Friends,
I am currently preparing a coherent argument on this case (for a newspaper column) in support of the defendant. For now, I am
already struck by the strange language of the pertinent statute, which states that the truth is immaterial? I can't imagine a penal
statute in any civilized state that would contain such an assertion: The truth of an allegation simply does not matter? In this case
the printed statement "No Arabs, No Terror Attack" is obviously true prima facie, whatever one's political persuasion. It must
be as true to Shimon Peres and Yossi Beilin as to others on the political Right. After all, does Israel now face relentless terror
from any other group on the face of the earth?
Moreover, the printed statement is not by any means suggesting that violence or harms of any kind be done to Arabs; nor
is there any reason why someone might properly deduce such untoward suggestions from it. The tee-shirt statement merely
makes an absolutely incontestable observation, without any plausible evidence of bias and most assuredly without any hint of
identifiable "racism."
One other immediate observation/question comes to mind - this one more pragmatic than jurisprudential: If Arab citizens of
Israel were to begin parading down Israeli streets wearing tee-shirts stating "No Jews, No >Occupation," would this be a
prosecutable offense under current Israeli law? Clearly the authorities in Israel would NOT deem such activity to be "racism"
(even though, in contrast to the actual case now in question with a Jewish defendant, the charge here would almost certainly be
true) because the whole world would predictably condemn Israel for being "tyrannical" and "cruel" and "anti-democratic." The
world, as we all well know, will stand by comfortably (and with great delight) while a Jewish State prosecutes Jews for an
utterly contrived offense while it will never tolerate a Jewish State prosecuting Arabs who expressly and unambiguously call for
the murder of Jewish children.
The ironies are staggering; the prosecuting authorities in Israel in this matter may seek to hide behind a criminal statute, but the
net effect of their jurisprudential masquerade will merely be the eventual slaughter of their own brothers and sisters. Botom line:
The prosecution in this case is based upon an agonizingly twisted jurisprudence that lies more profoundly in age-old Jewish
sentiments of self-loathing and self-destruction than in any reasonable concerns for justice. In its asymmetrical application
against Jews, this prosecution is both inherently unjust and morally contemptible.
Louis Rene Beres, Ph.D. (Princeton 1971)
Professor of International Law
Purdue University
Russian version
An introduction to MAOF
Haim Goldman
Haim Goldman
Dear Friends,
Would you believe that the undersigned has anything in common with
-- Professor Victor Davis Hanson (Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University),
-- Dr Charles Krauthammer, (Washington Post, Time, The Weekly Standard),
-- Caroline Glick (Deputy Managing Editor of the Jerusalem Post),
-- Jonathan Tobin (Executive Editor of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent).
Amazingly, the editors of the MAOF website decided that the missives of the undersigned are worthy of translation and posting along the articles written by these distinguished authors.
The first letter was published without the consent of the undersigned.
However, after thorough examination of the laudable attitude of MAOF and of the excellent contents of the website, the undersigned had most graciously granted his permission for publication of his missives in both English and Russian.
“Analytical Group MAOF” [1] is an organisation founded about ten years ago by Russian-speaking Jewish intellectuals. The attitude of MAOF is definitely pro-Zionist -- unambiguously and unapologetically.
One of MAOF’s primary purposes is providing information and analysis about Middle-Eastern and world affairs as well as about Israel’s history, values and dilemmas. In addition to extensive publication activity in various media, MAOF also organises excursions and seminars. While the vast majority of the contents of the MAOF website is in Russian, texts originally written in English are provided in the original [2] as well as in Russian.
There are arguably about 250 millions of Russian-speakers worldwide and many of them do not read English. The indisputable motivation for the author’s permission was to grant those millions of disadvantaged people the grand benefit of reading the author’s ruminations. If the author is ever maliciously accused that his tacit motivation for authorising the publication was his craving to be listed along with the above-mentioned distinguished writers, his plea will definitely be “nolo contendere”.
The editors of MAOF expressed their gratitude by granting the undersigned a privilege that no other author got – the opportunity to review and correct the Russian translation before publication. The original letters of the undersigned are at [3] and their Russian version is at [4]. At of today, only two letters are posted but several other letters are pending translation.
You are kindly ENCOURAGED TO RECOMMEND the MAOF website to your friends and colleagues worldwide, particularly those who speak Russian. Those who do not enjoy the benefit of proficiency in the exquisite Russian language can find many thought-provoking and inspiring articles about Middle-Eastern and world affairs in the English section [2].
Sincerely,
Haim Goldman
28.10.2006
REFERENCES:
[1] http://maof.rjews.net
[2] section.php3? sid=37&num=25
[3] authorg.php3? id=2107&type=a
[4] authorg.php3? id=2166&type=a