By Michael Curtis, AMERICAN THINKER
This piece is written more in sorrow than in anger. Why is the left so often wrog about Israel?
Israel is a great country that has its problems, as do all countries and organizations, and sometimes, in the words of President Barack Obama, does “do stupid things.” Israel’s political culture has been shaped by many factors, especially its Zionist ideology, the resilience it has developed in fighting four wars, and the impact of incessant terrorist attacks that have caused disruptions in the life of the country.
But by any token the country is a remarkable success. Israel has integrated people from more than 100 countries into a diverse mosaic pattern in a democratic society of tolerance and freedom of expression and religion, not withstanding the still-existing inequalities and differences with Palestinian Arabs. It compares favorably with other democratic nations, scientifically, economically, and culturally with the largest number of art museums per capita of any country in the world.
Why then is a considerable part of those who consider themselves on the left, many of whom are well-meaning even if some are rabid anti-Semites, so critical and even hostile to the State of Israel, often to a greater degree than they are to almost all other countries? Why do those who consider themselves on the political “left” so eager to criticize Israel almost automatically, rather than acknowledge the contributions to science, medicine, innovations, and culture made by Israel in its 65 years of existence? The obvious answer is the Palestinian issue.
Since the French Revolution of 1789 originated the political terms “left” and “right” they have symbolized opposing political positions and ideologies. The Left has stood as the party of movement, progressive, calling for a more egalitarian society, supporting the underdog, and ending oppression and injustice. The Right has generally been regarded as the party of order.
But what is a “leftist” position on politics in the Middle East? Does it approve of the Hamas Charter that calls for the extermination of Israel? Does it mean sympathy for Islamist extremism, some of which can be seen as “Islamo-Fascism,” or for tribal and ethnic bigotry of Arabs, or for Arab dictatorial systems, or for expressions of unrelenting hatred of Jews? The silence, or occasional lip service, of many who proudly define themselves as “leftist” on the rising tide of antisemitism today and frequently expressed by Palestinian officials, can only be regarded as moral perversity.
In his tongue in cheek article in Social Text in 1996, Alan Sokol expressed concern about the increasing prevalence on the left of “a particular kind of nonsense and sloppy thinking… that denies the existence of objective realities.” This is unfortunately applicable to well-meaning leftists who have tended to accept the validity of the Palestinian Narrative of Victimhood, that Palestinians are the most oppressed people in the world, that Israel is a cruel oppressor, and that the Arab-Israeli dispute is the most important in the world.
Do leftists have any real sense of right and wrong concerning Israel? Who of them criticized the fellow leftist German writer Gunter Grass, who joined as a young man the Waffen SS during the war, for his poem of April 2012 in which he called Israel a threat to world peace and aggressive towards Iran?
The result is that many on the “left” are in effect reactionaries, approving or silent about the attacks on democratic systems and even on Western civilization itself. They do not applaud a country in which there are peaceful, honest, elections, rule by secular law, and gay marches through the streets of Tel Aviv. Rather, though they are violating principles of free speech and the value of discussion, they refuse to approve speeches by black females such as Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Condeleezza Rice, call for boycotts of Israeli academic institutions and intellectual exchange. This in itself suggests a lack of sincerity about leftist adherence to their ideals of multiculturalism and of identity politics.
The essential question is why the “left” has reservations about criticizing the non-democratic countries, and specifically about the religious fanaticism in Arab Muslim countries. Even more strikingly, why cannot the “left” understand the basic hatred of Palestinians, as expressed by Abbas Zaki, a leader of Fatah, when speaking on August 22, 2014, regarding rocket attacks on Israel, “I think the Palestinian people’s weapon is pure… they don’t want to kill… but there are no innocent Israelis.”
The “left” critics, like others holding different political views, are concerned with problems concerning the disputed territories in Palestine and surrounding areas. But why do legitimate differences of opinion about the solution of the Arab-Israeli conflict lead to mindless hostility and to Israel being regarded as a “pariah” state? It is true that Israel today is not a state with a Social Democratic ethos symbolized by kibbutzim. But why does this entail non-sensible accusations that Israel is a racist, imperialist, even an “apartheid” state, that has betrayed democratic ideals?
