Bill Moyers Journal: Update: Lobbies' Role In Middle East Peace

I would like to think that there is no 'grand conspiracy' and no lobby controls our govt. That said, I also know that those who speak up usually get heard. If there is a lobby which has an interest and which constantly speaks up for its interest, it gets heard. Nothing wrong with that. There are monsters on all sides. There are Palestinian hardliners who want to annihilate Israel and there are Israeli hardliners who have successfully portrayed ALL Palestinians as "terrorists" and earned sympathies of Americans by large. However, whether there is an influential lobby or not, when laws are passed and when our nation goes to war to protect Israel why do Americans not ask "What is in it for AMERICA?" Do we champion all such causes in the world? Do we go to war with China for Tibetans? Have we attacked India for Kashmiris? Then why do we pick on small oil rich nations (rogue as they may be) for Israel? Do we not care about our economy our domestic issues of healthcare and education. Is Israel more important than fixing our problems. Maybe..maybe it is more important but WHY? can someone explain WHY??

Posted by: Razia A H | February 16, 2008 1:04 PM

Thank you for this program and for this discussion. And for the record, sometimes the truth is one-sided, there's no need to entertain every quack with a different opinion just for the sake of a different opinion. Also for the record, I GUARANTEE that the same people who are posting here saying that this show was biased/one-sided etc. would be singing a different tune chock full of praise had the program be 100% pro AIPAC.

Posted by: Mya Lee | December 12, 2007 10:59 PM

The number one issue facing the world today is in fact the Israeli - Palestinian crisis, the illegal occupation, the systematic, government sponsored, terrorism by Israel and the unwavering support by the US for all of it. Our political system is virtually owned and operated by special interests and the greatest of these is AIPAC. Terrorism, war, oil prices, American lives lost, are all direct or indirect results of this attrocity and yet our leaders do nothing and the American people are fed nothing but lies about what is really happening. We the voters are virtually helpless and I am concerned that nothing short of massive public outcry will change it, unfortunately it usually has to get much worse before that will happen.

Posted by: Richard | December 12, 2007 7:31 PM

In Their Own Words- Members of the IDF Speak December 11, 2007 It is important for Americans to remember–and particularly these days when well-paid liars for Israel such as Normon Podhoretz, Daniel Pipes, David Horowitz et al are pushing the entire Western World into armed conflict with those in the Middle East–that the start of the whole affair between America and “terrorism” was not the rise of ‘Islamo-fascism’ that warmongers such as the aforenamed have labeled as being the cause of the problems. Rather, it is the history–the well-documented and easily-verifiable history–of unspeakable violence that has been perpetrated everyday for the last century by those under the ungodly, inhuman spell known as Zionism against the peoples of the Middle East, Christian as well as Muslim, violence that rarely (if ever) gets a fair hearing in the Western media. Those who make it their business to document and expose Israel’s regularly-occurring viciousness against the peoples of Palestine, Lebanon and elsewhere are usually met with scoffs and contempt by a media in the West for the most part completely within the clutches of Zionist/Jewish interests. While the world is forced to hear about every instance–real or contrived–of someone from the Jewish community...

Posted by: ethan allen | December 12, 2007 12:21 PM

Here's more on the mistranslation of Ahmadinejad's words: http://peoplesgeography.com/2007/01/19/irans-president-did-not-say-israel-must-be-wiped-off-the-map/ It is rather interesting to learn that the mistranslation originated with Iran's own official news agency, the Islamic Republic News Agency.

Posted by: Dylan | December 12, 2007 6:41 AM

Mr. Ricci needs to wake up to the truth which has only begun to be heard on the airwaves. Our country has become a debtor nation, our people ashamed of their leaders, our youth dying or maimed - all for the benefit of Israel. Israel has spied on us, attacked our ships, stolen our secrets and now controls our government policy through their lobby. ENOUGH

Posted by: ethan allen | December 11, 2007 10:53 AM

PBS gets funding from CPB and because of that, under Federal Statute PBS must have "strict adherence to objectivity and balance in all programs or series of programs of a controversial nature." So by that very definition and Bill Moyers' Journal (November 30th) unbalanced, highly biased against Israel report, PBS has violated the Federal Law. Not only that, but that kind of "reporting" has tainted PBS's journalistic integrity. Whether Bill Moyers (who claims to be a Christian by the way) or PBC believes it or not, the Jews are a religious people and they have been given Israel as their homeland. This is history and the title deed is the Bible given to them by God. Now you may have an ulterior motive or maybe PBS is secretly getting Islamic oil incentives. But whatever it is, in the long run, this will cost PBS. Groups like the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) and interested people like me will not watch this garbage called "journalism" and we will spread the word about this. We will blow the whistle and by word of mouth the truth about PBS's real agenda will come out. A new year is...

Posted by: Jay Ricci | December 10, 2007 8:58 PM

PBS gets funding from CPB and because of that, under Federal Statute PBS must have "strict adherence to objectivity and balance in all programs or series of programs of a controversial nature." So by that very definition and Bill Moyers' Journal (November 30th) unbalanced, highly biased against Israel report, PBS has violated the Federal Law. Not only that, but that kind of "reporting" has tainted PBS's journalistic integrity. Whether Bill Moyers (who claims to be a Christian by the way) or PBC believes it or not, the Jews are a religious people and they have been given Israel as their homeland. This is history and the title deed is the Bible given to them by God. Now you may have an ulterior motive or maybe PBS is secretly getting Islamic oil incentives. But whatever it is, in the long run, this will cost PBS. Groups like the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) and interested people like me will not watch this garbage called "journalism" and we will spread the word about this. We will blow the whistle and by word of mouth the truth about PBS's real agenda will come out. A new year is...

Posted by: Jay Ricci | December 10, 2007 8:57 PM

“TREASON ON THE HIGH SEAS” December 9, 2007 As I sit in my office beginning to write my first article for American Free Press newspaper, I look out my window. I see snow covered peaks, nature at its best in Colorado. It calms me to see such beauty and thank God I’m alive with my family. As I start to write, my heart is beginning to race, my palms are sweating. I’m not as comfortable as I was just a few moments ago. I know all of you know the story of the attack on our ship, the USS LIBERTY, by the government of Israel, but it needs to be repeated. June 8, 1967 I was a 20 year old 3rd class petty officer in damage control at the time of this sneak attack from our so-called ally, Israel. We were identified as American and friendly many hours before the slaughter began at 2:00 P.M. The Israeli jet aircraft were ruthless and stubborn in their attempt to sink and murder all hands aboard. They hit every antennae on our ship, no accident for sure. The Israeli reconnaissance aircraft took pictures of our ship in the morning hours, nothing was...

Posted by: ethan allen | December 10, 2007 8:46 PM

Israel has nuclear weapons but refuses to join the International Atomic Energy Agency's oversight program, whereas Iran is a member state and has routine inspections. Which of these two countries presents a greater threat to world peace: Iran that has been attacked, but has not attacked anyone-or Israel who has attacked almost every nation in the Middle-East at one time or another-not to mention their attack on the USS Liberty during LBJ's watch, in which Israel knowingly tried to sink that US spy- ship in the waters off the Israeli coast.

Posted by: ethan allen | December 10, 2007 8:26 PM

Mentioning the word or calling one antisemitic is a canard and tactic of Jews to stop all debate on Israel and any and all criticism of Israel. It's to stop all discussions of what Israel has been doing..from their flagrant UN resolutions, to it's endless relentless policies of the slow genocide of the Palestinians.. It's all a clever ploy by Israeli's and their Diaspora supporters, to allow Israel to continue with it's agenda. The Agenda of confiscation of all Palestinian lands, walling them into mini concentration camps, denying them any and all human services, while constructing and denying the obvious Apartheid system. Doing it all right under our noses, and in our faces. And to top it all off, having every American complicit in their diabolical scheme. Every American is paying for their genocide with their tax dollar's, loan guarantees, tax exempt Jewish Charities and the endless foreign aid and so called arms agreements... So don't ever mention antisemitism again in any context when we discuss Israel. ...I WONT STAND FOR IT and neither should any AMERICAN!

