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Yesterday's Israel Day Parade along Fifth Avenue attracted thousands of people during this 60th anniversary of Israel's founding. One parade watcher told the AP, "It's important to show our solidarity with the only Democratic state in the Mideast."
Mayor Bloomberg, NY Governor David Paterson and NJ Governor Jon Corzine were at the head of the parade, which included floats, performers, and students from yeshivas and Jewish day schools. Cheers of "We've come along way!" were also heard in what's considered the "largest Jewish community parade in the world."
This year, parade organizers made an effort to reach out to the area's Israeli immigrant community, noting the event may have been perceived as an American Jewish celebration. Well, as one woman, who was watching her 13-year-old son march and ran into childhood friends, put it, "Everybody's kvelling over everyone else's kids. It's a big social event."
Photograph of an Israel Day Parade reveler after the parade by zodak on Flickr
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Lets celebrate the founding of Israel and the beginning of 60 years of Palestinian oppression and bloodshed!
yay
Where's the love for the Filipino day parade?
free palestine.
Israel-Palestine (one state, not two) is now about 42% Arab and counting.
only 3 anti-semites on gothamist? not bad.
Yeah I was expecting more, because you know, being against anything Israel does automatically makes you an Anti-Semite. Obviously!
Congrats to Israel!!!
Kojak, do not want to get personal with you, so instead I advise you read up on some history books (not published on oil money), not even the Bible, and learn exactly what the territories of modern Israel looked like and how they were populated in the beginning of last century, and what proceeded to happen in the middle east once modern Israel was established.
Then I suggest you visit Israel and talk to normal arabs living there, ask them in private and in confidence how they feel about Israel, and then ask televised "suffering" arabs why they still live there if there is so much "oppression" and arabic "blood shed".
The Palestinians haven't been "oppressed for 60 years—get your facts straight–it's about 40 years, and they're hardly oppressed. The Lebonese Jordanians and Egyptians have been and continue to treat Palestinians worse than Israel ever has. The Israeli/Palestinian conflict only gets press because it's the black/white phenomenon... Arab vs. Jew.
Kojak, this is exactly the kind of crap people like you try to justify.
When the local Arabs rejected the Balfour Declaration of 1917, because they refused to share the land with local Jews, they turned down their opportunity to establish a real Palestinian country for themselves. The reason we celebrate the establishment of Israel is because the people made the land bloom, they have achieved more in less time than any other country, brought forth technology we now all take for granted and most of all, Israel has ALWAYS allowed for people to practice complete freedom of religion. "Palestinian oppression and bloodshed"??? hardly! Palestinians used to move freely between Gaza and the West Bank to live and work and try to make life better for their families. This ONLY ended when terrorists and extremists (like Arafat, who also stole countless millions from the Palestinian people) managed to advocate violence as their sole tool.
Don't you dare accuse Israel of bloodshed when Hamas and PA tv stations and education programs teach their kids ONLY to hate, and to kill and kill themselves in the hopes of killing Jews, and that the purpose of their life is to die young. In Israel, throughout the country, peace is advocated and a real desire to live in peace is constantly shown as they teach peace, and they left Gaza and got rockets in return, and give land in the hopes it will yield positive results, but all it does is tell Palestinians and the arab/muslim countries that use the poor palis as pawns to keep attacking and prevents normalization of relationships. AND, btw, do a little research into the Jordanian massacre of Palestinians in 1970. Kojak, you are a total jackass.
I don't see how observing that 42% of the population governed by the state of Israel is Arab is "anti-Semitic". It's just a fact. The immediate consequence is that Israel does not equal "Jew", "Jews", or "Jewish", nor do any of the latter words equal "Israel" or "Israeli" -- obviously. People may wish otherwise, but the facts are as they are.
Where do you people get 42%? It's like 20%, and yes, Israel is a JEWISH state, a JEWISH homeland, and that is why the national government respects the Sabbath and Jewish holidays, etc. Oh yeah, and take a look at the flag.
You people make me sick.
JaJa, "You would be punctilious in assuming that".
JK, i am not sure about all of these guys.:)
You bet we are. It's a little something called being proud of your heritage and history regardless of agreements/disagreements with the government as it stands today.
Please remember that the people are what make a country. Just like many Americans who are completely embarrassed by some actions of the American government.
jaja = asshole
So what? Is this Jew-labeling day? Should we force them to have yellow stars of David above their names in the same place you've chosen to display the calling card of an alleged serial killer?
Only democratic state in the Middle East?
