Burn those damn trees to the ground!

Those trees are not only a carbon offset, but an offset for all those Palestinians' trees that the IDF and settlers destroy annually!

Thanks Bush and Israel, we know you planted them just for us.

Planting trees in Israel is actually a pretty bad idea, considering how much water it will take to support those trees in the desert, and considering that that the water likely comes from either the trickle thats left of the River Jordan, or from the non-replenishable aquifer under the West Bank....

Ross, I have no respect for George Bush, what he has done to the United States, the Office of the US President, and the World. I am proud to be an American, but I am ashamed for what Bush has done.

Still, this is NO reason to suggest even in mocking terms that the trees should be destroyed. Those 36 trees will do more for the world in their lifetime than George Bush ever did in 8 years. They will process carbon dioxide, aid in crop germination, and help generations to come.

Maybe Barbara Bush was planting trees to apologize for knuckleheads she produced.

How about let's not. Instead, lets just consider these trees as celebrating Bush's end of term (since they aren't being planted until right before he leaves).

That was a painful 8 years...

Is it appropriate to be carrying PR puffs for a fascist state that is at this very moment trying to bring the entire population of Gaza to it's knees?

If they planted a tree for every Palestinian child they killed, deforestation would cease to be an issue...

If they planted a tree for every Palestinian child they murdered, deforestation would cease to be an issue.

Israel has been actively reforesting for decades. In fact there is a forest planted in the Jerusalem hills, by the Kennedy family in honor of JFK. The country's reforestation is of national concern and a national holiday & this Thursday marks Tu B'shvat, the New Year for the trees. There is lots to be learned from Israel (and Judaism) and its replanting policies. Fascist and ugly comments should be kept off this site.

The comments above make a nice summary of why environmentalism has such a tough time entering the mainstream. Sure, this is the internet and you can always expect a few whackjobs and extremists to post comments, but who would have thought that a story about planting trees would generate such a stream of bile?

And just to get my two cents in: I refer the Bush-bashers once more to the president's house in Crawford, which is still a cutting-edge example of green design, even though it was built long before building green was considered "cool". And as for the Israel-bashers, I would ask them to consider what country in the region is doing the most to encourage innovative design and technology for reducing water and energy use? Would that be Israel, or one of its neighbors? Given the poverty of the Palestinian areas, I wouldn't expect much from them in terms of ecological progress (though it would be nice), but how about the region's richer neighbors? Where are all the Treehugger posts about advances made by Saudi engineers? Where are the stories about Syrian advances in low water use planning? Oh, right, there aren't any. Give credit where credit is due.

The Jewish National Fund is actually one of the biggest contributors of apartheid in Israel. They are the largest land holders in the fascist state and they blatantly discriminate and exclude people that don't fit there standards from purchasing land. In other words if you are Palestinian you can't buy the land that was stolen from you.

This 'I heart trees' campaign is just a marketing gimmick that attempts to cover up apartheid with environmentalism. The worst form of green washing.

This article should not be on treehugger.

I am opposed to much of what George Bush has done in the US and out and much of what the state of Israel has done in Israel, the occupied territories, and out, but this is an environmental website. I support the planting of those trees (not all of Israel is a desert - there are areas that get adequate rain) and Israeli environmental organizations trying to make Israel greener. If this were a site devoted to discussing international relations and politics, I would be VERY critical of Israel. But this isn't. Let's give credit where credit is due and criticism where criticism is due.

You can think of any number of other sopaboxes upon which you can vent your spleen, but the one thing that brings us together here is concern for the environment. It is literally that simple.

If you want this particular story to devolve into a polemic like "[FILL IN THE BLANK] is evil," then that's your problem. My genuine opinion remains that George Bush's impact ont he world, the United States, and the Office of the US President has been profound, and wel will hopefully overcome his mistakes.

I am ashamed to say that my grasp of international affairs is not as robust as I would like it to be, but I certainly know better to respond to the propaganda-rich attempts to get a rise out of me. That is not an attempt at intelligent debate, which for the better part is what I've experienced on Treehugger.

The trees planted in George Bush's name are not evil. They do not promote gross abuses of government, international policy, and human rights. They will hopefully exist well past my generation. I hope they do more for the world than the cause celebre of the moment.

whatever the guy did in his term, at least planting a few trees would be beneficial for everyone.

I refuse the idea that politics is separate and that we must cheer when Israel does something 'green'. Everything is connected. What's financing these schemes? What else is on their resume? Who is excluded?

If it weren't for people speaking out, Apartheid would still be going on in South Africa.