a letter to my friend miguel from spain, after he sent me a video from gaza

Dear Miguel,

I watched the video you sent me with great horror.
It is indeed shocking and heart breaking to see the suffering of these poor people in aGaza. My heart goes out to them!!

But…

I watch horrified as well as I see the world, cynical and hypocritical, pointing its finger at Israel without placing the blame fairly on the shoulders of both sides.

Israel has made many mistakes, I write that in my letter and I have always said it. I am the first to criticize my country and I have done so on endless occasions.

How many arab/muslim artists do you know who criticize theirs? I am sure you will not be able to name one.
Their governments have been just as foolish as mine, if not more. Their armies have been just as violent and cruel, if not MUCH more, and yet, you do not hear them cry out.

I am against the settlements. I have said it endlessly, almost destroyed my career in israel for that. I am against fantacism of all sorts. But with all due respect Miguel, there is NO WAY you can put any Jewish organization, no matter how radical, in the same basket as Hamas, Hezbollah, EL Quaida and all the rest of them. And I am saying that as stark opposition of all fanatics, jews included!

Why are there not as many civilian casualties on the Israeli side than on the Palestinian? It is clear to all that Hamas, like Hezbollah, want nothing more than to kill Israelis, as many as they can. They have claimed publicly that they are interested in the DEMISE of the Jewish people, that every cease fire is only temporary, that Israel will be blown into the sea. They are not fighting to free Palestine, they are fighting to DESTROY Israel. I did not make this up, they say it unequivocally.

When have you ever heard ANY Israeli, no matter how right wing, say they are interested in the DEMISE of the Palestinians? You haven’t. because it has never been said or thought. You have heard arguments about borders, water, security, walls, land, but these are an ongoing negotiation. Too long, much too long, dangerously drawn out by both sides, but it is a negotiation
.
So why then, with all the weapons from Iran, with all their will to bring a genocide on our people, are the hamas not more successful at killing our children?

One of the reasons may be that we , as opposed to some of them, protect our children. We do not hide weapons in schools and in mosques. we do not place army headquarters in the densest areas of population, we do not use women and children as human shields. An Israeli general, if he were notified that his home were to be attacked, would not even DREAM of taking his 4 wives (he would never have four wives) and 9 children to the roof and sacrifice them all in the blood bath of allah. But that is exactly what a top hamas official did when he received a call from the Israeli airforce that his house was to be bombed!


The video I have sent you is living proof, as the one you sent me is, of horror.
A hamas terrorist, pulling a child violently up from where he was hiding, to use him as a shield. Disgusting. Inhuman.
Now, will you circulate that to all your mailing list, as you have surely done with the video you sent me? Are you brave enough to be fair??



Yes, Israelis governments have been foolish, idiotic even, missing so many opportunities to make progress, but our Arab neighbors have been just as bad. we all sinned with arrogance, pride, and religious fervor. But, I have been out there supporting a Palestinian state for years, fighting to raise money for Palestinians, for their well being, for their development, I have been accused of being a traitor in my country so many times. In return, I have been attacked by pro-palestinian supporters , my concerts disrupted, my life threatened, simply because I am Israeli.

And Where is my arab parallel??
Where is the arab artist who will embrace Israel? Recognizes my right to a homeland alongside his? Fight for MY rights as I fight for his?? I am still searching.

At every moment, thousand around the globe are killed, in Afghanistan, in Sudan, in Pakistan, in India, in the former soviet union, the list is long.
Often, it is muslims killing muslims.

I wonder, why do Europeans not go out marching in protest of these atrocities? Because they are afraid somebody will raise the price of oil??

There is such a great deal of hypocricy and interests in the way things work, it makes me sick. I will not be part of that game.

Violence is horrible. Whoever chooses it as a way of life should not be surprised when it hits him. Hamas have been bombing Israel for 8 years. 8 years. I am wondering what the world expects Israel to do? Maybe they hope we will just say: ok, you win, take over the country, you killed 6 million, now kill 6 more, we give up.

Is that the way it should be??

No.

we lost 3500 in the yom kippur war. we lost hundreds in terrorst attacks over the years. please do not wave numbers at us. we know them well! we cry for ALL THE DEAD on both sides!!

I am repeating, I believe that VIOLENCE CAN SOLVE NOTHING! I believe ONLY in dialogue, I respect the Arabs and their rights, I respect the Palestinians, I would love nothing more than to see their homeland founded alongside mine, BUT, I demand fairness and reciprocation! I will not be blamed unilaterally by a world that has little understanding of the situation, knowledge of history or any sort of objectivity. A Europe who has fought two ugly world wars that took 75 million lives (!!!!), had crusades, inquisitions, what not, the most horrible things: these are my moral judges?? No way.

The situation is complex, and ONLY with a fair view, with equal rights for all and with a balanced approach can this be solved.

I respect Sarkozy as I see him doing just that, and other like him. They give me hope. I hope Obama will be the same, I have great respect for him, he gives me hope.

My Palestinian and Israeli friends who work ceaselessly for peace, they give me hope.

I send you all my love and my eternal friendship.

Noa