On Thursday, congressional leaders confirmed the Israeli prime minister will address a joint session of Congress on July 24. Netanyahu’s speech to the US legislature comes as Israeli forces have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians with American weapons.
Last week, bipartisan lawmakers in both chambers – including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senate leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) – extended an invitation to Netanyahu to speak in the Capitol.
“The existential challenges we face, including the growing partnership between Iran, Russia, and China, threaten the security, peace, and prosperity of our countries and of free people around the world,” they said in a letter to Netanyahu. “To build on our enduring relationship and to highlight America’s solidarity with Israel, we invite you to share the Israeli government’s vision for defending democracy, combating terror, and establishing a just and lasting peace in the region.”
While the date for the speech is now set, Sen. Bernie Sanders said he will not attend in protest of Israel’s actions in Gaza. “Benjamin Netanyahu is creating the worst humanitarian disaster in modern history. Starvation. Destruction. Death,” the senator wrote on X. “We should not honor him with an invitation to address the United States Congress.”
Benjamin Netanyahu is creating the worst humanitarian disaster in modern history.
Starvation. Destruction. Death.
We should not honor him with an invitation to address the United States Congress. pic.twitter.com/raIHHhhCui
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) June 5, 2024
Over the past eight months, Israel has used American-provided weapons to reduce most of the Gaza Strip to rubble and kill over 36,000 Palestinians. Tel Aviv has largely prevented aid from entering the besieged enclave, pushing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to the brink of starvation.
The destruction and killing in Gaza have led the International Criminal Court to seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. While the US and Israel are not parties to the ICC, both Washington and Tel Aviv are subject to the UN’s International Court of Justice, which has ruled Israel’s actions in Gaza could amount to genocide.
While US public opinion on Israel is trending downward, Tel Aviv has retained significant support in Congress. In April, lawmakers voted to send an additional $17 billion in military aid to Israel. A bipartisan group of representatives also went on to pass a bill that targets the ICC for its potential prosecution of Israeli officials.
A few members of Congress, including Sanders, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Rep. Rashida Talib (D-MI), have protested Israel’s behavior. Those remarks have been met with stiff backlash, calls for censure, and charges of antisemitism from their colleagues.
Kyle Anzalone is the opinion editor of Antiwar.com, news editor of the Libertarian Institute, and co-host of Conflicts of Interest.
Defending democracy™. The kind where people don’t have rights.
In the words of John Mearschimer, "it may be a democracy, but it's certainly not a liberal democracy."
Why must democracies be liberal, or conservative?
Correct, Jake; Democracy is an ancient human tool used to focus many minds.
Bernie Sanders changed his tune on the war and genocide in Gaza. Before the protests outside his office, he placed the blame solely on Hamas and now he condemns Netanyahu for being the culprit that he is.
Johnson should not have invited Ntanyahu to speak, I'm surprised he did not make July 4 and not July 24 the date for him to speak.
Sanders is not going to listen to Netanyahu's speech but he would if there were no protests outside his office.
Does Johnson not know that the IDF has bombed Christian churches, and is threatening the Armenian Christian Church in Jerusalem, a church that has been there since the 4th Century? Are the Christians in Palestine and the West Bank not Christian enough for him?????????????????
Johnson knows that the IDF has bombed Christian churches in addition to Muslim mosques and is threatening the Armenian church in Jerusalem. He and other RWNJs only consider American and European Christians to be real Christians although Christianity existed in Asia and Africa long before it existed in the Western World.
If Johnson witnessed what Israel has been doing since 1948, he'd still deny the truth.
Perhaps Johnson reflects on the history you mention…what happened to the Christians in Syria, Egypt, and other parts of Asia and Africa? What happened to Constantinople, and the Hagia Sophia, a center of Christian faith for nearly 1,000 years? It's now a mosque.
What Israel has been doing since 1948 is restoring the Western world to parts of the Middle East that were conquered by Muslim armies that occupied Spain for 400 years and reached as far as France.
To Johnson, the Christians in Palestine are not true believers, and so Johnson doesn’t care about them since he is a Premillenial Dispensationalist.
Thanks. A real mouthful… I had to google "Dispensationalist."
Johnson had a come to Jesus moment with the intelligence racket. Carrot or stick?
Your attempt to inflame anti-Jewish sentiment among US Christians isn't working.
Like everything in Jerusalem, the politics are incredibly complicated and nuanced, but the Armenian Church is part of a deal that was approved by the leader of the Armenian Church.
As for Palestinian Christians…how about Sirhan Sirhan, the Palestinian Christian who assassinated Robert F. Kennedy, then the leading presidential candidate, likely to be the next president of the United States?
