West Bank violence

[twofbyc]

I know enough about all of this to recognize that the blame is widespread and shared on both sides, but I can honestly say - it’s about time.

U.S. pulling visas from Jewish Israeli settlers who attack West Bank Palestinians — Los Angeles Times

Settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank surged even before the Gaza war. The travel ban will also apply to some Palestinians.

apple.news

 

[twofbyc]

A Palestinian Christian Reverend (didn’t say Catholic):
“I blame the decision makers who are watching the children in Gaza die and do nothing.”
First I’ve heard of a Palestinian holding Hamas leadership partly responsible- honest question: is it because he’s not a Muslim?

Israeli airstrikes kill more than 100 as assault on Gaza widens — Guardian US

‘Safe’ evacuation zone of Deir al-Balah is hit amid some of the deadliest fighting in the war

apple.news

 

[Maudiemae]

A Palestinian Christian Reverend (didn’t say Catholic):
“I blame the decision makers who are watching the children in Gaza die and do nothing.”
First I’ve heard of a Palestinian holding Hamas leadership partly responsible- honest question: is it because he’s not a Muslim?

Israeli airstrikes kill more than 100 as assault on Gaza widens — Guardian US

‘Safe’ evacuation zone of Deir al-Balah is hit amid some of the deadliest fighting in the war

apple.news

I blame everybody, personally, including the Brits and the French and the Ottoman Empire. I genuinely do. I blame Netanyahu. He's not as ignorant or crazy as Trump but he's a wannabe dictator and not at all a person to make decisions aimed at any kind of actual resolution. This is just going to lead to more horror and more hate. I grew up singing Hatikvah and have friends from Israel and friends who went to live on kibbutzim. When a Jewish friend or relative passes away, the memorial gift has always been to have a tree planted in Israel. I have never gotten to go there but my children both did. I've always felt connected. I just ache over all of this and am seeing a lot of antisemitism directed my way from people who genuinely know little. I'm very worried for my kids and grandchildren.

 

[twofbyc]

I blame everybody, personally, including the Brits and the French and the Ottoman Empire. I genuinely do. I blame Netanyahu. He's not as ignorant or crazy as Trump but he's a wannabe dictator and not at all a person to make decisions aimed at any kind of actual resolution. This is just going to lead to more horror and more hate. I grew up singing Hatikvah and have friends from Israel and friends who went to live on kibbutzim. When a Jewish friend or relative passes away, the memorial gift has always been to have a tree planted in Israel. I have never gotten to go there but my children both did. I've always felt connected. I just ache over all of this and am seeing a lot of antisemitism directed my way from people who genuinely know little. I'm very worried for my kids and grandchildren.

I agree 1000%, and I’m sorry for the overwhelming ignorance that creates stress and anxiety for you and your family.
I’m equally outraged at the people protesting in support of Israel (instead of immediate removal of Netanyahoo), and the (mostly young) protesters supporting the Palestinians.
My outrage at both would dissipate if:
Israel supporters demanded Netanyahoo’s resignation and proposing the two-state solution (many conditions require negotiations - you can’t negotiate granting statehood to someone who’s leadership demands (still) the eradication of your race/ethnicity), and Palestinian supporters demanding removing Hamas as their authority in Gaza unless they wholeheartedly endorse retracting the annihilation of all Jews position and immediately release all hostages and enter into mutual permanent peace treaty with Israel.
Those are steps to a permanent solution, but like our border crisis, current leadership on both sides have a vested interest in seeing they are never taken.
So that is why people of both protesting groups as well as people all over the world should demand those authorities undertake those steps.
I feel sorrow for the innocents dying in Gaza, and sorrow for the families in Israel who lost members on 10/7, and outrage hostages are still being held. Personally I hold the authorities of both sides primarily responsible, but world leaders across the globe share in the responsibility of what this situation has become.

 

[AWRTR]

A Palestinian Christian Reverend (didn’t say Catholic):
“I blame the decision makers who are watching the children in Gaza die and do nothing.”
First I’ve heard of a Palestinian holding Hamas leadership partly responsible- honest question: is it because he’s not a Muslim?

Israeli airstrikes kill more than 100 as assault on Gaza widens — Guardian US

‘Safe’ evacuation zone of Deir al-Balah is hit amid some of the deadliest fighting in the war

apple.news

The answer is YES!

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Netanyahu is dead man walking, politically. He's trying to salvage it by this spasm of rage, masquerading as Hamas eradication. It won't help him. He'll forever be the leader who was asleep at the switch and allowed 10/7 to happen. Everyone knows he was playing footsie with Hamas and "live and let live" was taken advantage of by Hamas. Meanwhile, he's creating a couple of generations of even more radical haters of Israel. Although it's not a formal teaching of Islam, many Muslims believe it's God's will that all lands once islamic must return to it. That includes Spain, and, naturally, Israel. It's very interesting that, in the very beginning, Islam was not a proselytizing religion, much less a spread by the sword...

 

[AWRTR]

Netanyahu is dead man walking, politically. He's trying to salvage it by this spasm of rage, masquerading as Hamas eradication. It won't help him. He'll forever be the leader who was asleep at the switch and allowed 10/7 to happen. Everyone knows he was playing footsie with Hamas and "live and let live" was taken advantage of by Hamas. Meanwhile, he's creating a couple of generations of even more radical haters of Israel. Although it's not a formal teaching of Islam, many Muslims believe it's God's will that all lands once islamic must return to it. That includes Spain, and, naturally, Israel. It's very interesting that, in the very beginning, Islam was not a proselytizing religion, much less a spread by the sword...

That last statement is interesting. How was it not proselytizing? Muhammad conquered Mecca about 20 years after his preaching and teaching started. What am I missing?

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Well, I overstated it. His consolidation of the Arabian peninsula was certainly by force of arms, including some Jewish Arab tribes around Medina. After his death, Islam became more or less a coalition of Arab tribes. In fact, the original name was, translated, "the Arab Religion." However, after they enveloped nearby lands, they were faced with a new dilemma - Islamic converts, largely volunteers among the wealthier classes, to escape the "poll tax" and other limitations on non-Muslims (think Kosovo). Initially, they had no name for these converts (the original Muslims were designated by tribe). They invented a new class for these converts, but were happy to coexist with Jews and Christians, so long as they obeyed the restrictions and paid the extra non-Muslim taxes. In southern Iberia, they were invited in by Arian Christians (similar to today's Unitarians), who rejected the Holy Trinity theology altogether. They "conquered" all of today's Spain and Portugal with an absurdly small army. So, no, they weren't originally a proselytizing religion at all, rather clannish, in fact. That, of course, is not the case today. This is far too long, but the history of Islam and what it's become is fascinating...