Leftist poet Chaim Guri: Palestinian trees humanitarian concern, Jewish
evacuees politics

Aaron Lerner Date: 12 February 2006

In a live interview broadcast on Israel Radio this morning, leftist author
and poet Chaim Guri responded to criticism that while the Israeli Left is
concerned about Palestinian olive trees that they express no humanitarian
interest in the fate of the Jews who were evacuated from the Gaza Strip and
have suffered greatly because the Government has failed to provide the
compensation and other services.

Guri explained that the "plight of Palestinians is a humanitarian concern
while the settlers removed from Gush Katif is politics."

Guri went on to explained that the Palestinians were the "poor of one's own
city" - thus qualifying for priority.

The phrase "poor of one's own city" is a phrase from Jewish law regarding
priority in the distribution of limited resources in humanitarian cases.
That, other things being equal (in terms of critical nature of need, etc.),
one first takes care of one's own poor.

Settler leader Bentzi Lieberman responded on the program that when Guri says
that he considers Palestinians who genuinely desire the eradication of
Israel to have the same standing - if not higher standing - than fellow
Jews - that this illustrates a seriously distorted morality on the part of
this representative of the Israeli Left.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il