I must remind everyone: Even under such profound siege, Hamas has not stopped lobbing rockets into Israel. Nor did they cease during the so-called “cease fire.”
Nevertheless, anti-Israel demonstrations are taking place today, not only in New York City but, according to the Jewish Internet Defense Force (!), also in:
“Phoenix, Albion, Anaheim, Fort Bragg, LA, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Rosa, New Haven, Washington, DC, Fort Lauderdale, Ocala, Tampa, Honolulu, Chicago, New Orleans, Boston, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, the Twin Cities, Albuquerque, NYC, Cleveland, Columbus, Youngstown, Portland, Philly, Columbia, SC, Sioux Falls, Austin, Houston, Seattle, Tacoma, and in various countries like Chile (today, the 29th!), France (Lyon and Paris), Italy (Florence) and Wales.”
Yes, Virginia, there is a Jewish Internet Defense Force. And they are part of the YouTube “Smackdown” Corp. Here is the Smackdown creed:
“Our mission is to fight the spread of terrorist propaganda on YouTube. This is not an effort to stifle free speech. We value free speech as much as the next person. In fact, our efforts are to help protect that right to free speech we value so much. The terrorists use YouTube services for propaganda purposes and to recruit new members for the fight against the West. And make no mistake, those harabist, islamo-fascist terrorists who use our right to free speech, will take that right away if they win.
Some say, it is not worth the effort to fight the online cyber-jihad. “YouTube is not responsive,” they say. “Besides”, they add, “the harabists will just keep uploading their terrorist videos. What good is it to remove a few videos if they just keep coming back?” We beg to differ.
Soldiers are dying to protect our right to free speech on the battle fields of Iraq and Afghanistan. We need to help them by fighting on a battlefield we can impact. We need to help them by taking the terrorist’s recruiting tools away. We need to let the terrorists know the West is not going down without a fight. We need to let them know we are not going to sit here and allow them to use our services against us. The fight starts right here. Tell the terrorists we are coming. Tell them we will win!”
I dunno, sounds good to me.
Years ago, in 2001-2002, when I was working on The New Anti-Semitism, and for years afterwards, I felt I was almost alone when I called for a streamlined anti-propaganda effort. Separate groups emerged, each praiseworthy. CAMERA, DEBKA, HonestReporting.com, MEMRI, Palestinian Media Watch, WorldNetDaily, etc.–each de-constructed, translated, “spun” the bias right out of the news. I still dreamed of a concerted, Cabinet-level team, a War Room, both in the West and in Israel, that would counter the Islamist hate propaganda in all languages, all venues, and in every country– one that might also focus on de-programming.
As of today, I see that a grassroots, internet effort is fully underway, at least in English.
I remain ready to report for duty.
Stay tuned for the pro-Israel counter-demonstrations that are also ready, willing and able to report for duty on the pavement. Please send me your photos and I will publish them here.
I want to publicly thank Joy Wolfe for calling the internet forces to my attention and Gloria Greenfield for informing me that the anti-Israel protests in London turned dangerously violent.
Thank you for recognizing our effort. It means a lot, especially coming from you. If you are interested in learning more about our work feel free to drop us a line and we may correspond directly about the many problems we all face online, and the many was we are fighting them:
admin AT thejidf DOT org
Thanks again!
Thank you for highlighting how many anti-Zionist demonstrations are taking place around the world. This gave me much hope, you can try to stop people sharing knowledge about the crimes committed by the Israeli government on the internet, but you can’t stop the popular anti-zionist movement/ revolution that is taking place around the world this very minute.
I hope that 2009 will bring us closer to the end of zionism and an awakening of the jewish people, to the crimes committed by their government in the name of their religion and people. Your children will never be able to explain/ justify this history, one day your people will also join the revolution, like many already have.
Good luck with your efforts
Thank you for recognizing our effort. It means a lot, especially coming from you. If you are interested in learning more about our work feel free to drop us a line and we may correspond directly about the many problems we all face online, and the many ways we are fighting them:
admin AT thejidf DOT org
Thanks again!
(feel free to delete the first comment w/ the typo)
Thank you to Sobia Khan, for wishing for the elimination of Israel and for preaching genocide apparently. There already was a “revolution” against the Jewish people. Many of them, as a matter of fact. Despite your wishes, and those of your historical equivalents, we are still here and we will remain.
AM YISRAEL CHAI!
