Eretz Israel is our unforgettable historic homeland...The Jews who will it shall achieve their State...And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all mankind. (Theodor Herzl, DerJudenstaat, 1896)

We offer peace and amity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and development of the Middle East.
(From Proclamation of the State of Israel, 5 Iyar 5708; 14 May 1948)

With a liberal democratic political system operating under the rule of law, a flourishing market economy producing technological innovation to the benefit of the wider world, and a population as educated and cultured as anywhere in Europe or North America, Israel is a normal Western country with a right to be treated as such in the community of nations.... For the global jihad, Israel may be the first objective. But it will not be the last. (Friends of Israel Initiative)

Thursday 15 October 2015

Palestinian Nihilism & Israel's Response (video) plus That Old Golden Rule

Two days ago, Mark Regev sets the BBC's Evan Davis straight:


A must-read article on the current situation in Israel by Isi Leibler here

Incidentally, in  his syndicated column today, the admirable Australian commentator Andrew Bolt, in deploring prime minister Malcolm Turnbull's sleight-of-hand, head-in-the-sand insistence that Islam, no less than Christianity, recognises the "Golden Rule" to do unto others as you would be done by, appears, though certainly not from any malicious motive, to believe that the Golden Rule exists only in Christianity.

Not quite true, Andrew.  Look here, for example:
'The Talmud tells a story of Rabbi Hillel, who lived around the time of Jesus. A pagan came to him saying that he would convert to Judaism if Hillel could teach him the whole of the Torah in the time he could stand on one foot. Rabbi Hillel replied, "What is hateful to yourself, do not do to your fellow man. That is the whole Torah; the rest is just commentary. Go and study it." (Talmud Shabbat 31a). Sounds a lot like Jesus' "Golden Rule"? But this idea was a fundamental part of Judaism long before Hillel or Jesus. It is a common-sense application of the Torah commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (Lev. 19:18), which Rabbi Akiba described as the essence of the Torah (according to Rashi's commentary on the verse).'

2 comments:

  1. Actually it turns out variations of the GR are in every ethic and religion, including Islam!

    Amazing eh?

    I had the same reaction to Bolt's comment,then looked it up a bit more.

    The GR does not negate jihad however, as we see every day.

    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete

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