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africanspur

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I am not accusing you of antisemitism. On the contrary I quite like your posts even if I don't agree with them (no sarcasm). I guess my wording let me down. Sorry for that. You said about me that I shout about antisemitism a lot. I wanted to point out that in was in fact another poster (Ekkie Thump) who singled out other posters who regularly posts tweets with antisemitic content.
That's fair and I have also called out antisemitic content on this thread. I'm not saying there is no antisemitic content on here and I hope its always called out and reported every time its posted.

That's different to saying that it can also be used as an immediate defence/shield by some posters, to defend Israel's actions.
 

Giggsy PO

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That's fair and I have also called out antisemitic content on this thread. I'm not saying there is no antisemitic content on here and I hope its always called out and reported every time its posted.

That's different to saying that it can also be used as an immediate defence/shield by some posters, to defend Israel's actions.
I absolutely agree with everything you have just said.
 

Amir

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Nah that wasn't him. I think my biggest issue with Amir is perhaps his apathy towards Palestinian injustice, but on the whole I'd consider him a more level-headed and very much welcome voice in this thread.
It's not aparhy.

It's helplessness.
 

africanspur

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I might have remembered wrongly (and apologies to ScholesyTW if thats the case), but I recalled him suggesting early into this recent conflict than the only feasible solution was the forced 'relocation' of Palestinians. If he still believes that then I'd struggle to categorise him as a reasonable voice for the Israeli side.
Nah that wasn't him. I think my biggest issue with Amir is perhaps his apathy towards Palestinian injustice, but on the whole I'd consider him a more level-headed and very much welcome voice in this thread.
I have to be honest and say I don't recognise this characterisation of either poster.

I don't remember STW ever saying that or anything similar to that, though of course I don't read the thread nonstop.

I also don't think Amir has historically shown an apathy towards Palestinian injustice, in the same way that some of our other Israeli posters. I think post October 7th Amir has probably said quite a few things that pre October 7th never would have.

In fact, even while he says those things, he denounces on a regular basis the army, its operations, the people, the politicians, the government, its policies and how its waged this war.

I think we've got to be slightly careful with confusing posters first of all and also perhaps losing sight of the overall message of what someone is trying to say.
 

maniak

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After October 7, when Israeli civilians were butchered and had thousands of rockets fired on them, when the country was in a state of total disarray and fear, I absolutely thought Israel had every right to retaliate. What would a person think when he's spending so much time in s safe room after yet another siren and keeps hearing explosions around him? When he doesn't want to get out of the house, because there are fears there are still terrorist running around? I'd say it's quite normal to want your security back, no matter what.

And yes, people here were quite shocked at my stance, because it was contradictory to my usual opinion - but this was war. And in war, innocent people get hurt. Especially in a place like Gaza, due to the way Hamas was assimilated in the general population, its usage of civilian infrastructure and endless tunnels under the feet of the general population.

Now, does that mean I'm OK with was has happened since October? Absolutely not. Israel's response has been way to forceful, nowhere near as surgical as it should have been, has lasted too long, has absolutely been performed by soldiers whose blood was boiling after October 7 and who's been simply looking for revenge. And Israel, as country and as people, has mostly lost any sense of humanity and compassion. In a way, that is actually going to damage us a lot more than anything that happened on October 7.

Israel had to respond in October, but should have waited and figure out what to do rather than go on with all guns blazing, and without any sort of plan. That's why five months later, we've got idea where were going while Gaza and its people are in a terrible state.
These two things seem like a big contradiction to me.
 

Vitro

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It's been 5 months.
Not sure why I’m speaking for Amir but it reads as if the first paragraph was his immediate reaction to the event. Is he still saying he wants his security back no matter what? When was the last time he said that?
 

Conor

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I'm quite certain I never said that, because I never thought it. Certainly not when it comes to ordinary civilians in Gaza. Maybe Hamas people only.
I didn't want to mention it, but ethnic cleansing is probably the only other solution...
This is the post I am referring to. If I've misunderstood somehow then I apologise, but I found it pretty shocking given your posting history.
 

ScholesyTheWise

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I might have remembered wrongly (and apologies to ScholesyTW if thats the case), but I recalled him suggesting early into this recent conflict than the only feasible solution was the forced 'relocation' of Palestinians. If he still believes that then I'd struggle to categorise him as a reasonable voice for the Israeli side.
I believe that was Owlo who said that. apologies if I'm myself am mistaken.
I don't know what I think, I'm doing my best not to think about anything, which is obviously impossible.
My mental state is in the gutter if I'm honest.
Trying to keep focusing on my daily stuff, not watch the news.
Haven't been to a single demo, not to stop the operation, not the end the occupation, not for the return of the hostages, not the ones calling for Bibi's head.