What about Iraq and Afghanistan?
No, seriously, you forgot Turkey. Palestinians also hold elections; funny they never voted to give the Israeli military free reign over their territory.
"Don't you dare accuse Israel of bloodshed"
The Israeli government is just as guilty for the many deaths in the region as the PA and Hamas is.
"real desire to live in peace "
lol right. Such a peace loving nation with such a large nuclear arsenal and massive military, supported and paid for in part by us of course.
The Balfour Declaration is a perfect example of how British Intervention into the Middle East as well as Africa, Asia, etc can cause conflict that can last for generations. I'm not saying the idea of Israel is a mistake, but plopping the Jewish Homeland in a region where the surrounding area dislikes you is not the best idea in the world.
6o years of a titanic historical mistake. Woo Hoo. The U.N. should be abolished on that alone; but since we're here blowing out candles, let's remember those Palestinians that are treated like jews in prewar Germany by these "democratic", "sophisticated" Israelis.
What a clusterfuck of a thread.
Anyway, peace in the middle east.
I hope that isn't anti-arab or anti-semetic or something.
jaja007 = stupid
i've made my ethnicity known on this blog a number of times.
zodak ≠ jew
stick to the jokes jaja007.
Israel wasn't "plopped down" as you/Iran want people to believe. There is an extensive few thousands of years of history that detail why this land is our home in addition to being the object of desire of so many other people.
Calling out the Israeli nuclear arsenal is a pathetic attempt to divert attention from all the good Israel and its people have brought to the world. Has Israel EVER threatened another nation with nuclear weapons? NEVER! The "strategic ambiguity" is a defensive measure that Israel has been forced to adopt because since the day Israel was founded, the armies of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon all attacked at once with significantly bigger/better equipped armies.
Taking my comment out of context won't help your argument either, Kojackass. Visit Israel and see the freedoms that arab countries rarely give their people. Look at the schools and kids programming on both sides and you tell me who wants peace and who thrives on bloodshed. I'm certainly not saying the Israeli government is innocent of wrongdoings. No one is perfect, that is for sure, but at least the Israelis try to learn from their mistakes.
The reality here, is that you have no idea what you're talking about.
SonyActivision, I have not heard a more idiotic and farther fetched line than yours about palestinians treated like jews in pre-war Germany!!! It is not only totally incorrect and provocative, but also is actually insulting on many levels and should be moderated!
Matty, there wont be peace in the Middle East unless one or more of the following takes place:
1) Viable alternative energy source is found and western world stops being dependant on oil - oil producers in the middle east will lose the source of easy money and will start facing tremendous internal political and economical problems and will have no resources to support anti-Israeli propaganda. This is unlikely to happen in the next 50 years.
2) Israel ceases to exist - in this case the western world will have no protection in the face of Israel from the anger, lunacy and madness of islamo fashism. Nearsighted "liberals" like some posters here will face the music.
3) All of the western developed world stops being political prostitutes, unites in dealing with Middle East and actively supporting Israel's right to exist and defend itself, educates the population about the true history of Middle East, the real meaning of the word "palestine" and the roots of anti-Israeli movements.
60 years of Israel! But, for you, because you have a nice face, only 45!
avaz383 - so how many years of history does it take for a territory belong to a certain people? did you want to go ahead and pose that question to the native americans? your logic dictates that because someone was inhabiting a particular territory 'first' that it somehow belongs to them for all time. if israel belongs to the jews/israelis, then surely the entire western hemisphere belongs to the native americans, yeah? right.
how is your zionist, reactionary, right wing viewpoint any better than the radicals (read: hamas, fatah, other pro-palestinian organizations) to whom you are so vehemently opposed? radicalism and/or fanaticism on either side solves nothing.
The Palestinians have had as long as history as the Israelis in the region. You can go back and forth for a thousand years arguing who was there first.
"Has Israel EVER threatened another nation with nuclear weapons?"
Its called a Nuclear Deterrent for a reason. You never have to threaten anyone publicly, just having and making everyone know that you have it is threatening enough. The threat of assured distruction is enough to keep anyone else from using the bomb against them, but not from developing it. Why do you think Iran is developing one right now? Israel opened a Pandora's box by introducing the bomb into the region and developing it in secret, against the wishes of many western countries. But the US doesn't have the balls to admonish them because, you know...
In NO way were their armies better equipped and armed than the Israelis during those wars. The one thing Israel has was superior firepower and tactical skill, even though they were outnumbered.
