Chesler Chronicles

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December 24th, 2007 8:58 am

Refusing to Rape=Racism if you are an Israeli Soldier

Hebrew University has just awarded a research prize to a graduate student’s essay in which she claims that Israeli soldiers are “racists for not raping Arab women.”(See HERE.)

This is no joke–anyway, who could make this up? The graduate student is a woman named Tal Nitzan. Her anthropological essay has been published by the Hebrew University’s “Shaine Center.”

Nitzan writes that the “lack of IDF rapes of Palestinian women is designed to serve a political purpose.” Since Israel fears the Palestinians demographically, IDF soldiers have been trained not to rape the women in order to avoid creating new Palestinians and little intifaders. (Has Nitzan never heard about Palestinian honor killings in which pregnant-out-of-wedlock or adulterous women are murdered by their families who love them too much?) Nitzan alleges that the “lack of military rape merely strengthens the ethnic boundaries and clarifies the inter-ethnic differences–just as organized military rape would have done.”

Thus, Israeli racism, which “de-humanizes” Palestinian women, suppresses Jewish male lust–which proves that Israeli soldiers are racist oppressors. As the only army that does not, apparently, rape, Nitzan fails to grapple with other reasons for this, including the possibility that Israeli soldiers are acting in an ethical and civilized manner.

According to Israeli Professor Steven Plaut who called this to my attention: ” So essentially Nitzan is saying that the proof that Israeli soldiers are brutal oppressive stormtroopers is the fact that they do NOT mistreat and sexually abuse Palestinian women, not even the Palestinian terrorist women apprehended after trying to murder Jews.”

Plaut bitterly wonders whether if Nitzan “herself were to be raped by Hamas terrorists, I guess this would pretty much prove that they are egalitarian and progressive seekers of peace and justice.”

He suggests that people let the heads of Hebrew University know what they think about awarding a prize to such an essay. He provides the following contact information.

Hebrew University:

President of the University Menachem Magidor
Primary Email address: hupres@cc.huji.ac.il
Second Email address (extra): menachem@math.huji.ac.il
Fax. 02-5811023

Rector of the University: Professor Chaim Rabinowitch
Primary Email address: rabin@agri.huji.ac.il
Second Email address (extra): rector@savion.huji.ac.il

Hebrew University “Friends of” Offices:
http://www.huji.ac.il/huji/eng/friends_e.htm

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20 Comments

1. Lori Lowenthal Marcus:

Once again Chesler is the voice of true (not the silent, not the silenced, not the somnolent) humanism which includes, of course, true feminism. About the message and not the messenger, what is there to say? The human vocabulary has been exhausted of all words suggesting national suicide by way of stupidity.

Thank you Phyllis. Take heed human race.

Dec 24, 2007 - 10:00 am 2. Lori Lowenthal Marcus:

Thank you Phyllis. Take heed human race.

Dec 24, 2007 - 10:01 am 3. Lou Santacroce:

By Nitzan’s reasoning, then, my refusal to rob a bank makes me a criminal because my Christian upbringing (which, by not being muslim, is immediately racist/sexist/etc-ist because it teaches me to preach — i.e., talk about my faith — to non-believers rather than kill them)serves the interests of a banking system that oppresses the poor, and to hell with the bank tellers who would rather not be traumatized by having guns shoved in their faces. Yeah, I know; this makes about as much sense as Nitzan’s “research,” which is merely more proof, if any more were needed, that the world has indeed gone mad.

Dec 24, 2007 - 10:01 am 4. greenconsciousness:

We should address our letters to “The Shame Center” We should tell them this writing is misogynist.

Jewish Fundamentalism is also a threat to humanity in its’ acceptance of the concept of women as objects to be used by the patriarchs. My disgust is an ocean.

Dec 24, 2007 - 10:43 am 5. George Jochnowitz:

I wonder whether Tal Nitzan’s essay was written in code. It is a way of pointing out to the world that Israeli soldiers don’t rape Arab women. If she had simply said so, she would have been murdered.

