U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen strongly denied claims that Hamas is systematically stealing aid in Gaza, calling it "a big lie."
He emphasized that multiple international organizations, including USAID, have rejected these accusations.
Van Hollen accused the Israeli and U.S. governments of spreading this false narrative to justify using food as a weapon of war.
A perfect example of your use of biased social media sources.
Watch the video. Van Hollen says the claim that aid was "systematically DIVERTED" is false. Diverted is the key word. That word means the UN is alleged to have intentionally given aid to Hamas instead of Palestinian civilians. THAT allegation may well be false.
But your post from Supressed News changes the words "systematically DIVERTED" to "systematically STEALING", which changes the entire the meaning of the video to one in which a US Senator claims Hamas is not taking food. That tactic by Suppressed News is dishonest - probably intentionally so. They get away with it because they are part of the echo chamber where critical thought is replaced by any-Israeli hatred. The message delivered about Hamas stealing aid is patently and absurdly false.
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen strongly denied claims that Hamas is systematically stealing aid in Gaza, calling it "a big lie."
He emphasized that multiple international organizations, including USAID, have rejected these accusations.
Van Hollen accused the Israeli and U.S. governments of spreading this false narrative to justify using food as a weapon of war.
A perfect example of your use of biased social media sources.
Watch the video. Van Hollen says the claim that aid was "systematically DIVERTED" is false. Diverted is the key word. That word means the UN is alleged to have intentionally given aid to Hamas instead of Palestinian civilians. THAT allegation may well be false.
But your post from Supressed News changes the words "systematically DIVERTED" to "systematically STEALING", which changes the entire the meaning of the video to one in which a US Senator claims Hamas is not taking food. That tactic by Suppressed News is dishonest - probably intentionally so. They get away with it because they are part of the echo chamber where critical thought is replaced by any-Israeli hatred. The message delivered about Hamas stealing aid is patently and absurdly false.
This is a good example of why lawyers are disliked, the use of deceptive rhetoric. Your verbal sleight of hand here is to drive the notion that "diverting aid" is really not at all the same as "stealing aid". If they're diverting aid, they would be taking aid that isn't meant for them, and not paying for it, which is the definition of stealing.
Even if I indulge you with your vert dodgy legalese framing that diverting and stealing really are very different, the tweet above makes it very clear that Van Hollen did use the term "diverting "aid, in large fonts:
Van Hollen references the statements of Cindy McCain, who is an unbiased American voice and an expert on food aid delivery in her function as Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme, one of the largest and most experienced aid distribution organization:
When asked straight up on Face the Nation whether Hamas was stealing the food, she answered "no. not at all".
“Not at All”: WFP Director Rejects Claims Hamas Is Stealing Gaza Aid
Cindy McCain, director of the World Food Programme, told Face the Nation that Hamas is not stealing the aid entering Gaza. She said incidents of looting are driven by the desperation of starving civilians.
Breaking News: Israeli military officials say they have no proof Hamas routinely steals UN aid, undercutting a claim Israel has used to limit food for Gaza. https://t.co/5ujWZYvfBD
So you are wrong about Hamas stealing the food aid. They didn't steal the aid in the first year of the conflict, when their position was a lot stronger. No one was starving then in Gaza, with nearly 400 food distribution points spread out across Gaza, dispensing meals and food in an orderly manner.
And you know damn well that Israel is withholding food from Gaza in a deliberate campaign to starve Gazans that they have started enforcing earlier this year, denial of this basic fact is evidence of gross manipulation and gaslighting.
The plan is to colonize and ethnically cleanse Gaza, not quite post-WW2 Japan. That was the plan all along.
Israel’s hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin accused Israel’s Gov of committing war crimes in Gaza. He confirmed that Hamas TWICE told him, in writing: They’ll release all remaining hostages and relinquish power, in exchange for ending the war. Israel refused to end its genocide. https://t.co/Y54jTnoYZupic.twitter.com/XkSTaJnWjn
Like all of your posts this one relies heavily on social media from entirely biased people instead of mainstream sources. The first post from X includes comments indicating the speaker - who claims to have received 2 written offers from Hamas - is not a negotiator for Israel and hasn't been for about 15-20 years. There is also commentary indicating Hamas supposed offer of "surrender" did not include disarming or leaving Gaza.
You're lying about the speaker, Gershon Baskin, not being a negotiator for Israel and hasn't been for 15-20 years".
