Saturday, June 10, 2006
Israel is attempting, rightfully, to deport a member of the International Solidarity Movement (and a son of a Presbyterian minister as it happens) who was trying to get into Israel to practice his trade of "piano tuning." The article is completely credulous with regard to the ISM's claims. Israel attempts to deport California man
The Israeli government attempted to deport Larudee after he landed at the airport outside Tel Aviv on Sunday, said Greta Berlin, a member of the International Solidarity Movement, which documents the occupation of Palestinians in the West Bank.
Larudee also is a member of the solidarity movement but was in Israel primarily to practice his trade as a piano tuner.
"He said `I have a skill, something that can contribute to the occupied Palestinians,"" Berlin said. ""I will offer piano-tuning services to people who want their pianos tuned.""
Jarad Bernstein, the director of media relations for the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco, confirmed that Larudee is awaiting a hearing before a judge to decide whether he can stay in Israel. That court date has not been scheduled.
While the solidarity movement considers itself a peaceful organization, Bernstein said the group has an agenda that sometimes "interferes with Israel's agenda of providing security to its citizens." However, he could not provide any examples except to say that members once blocked construction of a security fence in the West Bank.
"The threat we are to Israelis is we tell the truth," said Berlin, adding that the movement has no leaders or headquarters.
Larudee was born in Iran, the son of an Iranian Presbyterian minister and a New England missionary. He lived in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon on and off for about 12 years in various administrative posts before returning to the United States in 1993...
The ISM has only one purpose -- to disrupt Israeli attempts to defend themselves and make it easier for their Palestinian leaders to see out their goal of destroying the Jewish state. No country should be required to take in people for any length of time whatsoever who belong to a group dedicated to its destruction.
This article in the Contra Costa Times written by Alan Lopez is nothing but propaganda for the ISM.
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I don't understand: Why would anyone travel half-way around the world to tune pianos? They don't have piano tuners in the West Bank or somewhere else nearby, like Jordan? I can understand doctors, nurses, or any manner of care workers going to the West Bank to volunteer their services. But piano tuners? Where has there been a great cry in the Third World for piano tuners? My niece is in the US Peace Corps (in Africa). I've heard her describe work opportunities in the Peace Corps for teaching English, or helping in medical and nutrition programs. Not a word about piano tuners.
This reason of Larudee's for traveling to the Middle East sounds a bit thin.
He certainly won't be tuning pianos in Israel as he does not have a work permit.
Yeah, that's all the point, isn't it? It's obviously absurde, and the ISM is trained to lie in order to get into the country in any way they can. The reporter is either complicit, stupid, or too lazy to ask a spoonful of extra research.
That's exactly my point. The story about going there to tune pianos is so absurb and transparent that I wonder if it was meant as a tease, as a way of thumbing one's nose at the Israeli authorities. Yes, that journalist who apparently took this piano tuning story at face value does seem a bit thick.