A Warning to Those Who Dare to Criticize Israel in the Land of Free Speech

A Warning to Those Who Dare to Criticize Israel in the Land of Free Speech
Another Case Study: Mary Robinson

By ROBERT FISK

Behold Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, would-be graduation commencement speaker at Emory University in the United States. She has made a big mistake. She dared to criticise Israel. She suggested--horror of horrors--that "the root cause of the Arab-Israeli conflict is the occupation". Now whoah there a moment, Mary! "Occupation"? Isn't that a little bit anti-Israeli?

Are you really suggesting that the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Israel, its use of extrajudicial executions against Palestinian gunmen, the Israeli gunning down of schoolboy stone-throwers, the wholesale theft of Arab land to build homes for Jews, is in some way wrong?Maybe I misheard you. Sure I did. Because your response to these scurrilous libels, to these slurs upon your right to free speech, to these slanderous attacks on your integrity, was a pussy-cat's whimper. You were "very hurt and dismayed". It is, you told The Irish Times, "distressing that allegations are being made that are completely unfounded".

You should have threatened your accusers with legal action. When I warn those who claim in their vicious postcards that my mother was Eichmann's daughter that they will receive a solicitor's letter--Peggy Fisk was in the RAF in the Second World War, but no matter--they fall silent at once.

But no, you are "hurt". You are "dismayed". And you allow Professor Kenneth Stein of Emory University to announce that he is "troubled by the apparent absence of due diligence on the part of decision makers who invited her to speak". I love the "due diligence" bit. But seriously, how can you allow this twisted version of your integrity to go unpunished?

http://www.counterpunch.com/fisk04242004.html

"Fisk is full of it."
"Fisk is a muslim lover..."
"How progressive..." with the mandatory :eyes:

What else...?






Great article though. Thanks!

Not very constructive.

ok, next time I'll add that one as well.

Any others...?

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self-deleted.

...in the west who criticize Israel (as well as the Palestinains). Rather than in a vaccum, he looks at *both* sides - that's what gets him in trouble.

...I respect and admire Mary Robinson, and find nothing she says to be factually wrong in this case. What is it that she, and I, are missing?

playing the victim, lol.

...a link would be nice, but just tell me where and when she actually said that. I know it has been said by others...I believe some factions in the UN have tried to get those words in a resolution, but I am not aware Mary Robinson said it...OL

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If I'm defending anybody, it's Mary Robinson. How does that make me a "supporter of a Right Wing Regime"? Please explain.

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...sorry to fly off the handle like that. No harm/no foul. (but too many cliches in one post)

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Why do you equate criticism of one regime with the support of another?

I support niether the asshole Arafat or the asshole Sharon.

The world isn't black and white.You need to realize that,and soon.

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