de antisemiet Gretta Duisenberg, die met loze leuzen en lege beloftes even de boel willen opstoken en niet wil accepteren dat we het hier wel aardig goed met elkaar kunnen vinden. Uiteraard zijn er extremisten aan beide kanten die dit soort typetjes graag verwelkomen.

Het Midden Oosten leeft al jaren in een moeilijk conflict, waar duizenden onnodig zijn omgekomen en velen onnodig lijden. Ik ben er van overtuigd dat er vele fouten worden gemaakt, aan beide zijden. Ook weet ik, dat meer en meer mensen proberen de haat te stoppen als eerste stap naar een oplossing voor dit conflict.

Dankzij mensen zoals u zal dat langer duren en zullen mensen nog wat langer moeten lijden. Stel je voor dat u over de co-existentie hier zou schrijven! Of over de diverse vredesgroeperingen die elkaar steunen en respecteren. Welnee! Sluit u zich maar aan bij de meerderheid van Nederlanders die graag ongebaseerde onzin als feiten aannemen en praatjesmakers zoals u dan heel netjes “journalist” noemen.

Ik wilde deze brief eindigen met “u moet zich schamen”. Maar na het nogmaals herlezen van uw artikel snap ik dat u schaamteloos bent. En, tsja, niets aan te doen, meneer van Noord: maar ook u bent een gewone antisemiet.

Simon Soesan

Haifa, Israel

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Part 2: Reply from De Telegraaf:

Geachte heer Soesan,

Tot onze droefenis is uw mail ondermaats en - zeker in de laatste alinea - beledigend en daarom krijgt u inhoudelijk geen antwoord.

Hoogachtend,

Redactie CheckPoint

DAGBLAD DE TELEGRAAF

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Part 3: My reply to De Telegraaf:

Geachte heer of mevrouw X,

Uw antwoord was weldegelijk inhoudelijk.

Hoogachtend,

Simon Soesan.