Have also taken a break from this thread due to the info that is presented here, it's absolutely brutal.

At any rate, the reasonable Israeli voice as seen by this forum probably represents 0-1% of the Israeli population.
very very hard times.

It was very clear from the beginning that the support for Israel would vanish after the first couple of weeks. I was certain that "the world" would stop Israel from staying in Gaza for months on end, and i thought that only a much smaller part of it would turn into a ghost-town.

And it was also obvious that this thread will turn more and more towards a certain direction, the more it goes on.

I'm 99.99999999% sure that I would be vehemently against Israel if I were looking from the outside in.
But since I'm not, there's a real mess in my head.
Some of those soldiers are my friends.

If I wasn't prone to depression from a young age, i too would have been drafted to a field-unit as I'm physically healthy,
and would probably have spent the last couple of months either inside Gaza or on the Lebanese border.
you guys would have been writing horrors about me...
And I would be there, probably believing that what I do is right and just.

[As an aside- this best-friend of mine who serves in one of the most elite units of the IDF that I wrote about in the first days of it all, how I feared for his life... 5 months on and he is appalled by what's going on in Gaza, as someone who's been there. he would have echoed everything Amir wrote in his last post.]
 

The Corinthian

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After October 7, when Israeli civilians were butchered and had thousands of rockets fired on them, when the country was in a state of total disarray and fear, I absolutely thought Israel had every right to retaliate. What would a person think when he's spending so much time in s safe room after yet another siren and keeps hearing explosions around him? When he doesn't want to get out of the house, because there are fears there are still terrorist running around? I'd say it's quite normal to want your security back, no matter what.
How do you think the average Gazan has felt since 2005?

And yes, people here were quite shocked at my stance, because it was contradictory to my usual opinion - but this was war. And in war, innocent people get hurt. Especially in a place like Gaza, due to the way Hamas was assimilated in the general population, its usage of civilian infrastructure and endless tunnels under the feet of the general population.
How would you feel if this was my retort to October 7th? That it's a war and innocent people get hurt?

Israel had to respond in October, but should have waited and figure out what to do rather than go on with all guns blazing, and without any sort of plan. That's why five months later, we've got idea where were going while Gaza and its people are in a terrible state.
So how should the surviving Gazans respond to the indiscriminate horror of the last 5 months?
 

maniak

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Not sure why I’m speaking for Amir but it reads as if the first paragraph was his immediate reaction to the event. Is he still saying he wants his security back no matter what? When was the last time he said that?
He said it a month after the events, when the israeli crimes were in the open for all to see, that's hardly an immediate reaction.
 

4bars

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I believe that was Owlo who said that. apologies if I'm myself am mistaken.
I don't know what I think, I'm doing my best not to think about anything, which is obviously impossible.
My mental state is in the gutter if I'm honest.
Trying to keep focusing on my daily stuff, not watch the news.
Haven't been to a single demo, not to stop the operation, not the end the occupation, not for the return of the hostages, not the ones calling for Bibi's head.

Have also taken a break from this thread due to the info that is presented here, it's absolutely brutal.

At any rate, the reasonable Israeli voice as seen by this forum probably represents 0-1% of the Israeli population.
very very hard times.

It was very clear from the beginning that the support for Israel would vanish after the first couple of weeks. I was certain that "the world" would stop Israel from staying in Gaza for months on end, and i thought that only a much smaller part of it would turn into a ghost-town.

And it was also obvious that this thread will turn more and more towards a certain direction, the more it goes on.

I'm 99.99999999% sure that I would be vehemently against Israel if I were looking from the outside in.
But since I'm not, there's a real mess in my head.
Some of those soldiers are my friends.

If I wasn't prone to depression from a young age, i too would have been drafted to a field-unit as I'm physically healthy,
and would probably have spent the last couple of months either inside Gaza or on the Lebanese border.
you guys would have been writing horrors about me...
And I would be there, probably believing that what I do is right and just.

[As an aside- this best-friend of mine who serves in one of the most elite units of the IDF that I wrote about in the first days of it all, how I feared for his life... 5 months on and he is appalled by what's going on in Gaza, as someone who's been there. he would have echoed everything Amir wrote in his last post.]

feck man, It is easy to be 100% on the right side when you don't have any strings that attaches you to the wrong side (obviously my opinion about right and wrong), but when you have people involved certain aspects are not black and white anymore. Not on what is happening on Gaza but on the uncontrollable spiral that brought some people to be involved.

