I would put it slightly differently: in part as an American citizen, in part as a world citizen, and in largest part as a human being. Something that seems important to either of the first two is not going to win with me if it requires me to discard my human decency.
“I don’t see how it’s paying off for anyone.” It’s paying off for Hamas. They obviously aren’t overly concerned with the loss of life in Gaza.
They're also watching Israel burn diplomatic bridges left & right. I know the US doesn't have the leverage over Israel some people think we do, but Biden IMHO is trying to maintain some leverage along with standing by an ally that much of the world wouldn't mind seeing wiped off the face of the earth--I don't know how much longer he can politically afford to stay the course. While I still maintain what we're seeing in Gaza isn't a genocide; it's bad, and the potential for Israel to stumble it's way into committing genocidal acts either in Gaza or the West Bank are not 0% right now. Hamas could never actually defeat Israel on it's own. But playing a role in making Israel an isolated pariah nation which has waived the moral high ground would be a huge victory for them. Netanyahu has done a lot of damage to Israel already, but if they don't course correct soon he might drive them into the abyss. If that happens AND Hamas manages to avoid paying the ultimate price for the horror of 10/7, the consequences would be dire.
I don't think it's paying off for Hamas. I don't think recognition of a state of Palestine is as important to them as you might think.
They may not actually care at all, so fair point. But they've been calling for a genocide against Jews for decades, and they just committed mass atrocities against Jews a few months ago as a means to making that genocide a reality, and here we are six months later with world opinion turning against Israel. That's a BIG win for Hamas, wouldn't you say?
It’s less the importance of that specific fact than that it signifies world opinion continuing to turn against Israel in favor of Palestine.
Equally important, at least to some of us, is the fact that much of the world is turning against Jews. Oh, Jew-hating has always been with us, but the intensity continues to ramp up. Every day I hear at least one new story of a regular Jew -- someone who lives in the US, may never have been to Israel -- losing a job, having to leave school, getting harassed at Trader Joes or lectured for being Jewish. This is our reality, forum friends. We don't want to be wiped off the planet. We regular Jews have done nothing wrong! But, once again, we're fair game for abuse and worse because of who we are. For most, it's a terrifying time to be a US Jew. And if you haven't heard your Jewish friends say so, it's probably because they don't know if they can trust you. For good reason.
They kill any Palestinian in favor of the 2statesolution, just like on the Israeli side the settlers extremists killed Rabin for it.
Extremist rabbis issued rulings of Jewish law against Rabin — imposing a curse of death, a Pulsa Dinura, and providing justification for killing him, a din rodef, like the ayatollahs issue(d) fatwahs.
The world isnot turning against Israel in support of hama, but because of the atrocities we've been watching for 6 months, the antics of extremists in the government and the escalating settler terrorism in the Westbank. The latter has been swept under the carpet by the western world and hushed up since it's started. It now is in the news as a companion of the idf actions in Gaza and the lid to keep it out of the public mind has fallen off. The moron in the government, who threatened that with each European country recognizing Palestine, they would set up/legalize a settler colony played right in the hands of those who wanted this issue long time ago as a focal point against Israel.
Unless you are dealing with someone with a racist ideology like the one the Nazis professed, there isn't anything about being "Jewish" that by itself makes someone prejudiced against you. Is being "Jewish" going to subject an anti-Zionist or even merely anti-Israeli Jew to abuse by those some like to paint as "left wing anti-Semites"? Would Noam Chomsky or Bernie Sanders be abused or lectured by the particular folks you feel threatened by? But obviously if you are going to wear support for Israel on your sleeves, whether you are Jewish or Christian, you will likely be resented by those who have had enough seeing the atrocities that we can all see in Gaza.
The Israel Defense Force released Videos and Images today showing the Entrance of the Hamas Tunnel System where the Bodies of 4 Hostages; Ron Benjamin, Amit Buskila, Itzhak Gelerenter, and Shani Louk were all Discovered last Friday. Israeli Officials state that the Entrance to… pic.twitter.com/2Z97zUv3Mi— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 23, 2024
This isn’t relevant. If you’re anti-Israel, you share something with Hamas, and the more people feel this way the more successful they are in achieving their goals, regardless of how you feel about the organization or its methods.
My bigger question is whether anyone senior the Egyptian head negotiator was looped in on this. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility of someone wanting to make a power play
First, I absolutely support the right of Israel to exist, and believe that the continued existence of Israel is essential to prevent obliteration of Jews everywhere (even those trying to survive by pandering to anti-Jewish causes -- in Hitler's day, they got sent to the ovens too). However, how do you, shopping in your local grocery, know that the girl with the star of David necklace or the toddler wearing a kippah, both ancient symbols of the religion, support Israel? You don't. But that won't stop you and your ilk from glaring at them, spitting on them, and accusing them of killing babies. Or painting swastikas on their driveways. Or vandalizing their family's business. You may camouflage your hatred for Jews by suddenly joining Team Hamas, and telling people that it's all about those poor Palestinians, but seriously, do you think we don't know what you're doing?
No, I’m saying that the more people turn against Israel, regardless of their motivations, the more that serves the purposes of Hamas. And thus provoking Israel into taking extreme action in response to the 10/7 attack has turned out to be a petty good plan for them. The people of Gaza are just collateral damage for both sides.
He said anti-Israel. He didn’t say “critical.” it’s harder and harder for me to attribute your posts to English not being your first language.
Dude, We're talking about public opinion, turning against what Israel has been doing the last 6 months, which is criticizing their actions. So he swapped criticizing with being anti-Israel, which is something entirely different.
Those are outrageously sick assumptions. But if it helps you justify your own hatred and prejudice, so be it. In the meantime, the only thing I can say you are right about is that the issue to me (and the very few people who are truly of my ilk) isn't merely or even predominately just about the "poor Palestinians". The same way it isn't at all about "Jews", rich or poor. It is about things that relate ultimately to the core of the human experience, in our short sojourn here, before we pass the baton to the generation to follow.
Bibi has said long before the actual warrant request that if that happens, he retaliate, not against Gaza, but against the Westbank.