What Would You Do?

[Khandro]

'There are many misunderstandings about Israel in the international media, but one of the most bewildering is the suggestion that if it weren't for the presence of Benjamin Netanyahu the war would end. It is one of those mistakes that at best mixes up hope with analysis, and at worst displays a dumbfounding ignorance. Let me give you an example. In recent months I think I've interviewed everybody in Israeli politics who might some day replace Netanyahu. It doesn't matter if they're from the right or the left of the political spectrum, not one would be doing anything different from what he is doing now. You might ask why. The answer is obvi-ous. If you had 1,200 of your citizens slaughtered in the most barbaric ways, what would you do? If hundreds of your citizens had been taken hostage and more than a hundred were still being held in a densely populated civilian area, what would you do? Add in a few other factors. Imagine if all this had been done by a terrorist group who do not wear uniforms that distinguish them from the general population, that the terrorists want to maximise civilian casualties on their own side, that much of the civilian population are actually complicit in hiding hostages, storing weapons in their houses or hosting entrances to the terrorists' huge underground tunnel networks then, again, what would you do? The geniuses in the armchair [& the AB] class tend to say things like 'There should be peace', as though this has never occurred to the Israelis. Or they say: 'There must be an end to the fighting.' Again, as though this were some fantastically original insight. But all these things are wanted in Jerusalem. Who wants to have to fight a war in the same place for 18 years? ............

Douglas Murray. The Spectator

 

It seems to me that those demanding a "Cease Fire" have little understanding of either history or real politics. The IDF will, and must, remove Hamas as they have set out clearly as their objective.

As a spokesperson for them has said, a ceasefire would not only be handing Hamas a victory, it would be like asking firefighters to put out only 80% of a fire.

 

[Cloverjo]

I'm not on anyone's side particularly, but I am anti-war and pro-peace. Everyone just stop now please. 

[Khandro]

Cloverjo //I'm not on anyone's side particularly, but I am anti-war and pro-peace. Everyone just stop now please.//

 

There's a lot of confusion & contradictions there; is anyone pro-war & anti-peace ? 

Certainly all the Israelis want to live in peace, and if you want peace by 'just stop now please', you are in fact supporting Hamas who have the abilty to stop the deaths & destruction today if they wanted, all they have to do is surrender, which even Hitler did in the end. 

 

 

[douglas9401]

Not really what would you do, more this is my world view.

Well thanks for that.

[sandyRoe]

Do all the Israelis want to live in peace?

There are three quarters of a million of them illegally occupying land in the West Bank.

[Khandro]

^^ Sandy, it's complicated; most of the West Bank is administered by Israel though less than half of it is under varying degrees of autonomous rule by the Fatah-run Palestinian Authority. Some of the land claimed by Israeli settlers is disputed, for sure, but they have as much right to be in the country as anyone else, - including Christians. 

[Peter Pedant]

is anyone pro-war & anti-peace ?  - - - well there are a few on AB! shhhh!

Do all the Israelis want to live in peace?

God, killing 32 000 people half women and children is a funny way of supporting peace, but ho hum, this is AB on a monday

(I predict deletion in 20s)

[Peter Pedant]

 but they have as much right to be in the country as anyone else, - including Christians. 

christians arent a nationality - someone tell him, chrissakes

[naomi24]

Cloverjo, //Everyone just stop now please. //

 

Does that mean you want Israel to overlook what happened on 7 October and to just forget all the hostages still being held by Hamas?

[Mozz71]

I've seem it written here many times that "all Hamas have to do is surrender" to end the conflict, but does anybody honestly believe Netanyahu will stop the attacks if that happened? I desperately hope Hamas do surrender and release their prisoners, because it will either end the conflict as has been said in these posts, or we'll see Netanyahu's true colours. I fear it will be the latter.

[Khandro]

Mozz //I've seem it written here many times that "all Hamas have to do is surrender" to end the conflict, but does anybody honestly believe Netanyahu will stop the attacks if that happened? //

Of course he would stop, why would he not do so? the war is against Hamas not the Gazan population.

[Ellipsis]

> the war is against Hamas not the Gazan population

Then destroy Hamas, not the Gazan population.

[naomi24]

How?

[ToraToraTora]

11:25 you can't the cowards use the gaza population as human shields. All the civilian deaths are at Hamas' door.

[Khandro]

Ellipsis //Then destroy Hamas, not the Gazan population.//

Every casualty in this war is directly attributable to Hamas.

They started it & they can end it; if they don't, the IDF will and has to, they have no other choice. 

[Mozz71]

//Every casualty in this war is directly attributable to Hamas.

They started it & they can end it; if they don't, the IDF will and has to, they have no other choice. //

 

And that's the issue. All the time people believe that top part, Netanyahu gets a free hit to destroy as many innocent Gazans and as he likes. Sure, Hamas started this, that's undeniable, but the lack of regard the IDF have for the civilian population of the region is almost as sickening as the original crimes that took place of Oct 7.

[douglas9401]

The order of the day seems to be kill 'em all and let god sort it out.

A conflict based on fiction is never a good idea.

[naomi24]

It's odd really.  We know Hamas began this current war, it's still holding hostages, some of them children, and it's apparently oblivious to the suffering of its own people - and yet I have not seen one banner or one march or even one single protestor calling for Hamas to put an end to this conflict by releasing the hostages and surrendering.  Why is that?  

[davebro3]

What would you do ...

If I was the Israeli gov/IDF I would continue the campaign until all Hamas weapons & infrastructure in Gaza above & below ground are destroyed & all Oct 7 hostages are freed or confirmed dead.

[jno]

Of course he would stop, why would he not do so? the war is against Hamas not the Gazan population.

lol.

Even before Hamas’ attack on October 7, Israeli forces had already killed 234 Palestinians in the West Bank this year [2023], while settlers were responsible for nine more killings

https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/palestinians-west-bank-2023-was-deadliest-year-record

Israelis have been killing Palestinians since long before the Hamas attacks. But of course if Palestinians fight back it's an unprovoked outrage.

[naomi24]

How were they 'fighting back' on 7 October, Jno, by beheading, raping, burning, and taking and holding women, children and old people hostage?