Israel Made Me Beat My Wife
July 31, 2012 13:06 by Simon Plosker
It’s truly amazing just how far The Guardian can go when it comes to blaming Israel. Angela Robson takes a look at the status of women in Gaza and carries out some interviews:
“Before the blockade, my husband used to make good money working in Israel,” she says. “With the blockade, that all stopped. When he can’t find any work and we have nothing to eat, he blames me. He is a like a crazy animal. I stay quiet when he hits me. Afterwards, he cries and says, if he had a job, he wouldn’t beat me.”
It is five years since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip and Israel tightened its siege of the territory. Many men became jobless overnight and it is women who have ended up bearing the brunt of their husbands’ frustration.
So let’s get this straight – Israel is the reason that Palestinian men beat their wives.
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Maybe The Guardian’s journalist might like to consider that violence against women might very well be a by-product of a society that glorifies violence and terrorism, where children can spend their summers learning jihadi skills at Hamas sleepaway camps.
And what about Hamas control over Gaza, which encourages a conservative Islamic attitude towards women, curtailing their freedoms, opportunities and even their dress codes?
Nowadays, with the blockade cutting off 1.6 million Palestinians from the rest of the world, conservatism dominates much of daily life.
So, according to The Guardian, it is Israel’s blockade that has led to increasing conservatism and nothing to do with an extreme, misogynistic Hamas government. Indeed, nowhere in the article is Hamas responsible for any of the social ills afflicting Gazans. The only possible culprit is Israel.
And what of the barriers to Gazan women’s liberation?
So many doors have been closed to Palestinian women in Gaza. It’s like getting out of one prison only to find another door closed. There are many obstacles – the occupation, the blockade, the internal Palestinian division.
Considering that Israel left Gaza in 2005, it’s somewhat bizarre that “the occupation” is having such a negative impact on women’s rights in the territory.
What’s next? Will The Guardian blame Israel if Palestinian athletes fail to win any medals at the London Olympics?
alan jenkins
4:02 pm
Apr 06, 2013
Typical of the Guardian and its cohorts to print this scandalous libel on Israel.
they need to arm themselves with the facts, Hamas don’t want peace, they never have, what they want is every jew on the planet dead.. there is no compromise with these Muslim savages.
What is it with the Guardian ? why do they hate the Jews so much ? the BBC is no better, in fact they are just as bad.
Israel is a democracy, its enemies are fanatics hell bent on its destruction, Aided and Abetted by the multi culti leftie Liberal elite who are also hell bent on destroying this country with uncontrolled immigration.. worth remembering when you pay your TV Licence Fee, As for the Guardian.. Don’t buy it..
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intellectual
11:53 am
Apr 18, 2013
People dont hate jews because they are jews, but their policies. Israel is continually expanding itself, with force. If someone tries to occupy your home or country with force, and tells you that this is the exact same place he used to live two or three thousand years ago, are you and your countrymen going to withdraw or fight??????
Palestinians are not 100% right, but the reason for the unrest is israel,
the solution seems like a two state one, but it is not possible with israels attitude,
and please dont tell us that israel is a democratic country, democracy does not mean that you have a license to do the evils which they are doing,
sorry for the bitter truth,
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Mark Smith
1:46 am
Apr 19, 2013
A Democracy elected Hitler so yes claims to be a Democratic society and therefore somehow ethically superior is not a valid argument.
Though Democracies do appear to tend overtime to more humane outcomes because of the notion of accountability but this totally depends on whether or not the cultural foundation text (secular or religious) of the constituent cultures does not contain any notions Other are less and therefore justifiably destined for grievous harm.
So are there any constituent cultures informing the politic policy outcomes on the ground in Israel that Other are less? Generally you can easily spot them because these same cultures invariably determine woman as less.
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intellectual
8:16 pm
Apr 21, 2013
hitler may have came into power through democracy, but his regime was a dictatorship one,
secondly according to jew laws, women is also “seen as less”
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Mark Smith
1:23 am
Apr 22, 2013
Yes you are right! The three major religions determine woman are less.
What is the difference between the will of the people being expressed as a dictatorship and the will of the people being expressed as a Democracy? Both are ‘democratic’ decisions.
In both cases you relinquish your rights to authority it is simply a matter of timing.