Proponents of the left, even those who were not anti-Semitic or Jews afraid of their Jewishness, or what Isaac Deutscher called “non-Jewish Jews,” always had doubts about Zionism. The traditional left saw the movement for Jewish self-determination as counter to universal socialism, and then, during the British Mandate, regarded Zionism as a tool of British imperialism, even though the Poale Zion, the party of David Ben-Gurion, was admitted into the Socialist International. Leftist perception of Israel became dogmatic with the so-called New Left in the late 1960s.
Of course, it is clear that after the god of communism has been proved a false god, except perhaps in North Korea and Cuba, leftists have no real lodestar to follow. As a substitute, they express a supposed concern about oppression by the West, and only by the West. Israel is seen as the remaining remnant of Western imperialism, as an associate or puppet of the U.S. trying to retain power in the Middle East.
Heroic struggle on behalf of Palestinians is typified as in the case of Edward Said by throwing rocks in June 2009 against an Israeli watchtower, or approving violence as a sign of individual authenticity as suggested by Jean-Paul Sartre and Carlo Fuentes. How many beheadings of innocent journalists and social workers have to take place before leftist begin to see the horrors of Islamist extremism and defend Western values?
Indeed, leftist moral indignation seems to relate only to actions of democratic countries. Or, outrageous behavior of Islamists is defended in bizarre terms: one instance is the explanation in June 2012 at Leeds University by Professor Gayatri Spivak of Columbia University. “Suicide bombing…and the planes of 9/11… is a purposive self-annihilation… they serenely destroy themselves (and many others) for the good of the cause.”
The difficult questions of Palestinian self-determination, of the disputed territories, of the refugees caused by the Arab aggression against Israel in May 1948, of the status of Jerusalem, of Israeli settlements, remain to be resolved by peaceful negotiation between the parties. They are issues on which the left can comment in rational and critical fashion. But the “leftists” who continually harp on the evils of “occupation” or discrimination are usually unaware of or discount the real factors, the main one being Palestinian intransigence, preventing the solution of alleged problems. Israel is not perfect and those problems have to be solved by discussion and negotiation. But the main one is the existential one, the survival of Israel.
Whatever one’s sympathy for the underdog, the Palestinians are not, in spite of leftist views, symbolic of those really fighting against colonial or oppressive rule in countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Their rhetoric is not addressed to helping their own people, nor on finding a way to live with Israel as a neighbor. Their expressions are to a large extent limited to hatred of the existence of the State of Israel, and frequently of Jews, irrespective of any particular Israeli actions.
Some leftists follow this point of view and its consequences. They ban drinking Coca Cola as they ban any relationship with cancer research in Israel. Some on the left have seen the pathological hated of Israel by Hamas as a radical political movement. They view homophobic, non-democratic, and religiously intolerant states and groups as worthy of support. One of the heroines of the left, Professor Judith Butler, referred on September 7, 2006 at UC Berkeley to the terrorist groups Hamas and Hizb’allah as “social movements that are progressive, that are on the left, that are part of a global left.”
A final question: do those on the “left” supposedly concerned with the Palestinians approve of the goal expressed on October 29, 2006 by Mahmoud al-Zahar, Hamas’ foreign minister? His statement is clear, “Israel is a vile entity that has been implanted on our soil, and has no historical, religious, or cultural legitimacy… We say no to recognizing Israel, regardless of the price we have to pay.” He said that the day “we expel the Jews” is drawing near, and that they are headed for annihilation.
The decent people of the left can only be taken seriously if they deal with all the fictions of this irrational statement, if they raise voices to distance themselves from this kind of rhetoric. They should undertake the more difficult challenge of rational analysis of complex problems, including the highly controversial one of Israeli settlements, rather than adhere emotionally to a questionable Palestinian narrative of oppression.
This piece is written more in sorrow than in anger. Why is the left so often wrog about Israel?
Israel is a great country that has its problems, as do all countries and organizations, and sometimes, in the words of President Barack Obama, does “do stupid things.” Israel’s political culture has been shaped by many factors, especially its Zionist ideology, the resilience it has developed in fighting four wars, and the impact of incessant terrorist attacks that have caused disruptions in the life of the country.
But by any token the country is a remarkable success. Israel has integrated people from more than 100 countries into a diverse mosaic pattern in a democratic society of tolerance and freedom of expression and religion, not withstanding the still-existing inequalities and differences with Palestinian Arabs. It compares favorably with other democratic nations, scientifically, economically, and culturally with the largest number of art museums per capita of any country in the world.