"Convicted assassin Sirhan Sirhan was manipulated by a seductive girl in a mind control plot to shoot Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and his bullets did not kill the presidential candidate, lawyers for Sirhan said in new legal papers."
https://www.masslive.com/ne…
Oh, well, that's completely different, because Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan – who pointed a gun at RFK and murdered him – says he was being manipulated by a seductive girl in a mind control plot.
Open and shut case! The real assassin was the seductive girl in a mind control plot, not the person who pulled the trigger. In fact, you could say that Sirhan Sirhan was the real victim here!
Thanks for the information.
No, it just proves it's really not an open and shut case and that there are other questions and odd facts that don't match up with what was officially said.
Of course, that has been true of many events throughout history, so I'm not one to just go along with what we are all supposed to think or decide about a current event without having some questions, especially when it involves millions of people suffering.
JFK’s Assassination at 60: Revisiting the Israeli Connection Anew http://ohiopeacecouncil.org…
From Dallas To Gaza: How JFK’s Assassination Was Good For Zionist Israel
https://original.antiwar.co…
It's weird. Sirhan's motive to kill RK was said to have been because Robert Kennedy was an Israeli supporter, supposedly.
How the FBI is creating terrorists
A damning new report suggests the bureau facilitates and sometimes even invents its targets' willingness to act
In the case of the "Newburgh Four," for example, a judge said the government "came up with the crime, provided the means, and removed all relevant obstacles," and had, in the process, made a terrorist out of a man "whose buffoonery is positively Shakespearean in scope."' — from the Summary, "Illusion of Justice: Human Rights Abuses in US Terrorism Prosecutions" https://www.salon.com/2014/…
oh yes, ive read about this years ago, and its quite obvious some of the mass shooters and assassins were patsies
It’s possible. The height of MKultra.
https://www.history.com/top…
Operation Midnight Climax
You also had Harvard (for the CIA) running mind control experiments, which may have impacted Kaczynski to become the unabomber. And then later after 9/11, the FBI would actually manufacture terrorists.
Exactly. It's quite possible and there are discrepencies and too many questions. Like, if Sirhan's gun only held eight rounds, why were around 13 shots heard? Thats just one…
Maybe Sanders had an epiphany. Maybe those protests outside of his office actually made him change his tune. Or maybe he's full of shit. Personally, I don't care what his reason for calling Netanyahu a war criminal was, I'll take it. I don't recall him praising Netanyahu in the past so maybe he was being sincere. But whether he, Trump, Haley, Johnson or any other scum call Netanyahu a war criminal out loud, I'll praise them to no end.
Irish MP: 'I hope Benjamin Netanyahu burns in hell’
https://m.youtube.com/watch…
Is this a case of the chicken coming home to roost?!
;-/
Maybe Bernie should go to Gaza and help out. Oh wait, they would kill him because of his faith.
o happy little death wish
Or maybe you should read what Bernie said.
“Benjamin Netanyahu is creating the worst humanitarian disaster in modern history. Starvation. Destruction. Death,” the senator wrote on X. “We should not honor him with an invitation to address the United States Congress.”
So instead of commenting on what he said, the truth, you toss out nonsensical bullshit that has nothing to do with why he wouldn't be attending the mass murderer's address to congress.
I am so G-d Damned ashamed of my country.
So am I.
So, maybe you should look at what your country has done – and is dong – first. It's much worse.
Glad I no longer celebrate the 4th. My time in the US military presented me with standards of conduct which are no longer observed by members of the federal government.
This president and this congress no longer share my values when it comes to government which leads by example to demonstrate peaceful coexistence among nations and respect for basic human values.
I salute you!
This is a curious situation and makes me wonder. Isn't this a "gee, nice flight pattern you have there" kind of situation? The guy is a genocidal psychopath, is that enough to keep his enemies from even attempting to strike this bright and clear weak point?
Half a million Israelis,which is a lot in a small country,marched to get rid of Nety The Hamas massacre enabled him to stay in power.
The response would have been the same no matter who was in power. As if getting rid of Netanyahu would make Israel less rabidly right wing.
Another opportunity for them to humiliate themselves in front of the world and embarrass the American people.
Last I checked the approval rating for the US congress among Americans was hovering at 9%. Just how low do they want it to go? Not that they give a damn of course.
Mass murderer to address congress on July 24th.
Israel is US ally. Hamas is a US enemy.
So, a US ally is a mass murderer. What's your point?
My point is that one seeks to protect us, one seeks to destroy us.
In fact, the Palestinians are sided with US enemies for generations.
The Palestinians supported the Nazis in WWII; the Soviets in the Cold War; Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War; and they were dancing and handing out sweets after 9/11.
