Motti Fogel's brotherly love


By Joe Millis
March 25, 2011
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I came across this piece in Haaretz

It's important to pay attention to what Motti Fogel said, rather than dismiss him as another "self-hating" Jew, whatever that is.

Against this background, the voice of Motti Fogel, Udi's older brother, stood out. "If I could, I would get rid of everyone here and whisper to you, 'Let's go play soccer one last time,'" he said. "All the slogans about Torah and land settlement, the Land of Israel and the Jewish people try to make us forget the simple fact that you are dead. A person is born to himself, to his parents and his siblings, and he dies to himself, to his children, and in very bad cases also to his parents and his siblings. You are not a symbol or a national event, your life bore a purpose unto itself and we must not let your terrible death become a tool, no matter what for."

A few days later, Rabbi Elyakim Levanon, one of the most important and most extreme of the settler rabbis, came to the home of the Fogel parents in the settlement of Neve Tzuf, near Beit El, where the family was observing the week of mourning. Levanon spent time with the parents and as he was leaving, he said to Motti, "It won't help. It's not private, it's public." A heated conversation ensued. Finally, Motti Fogel said, "Maybe Udi was also punished for the disengagement [from Gaza]?" alluding to Levanon's comment that former president Moshe Katsav had been punished for not speaking out against the disengagement. In the end, Levanon left after Fogel threw a chair at him.

That has been Motti Fogel's only confrontation since the murder and his eulogy, despite the ideological abyss that separates him from his family and the society he grew up in.

"I admit I was apprehensive about how people would respond to what I said at the funeral. But a few people from my parents' area told me they deeply related to what I said and that it was important to say it. The settlers, in quotation marks, are first of all human beings. It sounds very dumb to say this, but they have private lives, and it was important for them to have a private element at the funeral. Levanon is the exception," he says.

COMMENTS

Jonathan Hoffman

25 March, 2011 - 11:21

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Who's dismissing him as a "SHJ"?

Your fevered imagination has set up a Straw Man, T-Sam


Joe Millis

25 March, 2011 - 11:40

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Motti Fogel fulfils all the criteria for what the far right call a self-hating Jew. He demonstrates with Palestinians, thinks the settlements are poisonous and realises that his brother was being used as a tool.
The offer still stands, Jonathan, have you had any better ideas rather than automatically resorting to ad homs?
Let's hear your solution to the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians. How would you, as co-vice-chair of the ZF or even in a personal pro-Israel capacity, go about solving the issue?
And why are you obsessing over T. Rex? I grew out of them not long after Marc Bolan (Zt"l) died.


Jonathan Hoffman

25 March, 2011 - 11:47

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Please tell us who has dismissed Motti Fogel as a 'self-hating Jew' - if you cannot then we will be tempted to say that you are setting up a 'straw man'

To demand my formula for Middle East Peace is diversionary and off-topic.

Whena are you gong to come clean and admit that you were T-Sam and as T-Sam pursued a vindictive and hate-filled campaign of demonisation against me?

How about some honesty?


Joe Millis

25 March, 2011 - 11:58

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You aren't the topic here, Jonathan. I am not now, nor have I ever been T-Sam, and there are plenty in the community in general and thye pro-Israel paret of it in particular who would love to see you gone for all the damage you have caused. And as I suspected, you either do not have any idea how to solve the conflict or you are too scared to say it for fear of alienating the majority in the ZF.
But until you stick to topic, Motti Fogel's wonderful hesped for his murdered brother, I'm not going to waste any more time and effort on you.


Jonathan Hoffman

25 March, 2011 - 12:58

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Avoiding the question as always and responding with vituperation and vilification, just like you did as T-Sam.

Repeat: Who has dismissed Motti Fogel as a 'self-hating Jew'?


Joe Millis

25 March, 2011 - 13:13

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Jonathan, if there is any vituperation or vilification, you have brought it upon yourself. Don't try and turn yourself into some kind of martyr, it ill behoves you. I repeat: I am not now nor have I ever been T-Sam. Live with it and get used to the idea that you are not universally adored by the pro-Israel movement. To say the very least in the most understated way possible.
But, for your edification, here it is the "self-hating" Jew explanation one more time: Motti Fogel fulfils all the criteria for what the far right call a self-hating Jew. He demonstrates with Palestinians, thinks the settlements are poisonous and realises that his brother was being used as a tool. If he were Bruce Levy, you'd call him rude names.
I'm sorry that alluded you. Now, try and stick to the topic, Motti Fogel's wonderful hesped for his murdered brother. What's your view on that?


Jonathan Hoffman

25 March, 2011 - 13:41

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Thought so. No-one has ever called Fogel a SHJ, in stark contrast to your phrase "rather than dismiss him as another "self-hating" Jew".

Seems that truth can go hang when it comes to vilifying Israel advocates.


Joe Millis

25 March, 2011 - 13:49

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So, Jonathan, what did you think of the hesped? Your friends outside Ahava would have vilified Motti Fogel as a "self-hating" Jew. Your acolytes here -- some of them now sadly departed -- would have done so for far less than demonstrating with the Palestinians or saying that his brother's tragic and awful death was being used/abused.


KatieCarslake

25 March, 2011 - 15:34

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I am very intrigued to know the answer to Mr Millis's question. Mr Hoffman what, in general terms, is your favoured solution, to what you must admit is a serious problem?

What would you do with the Arabs of the West Bank ?

Thank you.

Katie


Joe Millis

25 March, 2011 - 17:49

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I guess we'll have to wait till after the weekend to discover what Mr Hoffman believes is the right way to resolve the conflict or, indeed, what he thinks about Motti Fogel's beautiful eulogy for his murdered brother.


Joe Millis

25 March, 2011 - 18:00

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Shabbat Shalom


Advis3r

28 March, 2011 - 16:22

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And yet this is what Mr Fogel's father had to say:
The words of Haim Fogel, the father of Ehud, to the Israeli President simply must be noted.The Jerusalem Post reported the following:
“Haim Fogel, the father of the slain Ehud, said that his children had been educated with values such as love for Torah, statehood and respect for the other, but it was impossible not to notice the unfettered hatred of the other side. Politics aside, with the focus purely on education, said Fogel, children are taught hatred at school, and the upshot of that is what happened to his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.”
It is a pity that Mr Millis has to politicise an awful tragedy. No one to my knowledge has said anything about Motti Fogel who is entitled to grieve for his brother and loved ones as he thinks fit. Shame on you for trying to make out that anyone had criticised him for what he had said.

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