Dec 24, 2007 - 1:04 pm 6. Fern Sidman:

The kind of distorted reasoning promulgated by Tal Nitzan could literally headline in the theater of the absurd. If it weren’t so tragic, it would be proposterous. The fact that this kind of treatise is being given legitimacy and credeibility makes it all the more dangerous.

Taking issue with Green Consciousness for a moment. You say that “Jewish Fundamentalism is also a threat to humanity in its’ acceptance of the concept of women as objects to be used by the patriarchs”. Where in the world do you get this idea? What Biblical and/or Talmudic sources do you have to buttress this charge? Women have always been and still are exalted in Judaism and halacha protects their rights and grants them secured status.

The rights of women in traditional Judaism are much greater than they were in the rest of Western civilization until this century. Women had the right to buy, sell, and own property, and make their own contracts, rights which women in Western countries (including America) did not have until about 100 years ago. In fact, Proverbs 31:10-31, which is traditionally read at Jewish weddings, speaks repeatedly of business acumen as a trait to be prized in women (v. 11, 13, 16, and 18 especially).

Moreover, marital sex is regarded as the woman’s right, and not the man’s. Men do not have the right to beat or mistreat their wives, a right that was not recognized by law in many Western countries until a few hundred years ago. In cases of rape, a woman is generally presumed not to have consented to the intercourse, even if she enjoyed it, even if she consented after the sexual act began and declined a rescue. This is in sharp contrast to American society, where even today rape victims often have to overcome public suspicion that they “asked for it” or “wanted it.” Traditional Judaism recognizes that forced sexual relations within the context of marriage are rape and are not permitted; in many states in America, rape within marriage is still not a criminal act.

Dec 24, 2007 - 3:43 pm 7. Bill Bradley:

What?

Merry Christmas, Phyllis.

Dec 24, 2007 - 3:44 pm 8. Lori Lowenthal Marcus:

I don’t think she’s writing in code, George. Check out this link and see for whom dear Tal’s heart beats. Unless this is a different Tal Nitzan?

http://www.xargol.com/index.php?cat=2&name=o_poetry&state=1&book=1052&nav=sample

Dec 24, 2007 - 3:47 pm 9. George Jochnowitz:

Thanks for the link, Lori. If Nitzan and Nizan are the same person, which is very likely indeed, she is not writing in code. Nitzan’s poem “Torn,” however, could be written from a pro-Israel point of view about an Israeli child who was a victim of terror. Unfortunately—mysteriously—in the warmest leftist heart there is a cold spot for the Jew, as Irving Howe almost said, and should have said.
Be that as it may, there is a silver lining to the cloud. Nitzan has publicized the fact that Israeli soldiers don’t rape anybody, a fact they and we and everybody should know about—a reason to be happy.

Dec 24, 2007 - 8:16 pm 10. michael:

This is utter lunacy! Why wasn’t she laughed right out of the university?

Thus, Israeli racism, which “de-humanizes” Palestinian women, suppresses Jewish male lust—which proves that Israeli soldiers are racist oppressors.

We could also read that as, “Rape dehumanizes women, and Israeli soldiers refuse to behave in that manner, recognizing the essential humanity of the Palestinians.”

This woman is complete idiot.

Dec 25, 2007 - 5:05 am 11. Karl:

Lunacy? Sure.

Laughed out of the University? Why?

Go back and re-read 1984. Newspeak rules!

Check out a synopsis of most of what passes for social and political “science” classes in college. Nitzan spits back the same.

I’d say the woman is definite professor material.

Dec 25, 2007 - 10:04 am 12. james:

Let’s not blame the Shaines. I bet they are far more outraged about this than even we are. Another case of a moonbat institution misusing mone donated it, subverting intentions of donor. Time to stop sending Hebrew U contributions! This was hardly its first PC atrocity.

Dec 25, 2007 - 10:33 am 13. Marion L:

Just as Rachel Ehrenfeld should have ther right to publish her book without intimidation from over-reaching UK libel laws, Tal Nitzan should have the right to publish her paper without negative economic repercussions for the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. However bizarre and offensive Nitzan’s paper appears, critics should read it in full and make informed responses. Critics, do, of course, have the right to vehemently disagree with Nitzan.

