Israel, Palestine & the Levant rolling events: Oct 23 on

In fact I think we should let Israel say they won. You win! You really did it. You fuckin killed soooo many people. Probably got a ton of militants. Several thousand children. Nobody can say you didn't go the extra mile. Take the W. Stop fucking killing people.

Oh but tracer... *shakes head* You're so naive... It's actually quite complex....

Let's suppose that happens. Let me first say there is strong evidence of crimes against humanity by Israel and Gaza and that I assume we all want the killing to stop. And for those crimes to be held to justice.

Given that Hamas has stated that its goal is a permanent state of war (“I hope that the state of war with Israel will become permanent on all the borders, and that the Arab world will stand with us,” Taher El-Nounou, a Hamas media adviser, told The Times), suppose Israel does at this time heed to call for a total cease fire.

How would you have Israel respond when Hamas then launches the first rocket into Israel?

With compassion and utmost respect for the people of Gaza

And what does that look like after the first rocket is launched? The second?

I read that Hamas fired a couple of rockets into Tel Aviv today actually. Two women were sent to a Tel Aviv hospital and treated for shrapnel injuries.

I don't know what to tell you Felicity. The killing has to stop. Israel controls that right now. We can sort the rest out later.

I agree the killing has to stop and I also believe that Hamas should be treated as if it has agency.

I also believe that treating Palestinian people with respect includes being interested in what the people of Gaza and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank want.

From what I read, the Palestinian Authority is willing to consider a two state solution.

How would you have Israel respond when Hamas then launches the first rocket into Israel?

Stop funding them maybe?

As long as Israel kills and controls Palestinians there will be rockets. The only way to achieve security is to work towards peace immediately.

Yes, but that wasn't my hypothetical.

The question of "how do we deal with the radical organization we promoted to undermine a moderate organization in order to undermine the entire Palestinian movement" really merits a big old "should have thought of that at the time" IMO.

Agreed. And here we are.

My hypothetical is exactly what you are asking for. I am not against it. I am wondering what, in your mind happens next, given what we know now.

Between the iron dome and IDF and increased security and scrutiny, how likely is it that Hamas can immediately repeat Oct 7th? If a ceasefire is met with Hamas continuing to send rockets, which get shot down, and don't warrant the response of the killing of thousands of innocent people, maybe that's a naive high road to take, but seems like a better idea to me.

Rocket attacks prior to 2023 killed people in small numbers - 13 one year, 10 another, etc.. If rocket attacks continue after a ceasefire, that's a risk Israel has to accept for being an occupying power. Stop undermining the PA, encroaching on and attacking the West Bank, etc. maybe there's a chance for change from below in Gaza that further minimizes the rocket risk over time.

Thing is, Israel doesn't want that.

The tentative next steps you describe Felicity sounds like a description of 1993, but disregards the ambitions of Likud and their right wing settler base; the strategies of encroaching containment, displacement and violence that structure the apartheid regime; and the Israeli States' persistent efforts to entrench Hamas' position in Gaza while using this as an excuse to further their campaign against a captive citizenry. Recourses to e.g. a two state solution have been entirely hollow since the assassination of Rabin imo. A realistic assessment of the future of the region needs to begin by taking the Israeli state at it's actions rather than how it (increasingly half-heartedly) represents itself on the global stage. It's worth looking at Israeli media in recent days, let alone years, to find a mirror of the rhetoric quoted here from Hamas, though it rarely faces similar opprobrium.

I am going by what the Palestinian Authority has reportedly stated itself about being open to a 2-state solution.

Not sure how you got all those other assumptions. but please do not interpret my failure to mention every aspect of this situation as disregarding them.

It seems to me that if supporters of a cease fire would also clearly state that they disagree with Hamas' mission to eliminate the existence of Israel that would go a long way.

But I don't think support for the existence of a state of Israel at all (even in a hypothetically perfect world where Likud and settlers have been brought to justice for their crimes against humanity) has been at all clear. Which was my takeaway from that letter outdoor miner posted.

And why I was kind of making the point that mocking these kinds of serious moral discussions is not something I approve of.

