Israel can take Gaza, but

Or, alternatively, it doesn’t pay to act as the aggressor for decades

Neither side has the moral high ground but so long as the world stands by tut tutting but not actually preventing the conflict it will continue to escalate.

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Not working for the Israelis though, is it?

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Not so Mik, in fact it’s just the opposite, people have just seen through Israel’s lies. The Israeli propaganda war has been going on for fifty years. Here’s a random selection of articles from different sources showing how good the Israeli propaganda has been. The fourth article below is about Craig Mokhiber and is well worth a read, especially his resignation letter. The right wing gang in power in Israel are loosing friends at home and abroad very, very quickly, as the FT article explains.

https://www.ft.com/content/a92e4865-79ad-4407-a6a5-cc3266ecc214

This is part of a longer piece on the BBC site.

From Jeremy Bowen
BBC International editor, in southern Israel

It is also clear that Israel’s assault on Hamas is causing terrible bloodshed. The latest figure for Palestinian deaths from Gaza’s health ministry, run by Hamas, has exceeded 9,000 - of whom around 65% are children and women.
It is not clear how many of the men who have been killed were civilians or fighting for Hamas or Islamic Jihad. US President Joe Biden and the Israelis do not trust the ministry figures. But in past conflicts, Palestinian casualty statistics have been considered accurate by international organisations.
One grim milestone is fast approaching. The United Nations (UN) says around 9,700 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion 21 months ago.
Some of the Palestinian dead would have been part of Hamas. But even if that proportion is as high as 10%, which is unlikely, it means that Israel is on course to have killed as many Palestinian civilians in just over a month as Russia has killed in Ukraine since February 2022.

Errr the Taliban (rather than the Mujahideen who were of all parties, some not at all supported by the US because they were dangerously socialist and insufficiently god-fearing).

Are you truly saying here, openly, that (in your opinion) I have no right to support Israel and have no right to have my opinion? Are we having Palestinian Authority here on a French forum? Seriously?
Harry, thanks for openly being a gray furry one with a long bare tail.

No, I will not waste my time on rephrasing what doesn’t need to be rephrased.

Neither - but when that opinion includes statements such as

And comparing them to rabid dogs who should be put down then I am tempted to wonder if you are just posting extremist views to get a reaction - and we’ve had to close one thread on this subject because it degenerated into a slagging match.

If you want to make reasoned posts in support of Israel - fine, go ahead.

If you just want to post inflammatory remarks suggesting Gazan’s are just dogs who should be put down, please find another platform.

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You have every right to support Israel as a state and I don’t think anyone is questioning its right to exist and to defend itself, but you don’t have the right to dehumanise anyone, justify war crimes or support genocide, no matter who the perpetrators and victims may be.

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This forum is definitely not the place to vent vitriole or denigrate any other humans, especially in inarticulate and provocative rhetorical invective.

Silly humans who do are only exemplifying how the area discussed got itself into such a hateful situation.

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Freedom of speech should be guaranteed, freedom to spout bile and hate isn’t and never should be.

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I’m a strong supporter of free speech but although everyone should have to right to freedom of opinion and of speech that does not oblige anyone to provide you with a platform.

This site is hosted in France where there are strict rules about hate speech and where website owners can be held liable for material that they host. TBH one of my concerns was that your post stepped over the legal boundary.

You can appeal to @cat or @James if you wish - as the site owners they have final say.

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Your irrational rant was offensive in the extreme. You only shame yourself.

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May I say @billybutcher that I appreciate your restraint in correcting a person who was clearly disturbing the thread and the forum while at the same time keeping the thread open for further sensible comments on both sides.

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Israel is defending itself and they decided they need to eliminate Hamas which I fully understand. Your use of words like genocide is nothing but vile hate speech that fuels the growing antisemitic pogroms that are on the rise in Europe.

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This is the Cambridge dictionary definition of genocide. I don’t think it is inappropriate in this context.
" the crime of intentionally destroying part or all of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, by killing people or by other methods : The violence was reminiscent of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda."

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… by bombing schools, places of worship, refuge camps, hospitals and an ambulance convoy.

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You’re welcome :blush:

Could you show me any evidence of these pograms please?

As for “genocide”, please look up the definition of the word and then look at what is happening in Gaza. Bombing ambulances, for example. Then read what President Herzog has said about all Palestinians being guilty for the October 7th atrocity. Read about former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman describing Palestinians as "horrible, inhuman animals” on TV, or listen to Israel defence minister, Yoav Gallant, call Palestinians in Gaza “human animals” when he ordered the total siege.

I didn’t use the word to offend, and if you have taken offence that’s a pity, but it is your problem. I used the word because that’s what I believe is happening, Israel has a history of ethnic cleansing going back to 1948, it’s been continuing in the West Bank and now it’s happening in Gaza.

For too long Israel has shut down legitimate criticism with accusations of antisemitism, as you are trying to do by bandying about “pograms”, that has to stop.

IMHO a ceasefire needs to be called, a concrete plan for a two state solution put in place and in lock step with that the eradication of the “need” for Hamas and Hezbollah and and therefore a curb on the foul misogynistic regime in Iran’s influence. The “we want it all” right wing in Israel is, and has been for thirty years, the road block to peace in the M/E.

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Mainly this has been the road block to peace :confused:

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