Why then is a considerable part of those who consider themselves on the left, many of whom are well-meaning even if some are rabid anti-Semites, so critical and even hostile to the State of Israel, often to a greater degree than they are to almost all other countries? Why do those who consider themselves on the political “left” so eager to criticize Israel almost automatically, rather than acknowledge the contributions to science, medicine, innovations, and culture made by Israel in its 65 years of existence? The obvious answer is the Palestinian issue.
Since the French Revolution of 1789 originated the political terms “left” and “right” they have symbolized opposing political positions and ideologies. The Left has stood as the party of movement, progressive, calling for a more egalitarian society, supporting the underdog, and ending oppression and injustice. The Right has generally been regarded as the party of order.
But what is a “leftist” position on politics in the Middle East? Does it approve of the Hamas Charter that calls for the extermination of Israel? Does it mean sympathy for Islamist extremism, some of which can be seen as “Islamo-Fascism,” or for tribal and ethnic bigotry of Arabs, or for Arab dictatorial systems, or for expressions of unrelenting hatred of Jews? The silence, or occasional lip service, of many who proudly define themselves as “leftist” on the rising tide of antisemitism today and frequently expressed by Palestinian officials, can only be regarded as moral perversity.
In his tongue in cheek article in Social Text in 1996, Alan Sokol expressed concern about the increasing prevalence on the left of “a particular kind of nonsense and sloppy thinking… that denies the existence of objective realities.” This is unfortunately applicable to well-meaning leftists who have tended to accept the validity of the Palestinian Narrative of Victimhood, that Palestinians are the most oppressed people in the world, that Israel is a cruel oppressor, and that the Arab-Israeli dispute is the most important in the world.
Do leftists have any real sense of right and wrong concerning Israel? Who of them criticized the fellow leftist German writer Gunter Grass, who joined as a young man the Waffen SS during the war, for his poem of April 2012 in which he called Israel a threat to world peace and aggressive towards Iran?
The result is that many on the “left” are in effect reactionaries, approving or silent about the attacks on democratic systems and even on Western civilization itself. They do not applaud a country in which there are peaceful, honest, elections, rule by secular law, and gay marches through the streets of Tel Aviv. Rather, though they are violating principles of free speech and the value of discussion, they refuse to approve speeches by black females such as Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Condeleezza Rice, call for boycotts of Israeli academic institutions and intellectual exchange. This in itself suggests a lack of sincerity about leftist adherence to their ideals of multiculturalism and of identity politics.
The essential question is why the “left” has reservations about criticizing the non-democratic countries, and specifically about the religious fanaticism in Arab Muslim countries. Even more strikingly, why cannot the “left” understand the basic hatred of Palestinians, as expressed by Abbas Zaki, a leader of Fatah, when speaking on August 22, 2014, regarding rocket attacks on Israel, “I think the Palestinian people’s weapon is pure… they don’t want to kill… but there are no innocent Israelis.”
The “left” critics, like others holding different political views, are concerned with problems concerning the disputed territories in Palestine and surrounding areas. But why do legitimate differences of opinion about the solution of the Arab-Israeli conflict lead to mindless hostility and to Israel being regarded as a “pariah” state? It is true that Israel today is not a state with a Social Democratic ethos symbolized by kibbutzim. But why does this entail non-sensible accusations that Israel is a racist, imperialist, even an “apartheid” state, that has betrayed democratic ideals?
Proponents of the left, even those who were not anti-Semitic or Jews afraid of their Jewishness, or what Isaac Deutscher called “non-Jewish Jews,” always had doubts about Zionism. The traditional left saw the movement for Jewish self-determination as counter to universal socialism, and then, during the British Mandate, regarded Zionism as a tool of British imperialism, even though the Poale Zion, the party of David Ben-Gurion, was admitted into the Socialist International. Leftist perception of Israel became dogmatic with the so-called New Left in the late 1960s.
Of course, it is clear that after the god of communism has been proved a false god, except perhaps in North Korea and Cuba, leftists have no real lodestar to follow. As a substitute, they express a supposed concern about oppression by the West, and only by the West. Israel is seen as the remaining remnant of Western imperialism, as an associate or puppet of the U.S. trying to retain power in the Middle East.
Heroic struggle on behalf of Palestinians is typified as in the case of Edward Said by throwing rocks in June 2009 against an Israeli watchtower, or approving violence as a sign of individual authenticity as suggested by Jean-Paul Sartre and Carlo Fuentes. How many beheadings of innocent journalists and social workers have to take place before leftist begin to see the horrors of Islamist extremism and defend Western values?