Posted by: Edithann | December 9, 2007 3:08 PM

I don't agree with Rosenberg...I agree with Mearsheime and Walt's book on the Israeli Lobby...

Posted by: Edithann | December 9, 2007 2:11 PM

Over 75 percent of the American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan want out right now! The majority of American citizens want the troops out of Iraq also. What are "our representatives" in Congress doing? They are ignoring US! That's because Israel, the Israeli Lobby, AIPAC, and the Jewish owned and operated media shilling for Israel, are all wielding a power over this once-great nation grossly disproportionate to their numbers. What the fools in Congress, as well as the American fools classified as dispensationalist Christian fundamentalists, fail to come to grips with, is that the interests and the well-being of America and its people are no longer in the equation that balanced out the United States as the greatest nation on Earth. How can the small Jewish nation of Israel, a nation of only slightly more than six million in population, a number only three fourths the population of New York City or the tiny state of New Jersey, be considered as having world domination on their agenda? Supported by six to ten million Jews in the United States, the exact number not being available thanks the manipulation of the US Government census by the Jewish lobby, AIPAC, the total therefore...

Posted by: ethan allen | December 9, 2007 2:10 PM

check out this letter to the editor in the chicago sun times. you can't call everyone who speaks the truth about israel anti-semitic, folks. Muddying Mideast issues Congratulations to Steve Huntley for his column, ''Red-hot anger could warm Mideast relations'' [Tuesday]. It isn't easy to write a half-page piece on the Israeli-Palestinian situation without once using the words ''occupation,'' ''settlements'' or ''refugees.'' Perhaps as a follow-up, Huntley could write an article on the Titanic that omits the words ''iceberg'' and ''drowning.'' That would be no more puzzling to readers than this piece, which claims to discuss the current negotiations, yet excludes the real issues and relevant history. According to Huntley, ''The Jewish state grabbed the opportunity [in 1948] to build a prosperous democracy. The Palestinians, goaded on by Arab rejection- ists, condemned themselves and their children to misery in the cause of terrorism.'' But Israeli ''democracy'' does not extend to the millions of Palestinians of the occupied territories, who have experienced only oppression, dispossession and humiliation at the hands of the Jewish state. And considering that Israel has jailed one-third of the elected members of the Palestinian parliament, the wonder is that Palestinian institutions function at all. Huntley says that...

Posted by: l b | December 8, 2007 11:45 PM

Bill Moyers seems to ignore the basic truths about the Middle East. Israel is the only friend we have in the whole region. The day that we support Palestinian terrorists who danced on 9-11, instead of democratic Israelis who share our values of human rights, freedom of speech, religion and assembly, we will be inviting Islamofascists to take over this country. Appeasement will only encourage them to destroy Western civilization. The Palestinians are corrupt and espouse a culture of death. They say one thing to us in English and another altogether in Arabic. They cannot accept Jews or Christians in their midst. Their rejection of peaceful overtures by Israel proves that.

Posted by: Deborah | December 8, 2007 4:03 PM

Bill Moyers seems to ignore the basic truths about the Middle East. Israel is the only friend we have in the whole region. The day that we support Palestinian terrorists who danced on 9-11, instead of democratic Israelis who share our values of human rights, freedom of speech, religion and assembly, we will be inviting Islamofascists to take over this country. Appeasement will only encourage them to destroy Western civilization. The Palestinians are corrupt and espouse a culture of death. They say one thing to us in English and another altogether in Arabic. They cannot accept Jews or Christians in their midst. Their rejection of peaceful overtures by Israel proves that.

Posted by: Deborah | December 8, 2007 4:02 PM

Shakespeare remains the greatest genius on human character and he concluded: "Fiend, a kind of Devil. Certainly, the Jew is the very devil incarnation" This fully answers the horrors of the Middle East from Abraham. Only the devil reqires a chosen race to do his evil.

Posted by: kenneth | December 8, 2007 1:40 AM

Bill Moyers: How disappointed we are. While so many journalists are biased and editorialize as they report the news, we had always looked to you as fair, professional and fact-driven. Sadly, we were wrong. You have misjudged and mistaken Israel's need to maintain critical portions of the West Bank and you stoop so low as to equate Israel's security needs as aggrandizement-selfishness. Well, if Al Qaida (God forbid)occupied D.C., we would see that security is a far cry from selfishness. The security fence, Bill, is just that--a way of deterring murderers from killing innocent children in their beds. And as you rightly quoted, the Palestinians say, "We will not give up one grain of the land of Palestine, and we will never recognize Israel." And if you read the Old Testasment, our Bible, you will note that God told the Israelites that "There is a stict religious ban on giving parts of the land of Israel to foreigners, our sworn enemies." AIPAC as Extremists-- Heck, no. Our people have been murdered and driven out of every Arab land that they lived in. Where can they go? If the West Bank and Israel, a minute portion of the middle east, is...

Posted by: Carol and Sol Fineblum | December 7, 2007 8:15 PM

CUFI and their ilk are utterly mad. And not only mad but completely ignorant of any history outside of their Bible. I bet CUFI regards the NIE on Iran to be some sneaky work by Iran to hide their true, nefarious, plan to murder us and Israel. It is so weird and disturbing to hear these Americans dictate with such arrogance the future of people thousands of miles away. This is why our next president must not believe God ordained him or her to be president or believes anything close to that.

Posted by: leap1 | December 7, 2007 5:15 PM

i do laugh... sarah is entirely correct, though i have not followed her link. i am somewhat gratified to see that no one has made the antisemitic argument as yet, but i await... donald vance ::spvix::

Posted by: donald vance | December 6, 2007 1:48 PM

Thank Goodness for Bill Moyers and people like him who strive for Peace! This is a complex issue and only an unthinking person can label one side as "good" or "evil", "innocent" or "guilty", "chosen" or "damned". Israel has for far too long gotten a free pass while the Palestinian people have languished under oppression. I'd be a little "upset" too. We should try understanding that rage and retaliation are sometimes the only language - the only currency - a desperate people believe that they have. It does not justify murder, but Israel holds the economic and military power and only a fool would fail to see how they have used it to hold an entire group of people down. (Same way that "minorities" here in the U.S. are held back . . . no educational or economic opportunity, foster a kill or be killed environment and then put hordes of them in prison, make drugs and alcohol VERY readily accessible . . . then sit back and tell everyone who will listen what BAD people they are; how LAZY and DUMB they are; how they have NO FAMILY VALUES as attested to by the fact that their children grow...

Posted by: Rosa Makwana | December 6, 2007 11:27 AM

This discussion on Israel was classic Bill Moyers. The format of the show is the same regardless of the topic. He takes a position on an issue and delivers only one side for the first half of the show. Next he has two "experts" who agree with his position and the three of them all give the same side of the story. This is what passes for legitimate debate on his show. Tragically, taxpayers are having to fund this one sided advocacy on PBS. Moyers could not get any of his programs shown on another network, only PBS considers him a journalist.

Posted by: Jerry Levy | December 6, 2007 3:16 AM

The idea that there are really a "palestinian people" other than the Jewish people is absurd! Get some REAL history! Go to: http://hirhome.com get some REAL perspective and STOP being racists!