In other words, to demand compassion I think you have to practice compassion. Which was one thing I appreciated about the letter from the students at Brown.

It seems to me that if supporters of a cease fire would also clearly state that they disagree with Hamas' mission to eliminate the existence of Israel that would go a long way.

Respectfully, I seriously doubt this. Also, Emmanuel Macron is calling for a ceasefire now; it’s not exactly a marginal position (except in the US). Bernie finally said it too.

Good post, plax

In other words, to demand compassion I think you have to practice compassion.

Why? also is demanding an end to indiscrimate slaughter of hospitalized children and targeted murder of journalists who might document the slaughter demanding “compassion” or basic non-disgusting behavior?

though it rarely faces similar opprobrium.

― plax (ico), Friday, November 10, 2023 6:04 PM bookmarkflaglink

I hope you agree that neither you nor I have a superior claim to perspective on the truth over the other.

In my reading the repulsive rhetoric of Israel's fascistic right wing faces plenty of opprobrium if you know where to look.

In other words, to demand compassion I think you have to practice compassion.

Why? also is demanding an end to indiscrimate slaughter of hospitalized children and targeted murder of journalists who might document the slaughter demanding “compassion” or basic non-disgusting behavior?

― horseshoe, Friday, November 10, 2023 6:25 PM bookmarkflaglink

I am talking on this board.

I don’t think anyone on this board has demanded compassion from a state to be honest; just accountability. I voted for Biden so I’ll curse him out in my texts all day forever.

I don’t think anyone on this board has demanded compassion from a state to be honest; just accountability. I voted for Biden so I’ll curse him out in my texts all day forever.

Ugh sorry to double post and sorry to argue about Palestine on the internet. I’ll excuse myself.

I have asked previously if there could be less snark towards ILXors when having these discussions.

If that is not possibly, I understand.

Ugh sorry to double post and sorry to argue about Palestine on the internet. I’ll excuse myself.

― horseshoe, Friday, November 10, 2023 6:29 PM bookmarkflaglink

I'm sorry to argue about Palestine on the internet as well.

I don't think there's anything to apologise for here, appreciating posts from both

At least hypothetically (hard to imagine a rational response from the present Israeli leadership), it doesn't have to be either the present course or some ideal ceasefire: US Admin claims that it has finally started requesting "humanitarian pauses." If there could be real ones, not the kind witnessed now: four hours with at least intermittent bombardment of people moving down the road---also if there could be more than the tiny amounts of aid allowed in now---could there be an agreement w Hamas on those conditions? Could those things be done anyway? There really have not been reports of many missiles coming out of there lately (the tunnels might have something to do with that).
If adhered to, this agreement could be an incremental improvement, saving *some* lives.

And what does that look like after the first rocket is launched? The second?

I am not one of them. So that's out of the way.

I would appreciate yours and anyone's thoughts on the questions posed in the letter posted by outdoor miner.

The questions are bullshit because the premise of the letter is bullshit! It’s a self-soothing “thing are complicated do you condemn Hamas” letter dressed up in the language of moral superiority. It shows no empathy for Palestinian people.

Just as neither of us have a superior claim to perspective on the truth, neither do either of us have a claim on what the other should take seriously. To me, that letter is a joke. It should not be taken seriously.

That's fair. Agree to disagree.

my take was a response to the outdoor miner subsplash link, which I thought was based on a false dichotomy, to put it mildly---also

Between the iron dome and IDF and increased security and scrutiny, how likely is it that Hamas can immediately repeat Oct 7th? If a ceasefire is met with Hamas continuing to send rockets, which get shot down, and don't warrant the response of the killing of thousands of innocent people, maybe that's a naive high road to take, but seems like a better idea to me.

― dan selzer, Friday, November 10, 2023 7:56 PM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

Rocket attacks prior to 2023 killed people in small numbers - 13 one year, 10 another, etc.. If rocket attacks continue after a ceasefire, that's a risk Israel has to accept for being an occupying power. Stop undermining the PA, encroaching on and attacking the West Bank, etc. maybe there's a chance for change from below in Gaza that further minimizes the rocket risk over time.