If I would be living in Israel and I would have people involved in october 7th and in the IDF onwards, even if I would think that what is happening in Gaza is absolutely in the wrong, I think it would be impossible to detach of certain feelings against gazans still and certain degree of justification of what is happening. I would be thorned and feel a bit schizophrenic
 

4bars

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He said it a month after the events, when the israeli crimes were in the open for all to see, that's hardly an immediate reaction.
As much of the comments are very bad, we should leave space for growing. I think there is an obvious change of perspective and not everybody goes at the same speed
 

ScholesyTheWise

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He said it a month after the events, when the israeli crimes were in the open for all to see, that's hardly an immediate reaction.
Can't speak for him,
but for me it took some 2-3 months to cool down and be able to convince myself that there's is no real existential threat and that there's no point nor reason to wish death on everyone from the other side.

Have you ever been through a similar experience?

With respect, your view feels somewhat clinical. [i.e one week is fine, a month is an outrage]
 
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ScholesyTheWise

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feck man, It is easy to be 100% on the right side when you don't have any strings that attaches you to the wrong side (obviously my opinion about right and wrong), but when you have people involved certain aspects are not black and white anymore. Not on what is happening on Gaza but on the uncontrollable spiral that brought some people to be involved.

If I would be living in Israel and I would have people involved in october 7th and in the IDF onwards, even if I would think that what is happening in Gaza is absolutely in the wrong, I think it would be impossible to detach of certain feelings against gazans still and certain degree of justification of what is happening. I would be thorned and feel a bit schizophrenic
Yes, exactly.
people who I personally know shot bullets in the past couple of months that killed both Hamas men & innocent babies. this is almost a guarantee.
Absolutely brutal.

Thanks for these words man.

I think this sentiment isn't expressed around here enough or at all, and eventually this is what makes people like me steer clear.
 

Idxomer

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So how should the surviving Gazans respond to the indiscriminate horror of the last 5 months?
It's pretty simple, Palestinians never have the right to feel the same anger and sense of revenge. All the terror and lack of security they have been facing for a long time anywhere on their land should be met with suffering in silence.
 

That_Bloke

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Yes, exactly.
people who I personally know shot bullets in the past couple of months that killed both Hamas men & innocent babies. this is almost a guarantee.
Absolutely brutal.

Thanks for these words man.

I think this sentiment isn't expressed around here enough or at all, and eventually this is what makes people like me steer clear.
Please, keep posting here, as much as you can.
 

maniak

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As much of the comments are very bad, we should leave space for growing. I think there is an obvious change of perspective and not everybody goes at the same speed
Nothing in his recent posts tells me he changed his perspective to the point I would be capable of overlooking what he wrote.
 

maniak

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Can't speak for him,
but for me it took some 2-3 months to cool down and be able to convince myself that there's is no real existential threat and that there's no point nor reason to wish death on everyone from the other side.

Have you ever been through a similar experience?

With respect, your view feels somewhat clinical. [i.e one week is fine, a month is an outrage]
Who do you mean by "everyone from the other side"? Because 3 months after hamas' terrorist attack, children in gaza were being slaughtered by the hundreds every single week. When something on that scale is happening, I don't have much sympathy for someone who justifies their acceptance of this with "I haven't cooled down yet".

I don't really care if it's a week or two months. When someone says they're ok with children being killed, I expect a really big change in perspective/behavior to "forgive" it. I haven't seen it yet.
 

RedSky

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As much of the comments are very bad, we should leave space for growing. I think there is an obvious change of perspective and not everybody goes at the same speed
I don't. It's a shameful, scummy comment. Stop and actually think for a moment what he actually fecking said. I would never, ever think that ethnic cleansing was a solution to any situation, it's just batshit insane.
 

Idxomer

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Who do you mean by "everyone from the other side"? Because 3 months after hamas' terrorist attack, children in gaza were being slaughtered by the hundreds every single week. When something on that scale is happening, I don't have much sympathy for someone who justifies their acceptance of this with "I haven't cooled down yet".

I don't really care if it's a week or two months. When someone says they're ok with children being killed, I expect a really big change in perspective/behavior to "forgive" it. I haven't seen it yet.
I thought I was going crazy reading this justification. It's basically how we got so much genocidal rhetoric coming from inside Israel for months and it hasn't stopped by the way. Being right in the midst of it isn't an excuse, it's probably more reason to see the insanity of it and not be part of it.
 

ScholesyTheWise

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I thought I was going crazy reading this justification. It's basically how we got so much genocidal rhetoric coming from inside Israel for months and it hasn't stopped by the way. Being right in the midst of it isn't an excuse, it's probably more reason to see the insanity of it and not be part of it.
No, I don't agree. I said or at the very least thought to myself the most horrible things you can imagine.
it was perfectly natural for the feelings to take over the mind when the shock hit. I remember writing here on October 8th or 9th that I was contemplating suicide. so my feelings led my mind to the most extreme place I'm familiar with.
other people- 2 of my brothers, as an example- wished death on e-v-e-r-y-one across the border.
completely understandable IMV, while nothing to be proud of.