Posted by: Sarah | December 6, 2007 1:56 AM

Bill Moyers program on the role of lobbies in the Middle East (30 Nov) was one-sided, and slanted against, Israel -as well as AIPAC. There was no opportunity given to AIPAC to counter M J Rosenberg's allegations and contradictions - or those of Mr. Moyers himself. Mr. Moyers equated Palestinian and Israeli radicals. The former aim to destroy Israel and expel or kill all the Jews. The overwhelming majority of Israeli radicals want nothing more than to be allowed to live in all parts of the Holy Land. I urge PBS to balance Moyers' diatribe. It is not any "lobby" that is preventing peace. It is the culture of vengeance and victimhood that pervades the Arab world. Every Israeli territorial concession has only exacerbated attacks, and heightened the ambitions of militants - as in Gaza, or with Hezbollah. I urge PBS to stop deligitimizing Israel, and to tell the story of Jewish refugees from Arab lands. More than half of all Israelis are descendants of Jewish refugees from Arab lands. Israel uplifted them, while Arab lands kept (and still keep) descendants of a similar number of Arab refugees stateless. Israel has been punished for uplifting Jewish refugees from Arab lands...

Posted by: Doron Lubinsky | December 5, 2007 9:48 PM

Bill Moyers program on the role of lobbies in the Middle East (30 Nov) was one-sided, and slanted against, Israel -as well as AIPAC. There was no opportunity given to AIPAC to counter M J Rosenberg's allegations and contradictions - or those of Mr. Moyers himself. Mr. Moyers equated Palestinian and Israeli radicals. The former aim to destroy Israel and expel or kill all the Jews. The overwhelming majority of Israeli radicals want nothing more than to be allowed to live in all parts of the Holy Land. I urge PBS to balance Moyers' diatribe. It is not any "lobby" that is preventing peace. It is the culture of vengeance and victimhood that pervades the Arab world. Every Israeli territorial concession has only exacerbated attacks, and heightened the ambitions of militants - as in Gaza, or with Hezbollah. I urge PBS to stop deligitimizing Israel, and to tell the story of Jewish refugees from Arab lands. More than half of all Israelis are descendants of Jewish refugees from Arab lands. Israel uplifted them, while Arab lands kept (and still keep) descendants of a similar number of Arab refugees stateless. Israel has been punished for uplifting Jewish refugees from Arab lands...

Posted by: Doron Lubinsky | December 5, 2007 9:35 PM

I understand that Moyer wants peace in the Holy Land. There were meetings in Oslo, Cairo, Wye, Sharm-el-Sheikh, Camp David 2 and so on. All failed. We have the radical left in the USA and UK suggest a "one" state solution. Academics all over the world spend increasing time to tell their students what their personal vision is. People who sit in Oregon, Los Angeles or Boston preach what needs or need not to be done in Israel and Palestine. Journalist creat self serving programs throwing accusations against Israel and her right to defend self. The continuos meddling in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict by governments, NGO, organizations and individuals who do not have direct knowledge of the conflict, have concomitant agenda, find it necessary to write, speak and rant. It is time for the Israeli and Palestinians to be left alone. They have to create an infrastructure, a concensus, a philosophy that is unique to them. They live there, breath there, sweat there, not the thinkers of Europe or the USA. Peace cannot be imposed, it is a natural continuous process that cannot be resolved by instant and dramatic measures. Think: what if there would have been a conference in China...

Posted by: Prof. I. Barr | December 5, 2007 7:29 PM

I think that it would be better for all sides if there were peace. Of course, peace would be a huge bonanza for Israel, which is one reason why Israel's opponents often wish to deny it peace and why Israel can be so tempted by manifestly bogus offers of peace. I think it is a mistake to support aggressors, and that includes support for Arab aggression against Israel. In addition, I think we need to focus more on truth and less on taking sides in tribal squabbles. It was not anti-German to be against the National Socialists. And it was not anti-Arab to be against Arafat. Some people think that the United States is making a bad impression by defending human rights for Jews in the Levant. I disagree. I think the United States ought to support human rights for everyone, including the Jews of the Levant.

Posted by: Jill Malter | December 5, 2007 5:46 PM

Frightening when bill moyers contributes to the anti Israel divisive dialog. Also shocking that his listeners attribute the Iranian President's anti Semitism to a translation problem. Very strange times.

Posted by: david sokol | December 5, 2007 4:45 PM

All major palestinian arab groups say clearly that their claim is all of Israel, NOT 'settlements', but you either don't want viewers to know that, or you are too obtuse to realize it yourself. keep this secret: Summer Camp in Gaza Teaches Uncompromising Message - Nidal al-Mughrabi (Reuters) Summer camp for Palestinian children in Gaza isn't all swimming and soccer. At the Hamas camp, attended by 60 children, organizer Hussein al-Talaa said the message was uncompromising. "We teach them...that we reject any partition of (Palestine), whether through agreements or by force."

Posted by: Abdul | December 5, 2007 4:31 PM

If my Grandmother only knew that I was a right wing, hard line member of an all powerful lobby group known as AIPAC, she would be amazed. The fact is, I am an ordinary American woman who supports Israel and express my feelings in a positive way to my state and national representatives. It's called DEMOCRACY!

Posted by: Sue | December 5, 2007 4:18 PM

Dear Mr. Moyers, I feel that you have maligned these two pro-Israel lobbying groups in an unfair way in which you did not allow them to show their point of view adequetley. Please be more mindful next time to not be biast, because I feel that this time your show was of a lower quality than it typically is.

Posted by: Michael Lundin | December 5, 2007 4:03 PM

CUFI and AIPAC were characterized as obstacles to peace. Why not invite someone from CUFI or AIPAC to join the discussion, to have a true give and take? I think that Moyers abdicated the role of a fair host. He was not objective.

Posted by: Henry Frank | December 5, 2007 3:58 PM

Bill again shows his one sided anti-Israel bias. This was a hit job. The anti-Jewish posts show that Moyers is attracting the viewership of bigots and worse. They deserve each other. How we spend tax dollars on this PBS hit job is beyond me.

Posted by: I.M. Knot Fooled | December 5, 2007 3:53 PM

How do CUFI supporters reconcile their support of Zionism with the messiah issue? As far as I know, Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the messiah, and many Jews believe that he's not. Then there are the Lubavitchers who have their own take. Shouldn't the CUFI-ers be converting to Judaism? Who's right? Who's wrong? Who cares? But for their political influence, especially with the current Moron-In_Chief, CUFI would be regarded as just another nutty offshoot of Christianity.

Posted by: Tom Schultz | December 5, 2007 3:28 PM

israeli diplomats and administrators have good reason to tell the truth and to lie... Israeli officials reject U.S. findings on Iran By Dion Nissenbaum, McClatchy Newspapers Tue Dec 4, 1:29 PM ET JERUSALEM — Israeli officials, who've been warning that Iran would soon pose a nuclear threat to the world, reacted angrily Tuesday to a new U.S. intelligence finding that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons development program in 2003 and to date hasn't resumed trying to produce nuclear weapons. ADVERTISEMENT Defense Minister Ehud Barak directly challenged the new assessment in an interview with Israel's Army Radio, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the new finding wouldn't deter Israel or the United States from pressing its campaign to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capability.

Posted by: donald vance | December 4, 2007 7:06 PM

AIPAC is a powerful lobby because its goals match the values and goals of most Americans. Israel and America both value democracy, freedom, pluralism, and accountability. America absolutely should side with democratic Israel over the thuggish, extremist Palestinian Authority. It is ludicrous to encourage America to be "even-handed" between a civilized, functioning democracy, and a divided, chaotic terror-state that encourages its children to hate the U.S. and Israel. When the Palestinians finally turn away from extremism and bigotry and toward coexistence and moderation, only then will peace for both Arab and Jewish children be possible.

