I like them musically (and have their first 3 albums), but I don't think their politics are that great - aren't they left-zionists (ie Meretz supporters)?
Leftwing Israeli Band HaDag Nahash
Quote:
Isn't it good to support 'Meretz'?
No.
Quote:
Isn't left-zionism a chance for peace in Israel/Palestine?
No.
I'll let ToJ or one of the other Israelis on here expand, seeing as I haven't been to Israel since 2004, and they live there, but I'd reccomend reading up on the anarchist view of electoral politics for starters.
australianirishcatholic wrote:
Isn't it good to support 'Meretz'?
Good to whom? It does give you some credit in certain circles (left Zionists and some anti-Zionists, even), while reflecting poorly on you in others.
australianirishcatholic wrote:
Isn't left-zionism a chance for peace in Israel/Palestine?
Considering how most if not all open Israeli wars, as well as the unofficial ones, were initiated by labor governments, while the first peace agreement was signed by a right-wing government, while the other agreements, who were signed by a labor government, either only officially confirmed a pre-existing oppressive alliance (Israel-Jordan) or were in fact terms of outsourced occupation (Israel-PLO), I think that it's highly unlikely.
australianirishcatholic wrote:
I would have thought support for the left in Israel is crucial for peace in the Middle East.
Thoughts?
Uh, no. Support for the left in Israel is a great way to be turned off of revolutionary politics and to develop a scorching ethnic hatred of Arabs.
And all this is without considering the fact that Israel, like all nation-states, is controlled by the owners of capital through their minions in the various military and treasury bureaucracies, not by whoever happens to occupy certain parliamentary or government positions. I mean, it's not like there's anything wrong with supporting this or that football team (I know quite a few fanatics about this), but pretending that it has any actual political significance is kind of juvenile. Same goes for bourgeois political currents.
Maybe we differ ideaologically here. But I have never been to Israel and do not speak Hebrew so I take your words seriosuly.
There seems to be some important elements of the left in Israel, particularly some of the writors for Haaretz and the various Jewish-Israeli discrimination organisations that focus on the hardships faced by Arab-Israelis and the situation in the Occupied Terrortories.
Regaling the reader with horrid tales of the plights of the less fortunate does not a revolutionary element make. Hell, even PM Olmert has spoken in public about the horrid conditions faced by Palestinians at check-points; has that changed Israeli policy by a whit? No.
Some people write about or discuss discrimination, oppression and persecution --- some even go to the lengths of attending the occasional righteous protest.; their souls thus cleansed, they may proceed to their normal affluent lives and petty office squabbles.
.jpg "Up Against The Wall Motherfucker! - graphic, 1960s")
Hey.
Check out this leftwing Israeli band HaDag Nahash. They sing songs about peace for Jews and Arabs. Really nice lyrics and beat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFTwx7Y9Rno