As a Roman Catholic American, let me express to you, the Jewish and Israeli people that I do personally support your actions against Hamas and am unbelievably disappointed in how the “international community” is ignoring the Hama threat that plagues Israel and threatens the innocent people on a daily basis.
Israel has a right to protect itself and yet when it does everyone goes up in arms over the action. When Hamas lauches katushya rockets at innocent infrastructures and people in Israel, no one bats an eye. It’s completely natural. This can go on for days, and weeks and kill a dozen or so innocent Israelis, but when the targeted country has enough and fights back to make them stop everyone all of sudden condemns Israel. It’s as if the world WANTS to see Israel get attacks and are throwing their support behind Hamas. It’s as if we’re supporting a terrorist organization – something completely contradicting to our war on terrorism.
How does any of this make sense? It doesn’t, but in the world we live in today no one dares to use any logical thinking and instead act on emotion or volume. I for one, throw my support behind Israel 100% and wish a hard blow to Hamas for good. You have supporters and count me as one of them.
-Kris
Thank you Phyllis Chesler for this article. It is heartening to know that There are some important people such as yourself that are telling the world the other side of the story.
Since when does a nation need “international approval” to defend itself from terrorist organizations? As I see it, Israel has been more than patient in attempting to negotiate with these animals, and Hamas continues to hammer them anyway.
The time has come for this nation to protect its people, and if the U.N. and other protestors cannot understand that, frankly who gives a damn? These people are the same ones who protect those who would happily spit on their heads (or decapitate them) if given the chance.
Israel must remain free of such lunatics, and must do everything in its power to keep themselves safe. The JIDF is just one of many who continues the fight against this Jihad.
there are more teams then just those
Everyone of us should become one and gather supporters around yourself
Dear Phyllis
How right you are!
Though we all expected the media to turn against Israel, it is still a painful experience to watch and read and hear the vicious litany of hatred, the endless repetition of every old slander against the Jews as child-killers and heartless murderers, and the inability of otherwise intelligent people to comprehend, let alone sympathize with, the citizens of Israel.
Norman
Im not fooled one bit by Muslims protesting the gaza war.Hamas brought this upon themselves and will be buried for it,either by Palestinians or the IDF or both.There is no difference between a zionist jew and a jew.Anti-zionism is just another word for anti-semetism.Its amusing to watch less educated folk talk to people trying to rationalize their position.
Its total hypocrisy to watch Muslims say nothing about the Mumbai attacks and yet come out of the woodwork to condemn Israel for defending itself.No,im not falling for this sheet coming from the leftist leaning media in Canada or the US.Hamas chose their fate.Destroy them Israel.For good.
To Kristofer Kaim: I, too, am a Roman Catholic American and I, like you, “throw my support behind Israel 100%…”
Saying “Israel has a right to protect itself and yet when it does everyone goes up in arms,” reminded me of the famous piece by American philosopher Eric Hoffer who made the same point in the LA Times in 1968: “The Jews are a peculiar people: things permitted to other nations are forbidden to the Jews… Other nations when victorious on the battlefield dictate peace terms. But when Israel is victorious it must sue for peace. Everyone expects the Jews to be the only real Christians in this world.”
Hoffer said that 40 years ago, so demonizing Israel is not new and, so far, has not been an effective weapon against it because as JIDF said to the propaganda-duped Sobia, “we are still here and we will remain.”
To read Hoffer’s article, “Israel’s Peculiar Position,” go to: http://www.israelforum.com/board/showthread.php?t=10221
The response to terrorist attacks is long overdue. Jihad has reached the U.S. and Israel is still left alone to face the wolves and admonished for doing it ! These protests are treason. At some point we need to draw the line between 1st amendment rights and aiding enemies by allowing their hatred to proliferate. How is it that the lies of these terrorists is always front page news? How many people died in legitimate countries today (in Africa, for example)? There is no news of how many were executed in Iran,(Sharia law)or the victims of “honor” killings. Most articles will say that hamas did violate a truce (they fail to mention how often, or any of the suffering of Israelis). When will Americans question the incredible reporting that leaves them victims of Jihadist “double-speak”? We have seen our troops beheaded and our flag trampled. I for one would like a list of actions that concerned Americans (Jews, Christians, Hindus, humans who believe in the santity of life whether they identify with an organized religion or not)can take to FIGHT this suffocating slime that is oozing from the Middle East.
one way to counter the vicious slander of jews on the internet is read posts and constantly comment on these sites. the comments won’t change minds deranged by hatreds, that does not matter. what makes a difference is that this slime knows we are watching them.