Posted by: Leah Yarok | December 4, 2007 6:38 PM

The conflict has never been about where to draw the border between Israel and a newly created Palestinian country. The conflict exists because of Arab and Muslim supremacist beliefs and the Arabs/Muslims' rejection of a non-Muslim state (Israel) in their region of the world. The question for them isn't how much land they want Israel to give up, but whether Israel should exist at all. Israel and the Jews have always been willing to accept a two state solution - a Jewish country and an Arab country living side by side in peace. This doesn't mean agreeing to live side by side with the Arab state continuing to indoctrinate its kids to hate Israel and Jews, and continuing to do all it can to terrorize and destroy Israel. Take a look at the anti-Christian, anti-Western, anti-Jewish bigotry being deliberately taught and spread in the Palestinian Authority areas and other Arab countries..go to www.pmw.org.il and www.memritv.org and judge for yourself. It's impossible for a thinking person to take the Arab claims of peaceseeking seriously, when they continue to foster the most crude kinds of bigotry and hatred in their media, mosques and schools.

Posted by: Lee Green | December 4, 2007 5:17 PM

Sir, I think you missed the heart of the subject when discussing Anapolis. Any deal struck with Abbas is likely to be viewed by half the Palestinians as a sellout since it ignores role Hamas plays for them. I don't believe the "radicals" have the last word, America does. We always dictate the terms of progress. Also, I think you and your guests got off topic. Dismissing a bigot like Hagee is a perilous decision, even if he's sunk his teeth into even one Senator, Representative, or Presidential Nominee it's a terrifying prospect to have someone on the national stage legitamizing those views.

Posted by: Kirk Ahrens | December 4, 2007 12:19 PM

Bill, we always enjoy your show, and this one was great. This was not a new thing to me or my husaband. I have been writing about fundamentalism and its dangers for a while. My only question is why did you not have a Muslim on the panel? It would seem that their imput would have been useful.

Posted by: Sherry Peyton | December 4, 2007 11:33 AM

The European and American Jewish population that came to Palestine in the first half of the 20th century, conquered the Palestinian Arab population from the lands now called "Israel". The Jews expelled hundreds of thousands of Arabs and stole their lands--among other great crimes. When I say "Israel" I am referring to a geographical area-- an area of space that was occupied by a large indigenous population before the invasion by people of this Jewish ethnic group. Now, almost 60 years after the establishment of a government by these Jewish invaders, the Israelis want the world to acknowledge the legitimacy and permanence of their government. I don't accept it. I think it was a collossal mistake, and it is time that the world *stop* allowing these tragic conquests of one people by another. It is furthermore, time the world develop standards of law for reparations to *all* vanquished peoples, to settle *all* disputed property claims. I don't accept the propaganda of U.S. media, that the Jews and Arabs have been at war for 1000 years, and nothing can be done about it. The Arabs are no more (or less) warlike or unreasonable than anybody else. I think the people who...

Posted by: Todd Boyle | December 4, 2007 12:21 AM

stunning...well, maybe not. MR. MCLAUGHLIN: Okay, another perspective. "The Middle East peace process may well be the most spectacular deception in modern diplomatic history. Since the failed Camp David summit of 2000, and actually well before it, Israel's interest in a peace process, other than for the purpose of obtaining Palestinian and international acceptance of the status quo, has been a fiction that has served primarily to provide cover for its systematic confiscation of Palestinian land and an occupation whose goal, according to the former IDF chief of staff, Moshe Yaalon, is 'to sear deep into the consciousness of Palestinians that they are a defeated people.'" Henry Siegman is the director of the U.S. Middle East Project at the Council on Foreign Relations, and he led the Jewish-American Congress for 16 years. Question: Is the crux of the problem that Israel has no stake in a lasting peace agreement, as Henry Siegman says? MS. CROWLEY: I will tell you, his statement is absurd. And I will tell you the crux of the problem. This peace conference is going to end up like all the previous ones for one simple reason. As long as you have one party that refuses to...

Posted by: donald vance | December 3, 2007 9:59 PM

Let's get this straight: 1.9/11 was a "false flag" incident.Real. 2.The U.S. has made Israel a "terrorist state."Real. 3.The Bible is fiction. Real. 4.Our taxes are being used for corporate terror while we cower before Supernatural tales of horror, screenplays from religious texts. Real Get real: Israel-Palestine is one country with rampant misrepresentation and aparteid injustice.

Posted by: Grady Lee Howard | December 3, 2007 11:58 AM

In reference to Mike Sabis comment that “9/11 was an inside job”: You’d be hard pressed to prove that point to me. I do not know what any among you might recall as to what you were doing on Sept. 10, 2001. Circumstances in my life had led me to do some research on Islam that day. Prior to then, I‘d been quite ignorant of the subject. After a quick study, it was easy for me to conclude, however, that anyone who takes Islam seriously is fundamentally cruel. Sept 11th confirmed that. I’ve not yet read any of John Hagees books. I get the impression that he holds to an eschatology not too dissimilar to my own. I’ve heard, however, that he is a little confused on some issues that are not germane to the issue at hand. Mr. Sider alluded to the Bible saying that Israel will one day own everything to the Euphrates. He seemed to poo poo that prophecy, however. Does Mr. Sider believe that or not? I’m thankful that Mr. Rosenberg appreciates the blessing that this country has been to the Jewish people. Everyone in your report missed the point. The point has to do...

Posted by: Barry Ellegant | December 3, 2007 12:44 AM

I've become aware over the years that the idea of a Palestinian State was threatening to Israel and that was one thing. Then I became aware (slow learner) that the U.S., as an Israeli ally, really didn't go out of its way to promote a Palestinian homeland. Last year with Lieberman's betrayal of the Democratic Party and this year with Feinstein's similar abandonment, I suddenly saw three young girls, all friends (can only speak for my gender - maybe boys did it too) and one day one of the three is offended by one of the others. The remaining girl is told by the offended what the offendee did WITH the directive: "If you're MY friend, you can't be HER friend, too." Wellllll, here's the thing. America needs to grow the hell up! We're all supposed to be adults here and we're not behaving that way because Palestine has never done anything to the U.S. My true feeling regarding ANY history is this: "I'm sorry for what our Country ever did; I'm sorry for what YOUR Country did, but if we want our todays and tomorrows to be different we have to stop living in them as IF they were...

Posted by: Diane Whitmire | December 2, 2007 8:38 PM

Wish I could agree that Rosenberg was "reasonable, clear, and sane." He hopped from one side of the issue to the other until I thought I was strapped to Brer Rabbit's back trying to evade the fox.

Posted by: Susan Antoinette | December 2, 2007 7:36 PM

Thanks to Mr. Moyers for another thoughtful program. The first part of the program filled me with fear and loathing for what seems to be gleeful hate-mongering in the name of Christianity. It gives me real hope to hear Mr. Moyers describe his own Evangelical background and to see him show over and over that some Evangelical Christians are more focussed on Christ's positive messages of loving one another and making themselves instruments of peace than on judging, condemning, and attacking everyone else. Mr. Moyers makes himself a positive example in the world every week on his program--presenting thorough discussions of issues that are reduced to bumper sticker slogans and loud, angry bickering in other media presentations. Mr Rosenberg was wonderfully clear, reasonable and sane in his discussion of the issue. His views and attitude were so welcome after the rabid posturing of the people in the cufi segment of the program. Thank God for the articulate spokespeople for peace and justice who give us all inspiration and reassure us that there are lots of beautiful souls out there laboring to address issues with reason and decency .

Posted by: SW | December 2, 2007 6:38 PM

(rest of comment) Abbas, the PLO head is powerless. The "Palastinians" practice a muslim term called "Hudna" which is lying and agreeing to things which they have no intention of abiding. They have either stolen or mis-appropriated billions to buying arms and militant training. They have NOT executed any of their obligations on the "Roadmap", no not ONE. They do not desire peace, at all, just quietness coming from where Jews used to live. Please wake up!