Hamas started a war. So, call it what you want; the Middle East is a rough neighborhood, and their are predictable consequences of starting a war. The American people know this.
Where are you typing this from? A comfortable place in Tel Aviv? Perhaps you are Natenyahu's son,basking in the sun in Florida? Read this. Completely. Be sure to click on all of the indicators, particularly the one showing the gruesome video. Hamas did not start the war. The war was started in 1948. Prior to 7Oct,since 2000, Israel had killed 2300 Palestinian children.
So, more personal comments rather than a single fact.
But you are correct – the Arabs did start the war, in 1947, when they rejected to UN peace plan and attacked Israel instead. They wanted it all. They lost.
As for Hamas – yes, when you attack a neighbor who has bombs, you get bombed. That's how the world works. That's why people have bombs. That is why Hamas should surrender, give up their weapons, release all the hostages they kidnapped, and live in peace.
The 2 million Palestinians who live in Jordan live in peace. Jordan has signed a peace treaty with Israel. The only problem they have is with the Palestinians who tried a violent coup in their country and attempted to assassinate their leader. They do that.
Nothing of what you said makes Netanyahu any less of a mass murderer. Absolutely irrelevant. And calling the mass murdering of thousands upon thousands of civilians "predictable consequences" of starting a war is disgusting. It's predictable if the one waging the war is a mass murderer. So no, there wasn't any reason to invite that pig to speak to congress.
If Netanyahu is a mass murderer, then it is predictable what happens when you provoke a mass murderer. You get bombed. What did they think would happen after killing so many Israelis?
However, Israel is a US ally and protects US interests in the Middle East.
Hamas is an enemy; they attack a US ally and are holding US citizens as captives. They are not a legitimate government and deserve to be exterminated. If they would surrender, give up their weapons, and release all hostages, the war would end tomorrow.
The US has no interests in the middle east except enrichment of a very slim minority who care nithing about life in Easrh.
It's obvious what "very slim minority" you are talking about. Why not just say it?
Actually, you are profoundly ignorant. US global power is dependent on US allies – Germany, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, others.
The US ruling class isn't stupid. They support a powerful, nuclear-armed Israel because of global power concerns and oil. Israel provides some of the most advanced military and computer technology, as well as medical technology, intelligence/spying, and other unique services to the US.
Meanwhile, the Palestinians have always worked with America's enemies – the Germans in WWII, the Soviets in the Cold War, Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War; they even cheered when Bin Laden attacked the US on 9/11.
Another thing is that Israel could also join another power bloc. I'm sure that Russia or China would be delighted to have a nuclear power and high-tech country on their side. It would tip the balance of power.
So, they would be happy if people like you focus on a "slim majority" as the cause of US support for Israel.
I'm talking about the 1% who own a bunch and strive for more, even via war. The US itself does not need to be involved around the world. Cut the military 90% and put the money into paying down the national debt and fixing infrastructure, education and health. Let Israel make its own way, as you suggest.
You often hear this naive view, but think about it – you are saying, we should continue to enjoy the benefits of a world power, but not actually be a world power.
It doesn't work that way. If the US pulls back, we become like ever other fallen power. Look at the Turks, the British, and other who have gone to second class status.
For one thing, we would lose control of the energy market, as Russia and China would dominate the Middle East. Our economy and infrastructure are based on cheap gas; if we paid the same as Europe ($8/gallon), our economy would collapse; so would home and stock prices. That is just the beginning. We would default on our debt; we would shrink our military, and retirement would become a rare luxury. With massive unemployment, workers would have no rights and crime would explode.
So, it's common sense. You can't stop being a world power, but expect to enjoy the benefits of a world power. You have to pick one.
And second tier countries – like Turkey or the UK – don't have it so bad, as long as they live under the umbrella of a super power. So – which country to you want to live under? Russia or China?
The discussion was about a mass murderer addressing the US congress. Under no circumstance should that happen.
Saying Netanyahu actions are predictable if he is a mass murderer doesn't exonerate him from slaughtering thousands upon thousands of innocents. Predictability isn't a defense for mass murder. And his invitation to speak to our congress should be rescinded
We have no treaty with Israel. And whether they protect US interests in the region, which they don't, doesn't mean a mass murderer should be addressing our congress. He shouldn't be.
Whether Hamas is legitimate or not doesn't exonerate Israel's mass slaughter of innocents and doesn't make inviting a mass murderer to speak before our congress any more acceptable.
And whether Hamas is willing to surrender and give up their weapons doesn't factor into Israel's slaughtering of thousands upon thousands of innocents and doesn't make inviting a mass murderer to speak before our congress any more acceptable.