Indeed, leftist moral indignation seems to relate only to actions of democratic countries. Or, outrageous behavior of Islamists is defended in bizarre terms: one instance is the explanation in June 2012 at Leeds University by Professor Gayatri Spivak of Columbia University. “Suicide bombing…and the planes of 9/11… is a purposive self-annihilation… they serenely destroy themselves (and many others) for the good of the cause.”
The difficult questions of Palestinian self-determination, of the disputed territories, of the refugees caused by the Arab aggression against Israel in May 1948, of the status of Jerusalem, of Israeli settlements, remain to be resolved by peaceful negotiation between the parties. They are issues on which the left can comment in rational and critical fashion. But the “leftists” who continually harp on the evils of “occupation” or discrimination are usually unaware of or discount the real factors, the main one being Palestinian intransigence, preventing the solution of alleged problems. Israel is not perfect and those problems have to be solved by discussion and negotiation. But the main one is the existential one, the survival of Israel.
Whatever one’s sympathy for the underdog, the Palestinians are not, in spite of leftist views, symbolic of those really fighting against colonial or oppressive rule in countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Their rhetoric is not addressed to helping their own people, nor on finding a way to live with Israel as a neighbor. Their expressions are to a large extent limited to hatred of the existence of the State of Israel, and frequently of Jews, irrespective of any particular Israeli actions.
Some leftists follow this point of view and its consequences. They ban drinking Coca Cola as they ban any relationship with cancer research in Israel. Some on the left have seen the pathological hated of Israel by Hamas as a radical political movement. They view homophobic, non-democratic, and religiously intolerant states and groups as worthy of support. One of the heroines of the left, Professor Judith Butler, referred on September 7, 2006 at UC Berkeley to the terrorist groups Hamas and Hizb’allah as “social movements that are progressive, that are on the left, that are part of a global left.”
A final question: do those on the “left” supposedly concerned with the Palestinians approve of the goal expressed on October 29, 2006 by Mahmoud al-Zahar, Hamas’ foreign minister? His statement is clear, “Israel is a vile entity that has been implanted on our soil, and has no historical, religious, or cultural legitimacy… We say no to recognizing Israel, regardless of the price we have to pay.” He said that the day “we expel the Jews” is drawing near, and that they are headed for annihilation.
The decent people of the left can only be taken seriously if they deal with all the fictions of this irrational statement, if they raise voices to distance themselves from this kind of rhetoric. They should undertake the more difficult challenge of rational analysis of complex problems, including the highly controversial one of Israeli settlements, rather than adhere emotionally to a questionable Palestinian narrative of oppression.
@ honeybee:
gotta take Dag out be back asap.
yamit82 Said:
Me too, I use Adblock” and I noticed that as soon as I open Isralpundit Adblock records 3 ads blocked which might be the pop ups
@ CuriousAmerican:
@ yamit82:
Quite so — but most Americans do not share the biases of NYT in re Israel, Jews & Palis (or in re damned near much of anything else).
@ honeybee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KodNFsP6r88
So sad Dag is in tears. Don’t give up there is always a way and I won’t give up Hope!!!
@ yamit82:
For Dagmar a lullaby: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA644rSZX1A
@ honeybee:
One of my favorite scenes!!
This is Dag from the previous owners Facebook page. She’s much bigger now.
yamit82 Said:
Dagmar & Yamit82:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmCpOKtN8ME
@ dove:
Here is her Blog which hasn’t been kept up to date.
Dev is probably out in the Bush or chopping wood for the winter. Mar should be back soon, and Yid,,, don’t have the foggiest.
dove Said:
Credit for the link must be given to yamit, but I think this is the real answer…
🙂
http://ninaupdates.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/sukkah_happenings_womens_vneck_tshirt1.jpg
@ the phoenix:
Where’s Dev? Where’s Laura? Where’s Mar55? Where’s Yidvocate? 🙁
Shalom,
I really need your help with this, please share it.
Israeli cattle ranches and their passive European cattle are under attack by jackals, wolves and Arabs/Bedouin. And we are allowing them to steal our grazing land.
These cattle do not fit Israel’s hostile desert environment.
The Israel Longhorn Project can solve these problems.
Texas Longhorn cattle have a smaller carbon footprint; they use less water, less land and are adaptable to Israel’s very hostile desert environment. Texas Longhorn can defend themselves and their calves by simply threatening with their sharp horns.