Posted by: William Merrill | December 2, 2007 1:27 PM

Your last two guests were boneheaded liberal idiots. Okay, they both are academics (dirty word!)and are familiar (somewhat)with the bible and Robert's Rules of Order. The Arabs are mostly "none of the above", have been taught the Koran. Read it! In 1948,TransJordan was given to include any displaced Arabs to serve as their "own state". Speak then to the Jordanians (Hashemites)to get them to accept their own people. Although I would tolerate nuking Gaza, I consider that there are a few overlooked facts:The current PLO president is a lead

Posted by: William Merrill | December 2, 2007 1:05 PM

Mr. Rosenberg continues to perpetuate the myth that the Ashkenazi Jew is entitled to the land of Israel. They are converts to Judaism from the year 850 AD, and hold no real claim to that land, anymore than Irish Catholics own title to Italy. Of the 12 million Jews worldwide, only 2% have bloodlines to the Biblical Jews, and their bloodlines resemble more the Arab bloodlines than that of Eastern Europeans. Yet Jews continue to perpetuate this myth that their ancestors were slaves in Egypt, when they were really tribes in Russia. Most of the Biblical Jews have been kicked out of Israel and discriminated against by the Ashkenazis and Khazars themselves. A point that has been twisted is that Israel continues to play victim, as they plow under homes, destroy olive groves and watch the sick die at checkpoints --- these are Palestinians. It seems to me that Israel is not recognizing Palestine's right to exist, whereas the media has turned it the other way. Palestinians are being ethnically cleansed. The peace talks excluded elected officials in a democratic election. HAMAS was never invited. It's a moot point when you invite the loser of an election to join your...

Posted by: Rick | December 2, 2007 11:46 AM

What about the israli responsibility for teaching the palestinians under occupation the rule of law , citizinship and secularism, freedom of religion and speech? the palestinian grew a genereation under occupations without anybody taking the resposibiliy to teach them being humanists! respecting humanity is something that you learn., by example, by instruction, by something. they left the palestinians stateless, lost in limbo and expect them to evolve into secularist humanists who dont believe in vilence to solve their problems! how can you learn that? israel has the power , the upper hand, the occupy the land the sea the air, got the money the media the knowledge to transform the palestians and change them. Look what the USA did in germany and japan, they really build democracy there, the US is always proud of the marshal plan. where is israels marshal plan? how could expect the palestinans to believe in peace when the very strong rich developed very well supported by the strongest country in the world , occupies their land and does nothing for them.

Posted by: eyad | December 2, 2007 11:38 AM

I watched your program on Hagee and CUFI with fear and fascination. I was scared watching Hagee and his disciples talk about bombing Iran, and even more scared when the report showed that they believed in armageddon, which was to take place in the Middle East. I was somewhat relieved to hear your guests explain that Hagee is on the fringe, with relatively few followers; and that Bush and his administration are really at odds with Hagee's beliefs. But then I thought about Isikoff and Corn's book Hubris. If the findings of their research are correct, then it seems that major figures in the administration were (and probably still are) influenced by these beliefs (or are at least "in bed" with these believers). Reading Hubris, we learn that Neo-Con and Bush administration policy involved an almost insane following of blind faith by Wolfowitz, Perle, and others with regard to the bad intelligence used to go to war in Iraq. While it is hard to really believe that Bush and Cheney have any spirituality at all, it seems clear that major players in their administration either have "end-game" beliefs, or are using these believers to drum up support to take over...

Posted by: Lucas Metcalf-Tobin | December 2, 2007 10:41 AM

Tha dynk you again for another thorough presentation of a topic no other media outlet is willing to cover. I am wondering if you or anyone else is aware of any study with regards to Palestinian land that has either been turned over or sold by Israel to these Christian evangelical groups. I heard some time ago that Jerry Falwell's outfit owned the Hilton Hotel built on the Mount of Olives. I would appreciate any verifiable information anyone might have with regard to this particular topic. Thank you.

Posted by: Marianne McGuire | December 2, 2007 9:44 AM

come to soulcast.com on the internet and check out over a month or two(slowly)..messenger@soulcast.com

Posted by: carlin power | December 2, 2007 3:38 AM

It was a good piece, but Moyers once again restates the myth that Ahmadinejad has called for Israel to be "wiped off the map." I have looked for ages and have never found such a quote. Given that this sole statement is the sole basis for attacking Iran, I think the press should make sure he actually said it.

Posted by: paul roesler | December 2, 2007 12:19 AM

How can the US pretend to be a peace broker when they supply the WMDs to one side? The one side that has nuclear weapons in defiance of the Nuclear non Proliferation Treaty. The one side that continues to violate international law. It is the same as the Nazis acting as a peace broker between Japan and the US after Pearl Harbour. In spite of all the good intentions expressed by the gentlemen in the program, none of this was even mentioned, let alone explained. more info here: http://therealnews.com/web/index.php?thisdataswitch=0&thisid=646&thisview=item

Posted by: William VanRee | December 1, 2007 6:08 PM

the story has been told on your previous shows. The story that says that each human being is much more complicated than we know which tells us that terrorists that strap bombs to themselves and walk into crowded market places... like soldier snipers who aim for the eyes of children walking to school... the story of these individuals is complex and often disturbing and though this doesn't excuse their choices we need the whole of their stories to comprehend a solution. The events that make up the recent pomp and circumstance in annapolis do very little to bring these stories to light. What is most necessary is the people involved in the everyday on the ground conflict to walk away from their leaders propaganda in order to have conversations with the people whose stories they have never heard. To listen with trust and faith but most of all to just listen and make up their own minds without the agendas of those whose ears are stuffed with hatred, greed and fear. We could all use this technique in the most simple conflicts in our lives and gain our humanity in the process.

Posted by: lee jankowski | December 1, 2007 5:36 PM

Isreal has been at war since 1948 with our money! Our defense industry likes billing the U.S. taxpayer for Isreals war toys. Most of our media is owned by a handful of corporations and most published pro-war propaganda to destroy Iraq. and want to destroy Iran as well. Are American Jews pulling the strings for a puppet U.S. government?

Posted by: Doug Heffley | December 1, 2007 4:33 PM

The motivation of the extremists on both sides, be it AIPAC or the extreme Arab regimes is frozen in time and ideology. These groups continue to sell their perspective to the masses to promote their radical agendas with complete detachment from the reality on the ground between the Palestinians and Israelis. The majority of people on both sides want permanent peace. It’s the way we go about it that’s going to make all the difference. MJ’s views about building Palestinian security and statehood is the necessary shift that needs to happen for the two cultures to live in peace. In my organization, we don’t look at peace building the way it has been perceived and enacted by the UN, and the well-meaning-tripping-over-each-other NGO’s. All their efforts have done is merely feed the Palestinians for a day. The Palestinians instead need to be taught how to build self-sufficient institutions. Building Palestinian institutions prior to statehood is a must if we want to avoid another Oslo or another Camp David (or another Annapolis?) Dr. Don Beck, who was one of the main architects of South Africa’s transition from apartheid presented the Israeli and the Palestinian leadership with an over arching vision for...

Posted by: Said E. Dawlabani | December 1, 2007 2:28 PM

As the author of two books on the subject of Bible prophecy, I do in fact believe in the Biblical support of Israel. However, as I cite in Rapture Redux (Infinity Publishing, 2007), I am highly concerned with popular pastors who stand behind the pulpit and issue the Christian equivalent of a fatwa - a call to preemptive war against another country (in this case, Iran). Have they become no better than our enemy? Furthermore, such pastors better think twice before calling for an invasion of Iran because a majority of economists, politicians, and scholars all believe it would end in disaster for our country with potential terrorism, economic depression, social disruption, and $10 per gallon gasoline par for the course. In summary, I stand with Israel - but I am increasingly wary of this unbiblical new breed of Christian neoconservatism.

