Ronnie's Blog

Although I would recommend watching this documentary, there was nothing in it that I did not already know about. Theroux made some good points, but the film did not come anywhere near to demonstrating the suffering of the Palestinians in the West Bank, or the cruelty of the settlers. This was to be expected of course, because it is a BBC production.

A settler from New York, said “We’re here because we have the right to be here”.

“Where we don’t settle, terror grows.” Pointing out the irony of that statement to the man with an automatic rifle would be pointless.

A rabbi said, “There was never peace with these savages.” He then goes on to say, “This land belongs to the people of Israel. All of Gaza, all of Lebanon should be cleansed of these camel riders.” A racist rabbi preaching ethnic cleansing.

Two common methods that have been constant in the history of colonisation, is to justify the subjugation with religion, and describe the natives of the land as savages.

Demonising another race is used to inspire hatred towards them, and make it easier to hurt them, whilst maintaining a moral high ground. Atrocities can be committed with the justification that it is the right thing to do. It reminds me of psychopaths who kill, because God told them to do it.

While the focus of the world is on Gaza, the illegal, and inhumane, Israeli expansionism of the West Bank accelerates. It seems International Law doesn’t really count for much. Neither does the mainstream media in the West, which considers the truth to be an inconvenience best left aside.

“If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”
― Malcolm X