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Wrong premise -- wrong conclusion

Reader comment on item: Happy Israel
in response to reader comment: True, But I'm Concerned For The "Israeli Soul"

Submitted by Wallace Edward Brand (United States), Jun 6, 2013 at 09:02

This is also known as "garbage in, garbage out" logic.

The premise is that the Arabs are not very well off and this is due to the presence in Palestine of the Jews. That premise is completely false. For example, since the 1967 liberation of Judea, Samaria and East Jerusalem, twice as many Arab children are going to school, average income is significantly higher, higher than average Arab income in the surrounding stages, per capita GDP is higher, higher than the same for Arabs in the surrounding states except those with oil income, the literacy rate is way up, life expectancy rose from 48 to 73, infant mortality went down by 75%, many more Arab homes have running water, electricity and are able to cook with electricity and gas.

Prior to the 1967 liberation there were no colleges or universities in this area -- now there are seven. See: Karsh, "What Occupation". http://www.aish.com/jw/me/48898917.html It was that way from the beginning of the 1900s. The Jews drained the swamps and rid Israel of malaria. It took a stark wasteland and brought it back to a land of milk and honey. See: George Gilder, "The Economics of Settlement" http://spectator.org/archives/2011/06/08/the-economics-of-settlement, Gilder, The Israel Test.

The writer has likely been taken in by the "poetic truth" of the Narrative of the Perpetual Palestinian Victimhood, that can't be dented by facts, reason or logic. http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/2586/palestinian-victimhood-narrative Poetic truths like that are marvelous because no facts and no reason can ever penetrate.

Supporters of Israel are up against a poetic truth. We keep hitting it with all the facts. We keep hitting it with obvious logic and reason. And we are so obvious and conspicuously right that we assume it is going to have an impact and it never does

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Reader comments (49) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
We must never stop fighting [101 words]ybSep 11, 2013 04:18209587
happy israel [19 words]isidor mendelowitzJul 2, 2013 13:04207518
Mr. Pipes ... [111 words]Nate, New YorkJun 21, 2013 12:15207176
2israel happy [101 words]sufi imdad AliJun 18, 2013 08:43207074
MAY GOD BLESS ISRAEL. [177 words]bicckyJun 16, 2013 07:46207029
some remakrs [69 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
AleksJun 14, 2013 09:47206974
A well-wisher and admirer from India [113 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Krishnamoorthy V. IyerJun 12, 2013 01:09206920
Happy Israel [21 words]Ángel OterosJun 11, 2013 19:23206915
1It Is Not Give Up, And Find Some Other Country To Torment [65 words]Tim UphamJun 9, 2013 18:07206858
Are dooms days for Israel already here? [124 words]NuritGJun 8, 2013 12:43206834
Happy Israel, The Apple of God's Eye. [99 words]AnneJun 8, 2013 08:23206827
The importance of Morale [49 words]David W. LincolnJun 7, 2013 18:03206816
The Israeli leaders of 1948 must be delighted [25 words]F BeliveauJun 7, 2013 12:07206806
3Yeah but, what about the Palestinians? [69 words]SteveJun 6, 2013 15:56206782
Slight underestimation [111 words]
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Y Brandstetter MDJun 6, 2013 15:55206781
Gaza Breaks the Trend [136 words]Jonathan PJun 7, 2013 14:29206781
statistical info [59 words]
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yuvalJun 9, 2013 03:20206781
Still Muslims have a higher fertility rate than the Jews [130 words]RespectJun 13, 2013 20:08206781
At Least they "Baby-Up" for Israel [136 words]Jonathan PJun 6, 2013 15:21206780
2Happy Israel [193 words]JudithJun 6, 2013 13:58206776
Happy Israel....Reply to Judith. [88 words]AnneJun 8, 2013 08:31206776
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Lesson misplaced [82 words]Arkady KorobochkoJul 25, 2013 00:06206770
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5Refreshing Perspective [46 words]HappinessJun 5, 2013 23:47206750
In the midst of the hatred, it's great to hear lots of good news! [60 words]CarolJun 5, 2013 23:39206749
1Keep the chopped liver & give me a falafel! [37 words]
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LindaJun 5, 2013 23:05206748
2OK for now, but how about the next generation in the US? [360 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Wallace Edward BrandJun 5, 2013 22:25206746
"Brain washing" on campus [537 words]Sigmund DermanJun 8, 2013 17:46206746
3Saddam? [69 words]
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Francis BrookeJun 5, 2013 21:52206744
Democracy required [103 words]
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Francis BrookeJun 7, 2013 11:18206744
3Happy IL [34 words]Steven LJun 5, 2013 21:35206743
True, But I'm Concerned For The "Israeli Soul" [142 words]Sheldon TyberJun 5, 2013 20:14206737
2Wrong premise -- wrong conclusion [293 words]Wallace Edward BrandJun 6, 2013 09:02206737
Another dreamer [78 words]Stanley TeeJun 6, 2013 10:06206737
2YES, ISRAEL IS HAPPY, WHO WANTS TO JOIN? [78 words]JACQUES HADIDAJun 5, 2013 20:10206736
3Happy Israel [11 words]Irv BlankJun 5, 2013 20:08206735
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Right wingers? [26 words]
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DonnieJun 5, 2013 19:57206733
1nonsense [55 words]A BJun 8, 2013 13:56206733
9Happy Birthday Israel [48 words]Michael Hanni MorcosJun 5, 2013 18:50206732
3Zionists even learnt to play piano! [21 words]JeanJun 5, 2013 17:07206724
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