It was just to point out Democracy does not necessarily lead to ‘good’ outcomes for Other. I am a great supporter of Democracy I prefer it to any other model around.
Dictatorship and Democracy are both made up of human persons whose core natures desires and needs I do not think are too different.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Harry Gunzburg
5:29 pm
Jun 14, 2013
“Intellectual”…why use that name if you are not even smart enough to know that the word “Jew” is a NOUN…NOT AN ADJUCTIVE.
A proud AUSSIE JEW
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Kathleen Marion
3:21 am
May 02, 2013
Up until 1967 there were no people called Palestinians and those people had a country of their own, Jordan. In 1948 Israel was given a small parcel of land that was virtually uninhabited. The arabs were given Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia. Jordan was not satified with their huge portion of land they along with the other Arab states attacked Israel and TOOK what is now called occupied territory. Jordan occupied it and sent roughly 300,000 JORDANIANS
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Kathleen Marion
3:24 am
May 02, 2013
Up until 1967 there were no people called Palestinians & those people had a country of their own, Jordan. In 1948 Israel was given a small parcel of land that was virtually uninhabited. The arabs were given Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia. Jordan was not satisfied with their huge portion of land they along with the other Arab states attacked Israel and TOOK what is now called occupied territory. Jordan occupied it & sent roughly 300,000 JORDANIANS into the area they STOLE & used the land to lob rockets into Israel. In 1967 those same states decided to attack Israel again, this time they lost and Israel took their land back and a “Palestinian” people was born overnight to cry foul!
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Kathleen Marion
3:29 am
May 02, 2013
The Palestinian people are NOT indigenous to that land. The Jews have had a presence in the land for over 4000 years. Israel invited the Arabs living within her borders to stay and grow with them, but Jordan told those people to come back to Jordan at which point JORDAN put them into refugee camps and made them an issue of propaganda. There are many people of Arab decent who did stay and live in Israel. They enjoy full citizenship, are prominent members of Israeli society and elected officials of the Knesset. The problem is most people get their education from propaganda and not facts, shame, shame on you!
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Hilas
2:14 pm
Apr 07, 2013
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Mark Smith
12:44 am
Apr 08, 2013
“The Qassam gained notoriety as the best-known type of rocket deployed by Palestinian militants mainly against Israeli civilians”
So Qassam missiles are discriminate non-weapons of non-mass destruction not aimed at Israeli civilians?
Two sides determining to wipe out the Other means one side is ‘good’? Just because one side inevitably has less fire power than the Other?”
God is on our side? Which God? Which side? It takes at least two to make a relationship.
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Anneli Finberg
11:52 am
Apr 10, 2013
Te hate is very difficult to understand!
I’ m living here In Jerusalem, I have some unpleasant experience with Arabs!
I don’t hate them but I don’t also trust them!
If you believe God, you can find the truth! Bible is something: it’s not only historia of Israel also future!
Live here is evry day something you aldery new because of Bibel!
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Jason D.
12:44 pm
Apr 10, 2013
I’m Irish and, given the nature of the occupation of the land by Israel, Palestine has great support amongst the Irish/Nationalist community. I don’t feel the same way.
I think that BOTH administrations are a disgrace. Israel is committing atrocities on a regular basis. The annexing and settlement furore -(regardless of political leanings) forcibly evicting Palestinians from their homes- is illegal yet Israel continue to act with impunity.
Hamas have rejected the 2 state solution and will resist all calls to go back to it.
Both are to blame. Is Israel right? Absolutely not. Is Palestine right? Absolutely not. Remove religion and start again.
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Kathleen Marion
3:31 am
May 02, 2013
Perhaps the Irish people would benefit from learning REAL history rather than propaganda and lies.
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Pi
11:03 pm
Apr 13, 2013
Ah, yes, the Israelis left Gaza. So they cannot be blamed for the poverty, the hopelessness, the terrible situation there. If you really believe that, you are misinformed or stupid. If not, you are deliberately twisting the truth. And yes, bad economics, hopelessness, collective humiliation etc. will lead to an increase in domestic violence. I agree there are no easy solutions, and I’m not saying everything is Israel’s fault either. But your cheap sarcasm does not help. A truckload of compassion is only the beginning of what’s needed in the so-called Holy Land…
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Edward Liggett
5:24 pm
Apr 14, 2013
Pi, if Israel left Gaza or the West Bank there would be no need for argument. Unfortunately, the absence of a physical presence doesn’t mean that Israel doesn’t control every economic aspect of Palestinian life. Your ad hominem response only suggest that you can not defend the indefensible and have resorted to name calling.
