New Zealand suspends diplomatic relations with Israel

[Ilander]

I hope the Isrealis just remove their heads from their butts and apologize...after all, the Chinese let off the US spyplane incident with a simple apology...and probably a vicuous undercurrent of "you'd better never do that again"...why can't the most civilized nation in the world... and Isreal (had to make that crack) just be friends?

[The Hierophant]

Originally posted by Davros: One wonders if they are Mossad what they are doing in that part of the world?

One theory I've heard circulating around is that New Zealand passports are valued for their understated 'nutrality'. Generally speaking, New Zealanders are pretty low-key on the global political stage, and so tend not to raise too many flags or stand out dramatically when travelling abroad. That's exactly the type of profile you want to keep if your are part on an international espionage network.

[ 07-15-2004, 11:42 PM: Message edited by: The Hierophant ]

[Black Baron]

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/452378.html

Jewish graves vandalized in New Zealand. Great.
It seems that sanctions on israel equals Judophobia for some people. Just what both of countries needed.

[Memnoch]

Originally posted by Black Baron: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/452378.html Jewish graves vandalized in New Zealand. Great. It seems that sanctions on israel equals Judophobia for some people. Just what both of countries needed.

BB, you shouldn't build a perception of a nation on the basis of a few moronic individuals who used this occasion to indulge in a bit of stupidity. Most kiwis I know are pretty decent blokes, if a bit deluded about their greatness on the rugby stage.

[Grojlach]

Originally posted by Black Baron: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/452378.html Jewish graves vandalized in New Zealand. Great. It seems that sanctions on israel equals Judophobia for some people. Just what both of countries needed.

It always surprises me how vandalism by a small group of utter morons always seems to make the world news... My mother is a teacher (teaching teenagers with an intelligence capacity somewhere between down syndrome and just below average), and had to repaint, clean and redecorate her class room last week because of all the swastikas that were spread all over the room (on the blackboard, in benches, on the walls, etc). But were you to ask her students exactly what they've done and tell you what the swastikas represent, they hardly know what they're writing down; all they know is that it's shocking enough to piss off adults, and that's all it is to them. Seriously.

Of course, vandalising graves is a wholly different matter altogether, though I feel this is an isolated incident done by the kind of moronic, racist scum you have in every single society around the world, including Israel (only they probably focus their anger onto Palestinans). It's just that the timing is bad enough to give people in Israel the impression that New Zealand is an anti-semitic paradise - which it definitely ain't. They shouldn't blow up this incident to huge proportions, in any case.

[ 07-16-2004, 03:54 AM: Message edited by: Grojlach ]

[Black Baron]

That is exactly why i have said-"some people" rather than New Zealand population. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[The Hierophant]

Black Baron, regarding these grave desecrations please let me formally apologise to you for the pathetically idiotic actions of a small handful of my so-called countrymen. There are small, isolated white supremist groups here in NZ, I won't deny that, idiocy does not discriminate by geography, but I can assure you these fringe groups are universally loathed by all other members of society. Make no mistake, most New Zealanders are as disgusted as you at such a juvenile and sacrilegious act.

And thanks Memnoch and Groj for your words. You guys rock! [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] But Memnoch, I think we should wait until the next All Black/Wallaby test before we start beating our rugby drums again... New Zealand will win of course, we'll just hold off the gloating until then [img]smile.gif[/img]


Incidentally, I read in the paper today that the Israeli ambassador has apologised to Helen Clark for the strain on diplomatic relations that this incident has caused. But he neither confirmed nor denied whether these men were Mossad agents. Although Phil Goff (Foreign Affairs Minister) said he has 'strong evidence' suggesting that they are Mossad, but he did not want to charge them with espionage as such a trial would involve releasing 'sensitive' intelligence info to public scrutiny.

Now, I'm certainly not going to just sit here and say 'Well, gee Phil, if you say they are Mossad then they must be! Duuuuh, I'll trust anything you say because you're an eee-lected oh-ficial.... [img]graemlins/1drool.gif[/img] ' , but he did sound quite emphatic... Anyways, these men arn't being tried as spies so Mossad allegations don't really matter in terms of legal precedings. In six months time they'll have done their time and will be free men (although they will admitedly be deported from NZ) However, as the article Black Baron posted states, there are going to be serious diplomatic repercussions because of this... it was just so stupid.

edit: most of the stuff I read in the paper was included in Black Baron's link anyway.... go figure [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 07-16-2004, 02:31 PM: Message edited by: The Hierophant ]

[Morgeruat]

Originally posted by Aerich: But that opens up a whole 'nother can of worms. If you assassinate a country's leader, they are "justified" in assassinating yours. I think the original prohibition on the CIA was to protect the US president from reprisals. Now if a country's leader ordered the assassination of the US prez, I'm sure the successors would take off the gloves.

*whistles innocently while thinking about Saddam Hussein's attempt to kill Former Pres Bush while he visited Kuwait ('93 I think)*

[Black Baron]

Apology accepted. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[wellard]

And it's not as if the Mossad agents where as incompatant or of such ill intent as the French secret service mudering civillians some years ago in Auckland. ...lest we forget those bastards