When using the word 'treason'/'traitor' is appropriate

"Many people who openly, and vocally, show their love of Israel, including myself, have been called everything from censors to fascists because we insist that anti-Israel statements, particularly when they are patently false as well as dangerous, are not 'differences in opinion' or 'honest criticism.' Opposing groups like Matzpun or Neturei Karta just to name two (the differences between them is simply a matter of degree of fanaticism) is NOT infringing on their 'freedom of speech' or their 'right to their own opinions' and calling them traitors is just applying an accurate description that they earned by their own actions and statements.

This is to assure everyone that calling people 'traitors' when they do something treasonous is NOT doing something wrong. This needs to be emphasized because it has become increasingly obvious to me that only good people actually have 'matzpun' (conscience!) and some people are refraining from making definite statements about these groups and people because they don't want to appear unreasonable or worse, unjust.

Here is a response to people who claim that traitors are only expressing 'honest criticism of Israel.'

I didn't call members of Matzpun (http://www.matzpun.com/) or any other person or group traitors because they "criticized" Israel. My original e-mail to them was sent in response to their call for a boycott against companies that support Israel! Their call for a boycott also included some of the standard phrases about 'Israeli oppressors' and other pro-Arab propaganda. The same is true for all the other Israelis on the JWD's Jewish traitors' page because they are NOT pointing out what is wrong with the present government of Israel. Instead, they are working with Israel's enemies in their 'cause' which is nothing less than the destruction of the State of Israel and covering up their despicable activities by using (or more accurately misusing) words like 'peace', 'justice', and 'human rights' (which include the rights for all people EXCEPT Israelis!)

Since the use of the word 'treason' has been called into question when applied to certain people and groups many times, here is its definition (found in The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company) [capitals added]:

1. Violation of allegiance toward one's country or sovereign, especially the betrayal of one's country by waging war against it or BY CONSCIOUSLY AND PURPOSELY ACTING TO AID ITS ENEMIES.

2. A betrayal of trust or confidence.

I don't think that the dictionary definition is ambiguous in any way. Just for the record, I'm all for giving 'honest opinions'; heaven knows I give my honest opinion all the time. An example of a criticism I have of the present government is that I think that the Sharon government has made many mistakes -- not bombing Arafat's residence a long time ago and constantly giving in to outside pressure certainly top my personal lists. BUT, the lies and propaganda that people like those in virulently anti-Israel groups use, are not just 'differing opinions' or 'criticism'; they are words meant to incite fear and hatred of Israel IN SUPPORT OF ITS ENEMIES. That, by definition, is treason!

A good way to make a decision about whether or not a person or a group is behaving treacherously is to look at their associates. If the enemies of Israel name you or your group as a friend, then it is a sure bet that you have committed treason and can justly be called a TRAITOR!

Therefore, I refuse to apologize for making that declaration based on that criteria or to refrain from doing so because someone claims to have a 'difference of opinion'. I'll stick by the label that I placed on people like that - by their own words they have marked themselves as traitors to Israel and enemies of the Jewish people. Since the label fits, I'll continue to stick it on!
JWD - Jewish Watchdog
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