Full interview with activist John Minto on anti-Israel protest

12 Jan 2010 11:17a.m.

Jared wrote:

@John LH - significant lies in your spiel, Iran has no desire to 'wipe Israel off the map' their frustration continues to be toward US foreign policy representitive in the area. And to say 'Ahmadinejad demanded the annihilation of Israel' is using the FOX news translation of his statement. Read his actual statement in full.
@Hadlee - Iran and the PLO would be happy with pre '67 borders (because it would stop further Jewish settlements) but why should they have to be? The Palistinian people want their own contry, not gulags in Israel.

Supporters of the Israeli state are at the same level as those supporters of suicide bombers - whatever happened to freedom for everybody, or freedom for nobody? It's amazing how quickly the Israeli people forgot how it feels to be the downtrodden people.

11 Jan 2010 02:37p.m.

john lower hutt wrote:

Agree with you Hadleigh. There are forces in this world (such as Hamas and Iran)who will not cease their hostilities until the State of Israel is destroyed.

In 2006 I watched in dismay as members of the green party and some do-gooder peaceniks beat a drum and chanted "hands off Lebanon" outside the Israeli embassy in Wellington. Where were these protestors regarding Syrian terrorism in Lebanon? Or when Ahmadinejad demanded the annihilation of Israel earlier in 2006? Why do they not show their abhorrence at the atrocities committed by Palestinian militants against their own people who sympathise with the Israelis.

I disagree with you Walter. Western media may have favoured Israel once, but that is no longer the case now. Infact the opposite is true. Actually, Westerrn media is the most potent weapon for Arab terrorists. They attack Israeli civillians knowing full well that any Israeli retaliation willbe reported and condemned by the likes of Minto and his lot.

The forces of Hamas and Hezbollah are prepared not only to kill and maim Israelis, but they are also prepared to sacrifice their own to achieve their goal. The likes of Minto and co should oppose such murder.

11 Jan 2010 12:29a.m.

Hadleigh wrote:

This has been embarrassing. Israel was formed as a 'Jewish State' to renew to a people group (persecuted throughout history) the ancestral homeland. They only expanded their borders after defending themselves from complete annihilation, numerous times. Their arab neighbours were not happy with the pre 67 borders and they never will be. When will people wake up and realise that the arabs don't want more land, they simply dont want the Jews. Israel retreated from Gaza and look at the consequence, no one seems to mention that Egypt has closed their borders to Hamas also. Give them a break, Shahar doesn't deserve to go through this.

09 Jan 2010 07:01p.m.

Walter Muller wrote:

I salute John Minto, a man of rare courage. If you speak up you pay the price. Sadly, the vast majority of New Zealanders are ignorant about the historic causes of this long conflict because the mainstream media has an intentional (and unintentional) pro Israel bias in its reporting.

09 Jan 2010 06:35p.m.

Debbie wrote:

I think it is so important what John Minto is trying to do and it’s wrong to attack him personally. He is not trying to oust Jewish people from Palestine he's trying to get Israelites to treat Palestinians fairly and humanly. He is trying to stop the cycle of racist hatred that the Israelis display toward the Palestinians (and so much worse). We must shame Israel to stop some of the cruel atrocities that are going on in Palestine. The Palestinians are blockaded and can’t communicate with the outside world. They are not allowed to travel and they are persecuted. You should read about some of the terrible, shameful things that the Israelis do on a daily basis to the Palestinians. The Israelis teach their children to hate and then hand them automatic weapons. Israel has a regime of terror too but because Israel’s rockets do not have a person strapped to them, does that make them any less terrifying for the innocent Palestinians who are attacked by them?

09 Jan 2010 06:09p.m.

ridley wrote:

Afraid to say J Minto is just an attention seeker. He thrives on the publicity. As for the Israels,well they are simply fighting fire with fire, they have learn't the hard way. Perhaps the US and western world should take a leaf out of their book.

09 Jan 2010 03:25p.m.

Gabriella wrote:

Because of the Holocaust and the support of USA Israel will always get away with murder. They are the "untouchable" of the planet.

09 Jan 2010 02:09p.m.

BCC wrote:

I am sure i watch the same news as you Angelina but feel that i interpret it in a fairer and obviously different way to you. My point is that Minto pushes his beliefs to everyone else when the majority do not agree. What gives him the right to try and force others into his way of thinking? Ousting the Jewish from the Middle East may be the only way to stop the problems over there but it doesn't mean it is right. The Jewish are more willing to live in partnership with the Muslim majority states but the same can not be said for them. Israel is surrounded by hostility in a land that they rightfully believe is theirs. If the terrorist extremists stopped their violence and death then progress would be made in a very short time.

09 Jan 2010 12:30p.m.

Angelina wrote:

You clearly do not watch enough real news. Isreal is not defending herself so much as it is killing innocents everyday, children, woman, they have no limits.
Not saying suicide bombers are right, but you should stop to think why they would take such an extreme action. Obviously, this anger does not come out of nowhere.
Do your research before you decide who is the terrorist.

09 Jan 2010 09:56a.m.

BCC wrote:

What a jerk Minto is! Why does he think that his beliefs should take precedence over others? He is nothing but a professional protester that is pushing his own public image for personal gain. Obviously the situation in the Middle East is terrible but not only for the Palestinians. This loser over simplifies the issues by placing all the blame on the Jewish. Why not focus on the Muslim terrorist extremists, or the other Arab states that back the terrorists? They are the people that destroy any chance of peace. Israel are only protecting their basic rights in a land that has been disputed over for thousands of years, not 61 like this biased and misinformed racist trys to say. Get a life Minto you certainly don't have the backing of many New Zealanders and your pathetic attempts to place the responsibility on a young sports star shows your true bully boy tactics. I can't believe that you even tried to justify suicide bombing. Have you seen the results of innocent people when they do their gutless work?