Nothing you say, or can say, makes what Israel is doing in Gaza any less despicable.
Actually, the US has designated Israel as a major non-NATO ally under US law.
https://www.state.gov/major-non-nato-ally-status/
Also, the United States and Israel have signed multiple bilateral defense cooperation agreements, that include: a Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement (1952); a General Security of Information Agreement (1982); a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (1991); and a Status of Forces Agreement (1994).
As for speaking before Congress, that's up to Congress, not you.
US presidents have been mass murderers, and they spoke before Congress. FDR killed 100,000 civilians in Europe and designed the atom bomb; Truman dropped nuclear bombs on civilians in Japan, killing more than 120,000 instantly. George Bush's "war on terror" killed an estimate 1 million people. Zelensky address Congress; his army has killed hundreds of thousands of Russians, as well as civilians.
You know why Putin has widespread support in Russia? Is it because the people are sheep and uninformed? No, it's because they know the world is a awful place, and you have to fight. They experienced the horrors of WWII and will not accept being vulnerable again. It's the same with Israelis. They know the depths of human horror, and they will stop Hamas from inflicting it on them.
The real issue is, how to stop a US enemy (Hamas) from destroying a US ally (Israel)?
If you have no solution to this question, then the rest is irrelevant. You can have pleasant discussions of moral issues, and feel brave and righteous, but in a life and death struggle, no one cares. It seems the Republicans understand this but the left does not.
So, if someone who bombs a neighbor who bombs them upsets you, then you are free to turn off your TV (or iPhone or whatever) and prevent his words from reaching you. Meanwhile, the US Congress looks at the geopolitical interests of the United States – see more value in having a nuclear power than in losing it.
I'll repeat, we have no treaty with Israel.
Of course, it's up to congress as to whether they can invite a mass murderer to speak before them. AIPAC makes sure of that. But I'm sure you're good with a foreign entity having so much influence over our own congress. You obviously put the needs of the apartheid state over the needs of the US. Are you even a US citizen?
And you're actually comparing US presidents addressing congress to a foreign country's leader addressing congress? I won't even dignify that stupidity with a response.
But wait there's more. You actually have the unmitigated gall to compare a militia like Hamas as a threat to Israel in the same vein as the threat the USSR faced during WW2? Fucking please!
Hamas isn't capable of destroying Israel and never has been. It's that exaggerated bullshit that allows Israel's current ongoing slaughter to continue.
"So, if someone who bombs a neighbor who bombs them upsets you, then you are free to turn off your TV (or iPhone or whatever) and prevent his words from reaching you."
That cute how you make this sound like two neighbors with equal weaponry having a spat. But in reality it's a superpoer feeding an Aparheid practicing rogue state that is brutally killing thousands upon thousands of innocents. So, no, I won't ignore it and you can go fuck yourself for even suggesting such.
And finally, admitting that Israel has nukes. Add that to the state of the art weaponry being sent by our bought and paid for congress. But a pipsqueak like Hamas is a threat to Israel's very existence. Sure, why not.
Yes, you are getting repetitious, but contradictory. So, which is it – the US has no treaties with Israel, or we have their back? You have said both.
Congress isn't "bought and paid for," although some people like to pretend that "certain people" (they never say who) control things from behind the scenes.
No, the United States protects Israel based on US self-interest, not AIPAC cash. Clearly having a powerful military ally in the Middle East serves the US geopolitical interest; this is why Jordan, Egypt, and even Saudi Arabia cooperate with Israel (not AIPAC).
It's not 1947, when six Arab armies went to destroy Israel – Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, and Lebanon. Two of those countries have treaties with Israel; a third is considering it; Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon are barely countries anymore.
As for Israel having nuclear weapons, I don't know that for a fact, but most people assume that.
There is no contradiction. You can enable/support a slaughter without a treaty.
Congress wouldn't be inviting a mass murderer, Netanyahu, to speak if the country he presides over, Israel, didn't have significant influence. Don't even try to bullshit your way out of that.
And none of your other gibberish has anything to do with what we are talking about.
Bottom line, this is a war. Hamas calculated they could kill 1,000 Israelis and then hide among human shields – women and children and hostages. It was all a deliberate strategy.
Israel would be afraid of attacking, because then they would be "mass murderers". There would be horrific pictures of dead women and children, and American and EU supporters of Israel would be not allow Israel to attack Hamas fighters hiding in Gaza.
The result: Hamas wins.
Under these circumstances, what would you do? No one here has answered that question.
Israel called Hamas' bluff. Hamas said Western countries are too weak to tolerate civilian casualties (which do not bother non-Western nations, including Russia, China, Syria, Saudi Arabia, etc.)
