Human rights groups urge Giro d'Italia to ditch plans for Israeli Big Start

Yorkshire wallet wrote:

Israel and the US are certainly guilty of grade A shit-stirring and destabilizing the world.

Both their secret services basically do whatever they want.

Every country's intelligence services do whatever deemed expedient.

I suggest you read up on the sort of antics the British ones get up to around the world and domestically.

burtthebike wrote:

There is no doubt that Israel is in breach of quite a few UN resolutions, and the Gaza strip is the largest prison in the world.  Sporting boycotts and sanctions worked for South Africa and would appear to be appropriate, to me at least, in this situation.

Having the Giro start there is quite a coup, for which they no doubt paid a pretty penny, designed to show the nice side of a state which oppresses millions.  Unlike Carlton Reid, who is probably going for professional reasons, I won't be going.

You do know that the Gaza strip has a border with Egypt as well as Israel?   And yet you see Israel as the prison guard.   Wonder what it is about the Jewish state that makes certain people think its human rights violations are more important than those of other countries.

Not sure what this has with cycling though.....

Edgeley wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

There is no doubt that Israel is in breach of quite a few UN resolutions, and the Gaza strip is the largest prison in the world.  Sporting boycotts and sanctions worked for South Africa and would appear to be appropriate, to me at least, in this situation.

Having the Giro start there is quite a coup, for which they no doubt paid a pretty penny, designed to show the nice side of a state which oppresses millions.  Unlike Carlton Reid, who is probably going for professional reasons, I won't be going.

 

 

You do know that the Gaza strip has a border with Egypt as well as Israel?   And yet you see Israel as the prison guard.   Wonder what it is about the Jewish state that makes certain people think its human rights violations are more important than those of other countries.

Not sure what this has with cycling though.....

Your question of why Israel invites more condemnation than other countries can be answered full stop:

1. Many are ignorant of the facts surrounding Israel and its neighbours.
An example of this ignorance being: Israel withdrew from Gaza unilaterally as part of the ongoing peace process with Fatah, the governing party of the Palestinian territories. Then Fatah was ousted in Gaza by Hamas, an extreme right wing, ideologically driven, religious autocracy who proceeded to bomb Israel's civilian population on a weekly basis and continue to do so despite being asked repeatedly not to by Israel. As a result Israel has closed the border between the two countries and occasionally bombs Gaza in retaliation. As any normal country would. 

2. Through some kind of inverse racism we judge Israelis to a higher standard than Muslim Arabs. We excuse the actions of Muslim Arab nations – ethnic and religious violence, rape, exile, no rule of law, no democracy, thugs as head of state, no equality of the sexes etc – while condemning Israel's building of settlements in Palestinian territories. Why? Because Israelis are seen as intelligent, enlightened Europeans, whereas Arabs are seen as 'the other', the monster in the room, not to be prodded, unable to live with reason and enlightenment values. 

3. Good old-fashioned anti-semitism. 
There is a minority of people who simply hate the idea of Jewish people having a homeland. Actually, they simply hate the idea of Jews full stop. 

darrenleroy wrote:

 As a result Israel has closed the border between the two countries and occasionally bombs Gaza in retaliation. As any normal country would

 

Yeah. I remember all the times we flew into Southern Ireland with helicopter gunships and tore-up know IRA territories.

Your example is just an example of Israel doing whatever it pleases. More Mossad vicar?

ironmancole wrote:

  Can you get a Sky box in Israel?

course you can. Here’s a couple being delivered:

davel wrote:

Sorry Carlton - didn't catch that. You're going to the what, where?

New York. New York. So good they named it twice.

Edgeley wrote:

There are an awful lot of statements on here veering from anti-Israeli stuff into antisemitism.  As pointed out above, saying "nuke Israel" actually means nuke the Jews in Israel, not the third of the citizens who aren't Jewish.

Agreed. The disgusting "nuke Israel" comment could almost have been written by a troll (or hasbara volunteer[*]) trying to make it appear that boycotting Israel is mainly supported by anti-semites. 

* http://www.mepc.org/speeches/hasbara-and-control-narrative-element-strategy

reliablemeatloaf wrote:

When I read of this start idea a few months ago, I thought it was a dumb idea. It's called the Giro d'ITALIA for a reason.

A valid point. Similarly the TdF should stick to France, Vuelta to Spain, etc. Not a fan of gimickry and marketing nonsense -- especially starts in other countries. I doubt it does much to promote the sport. I suspect it has much more to do with subsidies  == socialising costs whilst privatising profits when one really drills down. Which the cycling press is not at all likely to do

reliablemeatloaf wrote:

Now this race will be the subject of boycotts, arguments, protests, and possibly terrorism, just because the promoters want publicity.

Cheap, and poorly thought out.

Having stated my caveats to this kind of commercially driven crassness above, I still feel that what's good for the goose is good for the gander. 

MovingViolation wrote:

Roll on the Guardian-reading anti-semites. I love cycling, but it does seem to attract its fair share of hate-filled SJWs.

Instead of spilling your cheap virtue-signalling bile in this forum, why not do something truly courageous: e.g. dress up in drag / miniskirt and take your bike for a leisurely pedal through (say) Luton.

I see this is your first and only post - if I were you I would keep it that way.

jasecd wrote:

 

I see this is your first and only post - if I were you I would keep it that way.

I'd rather be banned (no sweat off my back) than roll over for the likes of you. Whoever you are.

Pray do tell us about your hard work boycotting Bahrain and/or Merida (by association) in the interests of human rights. Or the Dubai Tour, for that matter.

This is an utterly pointless Dog Bites Man article. As if it's even news that the usual suspects would attempt to stir up a boycott against an international sporting event in Israel. Knock me out with a feather. Contemptible Clickbait.

MovingViolation wrote:

jasecd wrote:

I see this is your first and only post - if I were you I would keep it that way.

I'd rather be banned (no sweat off my back) than roll over for the likes of you. Whoever you are.

Pray do tell us about your hard work boycotting Bahrain and/or Merida (by association) in the interests of human rights. Or the Dubai Tour, for that matter.

This is an utterly pointless Dog Bites Man article. As if it's even news that the usual suspects would attempt to stir up a boycott against an international sporting event in Israel. Knock me out with a feather. Contemptible Clickbait.

Ahh, the "likes of me" - You know nothing about me other than I told you to stop posting. Judging by your follow up it's a shame you didn't take my advice. 

FYI - no-one get's banned here but they often get called out for being full of shit.

jasecd wrote:

FYI - no-one get's banned here but they often get called out for being full of shit.

Not true - but you have to work quite hard to be hit with the ban-hammer. Among the dear departed are "J Willo" and "SuperPython59" the former was a troll and the latter was involved in an argument that escalated big style.

CygnusX1 wrote:

jasecd wrote:

FYI - no-one get's banned here but they often get called out for being full of shit.

Not true - but you have to work quite hard to be hit with the ban-hammer. Among the dear departed are "J Willo" and "SuperPython59" the former was a troll and the latter was involved in an argument that escalated big style.

The latter was involved in plenty of arguments that escalated big style.

However, the one that got him banned didn't escalate that much - he just went off a bit conspiracy/illuminati-ish and Leviathan had a humourless f-bomb hissy fit, as he is wont to do when someone challenges his simple worldview.

For some bizarre reason, SP59 got the chop and Leviathan didn't.