Let's face it. The Palestinians are just as pathetic as the Israelis. Or put it another way. The Israelis are just as pathetic as the Palestinians.
Or to put it in yet another way: God hates Jews and Muslims ... and Christians ... and Buddhists ... and Hindus. God hates everyone. God hates you. Now make God proud by hating. Nice, God, nice.
Reminder: No country has a fundamental "right to exist."
Kojak, WOW, you missed the whole point. The point is, learn about history first. During the war of independence in 1948, EVERY army fighting Israel had larger AND better supplied armies. PERIOD. Just plain facts of history. One reason they all lost despite better weapons, etc. is because they were not coordinated, and each arab country wanted to divide up the land for themselves...the Palestinians would be in the same situation today with no country of their own. Secondly, learn how to spell. Thirdly, Israel has NOT made known their weapons cache, precisely as to avoid an arms race.
Droog, you need to re-read the posts. I'm specifically not right-wing, it's called being moderate when you are aware of wrong doing on both sides. And yes, the native americans are entitled to much more than they have. Just like New Mexico, arizona, and southern california belong to Mexico...but you don't see mexicans sending suicide bombers into the US, not firing rockets at schools and towns, because they, UNLIKE the palestinian extremists, value life. I never said Israel was an innocent victim at the end of the day, but they DO value and respect life, like western/civilized nations.
If you want to talk about logics of people being in a land therefore, "making it their own", that happens to be the only way human history has EVER worked. Wake up and smell the reality of the world.
and "Alex", you're a moron.
I don't know if the Iran reference is quite correct. They'd be developing the bomb no matter what Israel did or didn't do. Their president is a Shia kook who believes that the world is going to end soon with the resurrection of the 12th imam (or something like that) and would gladly have the bomb just to intimidate the region's Sunni majority (which may be why Saudi Arabia and Egypt are now rumored to be purusing their own nuclear programs). Oh, and of course the US devil having thousands of warheads mounted in ICBMs that could pop out of the ocean any time motivates them as well.
avaz383, arguing/debating with you is clearly a waste of time. you claim to back up your argument with history, but then state that 'western/civilized nations' value and respect life. like nazi germany. or stalinst russia. or jacksonian era united states. or victorian/imperial england. or late 19th century belgium. europe during the crusades. fascist italy. franco's spain. did you want another 10-20 examples of western 'civilization?' reality of the world is clearly something that escaped you some time ago. enjoy your revisionist history.
You wish your point had any validity droog. My statement of citing history and my statement that unlike extremist palis who wish they could have more kids to blow themselves up, that Israelis teach respect for those of different cultures has nothing to do with your claims of nazi germany, etc. being considered as western/civilized. What on earth are you comparing the slaughter of over 8 million people etc., to?
You are twisting the topic at hand and have shown yourself to nothing more than a bulls*** artist.
This forum was intended to be a discussion of why we are celebrating the State of Israel's 60th birthday and why arguments of Palestinian suffering are unrelated because the only people TRULY harming them are themselves and their "leaders".
You're a true putz for claiming i'm a revisionist, mostly because you didn't make any sense with that silly claim.
Jenchungsbra, also, the Iran reference IS correct because it's not about what Israel is/isn't doing, it was about the Iranian government/president saying ridiculous things like, lets make a Jewish homeland in Europe or Alaska. I agree wit you they'd be pursuing nuclear weapons no matter what because their president is in fact, to put it mildly, a kook.
oops, now i see you were referring to kojakass's comment...nevermind
your name calling says it all, avaz, not to mention the fact that you don't even (nor could you) understand my argument. look, tell your public school elementary teachers to give you a decent history text, ok? then maybe you can come back and talk with the adults. ok, run along now. bye-bye.
Get a life droog. Silly name calling is the same as childing taunting. If you make a real point, I'll consider a real discussion. And again, way to stick to the topic.
Oy, this inflation. It used to be "six million", now it's up to 8 million? How much is that in Euros?
You have a point Bra. We may be the great Satan but I'm sure Israel having the bomb gives them a lot more anxiety than just the US having it. Hell it even makes me uneasy.
"EVERY army fighting Israel had larger AND better supplied armies. PERIOD"
Larger yes, but not better equipped. It helps when you have the United Kingdom, and later the United States supplying you with some of the best Tanks and Fighters available (Not to mention training). Israel wouldn't be there right now without British and American support.
Oh for fucks sake Avaz383, your more biased and one sided against Palestinians than most people. What Hebrew school boot camp did you attend?