Posted by: Daniel J. Gansle | December 1, 2007 10:47 AM

After the first World War the Turkish Empire lost their Mideast territory to Britain. Within a few years the British gave a large part of this land to the Palestinians however the British named it Jordan. The remainder of this British conquest is Israel and should include the West Bank but not the Gaza. A two state solution already exists and America and the UN should support that position.

Posted by: Harvey R. tuck | December 1, 2007 10:32 AM

I wonder whether those who think the whole land between the Mediterranean and the Jordan was given by God to the Jews--or to the Muslims--would be satisfied with another kind of two-state solution, called Parity for Peace: two states on the same land, with bilateral (50-50) governance and equal access by all individuals to resources. This kind of political arrangement, in which two states have sovereignty over the same piece of land, with no geographical divisions, is called a condominium. The advantages to this solution are many. All the problems vexing the negotiators would become moot, as the entire land would be shared. Palestinian refugees could return without upsetting the Jewishness of Israel, which would now be 100 percent Jewish. Each nation could think of the whole place as theirs and live anywhere they wanted to. This would be a just solution that would resolve the conflict. For more on Parity for Peace, see http://www.parityforpeace.org/.

Posted by: Esther | December 1, 2007 10:03 AM

shade of the lynching tree!! or am i too obscure....? shecky, too, gets it right!(or rather, gideon does...) but this is a subject that is morally quite clear. israel has the right to exist because it already does, as does any armed camp. this is a right that was taken by some particulars and abetted by force of arms. the only moral concern is whether it is moral to force a lock. the current political issue is whether any retaliatory action is warranted by those affected. it is almost impossible for me to conceive of an israeli who would consciously deny the palestinians the right of self defense but perhaps there are some. hm, the root question is of the right to establish authority by means of force. here, the confusion is historical in that the caananites(?) expelled the jews by force some thousands of years before. this is unanswerable in any modern context but once one decides yes or no, then the procedure for remedy is resolved almost inevitably. for myself, i am sublimely uncomfortable with any answer that i adopt due to the arbitrary issues involved in this particlar example. i think israel is a wonderful idea, absent...

Posted by: donald vance | December 1, 2007 8:45 AM

Demands of a thief By Gideon Levy The public discourse in Israel has momentarily awoken from its slumber. "To give or not to give," that is the Shakespearean question - "to make concessions" or "not to make concessions." It is good that initial signs of life in the Israeli public have emerged. It was worth going to Annapolis if only for this reason - but this discourse is baseless and distorted. Israel is not being asked "to give" anything to the Palestinians; it is only being asked to return - to return their stolen land and restore their trampled self-respect, along with their fundamental human rights and humanity. This is the primary core issue, the only one worthy of the title, and no one talks about it anymore. No one is talking about morality anymore. Justice is also an archaic concept, a taboo that has deliberately been erased from all negotiations. Two and a half million people - farmers, merchants, lawyers, drivers, daydreaming teenage girls, love-smitten men, old people, women, children and combatants using violent means for a just cause - have all been living under a brutal boot for 40 years. Meanwhile, in our cafes and living rooms the...

Posted by: shecky | December 1, 2007 6:54 AM

JP gets it right, though i am uncertain about the role al jazeera played in the misquote. as for the rest: am i to understand that most of you who have posted are quite willing to be invaded by a foreign agency and forced to surrender your inherited territory, upon which your very life depends, in order to satisfy the unprovable demands of a "very large man", made in an age and in a manner that is equally unprovable?- just wow.... anyhoo, here is something to truly consider: christ and the crucifixion, and all the stories pertaining to, are not regarding an individual, but instead, refer to the political hostilities endured by early devotees at the hands of the holy roman empire in the face of the basic christian tenet of refusing to tithe to the holy roman church, and instead practice charity. no wonder so many had to die... at any rate, this subject is not worth any serious discussion. once you have granted an authoritarian force the right to deprive you of your right to live, then you deserve to be slaughtered without quarter. in fact, your capacity to effectively safeguard your life indeed becomes entirely irrelevant. there...

Posted by: donald vance | December 1, 2007 6:27 AM

With all due respect, why is so much attention in the media focused on Israel? It's a big world out there, yet it seems 99.9% of foreign policy discussions on your show involve Israel and the Middle East. Try expanding your horizons Bill.

Posted by: Thomas Atwood | December 1, 2007 4:53 AM

I would like to see Bill Moyers present alternative views to the "clash of civilizations" theme that Americans have been propagandized to accept. The notion that Islam/the East is in a fight-to- the- death with Christianity/the West is an intellectually dishonest view proposed by biased author Bernard Lewis, and picked up by historian Samuel Huntington. There are antidotes to these sick views of the world: Richard Bulliet was one of the Columbia U. scholars who sponsored Ahmadinejad's appearance at Columbia U. in October, 2007. (I suspect Bulliet did his best to remain in the background after the disgraceful behavior of Lee Bollinger.) Bulliet wrote, "The Case FOR Islamo- Christian Civilization," in which he examines the deep ties and commonalities between Christians and Muslims. It's a slim volume that's packed with insight and hope. I urge Mr. Moyers to interview Richard Bulliet and discuss an antidote to the toxic brew Lewis and Huntington have poured out on the world.

Posted by: Susan Antoinette | December 1, 2007 3:12 AM

link to UJF Pittsburgh flier: http://www.ujfpittsburgh.org/page.html?ArticleID=147006 I am extremely distressed that the United Jewish Fund (UJF) in Pittsburgh is drumming up animosity and war against Iran. Their flier depicts a flaming mushroom cloud on a stark black ground. It is sensationalistic and fear mongering; we've been down that road before; shame on UJF. The flier says the "Iran Task Force" is an "interfaith coalition" but in fact it is composed of about 10 Jewish groups -- only Jewish groups. The flier says "A Nuclear Iran is a threat to humanity." Iran is eminently rational; it would be no more a "threat to humanity" with nuclear weapons than is Israel. Israel destroyed Lebanon and left behind a million cluster bombs; Iran has never done anything like that in the last 200 years. UJF says its goal is to "educate all Pittsburgh in the danger Iran poses to the world." In fact, the US and Israel are threats to Iran, not the other way around. According to Flynt Leverett, the US has been infiltrating Iran, attempting to foment a break-away movement among small villages at Iran's borders with Kurdish Iraq. Israel is training military in Kurdish Iraq to harrass Iran. The...

Posted by: Susan Antoinette | December 1, 2007 2:58 AM

I was amazed to hear Bill Moyers repeat the mistranslation of Ahmadinejad's words. Here is a link that debunks this disinformation: http://www.antiwar.com/orig/norouzi.php?articleid=11025

Posted by: JP | December 1, 2007 2:42 AM

Someday there will be no more wars. Either we will continue to kill ourselves as well as our planet, until all is gone; or we will learn to live together, equally, including all things, unified as one. We have a very long way to go, and not much time left to get there. My choice is one! = MJA

Posted by: Michael J Ahles | December 1, 2007 2:32 AM

thank you for the second half of tonight's program. cufi scared me so badly that all i could do to calm my fears was to say, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." it was reassuring to hear the other spokesmen.