Thing is, Israel doesn't want that.

― papal hotwife (milo z), Friday, November 10, 2023

The Rabbi states that morality is right vs. right, and wrong vs. wrong. He states that one model for peace is to state that “Jews are a settler state who do not have any preternatural right to ownership of the land”; this is the belief I subscribe to, and believe that people who believe otherwise are wrong, and against peace, and for colonial oppression of Palestinians. I oppose ethnostates in general, whether they’re Jewish or Christian or Muslim or atheistic.

I am pragmatic: I do not wish Israelis to be driven from the land. I don’t believe the majority of Palestinians wish for the that, either. I wish a secular democracy where Israelis and Palestinians have equal rights in the region. That’s all. Rabbi is wrong.

I believe also, and I stated this weeks ago, that Netanyahu sees himself as a modern day Levi Eshkol, and that Netanyahu’s only goal here is annex Gaza— no? Well I’ll bomb the shit out of it until the Overton window shifts until it is the most humanitarian option. Even today we are experiencing it, feeling misguided relief at seeing so many Gazans “fleeing” to “safety”— at least they’re not dead!— yet!—

To think that merely two weeks ago I was glued to my phone, refreshing, despondent that Israel was perhaps going to bomb Al-Quds hospital, only to see these past three days that they’re brazenly bombing hospital after hospital after hospital— likening journalists to terrorists, saying their lives are forfeit

I am grateful to man alive for his despairing post this morning, which captured my precise feeling through all of this. It feels like a Twilight Zone episode. It feels insane.

I'm glad you can consider the point of view from an ILXOR who hasn't been posting to this thread as much.

I wanted to bring up this post of yours

I’m glad you’re here table, I feel like you’re keeping my own convictions in check, lest I start screaming “sorry you read something that hurt your feelings; here are 100 videos of people collecting the remains of their children into grocery bags”

― as a lyricist he is from hell (flamboyant goon tie included), Thursday, November 9, 2023 7:07 AM bookmarkflaglink

And earlier you talked about how you find it infuriating that people in North America are discussing antisemitism.

It's kind of been haunting me that you are so angry about it. I honestly wonder who you are talking about.

Because of my mother's background as a refugee I have perhaps a stronger than normal aversion to authoritarian attitudes.

To be clear i totally agree and share your anger about the death and destruction in Gaza.

The part I was disturbed about is why people discussing antisemitism would make you infuriated.

Felicity I didn’t entirely like the rabbi’s letter - I liked some of where it started but I didn’t like where it wound up. I think there are things about Hamas and the history are getting simplified and that there isn’t an easy answer to that maybe aren’t getting addressed ITT and at some point I want to collect my thoughts and try to say more about them, I’ve started and stopped writing something like ten times, but it really just feels like triage is needed now. Massive humanitarian efforts, shelters, field hospitals, food, water, I don’t fucking know, like FEMA on steroids. Seems like an unprecedented effort is needed and idk how much harder that must be with the limited border crossings. I don’t think a cease fire is going to happen but air strikes need to be massively dialed back.

It was reported that some limited negotiations among Hamas, Egypt, Israel and the US took place in order to open the Rafah Crossing at all to permit humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. To me that indicates some path forward is possible.

I don't know if arguing online in the West directly affects that. What I do fear is the amount of viralized hatred spilling out into our lives and that is something I do hope we can affect.

The difficulty I feel in discussing anti-Semitism is simply this: I feel there is no greater threat to Jewish identity and Jewish safety than the actions of Netanyahu these past three weeks, than the continued status-quo existence of the two-states of Israel and Palestine; and this attitude was learned from a Jewish friend twenty years ago, himself the grandson of one of the founders of Israel, whose grandfather would later go on to feel the same way. Zionism puts Jews in danger, and this is (in part) why I oppose it.

(In part) because I am at present currently unable to sympathize with any parties in the region but those who are not even considered belligerents, that is Israeli hostages, that is Palestinian civilians; the latter are newly considered belligerents by the increasingly insane rhetoric I’m hearing from Israeli cabinet members, and talking heads in mainstream media.