We are complex human beings.

I wish you to never have to discover whether or not you can "see the insanity and not join" in when someone you love dies in the manner that people died on those first days.

But alas, agree to disagree.
 

Idxomer

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While we're talking about whether wishing death on a population of 47% children is a normal reaction, 6 more aid seekers have been killed and dozens of others have been injured.

Hundreds have been killed while waiting for aid in the last few weeks, I still don't wish death for everyone on the other side.
 

ScholesyTheWise

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While we're talking about whether wishing death on a population of 47% children is a normal reaction, 6 more aid seekers have been killed and dozens of others have been injured.

Hundreds have been killed while waiting for aid in the last few weeks, I still don't wish death for everyone on the other side.
that's good.
I wish the majority of people would be able to be like that.

about yet more people dying... what the hell is left to say at this point? :(
 

4bars

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Nothing in his recent posts tells me he changed his perspective to the point I would be capable of overlooking what he wrote.
Well, i think his comments toned down quite bit and there are points that shows he unequivocally things that what is happening in gaza is wrong. And not giving space grow only create a feck you reaction.

There are posters that are beyond repair and we all know who. But @Amir, despite the terrible things he said at least he sees beyond the madness lately. And though i am judging everybody wheb they comment, the intensity and the nationality can make me understand (but not agree) a bit some shitty comments in certain moments

But ill leave it hear. Despite out opinion, is interesting to hear other perspective than an echo chamber. And by other perspective i mean people with a certain degree of critical thinking, not the 2 infamous posters that only pollute with disinformation and dehumanizing opinions
 

rotherham_red

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How do you think the average Gazan has felt since 2005?


How would you feel if this was my retort to October 7th? That it's a war and innocent people get hurt?


So how should the surviving Gazans respond to the indiscriminate horror of the last 5 months?
I notice that this response has been largely ignored... Wouldn't want that cognitive dissonance to be dealt with now, would we?
 

kaku06

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Who do you mean by "everyone from the other side"? Because 3 months after hamas' terrorist attack, children in gaza were being slaughtered by the hundreds every single week. When something on that scale is happening, I don't have much sympathy for someone who justifies their acceptance of this with "I haven't cooled down yet".

I don't really care if it's a week or two months. When someone says they're ok with children being killed, I expect a really big change in perspective/behavior to "forgive" it. I haven't seen it yet.
Well said.
I don't. It's a shameful, scummy comment. Stop and actually think for a moment what he actually fecking said. I would never, ever think that ethnic cleansing was a solution to any situation, it's just batshit insane.
And this.
 

kaku06

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How do you think the average Gazan has felt since 2005?


How would you feel if this was my retort to October 7th? That it's a war and innocent people get hurt?


So how should the surviving Gazans respond to the indiscriminate horror of the last 5 months?
Questions no one wants to answer with honesty and with the same logic and justification.
 

4bars

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I don't. It's a shameful, scummy comment. Stop and actually think for a moment what he actually fecking said. I would never, ever think that ethnic cleansing was a solution to any situation, it's just batshit insane.
Me neither, but some people had grown in a warped reality that is not easy to escape
 

Amir

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This is the post I am referring to. If I've misunderstood somehow then I apologise, but I found it pretty shocking given your posting history.
Yeah, it doesn't mean I want it or support it, just that I fear that this will never end unless the Israelis and the Palestenians somehow go their seperate ways.
 

Amir

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How do you think the average Gazan has felt since 2005?
Pretty terrible, I'm sure. What have they done to try and improve their situation?

How would you feel if this was my retort to October 7th? That it's a war and innocent people get hurt?
I would feel that you're an absolute idiot. Hamas's attack on IDF posts was one thing. But it also chose to go into towns who would have only had civilians.

So how should the surviving Gazans respond to the indiscriminate horror of the last 5 months?
I've no idea how to respond to that.
 

Iker Quesadillas

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Really? In a moment of fear, anguish and anger it’s quite possible to have feelings and thoughts which you later come to reevaluate.
It is possible, yes. But there is not much reevaluation in that post.
 
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Conor

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Holding strong opinions against things exactly in the time when you need to (i.e. when you are provoked by something) is the only thing that really matters.

Espousing niceties up until things go to shit, and then reverting to the opposite kind of shows that the things you said previously didn't really mean anything when push comes to shove.

What's the difference between you and a truly horrible person in those moments, if you end up with the same opinions? Probably just the guilt you'd feel after the fact, but if you were in any position to exert influence/take action, there would be the same end result.

Being in the Israeli army and feeling awful about the stuff happening in Gaza is laughable, leave the fecking army and the genocidal apartheid country that army belongs to. They are so modern and moral I assume there is nothing stopping those people doing that?