Russians (the government and the people) had no problems with civilian casualties in Chechnya, Syria, or Ukraine. Perhaps you would prefer that nuclear-armed Israel switch to the Russia power bloc. This would tip the balance and Russia would quickly dominate Europe and the Middle East. This would crush the US economy overnight and doom the US to minor country status, as surely Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea would either fall or turn neutral. Russia and China would then dominate the world.
So, Israel called Hamas' bluff and decided to be those mass murderers that even a designated terrorist group, Hamas, didn't think they would be is what you're telling me. Dead women and children be damned and tough shit if it pisses the do-gooders off in the Western countries. Quite the argument you got going there.
Under these circumstances, what would you do? No one here has answered that question.
Dropping 2,000 lb bombs on residential areas isn't something someone should have to be told not to do. Or starving people. Or destroying medical infrastructure. Leveling damn near every building. If you have to clear everything out, including life, to get to the enemy, you just don't FUCKING do it. And don't give me any bullshit about an existential threat with the Superpower in their back pocket having their backs unconditionally.
You still haven't answered the question of what you would do.
We see that minor skirmishes between Hamas and Israel only result in increased brutality by Hamas; so, what approach would enable Israel to deter the increasing murder of their people?
As for clearing everyone out – yes, that is exactly what you do. If murderers hide in hospitals, then you destroy them.
Hamas deliberately surrounds themselves with civilians to take advantage of their deaths. They are not collateral damage; they are the strategic murder of their own people.
Yes, what cares what Western people think, when they did the exact same thing under similar circumstances.
Hamas clearly is a threat, when you consider that they have 40,000 arms combatants, and 2,000 of them were able to overwhelm Israeli defenses and slaughter entire communities in a few hours. But they are also additive, when you consider the 100,000 rockets Hezbollah has, and the 80 million Iranians who chant "Death to Israel!" every day, who are already sending huge salvos of missiles and drones at Israel.
I just gave you a list of what they should not have done. There is no other way to answer it since they haven't stopped what they've been doing from the beginning. Slaughtering people.
Israel's skirmishes with Hamas have always been one side and Israel has always responded with more brutality than they received. Disproportionately more. They out did themselves after the Oct 7th attack. So, your whole premise was bullshit and then you ask what Israel should do to stop it.
And no, clearing everyone out isn't acceptable. Especially the way Israel did/is doing it. They put Hamas to shame when it comes to what they did to hospitals. Talk about gruesome bastards. Leaving children to die.
When Hamas hides amongst innocent civilians they still need cold hearted bastards from the other side to pull the trigger to kill those innocent civilians. Hamas are designated as terrorists and yet you think Israel behaving in the same manner is somehow acceptable.
And there the new go to is that the Western nations did nasty shit too. So, sit back and enjoy the slaughter.
Hamas is not an existential threat. There is no excuse for what Israel did or what they are doing. And 80 million Iranians don't chant death to Israel every day. Jesus, you can't be that brainwashed. And they gave a 3 day warning to countries in the region and a 5 hour warning to Isael before launching those "huge salvos of missiles and drones"". So, Israel existence isn't in the balance and their slaughtering of Palestinians in Gaza is indefensible.
Russian, China, Iran are threatening our peace? NO, it is the ROGUE Congress, the Congress of Israel, that is threatening our peace and the PEACE of the World. This Congress is NO longer serving our Republic, it is completely DERELICT in it's duties and has violated, stomped on our Constitution. Vote them OUT!
It is the UNIPARTY. United in service of the donor class. Number one being AIPAC.
I see. So, you think that Congress is in the "service" of AIPAC. Yes, how dare AIPAC follow the law and engage in legal lobbying?
Yet, Israel spent the least of the 10 leading lobbyists in DC: China, Japan, Liberia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Marshall Islands, Qatar, Bahamas, and the United Arab Emirates. Somehow, you missed the other countries. I guess they are in your next post.
https://www.opensecrets.org…
So, China and Saudi Arabia – they are our friends, right?
It was also legal for Bostonian Blue Bloods to deal opium in China.
What does that even mean?
In the original antiwar article on JFK’s murder, it reported that unlike other countries, under LBJ, Israel and its lobbyists did not and do not have to register under FARA.
So billionaires contributing are not under this category. Neither are people like Dershowitz. So numbers are not accurate or complete as to real influence.
Nonsense. Russia has hundreds of nuclear weapons aimed at the United States, threatening to murder millions of Americans instantly (then millions more through radiation and the breakdown of society). China, as well. Iran chants "Death to America!" and supports our enemies.
Clearly, Russia, China, and Iran seek the destruction of the United States.
But you think the real problem is the legislature that funds our defense. That is completely irrational.
