Todd M. Davis – 3/9/08

This page was last updated on March 9, 2008.

U.S. sees through Israel’s eyes; Todd M. Davis; Beaver County Times; March 9, 2008.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I just returned from Israel and Palestine.”

[RWC] Though there’s an area commonly referred to as Palestine, there is no country with this name.

“The purpose of the trip was to visit the indigenous Christians of the land. We know them as the Palestinians.

[RWC] Is Mr. Davis seriously trying to tell us the vast majority of “Palestinians” are “indigenous Christians?”

“Our group visited Palestinian refugee camps in Jericho, Nazareth, Bethlehem and Ramallah.”

[RWC] It would be interesting to know who “Our group” was.

“I met Palestinians who are physically and spiritually beautiful. I met Palestinians who spoke of the Beatitudes and how important it is not to react violently, even though they have suffered 60 years of violence committed against them by the new state of Israel.”

[RWC] Regarding the comment about “Palestinians who spoke of the Beatitudes and how important it is not to react violently,” I guess these aren’t the same Palestinians who lob missiles into Israel when they aren’t strapping bombs on their kids.

“I met Muslims who are enormously hospitable in spite of the prejudice against them.”

[RWC] I assume these weren’t the same Muslim Palestinians we saw celebrating and dancing in the streets on September 11, 2001.

“And I met Jews calling upon their government to end the occupation and its continued taking of Palestinian lands.”

[RWC] If Mr. Davis would check his history, he’d find the UN in 1948 – right or wrong – divvied up Palestine to form Israel, but I suspect he already knows this.

“It has been said that America is a giant that sees with the eyes of Israel. Unfortunately, that proved true again in an overly large front-page color photo on Feb. 29 of damage done by a rocket fired from Gaza.”

[RWC] “It has been said” by whom?

“We are challenged because our media, our political leaders and much of our popular religion seem only committed to showing us one perspective. Sometimes in the interest of peace and justice, it is necessary to see things from differing points of view.”

[RWC] I wonder what Mr. Davis’ spin is regarding the killing of eight (all but one were teenagers) in a Jewish seminary by a Muslim Palestinian gunman on March 6th. According to MSNBC, “Hamas [a Muslim terrorist group] militants in the Gaza Strip praised the operation, and thousands of Palestinians took to the streets of Gaza to celebrate.” Are these the “Muslims who are enormously hospitable” Mr. Davis wrote about above?

When someone speaks “of peace and justice,” it’s time to put on your body armor and take cover.

“After a full and fair evaluation involving several perspectives, we can make up our minds. Hopefully, someday we will be able view this tragic Middle East conflict with our own eyes.”

[RWC] I think I know through whose eyes Mr. Davis sees the Middle East.

If you want to argue whether or not the UN was right in forming Israel, you have a legitimate argument. The fact is, however, Israel has been a legitimate state for 60 years and has been under attack the whole time. While the Israelis aren’t saints, Mr. Davis’ letter is fantasy.