Posted by: megan belia | December 1, 2007 1:08 AM

sorry; meant that last post for poster 'Carolyn'

Posted by: Patrick Pineault | December 1, 2007 1:06 AM

And to poster Craig: Just so you know, if you're interested in educating yourself on the history of the Palestinian struggle; after Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza after the '67 war, the only Arab country allowing an influx of Palestinians refugees was Jordan, and even they eventually closed their doors. None of their Arab neighbors was happy about having a large Palestinian minority in their midst and implemented policies to effectively shut them out. It's a sad part of the story that's not very often told. I absolutely support Israel's right to exist as a nation and absolutely want to see the Palestinian people have the same. And I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Rosenberg; as long as the Palestinians are without a state, there will be no peace for Israel.

Posted by: Patrick Pineault | December 1, 2007 1:03 AM

Bill this situation started in 1947 when the US/UK asked the UN to let Jewish people settle on Palestine land. Hagee is using this for money and he's no different then the Scribes/Pharisees as was hypocrites in the bible. To use the bible Ishmael and Isaac are brothers. That's the root to this situation. Palestinians and Jewish people are related. Now Israel doesn't have any rights to the land but want the US to help them take it. Israel will lose because they are still doing the same thing God punished them for a long time ago. Israel asked God to help them win over Hezbollah and we saw God chose Hezbollah not Israel. Bush only had this meeting for his legacy. Without Iran and Hamas it was a waste of time. I would like to know from those who think Israel has rights to the land where were the Jews before 1947? If people like Lieberman and other sickos had their way Israel would occupy the US and declare this country theirs in the name of God.

Posted by: Jackie Rawlings | December 1, 2007 12:54 AM

Dear Mr. Rosenberg, Very much enjoyed listening to you tonight on the Journal. I am especially gratified by your refreshingly honest comments on the AIPAC lobby. I've long been bothered by this lobby's influence and right wing support. (even more distressingly, I have a brother who has become a raging anti-semite and number one on his enemy list? AIPAC) I don't of course share his views but I do resent the the influence that lobbys like AIPAC exerts. I'm not singling out AIPAC in particular; I'm looking forward to truly comprehensive lobbying reform (public financing of campaigns would be a great start) I've been long concerned about the undue influence many of these lobbying organizations have, at the expense, of course, of ordinary citizens like me. Thank you again, peace in Palestine and Happy Hanukkah! (I'm not jewish myself but I did marry a 'nice jewish boy')

Posted by: Patrick Pineault | December 1, 2007 12:47 AM

If there were some reassurance that a new Palestinian state would function on the basis of some kind of democratic concensus, a two-state solution would make sense. But it's clear from events that there is no concensus in Palestinian society and that a newly created Palestinian state would become a failed state. As such, it would represent a threat to Israeli security. A Palestinian state? Someday perhaps; but not yet.

Posted by: IMF | December 1, 2007 12:46 AM

An ex-English teacher, I had visions of Rev. Hagee's face turn into the "Animal Farm" dictator as he has definite piggish facial characteristics! I also recalled my teaching of "Lord of the Flies" as it is scary when Moyers did repeat that Radicals usually seem to be heard the MOST! I'm a lapsed Lutheran w/ a childhood completely saturated w/ the ELC (Evangelical Lutheran Church) so I did hear "fire & brimstone" sermons a LOT, thus my reptilian brain went back to which of these people IS the Anti-Christ?! I'm so discouraged by "special Interests" taking over a naive view of democracy that thinks our gov't. is to be OF THE PEOPLE! I'm usually most angry at the corporate lobbyists, but this show made me think that again the Religious peoples will probably bring the world to an end. T.S. Eliot's line: "not w/ a bang or a whimper." If the CUFI get their way it will be the Iran bomb that takes them up in the rapture. I have mistrust of the APAC lobbyists 'cuz I associate them w/ more money than most of the populace. THAT'S WHY OUR POLITICIANS GROVEL. Christ warned about the "love of mammon." There...

Posted by: Marilyn Spilde-Lee | December 1, 2007 12:31 AM

It is disturbing how the current peace process between Israel and Palestinians is framed in the context of fear and antagonism towards Iran - making peace with one enemy while breeding animosity with another is a recipe for a lasting war. Mr. Hagee's apocalyptic vision of Armageddon is a twisted and literal interpretation of the concept of Messiah. It is always in times of great injustice, war, bitter poverty, and violence that peacemakers are compelled to push for peace and justice. "Jesus" has come and gone numerous times - he has been around as Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and thousands of other other peacemakers whose names never make it to the pages of history. Perhaps if Mr. Hagee and his group did a little work for peace rather than stoke the fires of more wars, they could feel the true peace (peace they may envision accompanies their rapture), right here on earth.

Posted by: Azam Houle | December 1, 2007 12:27 AM

help the world KAJ!!!

Posted by: mmm | December 1, 2007 12:07 AM

I have watched this being played over and over, when will it stop. This so called Arageddon and the end times...the same belief held during the Reformation of the 17th Century. History tells the truth of what can happen and it will not be some beautiful rising to the heavens. No, it will be the submission of those who only believe what the religious zealots dictate or face death. The same can be said of some of our esteemed religious figures...scandals, molestation, and yikes, heretical scientists. Are they any different than those they wish to see destroyed, albiet in a "religious" pleasing sense? I don't think so, by attempting to remove the safeguards of the Constitution, revoke critical thinking in science, our America has become a defacto religious state.

Posted by: Chris | December 1, 2007 12:00 AM

STOP APAC AND HEAL THE WORLD!!!!!

Posted by: mike | November 30, 2007 11:55 PM

the only answer i see is to hold jews responsible for their actions and relize those are not the views of real Christians

Posted by: mike | November 30, 2007 11:54 PM

"None is righteous, no not one; no one understands, no one seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have gone wrong; no one does good, not even one." "Their throat is an open grave, they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood, in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they do not know." "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Romans 9

Posted by: RE Mant | November 30, 2007 11:34 PM

I think that the United States government has played a major part in perpetuating the conflict in Israel today.

Posted by: Varda Burns | November 30, 2007 11:10 PM

Great program and discussion. But you missed the big part about Hagee. What he is trying to show is the Quran's and Muhammad's teaching about the jewish state or better(nonexistence) of. I would like to believe that peace is possible. But both parties in a peace treaty must also believe in peace. The true believers and followers of the Quran understand the truth of suran9:4,9:5-(But the treaties are)not dissolved with those Pagans (Christians ans Jews) with whom you have entered into alliance and who have not subsequently failed you in anything, nor aided any one against you. So fulfil your engagements with them to the end of their term: for Allah loves the righteous.9:5 BUT when the fobidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans whenever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every strategem (of war); but if they repent and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful. And this are the teachings that Hagee is trying to educate the Christians on.

Posted by: Dan Colmenero | November 30, 2007 11:09 PM

Peace would be great; Israel has wanted just to be left alone to live on their own land. Unfortunately Muslims will never want peace, they want to completely drive the Jews from the Middle East and convert or kill anyone not agreeing with them. And you can really tell from listening to Bill Moyers how anti-Christian and anti-Republican he is. He continually interjected his feelings how "radical" Christians are actually not want to give in to Muslims who kill innocent people. PBS and Bill Moyers should be ashamed for continuously being so anti-religion. Why should right wing Jew or Christian Americans, who live in a country founded on Judeo-Christian values be silenced or called radical by the "public" secular religious zealots like Moyers and his ilk? Why doesn't he interview Pat Robertson or James Dobson and give them equal time on why Israel is so important?

Posted by: Luke | November 30, 2007 10:53 PM

I was dismayed to read of the jailing and deportation of a teacher because of the name her 2nd grade class gave to their teddy bear. But I am absolutely appalled to hear Hagee's call for the virtual destruction of Palestine and Iran.The extremists on both sides seem totally dedicated to the destruction of our fragile earth!