If you think defending the United States from those who seeks to destroy us is unconstitutional, I suggest you re-read the Constitution. Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution instructs the Legislative Branch to “provide for the common defense."
Yet, you think Putin, Xi, and the Mullahs of Iran are the good guys?
What’s the over/under he gets the Iranian treatment in flight “accidents”?
“The existential challenges we face, including the growing partnership between Iran, Russia, and China, threaten the security, peace, and prosperity of our countries and of free people around the world,” they said in a letter to Netanyahu. “To build on our enduring relationship and to highlight America’s solidarity with Israel, we invite you to share the Israeli government’s vision for defending democracy, combating terror, and establishing a just and lasting peace in the region.”
I guess they haven't been paying attention for the last 8 months. Hint, it's called genocide. Kind of makes the Iran, Russia and China partnership look humane in comparison.
https://scheerpost.com/2024/06/09/baby-ahmad-was-beheaded-by-israel-with-a-us-bomb/
That's a pretty biased statement. Consider:
1. Lebanese civil war: 150,000 dead.
2. Dead in Chechnya by Russians: 200,000.
3. Iraq-Kurdish conflict: 300,000 dead.
4. Boko Haram insurgency: 350,000 dead.
5. Dead in Yemeni Civil War: 400,000.
6. Casualties from Ukraine war: 500,000.
7. Somali Civil War: 500,000 dead.
8. Dead in Syria with Russian support: 600,000.
9. Dead in Rwanda during Civil War: 800,000
10. Congo War: 5,000,000 dead.
Dead in Gaza: unknown (Hamas is not reliable and clearly mixes war casualties with civilian deaths.)
Meanwhile, there are 14 million Palestinians, and Israeli Arabs have the longest life expectancy in the Arab world.
Your conclusion: Genocide!
Nope.
Genocide: the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group.
My conclusion: Genocide!
Yup.
And you listing other atrocities/genocides doesn't exonerate Israel's attempt at a genocide.
You have it wrong.
Israel is not at war with Palestinians. They are not fighting Palestinians in Jordan; they have a peace treaty with Jordan.
Palestinians in Israel (Israeli Arabs) have the longest life expectancy in the Arab world; living longer is generally a poor indicator of genocide.
Deaths during wars are commonplace (and predicable). That's why it's not a good idea to attack a powerful neighbor with bombs and tanks.
As for the casualties, the number is unknow. A realistic estimate is that 0.1% of Palestinians have died.
Instances of actual genocide run in the 50% to 100% range – so, yes, historical examples are relevant. Strangely, the only country in a war that draws this type of attention is Israel.
The genocide is taking place in Gaza. Or call it mass murder if you like. Slaughter? fine. Driving 90% of the population from their homes and making the land uninhabitable while suggesting those left alive "voluntarily emigrate" is what exactly? Ethnic cleansing? Or maybe we can call it collective punishment on steroids. And as far as percentage dead, the longer this carnage continues the more the man-made famine will spread. And the attention that this war drew was because of how fast it became the worst humanitarian disaster on the planet. But yeah, poor Israel getting picked on.
Hamas refused to go to Oslo comitted the Oct 7 pogrom,is deeply steeped in Moslem Judaeophobia, refused to negotiate before the war, has fired numerous missiles into peaceful Israel, murders dissenters and gays,and created a terrible amount of suffering for its own people. They have a great deal of responsibility for this war.
Bibi bragged about destroying Oslo. You want the link? AGAIN. And nothing you said justifies or exonerates Israel's response. It's obvious when you trolls get desperate, you bring up the gay thing. The responsibility for Israel's blatant brutality is on Israel and remains on Israel no matter how hard you try to use irrelevant bullshit to justify it.
Israel had no other rational response. Sucks to be a terrorist.
So they did a completely irrational response instead. Good that you admit it. And yes, it does suck that Israel is a terrorist and that is the only way they know how to respond. Good that you admit that too.
I keep wondering if the US is due for any refunds from Israel. I only say this because
we give so much money annually, which is tantamount to giving blood.
The US supports many allies. Why focus on Israel? The US gets a lot back from Israel, including advanced military technology.
No, the money isn't such a big deal. The Israeli economy is over $500 billion, so US aid is less than 1% of that. We spend much more "protecting" Europe, and Ukraine has received $175 billion from the US.
However, if you think that is too much, then Russia or China would be happy to have Israel join their team. It would allow Russia to completely control the Middle East and the oil market, and China could take over many technological fields. Both would crush the US. So, sound good to you? You could probably get a job in a Chinese factory, working 7 days a week. Best of luck.
That's obviously not what I said, and what you said is false.