On balance, the people of Israel are far better off with a thriving Hebrew University of Jerusalem than without it. It is ironic that advocates for Israel would issue a call to punish an Israeli university at a time when anti-Israel forces have issued calls to boycott Israeli universities. In this context, we should be redoubling our efforts to support Israeli universities even when we disagree with the views of some of the students and faculty.

Dec 25, 2007 - 5:16 pm 14. Marion L:

As an addenda to my previous post:

I’m also offended by the “thesis” that not raping Palestinian women is “proof” of the IDF’s racism. However, I would like to read Nitzan’s essay in full as that is what a full and detailed rebuttal would require.

Critics do have a right to write to Hebrew University to express disagreement with the decision to grant a prize to Tal Nitzan.

Nevertheless, it would be unfortunate if the University lost funding due to the essay of a single graduate student.

Recall that in 2002, supporters of Israel were expressing solidarity with the University after the horrific suicide bombing in a University cafeteria.

Recall too that anti-Israel forces support an international boycott of all Israeli universities. Criticism of the award to Nitzan should not be done in a way that inadvertently (and ironically) abets the boycotters’ agenda.

The academic freedom at Hebrew University demonstrates the contrast between Israeli respect for civil liberties and the pervasive contempt for civil liberties in Middle Eastern dictatorships.

Dec 25, 2007 - 6:11 pm 15. David Thomson:

Where is Onion.com when you need it? Truth is indeed often stranger than fiction. I keep expecting Tal Nitzan to blurt out “April fool.” When will the movie be made? I can’t wait to see the previews.

Dec 25, 2007 - 9:05 pm 16. Sam:

Look, receipt of donations is not an automatic entitlement. People have the right to demand that their contributions are not misused for financing this sort of nonsense. Actually, taxpayers should have the same right. No one is stopping moonbats from expressing idiotic opinions, but who says they have an entitlement to public funding for their political activities. Their “research” is nothing but agitprop, hardly scholarship. Universities also have an obligation to demand meeting of quality standards. Everyone has the right to speak in Hyde Park but speaking in Hyde Park does not qualify you for a chair in Oxford.

Dec 26, 2007 - 3:50 am 17. mother in israel:

After I originally posted about this on my blog, another blogger lampooned it here:
http://israelisatirelab.blogspot.com/2007/12/sociologist-uncovers-new-israeli.html

Dec 26, 2007 - 4:39 am 18. Mama Palama:

To Green “consciousness”

I too take exception to your ill-informed barb against the Jewish people “Jewish Fundamentalism is also a threat to humanity in its’ acceptance of the concept of women as objects to be used by the patriarchs”… .

Such anti-Semitic diatribe is precisely what forged the basis of the acceptability cult of Hebrew U graduate student Tal Nitzan convoluted rationale against Israel’s soldiers as award recipient by Hebrew University. Such anti-Semitism was both infiltrated and hoisted against Israel in the women’s movement of the 70s serving as an anchor for the United Nations International Women’s Conference in Mexico City that passed on the backs of women its infamous 1975 resolution equating Zionism with Racism. The conduicy for Islamic demonization of Israel by mainstay feminists of that era continues. As does its silence against Islamic atrocities no less against women.

Thank you for demonstration albeit unwittingly the scourge entrenched and globalized through the exploitation of women by forces of anti-Semitism evidenced in your statement. Its time we women, no less Jewish women become “conscious” of such effort, indeed war against the Jews and quit serving it.

Dec 26, 2007 - 1:25 pm 19. Marion L:

Dear Sam:

I agree that “receipt of donations is not an automatic entitlement.”
However, I think that donors should continue to help fund Hebrew University’s outstanding contributions to Israeli society and international scholarship.
One bad essay from one student pales before this magnificient record.

Readers of this post can decide for themselves, as the University’s website showcases its achievements:

http://www.huji.ac.il/huji/eng/

Dec 26, 2007 - 10:53 pm 20. What Really, Really Worries Bin Laden: “The Jews are free to do whatever they wish with Muslim women” » Winds Of Jihad:

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Oct 29, 2008 - 3:27 pm