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Purveyor

(29,876 posts) Sun Dec 7, 2014, 05:31 AM Dec 2014

Biden: Israel's House Demolition Policy Is 'Collective Punishment'

Source: Haaretz

Vice President Joe Biden called on Israel to stop the demolition of homes of terrorists' families, which he described as “collective punishment.” Biden also criticized expansion of Jewish settlements “in the West Bank and East Jerusalem” and called on the government to do more to stop “vigilante justice” attacks against Palestinians.

Biden was speaking at a noon plenary on Saturday at the Brookings Institution’s Saban Forum being held at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC. His speech ignored the upcoming elections, focusing instead on America’s bedrock support for Israel and the “tactical disagreements” that “should be honestly discussed between friends.”

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Biden’s speech included his usual gushing expressions of love and support for Israel and for Prime Minister Netanyahu “although we drive each other crazy.” But Biden’s speech was also notable for its carefully worded formulations of U.S. policy which he read from prepared text and which were likely composed in close consultation with the White House.

Biden spent much of his time discussing the talks with Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program: He described as “malarkey” any notion that he or Obama would allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. But while he estimated that the chances for an accord were “less than even”, he insisted that a “good deal” that would make the world safer is entirely possible.

Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.630347

19 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Biden: Israel's House Demolition Policy Is 'Collective Punishment' (Original Post) Purveyor Dec 2014 OP

Yeah, well he can talk after we here in the USA stop PCIntern Dec 2014 #1

What happened on PBS? Leopolds Ghost Dec 2014 #2

There was a wonderful concert with PCIntern Dec 2014 #4

Pathetic attempt to deflect is noted. n/t Comrade Grumpy Dec 2014 #14

Who you calling 'pathetic'? PCIntern Dec 2014 #15

'undermine'? Ash_F Dec 2014 #17

More selective pearl-clutching... PCIntern Dec 2014 #18

You are the one who reacted to the OP with a tangent Ash_F Dec 2014 #19

"the demolition of homes of terrorists' families" Android3.14 Dec 2014 #3

House demolition has been an effective deterrent cosmicone Dec 2014 #5

Wow, how progressive of you to defend crimes against humanity. Odin2005 Dec 2014 #6

Terrorism is a much bigger crime against humanity n/t cosmicone Dec 2014 #8

So' you're sayin StoneCarver Dec 2014 #7

Israel doesn't demolish houses of ordinary cons cosmicone Dec 2014 #9

It's not too different than the old Mafia tactics. L0oniX Dec 2014 #11

Ladies and gentlemen, Democraticunderground 2014 /nt Ash_F Dec 2014 #16

It's nice he finally figured that out way after it's been obvious to everyone else with 1/2 a brain. L0oniX Dec 2014 #10

that makes it a war crime Enrique Dec 2014 #12

I am kind of curious fingrin Dec 2014 #13

PCIntern

(25,554 posts)

1. Yeah, well he can talk after we here in the USA stop

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 08:42 AM

Dec 2014

shooting children in the street for being black, thus our own version of "collective punishment."

By any chance did you watch Itzhak Perlman and Cantor Helfgott on PBS? A thing of beauty...

Leopolds Ghost

(12,875 posts)

2. What happened on PBS?

Reply to PCIntern (Reply #1)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 10:01 AM

Dec 2014

PCIntern

(25,554 posts)

4. There was a wonderful concert with

Reply to Leopolds Ghost (Reply #2)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 10:25 AM

Dec 2014

the mentioned artists of Yiddish music, at least it was shown here in Philly on TV 12. Magnificent artistry and repartee with Joel Grey and Neil Sedaka among others...

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)

14. Pathetic attempt to deflect is noted. n/t

Reply to PCIntern (Reply #1)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 01:04 PM

Dec 2014

PCIntern

(25,554 posts)

15. Who you calling 'pathetic'?

Reply to Comrade Grumpy (Reply #14)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 07:25 PM

Dec 2014

You're trying to undermine the only nation which even has a pretense of a democracy and law and order in the Middle East. that is pathetic. the other countries are busy stoning their gay and lesbian citizens. For starters...

Ash_F

(5,861 posts)

17. 'undermine'?

Reply to PCIntern (Reply #15)

Tue Dec 9, 2014, 11:58 AM

Dec 2014

Oh no! God forbid the VP criticize human rights abuses.

Good on Biden.

PCIntern

(25,554 posts)

18. More selective pearl-clutching...

Reply to Ash_F (Reply #17)

Tue Dec 9, 2014, 12:05 PM

Dec 2014

Transparent.

Ash_F

(5,861 posts)

19. You are the one who reacted to the OP with a tangent

Reply to PCIntern (Reply #18)

Tue Dec 9, 2014, 12:12 PM

Dec 2014

Who's clutching their pearls now?

Biden must have cut DEEP.

Android3.14

(5,402 posts)

3. "the demolition of homes of terrorists' families"

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 10:19 AM

Dec 2014

"terrorists' families"?
Haaretz is a propaganda tool.

cosmicone

(11,014 posts)

5. House demolition has been an effective deterrent

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 11:19 AM

Dec 2014

Without it, there would have been far far more suicide bombings. When the fanatics are high on Islam, they can rarely be deterred by anything else other than the potential of their family being homeless and on the street.

While some families are completely innocent, many are tacitly complicit in the terrorism.

Odin2005

(53,521 posts)

6. Wow, how progressive of you to defend crimes against humanity.

Reply to cosmicone (Reply #5)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 11:26 AM

Dec 2014

cosmicone

(11,014 posts)

8. Terrorism is a much bigger crime against humanity n/t

Reply to Odin2005 (Reply #6)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 11:39 AM

Dec 2014

StoneCarver

(249 posts)

7. So' you're sayin

Reply to cosmicone (Reply #5)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 11:39 AM

Dec 2014

If your brother commits a crime, say murder. It would be ok for the government to bulldoze your house? That's insanity!!!

cosmicone

(11,014 posts)

9. Israel doesn't demolish houses of ordinary cons

Reply to StoneCarver (Reply #7)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 11:41 AM

Dec 2014

Only suicide bombers and other terrorists who purposely target innocent civilians.

L0oniX

(31,493 posts)

11. It's not too different than the old Mafia tactics.

Reply to StoneCarver (Reply #7)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 12:32 PM

Dec 2014

Ash_F

(5,861 posts)

16. Ladies and gentlemen, Democraticunderground 2014 /nt

Reply to cosmicone (Reply #5)

Tue Dec 9, 2014, 11:56 AM

Dec 2014

L0oniX

(31,493 posts)

10. It's nice he finally figured that out way after it's been obvious to everyone else with 1/2 a brain.

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 12:30 PM

Dec 2014

Enrique

(27,461 posts)

12. that makes it a war crime

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 12:41 PM

Dec 2014

of course the charge doesn't carry as much weight as it could due to certain actions by Biden's own government.

fingrin

(120 posts)

13. I am kind of curious

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 12:54 PM

Dec 2014

why people in general agree with demolishing houses of "Terrorists" on the basis of guilty by association, but remain eerily silent on the 247 innocent people killed in drone strikes for every terrorist.
Yet 1 Journalist murdered by ISIS is "Barbaric"

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