Tuesday, February 9, 2010

A Letter to Sir Elton John

Dear Sir,

I have learned of a letter addressed to you from English Academics urging you to cancel your performance in Israel.

I beg of you disregard their nonsense and do not be fooled by their bigoted information, because that is exactly what it is.

As an Israeli I cannot tell you how important it is for us to have someone of your magnitude with us.
 
These academics speak of Palestinians being stuck in ghettos. Maybe they should explain to you why these Palestinians chose to turn their back on peace in 2000, throwing away the opportunity of statehood, for war -- Arafat's "Second Intifada."

The academics also choose to ignore the 8000-plus (and counting) rockets shot into Israel from the Palestinian Territory, which led to the Gaza offensive. From that offensive the Goldstone Report came into being, to which they love to point.

Ask these academics to explain why the UN did not have a report carried out after Israel unilaterally left the Gaza strip in 2005, when rockets immediately began hitting Israeli territory, indiscriminately targeting civilians ( which is a war crime). These rockets were shot long before Israel decided to defend herself and right after she handed all the Territory of Gaza over to the Palestinians. 

Please have them explain why the Palestinians of Gaza, instead of using the hothouses left behind by Israelis ( forcefully removed by their own government after living in this territory for 30 years) to create an industry and a foundation for their state, instead opted to vote Hamas into power and start a war of attrition with Israel by continually shooting rockets into her territory.

Even better, have them explain why it would be fine for you to sing in Damascus, even though the Assad government is responsible for the atrocities of Hama where at least 25,000 Syrians were killed.

Better yet, have them explain why it would be o.k. for you to sing in the West Bank, where homosexuals are dragged into town squares and stoned to death just because they are gay; where women have no rights all under the PA, the supposed moderates next to Hamas! 

Have them explain why it would be all right for you to sing in Jordan where it is illegal for a Jew to buy land (talk about Apartheid!). Why would it be acceptable for you to sing in Istanbul, the seat of a government that carried out the massacre of more than a million Armenians and a country that still won’t recognize this fact today!

Sir Elton, have them explain to you why it is acceptable for them that Israeli children have been terrorized by thousands of rockets. Ask them why it is all right for them that these children suffer from Post Traumatic Syndrome at ages so young. You might also remind them that many of these children would be dead if Israel behaved like Hamas and used them as human shields.

Sir Elton, ask these righteous academics to look in their own hearts, to examine their own motives. If they could truly look into the past of this whole region -- without the taint of any prejudice against Jews -- they would have to admit that the British Empire bears a huge portion of responsibility for the turmoil and continual conflict that has plagued our lands – the British Mandate period being only one of the many “occupied” instances in England’s long history as a colonial power.  

Finally, Sir Elton, I ask of you for my nation: come see for yourself, speak to us, realize how much we truly want peace. See what has happened in Sederot; see what has happened in the north of Israel. By doing this, by coming to Israel, you will be supporting peace.

Your presence would support a peace that is fair for Israel and fair for the Palestinians; peace that sees Israel as the Jewish State for the Jewish nation and Palestine for the Palestinian nation --two countries standing side by side living in acceptance, if not necessarily in harmony.

Thank you very much for your time.