Blog
Letter from ex-Israeli colonel
Below is an English translation of an open letter by the 94 year old peace activist, Dov Yirmiya, an ex-colonel in the Israeli army, which was published on June 11 in Zo Haderekh, the Communist weekly. Yirmiya’s book “My War Diary” (1983) played an important role in mobilizing Israeli public opinion against the First Lebanese War. In 1983 he was awarded the Emil Grunzweig Human Rights Award for his “activities promoting the welfare of civilians in Lebanon”.
I am returning your invitation An open letter to the Minister of Defence
I have received your elegant invitation to veterans of the 1948 war, on the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel, under the slogan: “The State of Israel expresses its thanks to you.”
As a veteran of the 1948 war, who was already wounded in face to face combat two weeks before the Declaration of the State, I feel obliged herewith to return the invitation to you, as Minister of Defence. I do so regretfully but see this as my duty.
I consider you, Ehud Barak, as one of the top military commanders and prominent political leaders who were responsible for converting the army from “the Israeli Defence Force” to an army of occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people and defender of the criminal settlements in their country.
40 years of occupation have utterly corrupted the Israeli army and all strata of Israeli society.They are both characterized by the nationalist ‘east wind’ [the east wind brings the chamsin and locusts - C.A.] which blows and kindles conflagrations of endless wars, which threaten our people and land with the third and final destruction. Your share in the responsibility for all this is enormous, and therefore I return your invitation to you, without thanks…
Dov Yirmiya, Naharia
P.S. I sent this letter to Haaretz, but it was not printed…[D.Y.]Lett
Matthew Brett is the Canadian Dimension weblog manager. The views expressed on this blog do not necessarily represent his own. Read more by Matthew Brett.
More antisemitic bullcrap.
Don’t you ever get tired of posting this dreadful bumpf, Komrade Matthew?
Why don’t you pick up a newspaper or read some other news once in a while? A truce has been effected between Gaza and Israel.
Instead of pumping out your toilet again, if you had 1/2 a brain you should be encouraging the 2 sides to engage in peaceful co-existence.
#1. Posted by Hugh on June 19th 2008 at 6:12am
Hugh,
FYI, the truce between Israel and Hamas is tenuous at best, but the blockade of Gaza, along with all the misery and suffering caused by this genocide (yes, genocide. Check the original definition if you don’t believe me)live on.
While you’re checking on the definition of genocide, you might want to read a little bit of the history of the 1948 War as well. Benny Morris, once a staunch Sharon supporter as you should know, would be a good starting point. Maybe then you would begin to understand what inner turmoil Dov must have been going through all these years that would cause him to write such a letter.
And, finally, all of us - including my proud Jewish wife - are getting pretty sick and tired of listening to the likes of you calling anyone and everyone who happens to have an honest disagreement with Israel, or any members of its lobby, anti-semitic ! It’s whiney and disgusting. Worst of all, calling people like us - and, by definition,people like Dov as well - so trivializes the term that it weakens its effectiveness in describing real ant-semites. In other words, it’s ultimately self-defeating !
Gene St.Onge
#2. Posted by Gene St.Onge on August 13th 2008 at 1:37pm
Amazing document. Thanks so much for printing it here. I’m going to share it with my students in a course I teach.
#3. Posted by Deborah on August 14th 2008 at 7:55am