We are working with; The Israeli Border Police, the New Shomrim, Israel’s Agriculture Department, the Prime Minister’s office, Chaim Dyan of AMBAL, (Israel Cattle Breeders Association), and many Israeli ranchers.
Help us reach our goal of $275,000 to start the project. A nominal donation of $250 from 1100 generous supporters will get us started.
The problem: http://youtu.be/hMF12Ru–yw
Texas Longhorn cattle will allow our ranchers to use less land, feed and water while at the same time producing the same amount of beef.
Robin Rosenblatt M.Sc. Hebrew University, School of Agriculture
The Longhorn Project
22 Yarnall Place
Redwood City, CA 94063
Tel: 650.631.9270 / 03.722.6108
robin@longhornproject.org
http://longhornproject.org
Nonprofit 501(c) 3 #74-3177354
I will have to take the dog out and it’ll be her first rain 😉
Chag Sameach!
honeybee Said:
He survived and lived for 930 years. Not bad!!! I’ll settle for a little less.
@ yamit82:
Enjoy!!! And chag sameach!
🙂
http://youtu.be/D1ZYhVpdXbQ
It is raining here as well…
For the past week…
Sigh…
yamit82 Said:
Famous last word of Noah ?????????????????
@ the phoenix:
It just NOW started to RAIN in Dimona just NOW!!! Erev Sukkot!!!!
I love the rain… This is a good Omen and I think we are going to have a good year.
rain. Rain. RAIN. I love it!!!
Everything about it.
The great aesthetics.
The way it sets people apart, even when they are standing next to each other.
It is truly magical.
The sky is leaking!
Cleanse me of my sins.
Riding in the rain is just so cool.
@ the phoenix:
First of all few possess weapons. In most cases those rock attacks in Y&S target vehicles with families usually with small children and in many cases with women drivers. You do not want to stop your vehicle while under attack but get the hell out of there as fast as you can out of range.
While some settlers will do as you suggest the vast majority I believe are Law abiding and afraid of legal consequences in-firing even registered legal weapons as there are ridiculous protocols in place governing their use even in situations of self defense.
Some will shoot and some will get away with it and some won’t it’s a crap shoot. The Jews have been dumbed down by years of IDF and Shabak pressure.
The courts are more likely to believe the Arabs over the Jews if it’s my word against theirs. That’s the reality.
It seems the IDF is there to protect the Arabs from the Jews and not the other way around.
@ yamit82:
What I am trying to understand, is, why aren’t the Jews that are being assailed by rocks and Molotov cocktails, reply in kind with a few bursts from a galil or an Uzi or whichever lethal LEGAL weapon they happen to posses?
@ the phoenix:
No danger of me pulling the trigger. I know my enemy. They respect and bow to greater force. Contrary to popular urban myths few are suicidal and willing to arrive at their promised Paradise prematurely.
That said I do have a police file for offing 5 Arabs who tried to kill me but that was a long time ago and the file was closed, yet it’s still there. 🙁 Found out about that when a friend of mine who is in Police Intelligence let me know and I was surprised.
@ yamit82:
Visceral reaction: I wish you pulled the trigger….
Cerebral reaction (and this is a real question): even though you are licensed to carry a weapon, and you could have made a case that this was ‘self defense’ (nod nod, wink wink), what would have been the repercussions on you?
As I understand, every Jewish Israeli, including the one living in j&s are bending over backwards to AVOID shooting the bastards (to my thinking they should be shot just for LOOKING the wrong way… But I digress)
Would you have had to fight the so called ‘justice system’ ? (That is defacto siding with Arabs against the Jews)
honeybee Said:
🙂
You are feeling better!!!!!!!! 🙂
Link above # 23 did not work so I am repeating it.
Jewish liberals fully accept the fact that their goals are detrimental to Jews.
Jewish liberals marched against apartheid in South Africa, the only state in the world genuinely friendly to Israel.
They brought to power a predictably antisemitic black establishment in Africa’s most influential country.
In 1967 and 1973, liberals screamed against Israeli preemption in the face of imminent attack.
In 1944, 1948, and 1973 they did not march to the White House to demand support for fellow Jews threatened with annihilation.
They expend much more effort on some exotic endangered species of cockroaches.
Jewish liberals go against any sensible definition of Jewish interest and against the very goal of Jewish survival—by pushing for the peace process.