Dadoc, 6 million Jews, another 2 million or so were killed that were not Jewish. Don't forget that the Nazi's didn't JUST kill Jews, they killed others as well...many others.
Kojakass, YES, EVERY army during the WAR OF INDEPENDENCE in 1948. And it is true that without the UK and US help the situation would be unimaginably worse...so then tell me, you klingon-lookin-mofo, what mosque and imam made you their bitch? At least we can think for ourselves. My argument isn't against the palestinians, but it IS made in the hopes that people realize that if any arab country actaully wanted to help them they could, but instead they use them as pawns. The truth is, the palis are the lowest rung of the muslim/arab world and are treated as such. Israel provides them more health care, energy, education, water, food, work, medical supplies than anyone. The reality, there is no other nation in the world that would supply power etc. to a people committed to their destruction. If I was a totally biased right-winger, i'd be saying shit like "kill em all" BUT nothing like that is coming from me. It is in Israels best interest to have a peaceful/stable Palestinian country, but its tough when they don't want to share the land, they want it all. It is tough when they don't renounce violence as their only means of getting what they want, and it certainly isn't easy when, for example, Israel leaves gaza, they leave operational greenhouses in the hopes that these people will grow food for themselves, etc. but instead they are all torn apart for scrap metal, some of which definitely went to build kassam rockets to fire at little towns near the border. You and people like you make me sick.
Avaz, I know my history, and lotsa folks died in the early 40s. Slavs, Gypsies, political dissidents, Soldiers from US, Russia, Britain, Australia, Canada, etc. In case you missed it,my remark was just a little poke. As we all know, WWII only consisted of the Nazi attempt at exterminating one religion, the foundation of Israel, and the multiple books/movies/laws/BS that resulted. Had nothing to do with Versailles, WWI, all of Asia, Stalin & the aftermath of the '17 revolution, etc. You don't solve probs on a blog. And you're not educating anyone, just espousing. I hope the parade was full of fun & pride. As I also hope for the Indian Parade, St. Patrick's, and the West Indian & Puerto Rican parades. I won't be debating, and please ignore the trolls.
Be well & enjoy
All the best to you Mr. dadoc.
and p.s., the total estimated deaths during ww2 was something like 72 million...
Yeah that's right, Kreo, I'm the first person to ever make that comparison. So go ahead and refute it. Even grownuphitler didn't build a wall that physically divided his country simply out of hatred. (although Ramallah looks increasingly like good old Warsaw) And let's see, Hitler dispossesed the german jews and Israel has dispossesed the Palestinians. Check. Hitler intimidated and publicly scorn jews while Israelis do likewise to the Palestinians. Check.And Hitler early on tried to remove as many jews from Germany like Israel did, creating a Palestinian diaspora throughout the region. Check. On and on it goes. But I should be "moderated" because you're all sensitive to such comparisons. Well walk in the shoes of any average unemployed Palestinian refugee and tell me different, you schmuck!
And Avaz383, get back in the Schmirra van. I hear there's a black teenager three blocks over with a new ipod he obviously could never afford.
Hey Sony, is your icon a self-portrait? Cause you sound like a hill-billy bumpkin who loves the BBC. You can only wish I was an orthodox Jew in bed-stuy so that you can continue to feed your ridiculous and hate-filled stereotypes. Sorry, I'm not that religious. but...
CONGRATULATIONS! You've won the award for MOST UNIFORMED person on this thread! The trophy you've won that is shaped like a person with their head in the sand. Please come pick it up by banging your head repeatedly against the wall. It's really a very prestigious award that many people have been vying for. But for your comments, you really have stood out above the rest.
The average unemployed Palestinian wishes to their very soul that Israel was still in charge of Gaza and the West bank. it was only during that time that the average unemployed pali was well employed and providing a better future for their kids. Hitler didn't "remove" Jews, he had them killed and their possessions stolen. the wall is totally defensive and it works, and there are more pali rights groups in Israel than anywhere else. 100% unlike Nazi Germany. I feel sad for you and anyone who shares these twisted ideas. Go have a cup of tea with Ahmadinejad, you belong together.
excuse my typo, "Most Uninformed"
No coffee with Ahmedinejad necessary, I have a previous engagement with Ayatollah Khameni.
Oh, of course.
WHO GIVES A SHIT ,,,BOTH RACES SMELL AND STINK
I CANT STAND JEWS ,,OR PALESTINE,,GOD SHOULD SEND BOTH COUNTRIES TO HELL
^Get off this thread, troll. We're having a serious discussion about Mideast peace.