Posted by: Norma | November 30, 2007 10:47 PM

Israel is a Jewish country. America is a Christian country. Jews should all make Aliyah as they make trouble for America all over the world and deny Christians the right to practice their religion in America. Whatever happens to Israel is a problem for Jews, not Americans. America should terminate all aid to the theocracy of Israel. Failure to do so constitutes a violation of the Establishment clause of the US Constitution.

Posted by: Chuck Johnson | November 30, 2007 10:46 PM

I have just listened to your program on the Israel/Palestinian situation and very much appreciated the discussion. However, it puzzles me why you chose to have only an evangelical as representative of the Christian position on a two state solution. I am a retired pastor in the United Church of Christ. I heard your wonderful presentation at the UCC Synod 26 in Hartford. I am sure you know the UCC, the United Methodists, and other main line Protestant churches have been calling for a two state solution for years. Are you implying the stand of these churches is irrelevant? I hope not.

Posted by: Rev. Arthur W. Christofersen | November 30, 2007 10:37 PM

Mr Rosenberg's analysis is right on. The only way to secure Israel's future is by creating a strong Palestinian State. My organization has been working with both sides to level the asymmetry that exists between the two cultures and the different life conditions in both societies. Our focus is on building capacities in Palestine and supporting strong institutions to equip the Palestinians with skills to sustain a viable state once the two-state solution is finalized. We called our initiative: "Build Palestine Initiative for the Good of All." Many Israeli organizations and officials are highly supportive of this initiative. They know what works for them better than anyone else. Israelis and Palestinians want to get along. I know that from spending a lot of time in the region and working with Palestinians and Israelis from all backgrounds and value-systems. It is unfortunate that the network media and newspapers only show the extremists on both sides, these are usually the minorities. As an Arab I am optimistic about the positive shift that I am witnessing in Arab societies especially among young men and women, and in particular young Palestinians. It is a shame that the media keeps fueling a dance of ignorance...

Posted by: Elza Maalouf | November 30, 2007 10:34 PM

I did not hear any discussion of the role of Middle East rulers outside Israel visa vi terrorism. Even if the Israel and Palestine question is resolved, millions of poor and disenfranchised young people in that part of the world will still feel hopeless and angry. They will still need a great satan. There can be no peace without justice. The US must also push for reform of the political systems that deny these people free public education and the hope of a better life.

Posted by: LuckyMan | November 30, 2007 10:31 PM

CUT AND PASTE MISTAKE. In my comments below, please disregard the following sentence: "Moreover, according to CNN, now one in three Americans believe so." This sentence comes towards the end and does not belong at the beginning. Thanks.

Posted by: Mike Sabi | November 30, 2007 10:28 PM

As usual Bill Moyers's discussion of John Hagee and the articulate MJ Rosenberg's counter analysis of this Christian fanatic was simply brilliant. I cannot think of one thing that Mr. Rosenberg said with which I could disagree. He was passionate, articulate and oh so absolutely correct. I, as a Jew, think what a curious phenomenon these Christian Evangelicals are. They have been, with respect to the Jewish people, all over the political map. It was not so long ago that I remember the Christian right as being rancid with anti-Semitic vitriol. Jews in this country were so often afraid of them. Now they present a new face and have become allegedly the Jew's best friend. They are, though, not that. There is a method to the Christian Fundamentalist madness and it is, of course, to ultimately convert the Jew. The New Testament is not a neutral document with respect to the Jew. You bet the separation clause of the First Amendment is my friend because without it the Jew might not exist. The real threat to the Jew, Israel and the entire world is, in fact, religion itself. Each group claims they know what God wants. Each group claims they...

Posted by: Natalie Rosen | November 30, 2007 10:25 PM

I respect this man Bill Moyers very much. One of the few endangered species among journalists - I mean people of integrity, forthrightness, and honsty. But even a great man like him some times make mistakes. Moreover, according to CNN, now one in three Americans believe so. One example is when he mentioned that Iran's president wanted Israel to be wiped off the map. In fact that was a willful mistranslation of his speech. Had he done a Google search he would have found that out. I did just that and here is one reference: http://www.republic-news.org/archive/174-repub/174_nenonen.htm In previous broadcasts he had disparagingly used hateful words, such as "jihadists", "Islamists" and so on, invented against Muslims by the enemies of peace. A man of his caliber ought to keep away from such invective phraseology. Those fighting for their lives, to save the lives of their loved ones, their honor, their home lands ... it is cruel to call them 'jihadists' 'terrorists' and so on. Mr. Moyers needs a little more insight into facts about the longstanding struggles of Muslims. One more sad fact is that Mr. Moyers seem to still believe that 911 was committed by Muslims, while a large number...

Posted by: Mike Sabi | November 30, 2007 10:20 PM

Billy Zarcone's message above is true. I would add that the end of the world as spoken by secular people is not correct. Jesus will come to Earth and reign as King during a 1000 year period of peace. Then the Earth as we know it will pass. Mr. Moyer and his guests just need to read the Bible to gain knowledge.

Posted by: Dave Rieck | November 30, 2007 10:12 PM

This show began with so much ignorance and hate. This discussion ended on a note of hope. Thanks for that.

Posted by: Craig | November 30, 2007 10:03 PM

There will never be peace for Israel as far as Arab/Muslims go. Think about it- Israel- a tiny nation surrounded by millions of acres of Muslim lands. Why is it so imperative that the "Palestinian" people to live in Israel, when they can easily assimilate in any surrounding muslim country? Israel has existed since Abraham- and the Bible has been proven to be right again when it says there would be bitterness between Isaac and Ishmael. In all prophecies from the Bible- they have all come to pass-except for those in Revelation- which we are witnessing the beginnings today.

Posted by: carolyn | November 30, 2007 9:46 PM

The truth is always best, but it is also always the first casualty of war. To get to the truth, a few questions must be answered. Who breaks UN resolutions with greatest frequency, Israel or Palestine? Who kills more civillians every month Israel or Palestine? Who has invaded on the others territory Israel or Palestine? Who is amassing weapons of mass destruction Israel or Palestine? What regime is the only remaining system of apartheid left on earth Israel or Palestine? Who refuses to compromise at all in every negotiation Israel or Palestine?

Posted by: Adam Berner | November 30, 2007 7:53 PM

the jews people have commited an holacaust of gigantic proportions against the palestians people thay have taken over there land and kicked them out they continur to build housing on the west bank they don`t want peace they want to hog the land all for them selves

Posted by: billy zarcone | November 30, 2007 6:27 PM

the arabs have no inbtentions to make peace with anyone. Their major objective is to convert the entire world to Islam, by the AK 47 in one hand and the Koran in the other. When discussing among themselves in their own languages and dialects, they want to kill all christains and jews, but when meeting with the West, they want "PEACE". With their oil, they now control the largest corporations , corporations who are more interested in the immediate monetary gains and not the future of the world. Unless the West unite, we will have Armageddon and the end of the world.

Posted by: david bonin | November 30, 2007 5:26 PM

I think that the arabs do not want peace at all. They want the entire world to be converted to Islam. When discussing the matter among themselves in their languages and dialects, they want to kill all christiands and jews, convert the entire globe by the ak47 in one hand and the koran in the other. But when meeting with the West, they want PEACE. They have no intention to make peace with israel except to take over the entire country , promising the jews good treatment under Islam. Unfortunately, the arabs have the oil and thus control the biggest corporations, who are looking at the immediate results, not the long term resuls.The west should be combined for a crusade or face extinction and the end of the world

Posted by: david bonin | November 30, 2007 5:20 PM

Update: Lobbies' Role In Middle East Peace

TrackBack

Comments

Post a comment

Our Posts

Your Comments

Moyers Beats

Subscribe

Podcasts

Frappr!

Archives