Dirlik, Frankel,
Groves & more!

[Re: “Frankel happy, sad,” Letters, Feb. 11] Though Ken Frankel is undisputedly an incompetent defender of Israel, finding “better qualified apologists” will not redeem the tragedy of Zionism. Admittedly, his level of sheer vacuousness renders him a near parody—so much so that a colleague only half-jokingly suggested “Frankel” must actually be a devious Palestinian posing as an exceptionally inept Israel supporter only to discredit Zionism. Such a ruse would be unnecessary, however, because Zionism has already been exposed not only as a catastrophe (naqba) for Palestinians, but also as a terrible mistake for Jews.

Sold as a solution for anti-Semitism, the forceful transformation of a predominantly Arab Palestine into a Jewish state only spread the largely European virus of Jew-hatred to the Arab and Muslim worlds. And established to provide security, Israel instead became one of the most dangerous places on earth for Jews, with East Jerusalem and Hebron more dangerous for them than even Berlin or Tehran.

No one can blame such a historically oppressed people for wanting a country of their own. No one can fault the Jewish determination that “never again” will a Shoah occur. But Israel’s creation—and especially its continued expansionism—offers absolutely no guarantee against that. The opposite is true, considering the concentration of world Jewry in a tiny enclave, coupled with the inevitable proliferation of ever-more lethal weapons in the hands of its growing list of enemies.

As with other social experiments, the ideals of Zionism were lofty in theory but turned toxic when practised. The perfectly normal quest for safety and dignity only sowed hatred and bloodshed when enforced by a state that deprived others of the same. Intone “peace” all you want, but occupy another people and the result is resentment and rage.

Native-born Palestinian farmers in the West Bank struggle to feed their families because Israeli authorities regularly deny them permits to dig new wells to irrigate their fields, while almost within sight, newly arrived Jewish settlers from Brooklyn and Toronto splash about in swimming pools as no such restrictions apply to them. This is Zionism in action. Yet astonishingly, many Montrealers still merrily send their children on “birthright” junkets to “feel Jewish” and “support Israel.” 

Separation of church and state was undoubtedly one of Enlightenment’s most civilizing concepts, and the proof is in the pudding. In Outremont and other cosmopolitan districts, green-haired anarchists, hijab-wearing Muslims and orthodox Haredim all share the same sidewalks. There are no suicide bombers, no checkpoints and no humiliations. Such enviable co-existence is only possible because no religious group dominates the other, as in Israel—or Saudi Arabia.

The difference is that while there are very few apologists in the West for Wahabism, there are many vociferous ones for Zionism. Some are bungling Frankels, others silver-tongued Dershowitzes. But all still shamelessly peddle a bankrupt and blood-soaked ideology.

>>John Dirlik

When Ken Frankel accuses me of using “false quotations,” is he referring to the editorial line in the Suburban that described Hebron mosque mass-killer Baruch Goldstein as a man who “loved Israel more than life itself?” To Sarah Palin’s remark that she was delighted to be hired by a “fair and balanced” news channel like Fox? Or to his own words that Israel is “the only country on Earth deserving of one”?

Uncharacteristically, Frankel seems to have made a blatantly false accusation. But I’m certain it was an honest mistake since Zionists never lie.

>>Shirely Groves

Why does Ken Frankel have so much damn time on his hands? Does he not have something more important to do, like, say, a job? Hey Ken, why not let a few other people have something to say next week. You are starting, no, you have, become very boring.

>>Will N. Dowd

Why does the Mirror consistently print letters from that muppet Ken Frankel? It’s just validation for more of his ridiculous rants.

Maybe you guys should give him his own column, which we can studiously ignore. Otherwise please make some room for other letters!

Love your paper.

>>Shawn

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