"The Right to Know Does Not Equal the Duty to Know"

The quote in the headline above is from the acceptance speech given by Israeli journalist Amira Haas, at the ceremony giving her the International Women’s Media Foundation's 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Haas, along with Gideon Levy has been one of the fearless voices telling Israeli's - day in and day out - about the cruelty and immorality of the Occupation.

At this point, one has to believe, that she does it for reasons of personal integrity, as she seems to have despaired of changing the minds, or even really getting the attention, of most of her fellow citizens.

Ki brov khochmah rav kaas, v'yoseef daat yoseef machov - "For in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow," says Ecclesiastes. Apparently most Israelis are familiar with this verse, and they therefore just choose not to know.

See her entire acceptance speech here.