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Pi
8:27 pm
Apr 14, 2013
I don’t know what you think I’m defending, but I completely agree that ‘the absence of a physical presence doesn’t mean that Israel doesn’t control every economic aspect of Palestinian life’, that was exactly what I (ironically) was trying to get across. Sorry if that came out a bit silly. What I was trying to say is: 1) there still is a de facto ‘occupation’. 2) yes, this may lead to domestic violence and other irrational behaviour among the Palestinians. 3) anyone who claims otherwise lacks the compassion to come up with better solutions. But 4) Blaming the Israelis will not work either – compassion works both ways. Thanks for reacting, so I got the chance to make my point clearer (I hope)
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Cdub
5:11 pm
May 01, 2013
No amount of strife causes me to beat my wife and children, only hold them closer. If home is so bad, walk to make a new home, if no one makes a job for you, work for yourself and your family. If you can’t provide by working only 40 hours a week, work as long as it takes. If you can’t afford a larger family, don’t bring more children into the world.
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david
2:32 pm
Apr 16, 2013
Dear Readers,
It is saddening to know that both Hamas and Israelite are at logger heads for several years, Israel wants to show their power and on the other hand Hamas also wants to show their power, but in the eventuality the innocent are being killed, Let Israel come one step down and so also the hamas one step up, and only stop looking each other like enemies but rather brothers and sisters , perhaps they will be peace and things will start working better for hamas, you sow the seed of hatred the reap will be violence instead start sowing peace the harvest will be joy and happiness as we have both side of the coin good and bad so also the other side , so let us start practicing peace
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Mark Smith
2:08 am
Apr 17, 2013
David It would be nice for it to be so. But it never will. Why? As long as both cultural foundation text construct Other as less evil and destined for grievous harm and the ownership of women as slaves to Mans will, a core incentive of status quo is removed nothing will change – both sides will seek the annihilation of Other. No use appealing to the moderate liberals because in both cases the fundamentalists on both sides simply would not exist without them – they are all reflective of an inherent variance of behavior given space and time. So the end will be, if the foundation texts on both sides are not replaced, quit horrific.
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ANG
11:48 am
Apr 22, 2013
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livingstone joseph
2:48 pm
Apr 24, 2013
Dear Reader, You call the Isrealis pigs, right ?Can you engage in some mental gymnastics of the minutest type and see how hollow your back ground is. The Jewish state has one of the best and resilient economies in the world in the absence of of oil, all based on intellectual capacity. 18 out of the 20 best selling drugs over the past 20 yrs have been developed in Isreal.With a global population of barely less than 6%, they harvest more than 25% of the most prestigious academic accolade in the world–The Nobel Prize. Arabs have all the money but all what they do is acts of hatred, discord. Remember the burgeoning Isreal was 20yrs ago a third world ragtag country. Jews haters get a life
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Sam Taufao
12:08 pm
Apr 22, 2013
I believe the scriptures below. If I were a reporter of the Guardian, and those who knowingly publish false accusations against Israel, I would be scared of the scriptures below.
GOD SAYS OF ISRAEL:
Genesis 12:3 – “And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curse you.”
Numbers 24:9 – “Like a lion, Israel crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to arouse her? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel, and cursed to everyone who curses you.”
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Edward Liggett
3:23 pm
Apr 24, 2013
Even if you believed in this superstitious nonsense Sam, didn’t the “Good Book” also accused Jews of killing Jesus Christ (If you believe he ever existed)? If you are going to spread this “fear” nonsense, let’s have some examples.
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rex ronald
4:04 pm
Apr 24, 2013
It is superstitious nonsense. Now let us see how the nonsense has made you a beckoning fool. Yes for the for nonsense it is but see the verifiable nonsense has made them the most successful group of people in the history of mankind. Everything the So called nonensical book has everything in play in realistic/practical terms. You the denier of reality is the nonentity.
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Muhammed Yasien Essop
12:34 pm
Apr 26, 2013
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Ryan
1:00 pm
Apr 26, 2013
Israel is completely wrong to disregard the Hamas government which is after all democratically elected. There were elections, Israel & the USA dont like the party which won hence this deplorable state continues.