Here it is in a nutshell:
If the world isn’t furious at Israel, Israel is failing to protect itself. The world bitching about the rotten Israelis is a good thing. What do they say in Nautilus training? Enjoy the pain because it’s good for you an it keeps you healthy. Being unpopular is a pretty small price to pay for staying alive, especially when you’d be unpopular anyway.
How fucking cool it is to be so strong! Strength is the only thing the world respects, or fears, or call it what you will. Intimidated might be the word, and I love it.
I love the smell of napalm in the morning!!!!!!!
Fear the Jews, assholes.
robin@longhornproject.org Said:
They know it. Fortunately they are going bust it’s a matter of time.
robin@longhornproject.org Said:
I ain’t allowing anyone anything. If you and other cattleman want to protect your herds and property then you are going to have to do it yourselves. If you won’t or can’t then hire others to do it for you.
In the old days here in Israel that’s what they did at least those who survived on the Land. If you know the tribes or villages from where the rustlers came from then form your own groups and hit them and hit them hard where they live. They will get the message.
Personally I would ambush em especially at night and blame on inter Arab feuding over the booty.
You can’t win such a battle by whining to the authorities they could care less and are scared of the Arabs especially the Bedouin in any case. I had a run in with one of them last week and when he went to far I put a gun (Licensed) to his stomach without saying a word.
He Got the message and walked on.
You never did answer my question from a previous thread as to what are the Israeli objections to your Longhorn project. You give only your side.
You are we allowing them to steal our ancestral pasture and grazing land in Israel.
Land is being stolen, ranches attacked and cattle mutilated!
A donation of $250 from 1100 of you will begin to end this nightmare; the same donation from 2,000 of you will solve this problem with the Israel Longhorn Project. Robin 650-631-9270 httplonghornprject.org
Texas Longhorn cattle will allow our ranchers to use less land, feed and water while at the same time producing the same amount of beef.
Robin Rosenblatt M.Sc. Hebrew University, School of Agriculture The Longhorn Project
22 Yarnall Place
Redwood City, CA 94063
Tel: 650.631.9270 / 03.722.6108
robin@longhornproject.org
http://longhornproject.org
Nonprofit 501(c) 3 #74-3177354
the Times is owned by an anti Semite, self hating Jewish family. many of the liberal and Reform Jews support Jstreet, an anti Semite group. These Jews also have contacts with Hamas via Jstreet. It clear they want to help destroy Israel. Even if the don’t know it. There actions count more.
The Europeans and this American administration refuse to acknowledge Islamic terrorism, much less fight it.
The NYT leads the public voice to the attitude that saturates American news coverage of Israel. The premise of the media is that the Jews are interlopers and the Palestinians victims. That warped view pollutes all stories, so that every Palestinian atrocity is presented as being justifiable retaliation for the horrible injustice they suffer. It’s all a big sucking lie, but just between you and me most people prefer their biases to the truth.
The attitude of NYT and most other Liberal MSM organs seems to be that the bias is largely based on antisemitism, but they also hate America, Republicans, fundamentalist christians, and the Catholic Church.
Patriotism of the liberal left consists of hating Jews more than loving America.
So who hates Jews, conservatives, Americans, and bible thumpers?
When is the last time the NAACP condemned Islamic enslavement of black Africans or NOW condemned Islamic persecution of women? These “rights” groups are as phony as Posh Spice’s tits.
We must be vigilant and hit them with the truth. Expose them as supporters of Muslim terrorists who kill Jews.. That’s what they are, and it will become apparent when they are confronted.
Drag these losers out into the open so that everyone can see what they really are. Stomp the bad guys, and have fun doing it.
The New York Times Again In Cuckoo-Land
“The Land of Israel turned out to be the final solution, and that’s what’s driving you nuts…all of you out there in cuckoo-land.”
honeybee Said:
🙂
You are feeling better!!!!!!!! 🙂
A pop-up blocker does not mean the site is not hacked. It merely means that you do not see the pop-up hack.
Not everyone uses a popup blocker.
I do not because some pages will not load if you block pop-ups.
Sites like Ha’aretz and Jpost make their money off of pop-ups, and some will not load rightly if you do not allow their popups.
The problem is not the popups but the nature of the popups.
These popups are demanding that you dowload plugins.
This is a phishing scheme, indicating that Israpundit was hacked.
They are also using false X buttons, another indication.
I do not see this on other sites, only Israpundit.
