The Russel Tribunal for Palestine is supported by among other Ilan Pappe, Ken Loach and John Pilger. There is also a Norwegian onboard, Mr. Johan Galtung – above behind the rostrum at what appears to be a Turkish university. Below you see a section from a transcript from his lecture, where Mr.Galtung identifies Israel’s policies as a “replay of the Warsaw ghetto“. Mr. Galtung states that this is “psychologically easy to understand“.
One may glean a modest measure of Mr.Galtung’s wisdom by studying this section in Norwegian daily Aftenposten, where the academic suggests how to solve a number of problems: Issues related to Israel are best solved at a Munich-type conference where the USA may participate only as an observer, the West may best seek its peace with the Islamists by apologizing for the crusades, WWII was mainly caused by the unfairness of the Versailles treaty, etc.
“Trondheim is GALTUNGLAND”
In November in 2009 the international academic community pleaded with Norwegian University NTNU (in Trondheim) that they not boycott Israel. At the time, a knowledgable Canadian remarked on the SPME’s counter-boycott call:” Trondheim is GALTUNGLAND“.
If only Mr.Galtung was alone. Yet he is not the only starry-eyed dreamer seeking solutions to problems far beyond his means of understanding – there is an entire host of people like him out and about. As Robin Shephard correctly points out in his book “A nation beyond the Pale”, standing up to people like Mr.Galtung has less to do with Israel than it has with the soul of Europe. What sort of nations are we, what are our values, and what are we willing to sacrifice in order to keep them?
[...] Here is the original:Â Johan Galtung finds Gaza 'a replay of the Warsaw ghetto' | Norway … [...]
[...] Johan Galtung finds Gaza ‘a replay of the Warsaw ghetto’ | Norway, Israel and the jews [...]
Who is the author of this “editorial”? Historically, comparisons of atrocities are fodder for understanding the psychology behind victims becoming as ruthless (and in the case of Israel, so strikingly akin that it is without contemporary similarities. It is only Israel that finds this sort of discourse unacceptable (and hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and a good measure of grandiosity, this quote: …he is not the only starry-eyed dreamer seeking solutions to problems far beyond his means of understanding” Please provide an unbiased rationalization of this remark; also, please provide a reason–one will do–as to why Israel, transparent as it is, represents something (if one is no Jewish) of beyond the means of understanding. Prof. Galtung, if this critic actually listened to, much less read, his work…well, I don’t think it would make one bit of difference.
Moderation? Well, my colleagues will wait (on baited breath) to see if my reply “passes the test of “awaiting moderation” or was simply a waste of my time. In future, please indicate whether your forum has censors so that concerned readers do not expend energy better targeting audiences in line with what the internet (Usenet specifically) used to be.
Dear Masopes
It makes very little sense to compare Gaza to the Warsaw ghetto of WWII. As anyone with knowledge of European history can tell you, the events taking place are just to dissimilar. It’s like comparing apples and oranges, it’s just not how things are done.
Yours sincerely
Christian Tau
Dear Masopes
My apologies for not answering sooner. Who are your colleagues, by the way?
Best
Christian Tau