Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And there is also no equivalence between the October 7 military operation by Hamas and the subsequent military attack by the Israeli state, and certainly no equivalence to the systemic and the violence of Israeli settler colonialism. Israeli state violence has defined Palestinian life in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip since 1948. The dispossession of Palestinian land by ever-expanding settlements, theconstruction of Israeli educational institutions on settlement land, the routine incarcerationandkilling of Palestinian protestors, the eviction of Palestinians and destruction of their homes, and the gunning down of Palestinian and Palestinian-American journalistsare but a few examples. The Gaza Strip, described by Human Rights Watch as the world’s largest open-air prison, has been under Israeli blockade since 2007. Everyday life for the over 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza, 55% of whom are children and more than 70% of whom are refugees, is crippled by restrictions on access to food, water, medical aid, electricity, and basic life necessities. Israel’s attacks on Gaza in 2008-09, 2014, 2021, and 2022 have resulted in the killing of almost 4,000 Palestinians.
From David Strom:
Quote:
Now I don’t hesitate to agree with one statement here–that there is no equivalence between Israel’s response to Hamas’ attacks and the attacks themselves. But the CUNY professors mean the opposite of what you and I would say: they see the Hamas attacks as a justified military operation to strike out at oppressive Israelis. They are openly endorsing the terrorist attacks and declaring them morally just, while Israel’s operation to root out Hamas is a violation of international law.
Uh, yeah, no both in fact and in moral judgment. No international law endorses rape, intentional targeting of civilians, or the murder and beheading of babies.
I am not a member of the American left, but I am not seeing a problem with everything described in the first paragraph that you have quoted. It is the exact information that I found when deciding to find out why Hamas might have decided to attack Israel (that infusion of cash to Iran for the hostages at work for a deflection from the Biden Administration).
"In its February 2022 report, Amnesty International set out how Israeli forces have committed in Gaza (as well as in the West Bank and Israel) acts prohibited by the Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Apartheid Convention, as part of a widespread and systemic attack against the civilian population with the aim of maintaining a system of oppression and domination over Palestinians, thereby constituting the crime against humanity of apartheid."
"In February, Amnesty International released a 280-page report showing how Israel was imposing an institutionalized regime of oppression and domination against the Palestinian people wherever it exercised control over their rights, fragmenting and segregating Palestinian citizens of Israel, residents of the OPT and Palestinian refugees denied the right of return. Through massive seizures of land and property, unlawful killings, infliction of serious injuries, forcible transfers, arbitrary restrictions on freedom of movement, and denial of nationality, among other inhuman or inhumane acts, Israeli officials would be responsible for the crime against humanity of apartheid, which falls under the jurisdiction of the ICC.1"
"GENEVA (6 April 2023) – A UN expert today condemned the violent incursions by Israeli forces into the Haram Al-Sharif compound and the attacks on Palestinian worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque on Wednesday."
"Albanese said at least 31 Palestinians were reportedly injured inside and immediately outside the compound, while paramedics were allegedly prevented from providing medical treatment to the wounded. According to initial accounts, Israeli forces violently entered Al-Aqsa Mosque, used stun grenades and tear gas, fired sponge-tipped bullets, and indiscriminately beat Muslim worshippers – including elderly people and women – with batons and rifle butts. At least 450 Palestinian men were reportedly arrested, and some were kicked and slapped by escorting soldiers as they were led out of the Haram Al-Sharif compound in handcuffs."
One can go back through the years and see this happening again and again. So, from what I understand the attack by Hamas was to show Israel what exactly they were capable of. Think: a bully keeps beating up kids again and again, year after year, and then one day, the bully gets kicked on his butt. Well, the bully might learn something unless his allies come in and tell him they stand with him, and they'll give him a bundle of money to get BIG weapons to destroy those that finally got fed up with his crap and showed they were tired of it.
Sorry, but I just don't see Israel as anything other than an aggressor with this. They refuse to honor agreements that were made, and break International laws. I know, "God's chosen people", but I think God doesn't choose one people over other people, especially ones that do the things these people do. Everything that God is would stand against oppressing people based on any of their demographics.
I am really sick of hearing one side of this conflict. It has nothing to do with hate or anti-whatever, it has to do with "the other side of the story".
The American Left has an anti-semitism problem. That has been clear for a long time and now it is crystal clear.
BS. Convince the rest of the Country but you won't New Yorkers. NYC has the highest percentage of Jews outside of ISRAEL. WHO keeps getting elected as Senator from NY? A JEW.
So it's because the jews emigrated there at the blessing of the British in the early 1900's that the left oppose Israel now? I think they should look more at which nation is a democracy versus which nation is a dictatorship, and what level of cultural development each nation is. Why do they support all these oppressive cultures that oppose everything they believe in while they spend their days bashing American conservatives like they are evil incarnate?
American conservatives are far closer to the belief system of the left than any of these cultures they seem to pledge their support too.
I guess I'd never to travel there myself to see what both sides are doing. Believing what the media spoon feeds you can be suspect no matter which "side" you support in these conflicts.
I have no dog in this fight, and I think Hamas is a legion of scum. But the notion of opposing actions of a state being equivalent to hating an entire and international group of people is absurd to me. It's an easy way to silence any criticism of Israel, just ask "why do you hate Jews?".
BS. Convince the rest of the Country but you won't New Yorkers. NYC has the highest percentage of Jews outside of ISRAEL. WHO keeps getting elected as Senator from NY? A JEW.
Painting the entire ‘Left’ as antisemitic is crazy. Are there antisemites on the left? Likely more than a few, unfortunately, as well on the right, but criticizing Israel’s actions is NOT antisemitic. Blaming Jews for what Israel is doing would be though, and I don’t see hardly any doing that.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
