Gaarder, part 2

I am beside myself with frustration and rage over Gaarder's op-ed piece, which can be found in its original here and my translation here. I'm sitting at my dining room table, my wife is getting annoyed at my mood, my kids have to entertain themselves, and I'm not eating much.

There have been some reactions: Dagbladet's executive editor rewrites the article with Lebanon as the subject; Document.no summarizes what little outrage there is; Jan Haugland pushes a full frontal attack on Gaarder. The piece is starting to get interest in the blogosphere. Meanwhile, comments on aftenposten.no to the article itself mostly express support for Gaarder's rhetoric.

I'm working on a letter I'd like to send to Norwegian opinion leaders. I'm doubtful it will make any difference; it simply too much of a hassle and too costly to do anything that might be misconstrued like a defense of Israel. It's easier to shrug and write Gaarder off as just a little over the top, someone who rightfully is angry over the suffering of civilians in Lebanon and doesn't know how or where to direct his anger.

This is bullshit, but it's scary bullshit. At this point, I'd rather move my family to Haifa or Kiryat Shemona than to Oslo. Because at least in Israel, there is no indifference. War, crazy driving, mind-numbing political intricacy; but nobody is complacent about antisemitism. At least in Nahariya you can be confident that every effort will be made to make things safer.

I have fantasies about denouncing Gaarder in a public forum, unmasking him, revealing him to be a vile bigot, provoking gasps from an audience who look at each and realize they are the same as he. I want to bring shame over Norwegian public opinion, not just for demonizing Israel and promoting antisemitism, but also for doing the Arabs and Palestinians a disservice by stoking up under their radicalism.

I don't want Palestinians to die; I am horrified by the deaths among the Lebanese, people who have suffered through civil war and sectarian violence for far too long. I mourn for Beirut, one of the most interesting cities in the Levant. I even think it's tragic that young men with vigor choose to put their efforts toward murder for a futile cause.

And I know the vast majority of Israelis feel the same way. There is no enthusiasm among the soldiers headed north these days, there is no jubilation among those who return victorious from their confrontation with the enemy. There is only a grim determination to put an end to Hizballah - primarily to free Northern Israel of the menace of 12,000 - 15,000 rockets aimed at them; but secondarily to liberate Lebanon from a foreign occupying power.

In a rare moment, the US and France put their heads together to draft a Security Council resolution that actually makes sense. Lebanon appears to want to reject it, apparently because it does not call for Israel to cease defensive operations, but probably really because it calls for a disarmament of Hizballah. With some justification, the Lebanese government realizes that Hizballah will not obey any UN resolution. If Israel pulls out leaving Hezbollah intact, Hezbollah will turn on the Lebanese government with the full support of Syria and Iran.

So the war will continue, and there are indications Israel is learning enough from battlefield operations to accelerate the initiative and make progress.

Comments

[Censorship]

If you're going to delete posts on the basis that they may not agree 100% with you, at least be honest about that so people don't waste their time putting effort into an intelligent reply to your posting..

Also: questioning Israel is not "anti-semitism". Using that as a response to something you don't like is just an excuse for being unable to come up with anything intelligent to say.

[Roar]

Read a few of your posts - including Gaarder pt 1 and 2. So far I've understood you think Gaarder's an anti-semite, a "vile bigot," etc. Seeing as you've read Gaarder's co-ed in Aftenposten and taken the pain to translate it into English, I can only assume you know his text well. So would it be too much to ask that you substantiate your claims on Gaarder and his co-ed?

Like it or not, Gaarder is doing precisely that: he tries to substantiate his claims (he does so in the actual co-ed). Of course, one doesn't have to agree with him (obviously he expects reactions), but there is dignity in saying w h y one think something is wrong. And Gaarder does that. He has this dignity.

You don't.

[vt]

And Gaarder does that. He has this dignity.
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There were some people of dignity: Aman, Ahmadinedjad, Adolf Hitler. That poor Norwegian is a minor value...

[Sweetie Candy Land]

"but secondarily to liberate Lebanon from a foreign occupying power." by saying this about Hizbullah wich is a party in Lebanon its adherer are Lebanese Shiites, makes me support the article even further. Seems that your arrogance have no limits.

The article is sound and that is precisely why it is depriving you of sleep, as well enjoying time with your wife and kids.

Millions have been deprived from enjoying their families, all because of a racist ideology called " Zionism" that is doomed to failure like many other ideologies. I will like to assure you that Judaism and its adherer are here to stay.