as to the matter of these protests in cities in america, it is because we have enabled a large population of this debris to infiltrate our nation.
i let everyone i meet, in one way and another, my disgust and dismay at having these nazis in our midst.
it is important to remember that nazis were actually also in our midst as a fifth column, garnered large crowds at madison square garden in new york and marched in our streets. this is not new. and it will end the same way. with these bastards, these “supporters” muslims making their own death wish come true.
they are not american, either in spirit or in actuality, and should be deported as soon as possible. tomorrow.
guys : ignore the enemy propaganda
they don’t exist
publish your views, promote TRUTH, don’t argue with the enemy:
consider them dead and they will be dead: don’t give them any legitimacy to exist
God Bless USA
God Bless Israel
God Bless Ukraine
I too am a Roman Catholic and wholeheartedly support Israel in this victorious time. Yes, victorious. Israel continuing this kind of push, assault on these spineless enemies is truly inspiring. As well as appreciated. To the ‘JIDF’ and your supporters – You’re never alone. For many people here and those who haven’t voiced their thanks – our hearts and prayers are with you.
To *ell with the ‘International Community’. For they’ve taken the cowardly way, waving their white flag and supporting collectivism. That’s the travesty.
Again, Israeli’s backbone in defying tyranny is truly moving.
AM YISRAEL CHAI indeed.
The “international community” so often cited by the NY Times and other media seems to be composed of the usual suspects, that gang of leftist Jew-haters and rabid Muslims. In letters to today’s Times this bunch took the opportunity to condemn Israel for its “unprovoked attack” on Gaza. Meanwhile, as Israel was defending itself from Hamas the Turks were busy bombing Northern Kurdistan. This was barely reported and there were no protests about Muslims killing Muslims which always seems to be acceptable behavior. I have completely given up on the hope that Islam will someday reform itself and join the human race. The majority seem to be totally nihilist and unconcerned with giving themselves and their co-believers a decent life.
Thank you Dr. Chesler for providing a forum for sanity amidst an insane world.
We are all blessed, I certainly am, to find support and brilliantly so.
The case of democracy is being fought by Israel against the tyranny, oppression driven madness of a people for whom true peace and love of freedom is anathema and the sooner the rest of the world “gets it” -understands what’s at stake in Israel’s battle with the unrelenting foes of the free world – the better for all of us –
May light ever shine to dispel darkness!
And darkness evaporate as truth spoken and repeated again and again wins the hour, the day, the battle, the war for all time!
We are all the beneficiaries of truth!
i’m a pagan, neither christian or jewish, but if i am attacked i will defend myself. israel has the same right, as a nation and people, to defend itself at whatever cost to its attackers. in spite of the efforts of the leftist neo-facists it is easy to see who is the aggressor here, and it is not israel.
Thank you for noticing! We are indeed a grassroots organization — a bunch of friends who have never even met in person, but who have a common goal of taking away some of the tools used by terrorists to recruit.
We welcome all of you to the fight! LET’S ROLL!
Shalom, Ms. Chesler,
I am one of the founders of YouTube Smackdown. I have made comments on your blog in the past. This month I was denounced by jihadists as a Zionist conspirator. Can a gentile be a Zionist? If so, it’s a title I would be proud to wear. I’m a little bit late to this thread, but the Smackdown could use some help. I would be willing to give you our story in a telephone interview should you think it worth your time. I assume you have my email from the log-in information.
What’s more, there exists on YouTube a lot of anti-Semitic videos posted by right-wing groups. We’ve been thinking about taking on these vile videos in a separate effort, but we rather have our hands full right now with the jihadists. I can put you in touch with my technical staff to show you how it’s done should think it worth the effort.
Sincerely,
~Paules
Dear Phyllis,
Terrorists in Gaza use civilians as human shields, and nobody wants to see it!!
So many years I have been asking to myself
“why is so different and difficult with us,
jews??”
I think that we explain too much, we justify, we care too much – how about this
idea, makes any sense?
Because, I never could explain antisemitism to my children.
(Please, Hashem, answer that to me,some day…)
I hope we will hear good news as soon as possible.
Hugs,
Iara ,from Brasil
Do not count on the US under this administration. The current administration is one of Israel’s greatest enemies. There are millions of Israel supporters in the US. Unfortunately, the only ones who get the publicity are those ill informed liberal idiots who have no concept of what is going on. They refuse to accept that Israel and the Jewish people are G-d’s chosen people. That those who are against Israel and the Jewish people will be dealt with severely by G-d.