Honeybee was seeing it also.
I got a pop-up on the front page right now.
These are not AdSense ads. I got popups saying I had to download a plugin, and another one threatening me to buy anti-virus protection.
Honeybee was getting the same thing. These are not Adsense Ads.
If someone is using a pop-up blocker they will not see them, but that does not mean the problem is not there, or that they are not in danger. All it means is that it is not visible to them.
I do not use a popup blocker because some sites will shut down if you do not allow pop-ups. The problem is not so much the pop-up but the nature of the pop-up.
These are phishing pop-ups. They turn off after one or two pop-ups per visit.
My suggestion:
1) clean out your cache and clear out your history
2) then restart your computer.
3) You may see the pop-ups then after you come back to Israpundit.
@ honeybee:
How are you? I almost didn’t see this comment.
Israpundit email notifications to me are not working anymore so I can miss many comments if not shown of the left of Ted’s site.
@ bernard ross:
I get no pop ups either????
bernard ross Said:
Should be considered.
Besides pop-up blocker, I use ad blocker as well.
@ CuriousAmerican:Thanks for your advice. I deactivated Quick Adsense which inserts ads and the problem went away. Then I reactivated Quick Adsense and the problem did not reappear. Let me know if the problem reappears.
@ robin@longhornproject.org:
Shows up on a multiplicity of terminals, yet always on this site. . . .
You might have a virus
@ robin@longhornproject.org:
Not so, Robin (would that it were).
It’s true that Macs are less likely than PCs to be subject to the more ‘innocent’ species of virus acquisition. But where deliberate hacking (esp. for political reasons) is involved, all bets are off.
The computers I use in one (public) location, just to cite one example, are all Macs or dual-boot Macs/PCs — and I’ve STILL been getting the same phishing come-on’s and requests to upload drivers to see a video shortly after I come to this site. Says my drive is out of date, the whole 9 yards.
(“Requests” — hell, they are couched as DEMANDS —very polished & official-looking, highly insistent: “must update,” “required,” etc, etc.)
— The brass-bound gall. . . .
I usually ignore the prompt & go to another window, if I can. If not, I just shut the sucker down & reboot. It’s a pain in the arse, as it’s time consuming & I’m on the clock. But i’t’s gotta be done.
@ ArnoldHarris:
I’m with you on THIS proposition.
Get a Mac and you will no problems
@ CuriousAmerican:
I wonder what would be involved in setting up an online system which, at the command of someone who receives these nuisance screen-blocking solicitations, would infect and destroy the intruder’s system?
Remember, that a good offense typically beats any equally good defense.
Am I a malicious, ruthless and implacable guy? I sure as hell hope so. A long life has taught me the wisdom of taking no prisoners.
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI
CuriousAmerican Said:
perhaps you recently visited a streaming video site? does this only happen with israpundit? I have never experienced that here.
CuriousAmerican Said:
It must be your computer, perhaps you recently visited a gamboling or porn site?
CuriousAmerican Said:
I get no pop ups, perhaps your pop up blocker is not working
If no one else gets them then doesn’t it have to do with your computer?
@ honeybee:
By all means ignore them like you ignore me.
TED HAS BEEN HACKED AGAIN!
Apparently, There seems to be a concerted effort against Israpundit.
First, they steal his domain.
Now, this with the pop-ups.
To the rest of you: DO NOT EVEN CLICK THEM TO TURN THEM OFF.
The X can be a bogus off switch. Clicking, even on the X will load damaging script.
Either wait till the pop-up turns off or – if you know how to use Task Manager – close it with Task Manager.
DO NOT CLICK IT NO MATTER WHAT IT SAYS.
If it asks you to install a video plugin, it is lying. You do not want the video plugin. They want you to install the virus.
If it says you have a virus and you have to install a plugin to clean it up, they are lying. They want you to install a plugin NOT to clean the virus but to install a virus.
This is calls phishing.
Do NOT click the pop-ups even the off X BUTTON.
Years ago, I used to write Javascript. These are javascipt or jQuery plugins masquerading as help.
Israpundit has been hacked again.
A) Ted is using a WordPress platform which is usually very secure.
B) So either
B1) Ted has not updated his WordPress. Unlikely. And even if he didn’t, WordPress is secure. That is the least likely avenue.
B2) Someone has NOT changed their passwords from the last attack, and the hackers snuck in using the older passwords they got from the last attack Most Likely.