I have seen critics of Israel compare the state to France-occupied Algeria, or Belgium-occupied Congo; I would argue that this situation is worse, for Israelis, because they only have foreign funding; they do not have a “homeland” to return to. Zionism is awful: and yet, it could have a positive outcome? Considering the extreme treatment of Jews in neighbouring Arab states, in North Africa, that it could be a safe haven for Jewish emigrants? And it already is? Except for the safety, because of the apartheid, because non-Jewish Israelis are not granted the same rights, which— along with being an affront to those people— endangers Jewish Israeli people, as well.

My heart broke when I read Josh’s post about his anxiety of “the end of Judaism”, because I also have this fear. I fear this may be the outcome of Netanyahu’s continued aggression. I fear this may be the outcome of the annexation of Gaza. That even in a “best case scenario”, as far as the state of Israel is concerned, specifically to its current government, that the opinion shifts far enough that the UN and EU and USA give a rubber stamp to like, fine, annex these places, that the resultant state of Israel will be an extremely dangerous place. Not a safe space for Jewish people. That the resultant global opinion of “Jews”— because of the resolute insistence that “Israel is a Jewish state”, despite so many Jews disagreeing that Israel’s actions have any positive effect on the Jewish diaspora, and in fact (as I believe) have a profoundly negative one— the global opinion of Jews will suffer extremely.

To be clear, if you felicity are desiring assurance here: if hundreds of Jews were being killed daily by bombardment from any nation, even if it was my nation, I would be just as vociferous and unbalanced as these past three weeks has seen me be.

I am not desiring your assurance about anything other than I want to be able to discuss antisemitism in North America - like I would want to talk about restrictions on abortion or hate crimes against Asian Americans - without you getting infuriated.

Oh! I was under the impression you respected me as much as I respected you, but if that’s the victory you desire, it’s yours and easily given

Sorry? I don't really understand what you are accusing me of here.

In case I worded it poorly, I totally respect your right to be angry about what is happening in Gaza and appreciate all your contributions here.

The part I was a little uneasy about was why taking about hate crimes directed at Jewish people in the US separately from that would make you infuriated. As if it's not the proper priority of things? Maybe I misinterpreted something.

Still unable to digest the fact that Israeli snipers were purposefully targeting children in the ICU of a hospital today. Looking through the sight and pulling the trigger, again and again and again. pic.twitter.com/n9Sx67XJP9

— Ben Ehrenreich (@BenEhrenreich) November 10, 2023

Anadolu English
@anadoluagency
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2h
#BREAKING 39 babies have died in intensive care unit at Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital due to lack of oxygen: Palestinian health minister

This was corrected by the director of the hospital; 1 of the babies has died as of right now, though they remain in peril.

Between the iron dome and IDF and increased security and scrutiny, how likely is it that Hamas can immediately repeat Oct 7th? If a ceasefire is met with Hamas continuing to send rockets, which get shot down, and don't warrant the response of the killing of thousands of innocent people, maybe that's a naive high road to take, but seems like a better idea to me.

― dan selzer, Saturday, 11 November 2023 bookmarkflaglink

It needs continuous financial and logistical support over many decades by governments other than Israel. Israel also needs a highly competent series of governments to keep watching over for Palestinian activity.

The attacks by Hamas -- after a lot of rhetoric about what a high end tech, militarised state it is -- have shown this to be a lot of hot air. Look at the two decades, a lot of money that propped the Afghan governments and how quickly that disintegrated once the US left?

The Israeli public have propped up Netanyahu's political career for two decades but as reports have come out one thing he isn't is a competent prison guard. It explains the reaction which is to annex Gaza, keep taking the West Bank, and disregard the hostages.

What the protests and continuous conversation of this issue across the West and the world are showing is that, at some point, pro-Israeli politicians in the West will face the end of their careers. Certainly my hope is that the calculus will change over time to Israel being treated like Apartheid-era South Africa. Pressure and boycotts from the outside with Israel being forced to reconfigure.

xp - ok, fair enough.

thanks for your posts fgti