Israel is a sovereign nation and a UN member; it was attacked by Hamas, a militant group that illegally occupies Gaza.
The only response open to Israel was to crush Hamas. There was nothing else; anything else would be suicidal. Hamas turned down prosperity and peace, for violence.
Hamas uses women and children as human shields to deliberately create casualties. Their deaths are not an accident but the deliberate strategy of Hamas, who do not allow their women and children to go to safety.
If you think that makes them the good guys, then we're done.
That's exactly what you said. Whether intentional or not, it doesn't matter, you said it. And nothing I said was false. And you can keep telling me how bad Hamas is but it doesn't change the fact that Israel is worse. Much worse. And they proved it by what they have done since the Oct 7th attacks. Just look at the fucking numbers.Being a sovereign nation and a member of the UN doesn't give anyone the right to have a complete disregard for innocent human life like Israel has done since Oct 7th and is currently doing. I have yet to call, or imply, that Hamas are "good" guys. You just keep using the excuse that they're illegitimate to justify Israel's unjustifiable ongoing slaughter of innocent human beings. And you keep repeating the bullshit that it was a necessity and Israel had no other choice. It wasn't and they did. The repeated bullshit that Hamas is an existential threat has no basis in reality and Israel killing with impunity has proven that.
Since you misunderstood what I wrote, I'll explain it in more detail:
Hamas is a terrorist organization. Terrorism is a strategy used by non-state actors that uses violence to affect nations.
Hamas committed a violent terrorist attack on Oct 7 that killed 1,200 Israelis. The question is, how should Israel respond?
Hamas assumed that Israel would attack them, and they forced women and children to stay around them so they would be killed. This was part of their strategy.
Under these circumstances, Israel could not attack – as you suggest – and do nothing in the face of a brutal attack. The other alternative was to attack, which they did.
Given the dynamics of terror attacks and the Middle East – a ruthless region – the choice of attack was the only one that would protect Israel.
As for this being "mass murder," that is a misnomer. Murder is a crime; a crime requires a government, but there is no government in Gaza. It is a lawless territory. The legal government (the PA) was kicked out. Hamas is not a government and cannot declare or enforce laws, so any events that occur in Gaza are not crimes in the legal sense.
You are not the government in Gaza; hence, you cannot declare something illegal.
Is that more clear?
“Is that more clear?”
Well, it’s clear that you’ll believe whatever you have to believe on one hand to justify believing whatever you want to believe on the other hand.
Or were you referring to some other kind of clarity?
I am referring to the previous poster, who took something I wrote and said it meant the opposite of what I said. Therefore, I provided more details to reduce the chance that my comment would be misunderstood or misinterpreted.
My comment is a more detailed account of my view that Israel had only one choice in response to a terrorist attack.
I have asked in this forum several times, if the response they took was the wrong one, what would be right one? The answers usually consist of personal attacks and cursing, but no one has said – strategically – what is the best response to a terrorist attack. It's a pretty straightforward question.
One more thing: If Hamas succeeds with its strategy – use women and children to create media spin by their deaths – then this approach will spread to other terror groups. So, by rewarding them, you are encouraging more attacks followed by civilian deaths. The calculus is pretty simple.
I didn't misunderstand anything. Are you that dense? I knew what you were saying. But you worded it such that it made it easy for me to twist your words. And what I said was the truth.
You keep repeating yourself that only designated terrorists can commit acts of terrorism. Thats ridiculous. In comparison, Israel's disregard for innocent human life with their response has been just as terroristic (actually much worse) as the Hamas attack but in numbers that makes Hamas look amateurish.
Now you say Hamas assumed Israel would attack and that was their strategy. Earlier you said they didn't think Israel would attack but Israel called their bluff. You know, all those dead women and children they'd have to explain away. But your point is the same and so is mine. It takes sick cold hearted bastards to pull the trigger and drop the bombs on all those innocent people. But Israel was ghoulishly willing. They probably were even more ruthless than the designated terrorists thought they'd be, which goes back to my point about Israel being peerless when it comes to terrorism.
Not once did I "suggest" Israel couldn't respond. And once more you talk as though there was nothing in between making the place an uninhabitable disease ridden cesspool and doing nothing. They just didn't attack, they created the worst humanitarian disaster on the planet and they fucking did it intentionally.
As for this being "mass murder," that is a misnomer. Murder is a crime; a crime requires a government, but there is no government in Gaza. It is a lawless territory. The legal government (the PA) was kicked out. Hamas is not a government and cannot declare or enforce laws, so any events that occur in Gaza are not crimes in the legal sense.
There are 2.3 million people that can be butchered and no one has to answer for them because there are no laws. I got to tell ya dude, you outdo all of the other trolls, BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS, with that one paragraph. Seek fucking help,
Is that more clear?
