From the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea is Israel proper. It is not the West Bank. It is not Gaza. It is a call for the eradication of Israel. There is no way to read it as a call for equal rights or democracy. (I pause to remind you that Israel, the only democracy in that area, includes Arab Israelis who are represented in the Kineset and on the Israeli supreme court.) The phrase is a call for the elimination of Israel and extermination of the Israelis. It is cut and dry. There is no alternate reading except by those too ignorant of the geography of Israel to understand what it means, and who, therefore, should not be repeating it.
Maybe instead of equating "from the river to the sea" with "all lives matter", it would be more accurate to equate it with a phrase such as "go back to Africa", which is similar because it plainly means "we don't want your kind here". And if someone said it, they might protest being labeled as racist because they were just wishing for African Americans to return to seize their African birthright. It would still be a hateful, racist remark that no African American would or should take any other way.
With regard to the so-called refugees - approximately 700,000 Arabs fled or were ejected from the territory of Israel proper. They were not absorbed into the surrounding countries and communities. Many still live in refugee communities called camps, but are actually permanent housing, including highrise buildings with electricity and plumbing (which would work better if Hamas hadn't used metal pipes intended for sewers to make rockets - and then brag about it on Al Jazeera). Meanwhile 800,000 Jews were ejected or fled Moslem countries since 1947. They were welcomed into Israel or found a new home in other countries such as the United States. They have not maintained some sort of refugee status for nearly 80 years (3-4 generations).
Why does Israel have some claim on the Golan Heights, the West Bank, and Gaza? Because the territories were taken in wars that were started by several countries that attacked Israel at the same time. Multiple times. The territory included Sinai, which was returned to Egypt in a land for peace deal.
No one in these conflicts have clean hands, including Israel, but distortion of history to make Israel the absolute villain, and to make the Palestinians the innocent victims, is dishonest. You have the right to criticize Israel and her policies and actions regarding the Palestinians, but you do not have the right to rewrite history and call yourself an honest observer and commentator. I am very disappointed in you, Glenn.
I say "From the Sea to the River" and instantly you know what I mean. These are just words and fall within the definition of free speech. The implications may be obvious but while the maxim is on its face benign, it is free speech. Another example is "making lemonade from the lemons avaiable".
Ask B+N clerks about calendars or greeting cards and they will show their stuff. Find an independent book store and avoid Amazon and B+N. Order the book if they don’t have it.
B+N is honestly the closest bookstore to my house and after the tragic closing of Borders I will support any brick and mortar store if they are selling the book I want. I am not yet entirely weaned off Amazon because I will buy from them if the book has to be here in 3 days and I have a very large shopping cart to add things to if I am in danger of forgetting them.
Some reality for Glenn and BF-S to consider while ensconced in their ivory towers.
https://nypost.com/2024/07/26/opinion/kamala-harris-proves-shes-no-real-friend-to-israel/
From the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea is Israel proper. It is not the West Bank. It is not Gaza. It is a call for the eradication of Israel. There is no way to read it as a call for equal rights or democracy. (I pause to remind you that Israel, the only democracy in that area, includes Arab Israelis who are represented in the Kineset and on the Israeli supreme court.) The phrase is a call for the elimination of Israel and extermination of the Israelis. It is cut and dry. There is no alternate reading except by those too ignorant of the geography of Israel to understand what it means, and who, therefore, should not be repeating it.
Maybe instead of equating "from the river to the sea" with "all lives matter", it would be more accurate to equate it with a phrase such as "go back to Africa", which is similar because it plainly means "we don't want your kind here". And if someone said it, they might protest being labeled as racist because they were just wishing for African Americans to return to seize their African birthright. It would still be a hateful, racist remark that no African American would or should take any other way.
With regard to the so-called refugees - approximately 700,000 Arabs fled or were ejected from the territory of Israel proper. They were not absorbed into the surrounding countries and communities. Many still live in refugee communities called camps, but are actually permanent housing, including highrise buildings with electricity and plumbing (which would work better if Hamas hadn't used metal pipes intended for sewers to make rockets - and then brag about it on Al Jazeera). Meanwhile 800,000 Jews were ejected or fled Moslem countries since 1947. They were welcomed into Israel or found a new home in other countries such as the United States. They have not maintained some sort of refugee status for nearly 80 years (3-4 generations).
Why does Israel have some claim on the Golan Heights, the West Bank, and Gaza? Because the territories were taken in wars that were started by several countries that attacked Israel at the same time. Multiple times. The territory included Sinai, which was returned to Egypt in a land for peace deal.
No one in these conflicts have clean hands, including Israel, but distortion of history to make Israel the absolute villain, and to make the Palestinians the innocent victims, is dishonest. You have the right to criticize Israel and her policies and actions regarding the Palestinians, but you do not have the right to rewrite history and call yourself an honest observer and commentator. I am very disappointed in you, Glenn.
I say "From the Sea to the River" and instantly you know what I mean. These are just words and fall within the definition of free speech. The implications may be obvious but while the maxim is on its face benign, it is free speech. Another example is "making lemonade from the lemons avaiable".
Important to remember that the maximalists on the other side, people part of Bibi's cabinet like Smotrich, are enacting policies much akin to this.
Even store employees at Barnes & Noble could not find the book and it is just going in the 3 Weeks haul from Bookshop.org at this point.
Ask B+N clerks about calendars or greeting cards and they will show their stuff. Find an independent book store and avoid Amazon and B+N. Order the book if they don’t have it.
B+N is honestly the closest bookstore to my house and after the tragic closing of Borders I will support any brick and mortar store if they are selling the book I want. I am not yet entirely weaned off Amazon because I will buy from them if the book has to be here in 3 days and I have a very large shopping cart to add things to if I am in danger of forgetting them.
* And Penn Press did not tell me that they had credit card issues with filling my order so I prefer not to deal with them directly ever again.