B3) Someone has a ridiculously easy password. Please do not use admin or password in you access credentials. Even password123 is not good enough. Don’t use variations like pswd or <strong passwd Somewhat likely.
B4) They have programs which can throw 10,000 passwords at a WP-Ste in a matter of minutes. So variations of password and admin. Admin1 admin1, Admin2, admin2, Admin123, and so
on. Use personal passwords. Somewhat likely avenue.
B5) Ted’s hosting was compromised. I have had nothing but trouble on GoDaddy.
Ted, you have been hacked.
Suggestions.
1) Reinstall your WordPress. Actually not very hard.
2) Reduce your administrator access accounts to the bare minimum
3) If you are on GoDaddy or a cheap host, get off of them.
4) Set a day when everyone has to change their passwords, after reinstallign the new WordPress.
5) Call the Feds. US Law is very tough on this.
6) See if you can turn off some javascript plugins.
In the meantime … NO ONE SHOULD CLICK ON THE POP-UPs. They are lying.
You do not need the video plugin or virus clean, but you will if you click on them.
I used to write websites. I know the tricks. And I have had to clean out more than one website from attacks.
CA
All the usual and expected liberal barf. My response:
1) Democracy decays authentic Judaism. If I had to choose between a hardened and fascistic but authentic Jewish government for Israel, or a continually-defeated quasi-Jewish democracy, then I would choose fascism with neither a regret nor a whimper.
2) Radical action, yes; liberal regurgitation of the supposed rights of man, I couldn’t care less. People can recoil in anxiety over the memory of Iosef Stalin. But he got the job done, and he didn’t call off his armies until they arrived at the door of the concrete cave where Hitler cowered with his wife and his few remaining Nazi followers. So I don’t really care how many Ukrainians he shipped to the Siberian gulags, or old Bolsheviks whom his Chekisti shot in the Lubyanka basement. Because he saved Russia, gave his Jews a chance to join the great Red Armies and fight the Nazis with guns in their hands, and made sure that a large number of the rest of the Jews could escape eastward to the Urals and stay outside the orbit of the Einsatzkommandos.
3) I am more interested in total Jewish national victory in taking and hold all of Eretz-Yisrael, than the simpering and worthless sympathy of the goyim gazing with paternalistic concern at Jewish corpses in the concentration camps of Christian Europe.
4) I truly do not give a damn about what the world thinks of us as Jews. All I want from them is to leave us alone. And if they won’t do that politely, then I want the Jewish nation to develop the power needed to compel them all to get the fuck out of our way.
5) Any of you want to grovel at the feet of any other nation, against the commandments of HaShem and ordinary common sense? If so, then you are about as worthless to the Jewish nation as James Earl Carter was and still is to whatever remains of the dignity of the United States of America.
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI
CuriousAmerican Said:
Yes and I ignore them like I ignore you. Kidding, thanks for the info.
Jstreet is an anti Semitic organization. See the film Jstreet they prove it with their own words and actions.
Is anybody else getting popups when they enter this site?
If so, do NOT click them.
They are phishing schemes. One asked for thousands of dollars to save my credit cards from being hacked.
The thing is: I do not have credit cards stored on my computer in the first place. It was a scare tactic to get you to contact them and give them money.
Another asks you to upload drivers to see a video. Says your drive is out of date. If you click it, even to turn it off, it will load a virus instead, so do not click it. Let it time out.
I suspect Israpundit.org may have been hacked again. Only now, they have added javacript tricks. If you click them – EVEN TO TURN THEM OFF – you will get infected.
Let them time out or turn them off using the Task Manager of your Operating System.
Ted, I am asking this because everything I come to your site, I get ridiculous popups.
You may have been hacked again.
This was true only while the Left was on the outs and the Right was in power.
As the Left acquired a foothold in popular culture and became entrenched in govt, the positions were reversed.
The Left became the party of order & retention of the status quo and the Right was associated w/ movement, ending oppression, individual rights, etc.
More often than not, where you stand has a lot to do with where you sit. . . .
The American Jewish left is supporting Jstreet and the New Israel. Both of them are in contact with Hamas. So does that mean the American Jewish left wants to help destory Israel? They say no, but their actions speak louder then their words
Pls do tell us what are your god’s desires? Don’t want to go blind or worse?
Do tell us pls.
You have to remember that those not following God’s desires are caused to be blind. That is why the Left is blind…and lots of the Right, too.