First, every major faith has an equivalent to the Christian Golden Rule (Holy Bible, Matthew 7:1):
The Golden Rule in the World Religions
Christianity All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. Holy Bible, Matthew 7:1
Islam No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. Sunnah
Judaism What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary. Talmud, Shabbat 3id
Confucianism Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state. Analects 12:2
Buddhism Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. Udana-Varga 5,1
Hinduism This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you. Mahabharata 5,1517
Taoism Regard your neighbor's gain as your gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss. Tai Shang Kan Yin P'ien
Zoroastrianism That nature alone is good which refrains from doing another whatsoever is not good for itself. Dadisten-I-dinik, 94,5
[Above from: < http://www.teachingv... >]
Second, consider that the Israeli government officials who are making the choices described below, are not acting in accordance with the precious advice above.
Third, please consider that historically powers [and their allies] not following this advice have suffered over the long-term.
With this in mind, please read on:
Below from: < http://electronicint... >
"A Double Standard On Academic Freedom"
article by George Bisharat, & published in the Baltimore Sun, of 18 Sep 2007
Two hundred thousand Palestinian children began school in the Gaza Strip this month without a full complement of textbooks. Why? Because Israel, which maintains a stranglehold over this small strip of land along the Mediterranean even after withdrawing its settlers from there in 2005, considers paper, ink and binding materials not to be "fundamental humanitarian needs." ...
Continued here: < http://electronicint... >
... Boycotts are always somewhat blunt tools, and they inevitably impose costs on some who are undeserving of them. That was true of the boycott of apartheid South Africa, which applied to all academics -- as well as athletes, businesspeople, artists and others. At the time, the international community weighed the cost to academic freedom against the advancement of justice and equal rights for black South Africans, and the choice was clear.
Two hundred thousand Palestinian schoolchildren are wondering how the world will respond faced with a similar choice today.
George Bisharat is a professor of law at Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, and writes frequently on law and politics in the Middle East.
This article was originally published by the Baltimore Sun and is republished with permission.
Above from: < http://electronicint... >
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Now, I ask the US government to remind "the deciders" in Israel that denying educational resources to children is bad for Israel.
With every good wish,