I am not condoning that mans actions but Israels actions in this case are sub human.
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Quezz
6:52 pm
Apr 27, 2013
I think it’s reasonable to say a damaging blockade and systematic oppression of a people might make them turn on each other sometimes. Hardly an excuse for everything that goes wrong in Gaza, but for a few people? Perfectly reasonable.
Israel is generally treated fairly in the media I read — perhaps if so many Americans in particular stopped thinking that EVERYTHING about Israel must be positive in nature, there would be less complaining.
Good luck with that.
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Yellow_Forever
3:21 pm
Apr 29, 2013
Most people here make stupid excusses for stupidity. Is Isreal responsible for the terrorist activities carried out by Muslim groups (including the IRA says Jason D) all over the world ? i doubt very much that. They kill all over Africa, Middle-east and Asia. they are coming to (Europe very soon i hope) even if there is a 2 state solution today it does not gurantee Isreal’s security, because they will still be hated anyway. better act now when you know your enemy and dont give them room, unfortunatly all the lefties are the real problem here. Unfortunatley for them once the Arabs are throught with Isreal (if it is possble) they would turn on them next.
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raj mohan
3:46 pm
Apr 30, 2013
Dear All,
I am from India. I have read a part of history and still reading the history of Israil. When we study we learn that Christians were thrown out by Salauddin and Muslims occupied Jerusulam. It was a wise plan by British to give Jews a state and enjoy the fun war between the Jews and Muslims and Jews dependent on British or USA. Once Jews were give a state hood they realised that they need to be strong and they have done everthing in their capacity to be strong to retain its freedom. It is only the sirvial of the fittest in this world. There is no word as Democracy. If we call Democrocy, then how come USA attack innocent people in the name of protection in Pakaistan and Aganistan.
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graham mace
2:32 pm
May 01, 2013
The journalist isn’t saying that Israel makes Palestinian men beat their wives. If you all go to Specsavers and READ the thing, it’s a quote attributed to a Palestinian. It certainly shows the Palestinian attitude to Israel, but that isn’t the Guardian’s viewpoint. Neither is the Guardian anti-semitic. Criticism of Israeli government policies, whenever such appears, is NOT synonymous with antisemitism. Any more than criticism of Arab governments is anti-islamic or criticism of USA government is anti-christian.
Opinion is free, facts are sacrosanct – that’s Guardian policy.
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Rangga Pratama
11:36 pm
May 04, 2013
It’s a bit rare nowadays that the media criticize what Israel had already done. Regardless of thoughts out there, I believe that the isolation and the blockade against people in Gaza brings no good at all but harms. How can we say that we’re upholding human rights, promoting gender equality and women empowering, protection for children, at the mean time we’ve been doing nothing but blockade? I am not an anti-Semite and I am not supporting Hamas either. It’s not about what religion you posses. When a man kills, there’s a jail to put him in. And how can Israel see that women, kids and innocent people in Gaza as killers? It’s just another manifestation of hatred.
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Tsippi Rudy
12:43 am
Jun 15, 2013
The isolation and blockade of Gaza are not intended to harm the people of Gaza, but to protect the citizens of Israel-whatever their religions-from attack by Hamas. The thousands of rockets deliberately rained down on the civilians of southern Israel came from the men of Hamas, who are responsible for perpetuating the dreadful conditions in some of the Gaza “refugee” camps for generations.You will find “upholding human rights, promoting gender equality and women empowering, protection for children” in Israel, not Gaza. Israel just celebrated its 20th Gay Pride Parade; in Gaza, gays are executed and men can be imprisoned for un-Islamic haircuts and clothing! Please become better informed.
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steven L
10:12 pm
Jun 13, 2013
These leftist journalists are victim of their brainwashing. Logic is replaced by faulty ideology. They are the mirror image of Islamists. They get along very well. Their communality is antisemitism. Not much else.
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firebrande
11:49 am
Jun 14, 2013
there is simply no excuse for a british newspaper to collude with the notion that a man is not responsible for his choice to use domestic violence.
any man.
anywhere.
by doing so, the editor of the guardian announces to the world his tolerance of male family violence, and leads us to wonder how his own wife or partner is faring under his rule, if he has one.
in my country male family violence is a criminal offence.
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