Indeed it is. You even more of a sick fuck then I thought you were. Again, seek help.
Israel protects the US against nothing. Every modern war in the ME has been instigated by US empire.
*I had to block.
The Zionist leaders collaborated with Nazi Germany for the power of a state. They wouldn’t smuggle arms to save their people. The sacrifices in lives were huge. They went against the German boycott. Two different devils made deals. Zionists did not believe in assimilation.
And a large number of Palestinians fought against Nazi Germany.
12,000 Palestinians Fought for U.K. in WWII Alongside Jewish Volunteers, Historian Finds
Sparking an uproar in 2015, Netanyahu argued prominent Palestinian leader 'played an important role' in Hitler's plan to annihilate the Jews, but Prof. Mustafa Abbasi says Palestinians were 'not at all' looking to aid the Nazis
https://archive.ph/wxAG4
*and he has sockpuppets.
Max Blumenthal ® @MaxBlumenthal
You won't find testimony like this in the NY Times about Israel's apparent use of an aid truck as a Trojan Horse for its blood-drenched raid of Nusseirat. The paper's Israeli correspondent kept it extremely vague and relied almost exclusively on official Israeli accounts.
On Saturday morning, Herzi Halevi, the military's chief of staff, and Ronen Bar, the director of Israel's Shin Bet intelligence service, both gave the final go-ahead just a few minutes before the operation started around 11 a.m., Admiral Hagari said.
He added that they chose to move in the daylight, bearing down on the two buildings in Nuseirat, in an attempt to catch Hamas off guard since the armed group might expect such an operation to take place at night.
Muhammad Shehada @muhammadshehad2
State of Palestine • @Palestine_UN
Following Israel's massacre in Nuseirat refugee camp, Palestine will request an emergency Security Council session:
Abbas has been and is a tool for Israel. A fat cat, willing to have his police be support of the Israeli police and the IDF. There is a reason why "president" Abbas lost the election, a fair election, in 2006, winning a few precincts in the West Bank.
I know about them.
The election was disputed and resulted in a violent clash with Hamas, who then illegally grabbed Gaza from the PA, the legal government. Hamas still illegally occupies Gaza.
This Scheerpost article about the Zionist strike on the Palestinians sleeping in their tents has enraged me. I read the article, but made the mistake of clicking on the part of the article referring to the victims of the attack, the showing of the decapitated body of a sweet Palestinian child. It made me ill. It made me sad. Mostly IT ENRAGED ME!!!! Allowing Netanyahu to speak is such a dastardly thing to do. It is condoning the death and dismemberment of that child. The article:https://scheerpost.com/2024/06/09/baby-ahmad-was-beheaded-by-israel-with-a-us-bomb/ Click on that picture at your own mental and sensual peril.
Maybe you should go to Gaza, to help.
Stay home and make a difference here.
I offer Palestinians assistance online with designs for Israeli supplied rubble mads into composting toilets,
http://ferrocement.com/
Afshin Rattansi afshinrattansi
How the Nuseirat Massacre unfolded:
And msm has the phucking gall to claim the return of 4 hostages was heroic, while committing war crimes.
and killing their own hostages:
Hala Jaber ~ @HalaJaber
!! According to Al-Qasam brigades, three #Israeli hostages, including one with #US citizenship, were killed yesterday
Oh so heroic: https://scheerpost.com/2024/06/09/baby-ahmad-was-beheaded-by-israel-with-a-us-bomb/
Read this, but click on the reference to the picture of the child to your own sensual peril: https://scheerpost.com/2024… This is in reference to the "rescue".
I couldn’t sleep last night. The anger was churning my stomach.
My God.
How could Hakeem Jeffries vote in favor of letting this war criminaladdress congress?
He is Nancy Pelosi 2.0.
Congress has become a traitorous enemy if the American united states.
You couldn't make this shit up even if you try…!
Hamas's strategy was to maximize their own casualties to influence the West. You fall for it. I don't.
"When Hamas fires rockets at Israel and kills, captures, and rapes civilians there, they know Israel will retaliate. Hamas leaders put their assets in civilian buildings not in hopes that Israel will hold fire, but in a cold calculation that the retaliation will do terrible harm to Palestinian civilians…Hamas is working to maximize, not minimize, that harm. This is to generate international pressure on Israel to end its retaliation—and to strengthen Israel’s enemies in their depiction of the Jewish state as a villain."
https://www.hudson.org/terrorism/hamas-strategy-human-sacrifice-douglas-feith#:~:text=Hamas%20leaders%20put%20their%20assets,army%20makes%20to%20avoid%20it.