Straight from his wiki page:
Quote:
In July 2006, six days after Gilad Shalit was abducted in Gaza, Baskin unofficially opened a back channel with Hamas. Three months later Baskin successfully got Hamas to deliver a hand written letter from Shalit to his parents which was brought to the Office of the Egyptian Government in Gaza. He continued his behind the scenes efforts to negotiate a deal between Israel and Hamas throughout the five years and four months that Shalit was in captivity. He became the official intermediary between senior Hamas officials and senior Israeli Mossad Officer David Meidan
Immediately after Shalit's return, Baskin and Hamas began discussing the possibility of negotiating a long-term ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. On 1 May 2012, Baskin presented the fourth draft of the proposed agreement to Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Barak formed a high level committee, composed of officials from the security establishment, to discuss the proposal. After two months, the committee decided against entering into a formal agreement with Hamas even if, as proposed, it were negotiated and formalized through the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate.
2023present
After the 7 October attacks, Baskin continued his efforts to bring about the release of hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP, and individuals. Baskin has been in contact with authorities in Qatar, Egyptian Intelligence, and the Israeli government and intelligence community authorities. Days after the October 7 attack, Baskin begin negotiating (unofficially) for the release of all of the women and children hostages in exchange for the women and minor Palestinian prisoners. Baskin communicated with members of the Israeli War Cabinet.
As the Gaza war continued and with the hope of trying to save the lives of more Israeli hostages and innocent Palestinians in Gaza, he renewed his contacts with Hamad and other Hamas leaders. Baskin was also in contact with authorities in Qatar, Egyptian Intelligence, and the Israeli government and intelligence community authorities. In September 2024, Baskin received the agreement of the Hamas leadership through Ghazi Hamad for "The Three Weeks Deal" during which time Hamas would release all of the remaining Israeli and foreign hostages, the war would end, Israel would withdraw from Gaza and release an agreed to number and names of Palestinian prisoners.
In July 2025, he reported that Hamas also "is prepared for there to be a Palestinian professional civilian government take control of Gaza ... and that Hamas will not be part of that government.
Again, if Israel wanted to ethnically cleanse and colonize Gaza it would have been accomplished long ago. And Israel wouldn't have 20% Palestinian population. And Israel would not have removed Israeli settlements to give Palestinians Gaza some 20 years ago.
Israel has already ethnically cleansed 90% of Palestine, and what we are seeing now is their attempt to finish the job in Gaza and accelerate the slow process of stealing Palestinian land in the West Bank one home, one village at a time.
The reason they have only stepped up the killing now to an industrial scale is because Trump is either compromised (hello Epstein) or he's all in on his Trump Gaza beach resort. This is the most latitude and longest leash Israel has ever had from DC. They have already dropped the equivalent of 7-8 Hiroshima bombs on Gaza and destroyed 90% of that enclave.
AIPAC is sending fundraising emails attacking me for saying, “the most truthful and easiest thing to say that Oct 7th in Israel was horrific and all hostages must be returned, but so is the genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation happening in Gaza.”
Another humanitarian group – this time, Doctors without Borders – concludes Israel is deliberately killing the very people it has been starving by shooting them as they queue for aid.
Its report is titled: "This is not aid. This is orchestrated killing."https://t.co/k2nK3FLZx9
AIPAC is sending fundraising emails attacking me for saying, “the most truthful and easiest thing to say that Oct 7th in Israel was horrific and all hostages must be returned, but so is the genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation happening in Gaza.”
Thanks for confirming that you can't get an avatar to load either. I thought Mods might have switch it to a paying member perk only, but I believe you are a paying member.
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Ad in Iowa as Ruben Gallego visits, on him skipping vote last week on resolutions to block weapons to Israel: "We need a president willing to stand against Israel's genocide, not run away."
"Donald J. Trump has ordered a replica of the Nobel Peace Prize and is displaying it prominently on his desk in the Oval Office, the White House confirmed on Wednesday.
The ADL’s Jonathan Greenblatt decries Jewish intermarriage and assimilation:
“We need a revolution in our community on so many levels. Look, the reality is intermarriage rates continue to go up. Assimilation continues apace...I worry a great deal…”
Greetings, I've temporarily come of retirement to share this shocking video. I don't recommend watching it but I share it to disavow all comments I may have made in the past in support of Mearsheimer. I used to view him as a credible voice in international affairs. No more. I've never heard such utter garbage from someone who obviously knows better.
Greetings, I've temporarily come of retirement to share this shocking video. I don't recommend watching it but I share it to disavow all comments I may have made in the past in support of Mearsheimer. I used to view him as a credible voice in international affairs. No more. I've never heard such utter garbage from someone who obviously knows better.
I took your advice and didn't watch the video. When you characterized Mearsheimer's statements in the video as "utter garbage," I posed the following question to AI:
"What is Mersheimer's opinion on what is going on in Gaza?"
This is the response it returned:
"John Mearsheimer, a prominent international relations scholar, has offered a critical perspective on the situation in Gaza, labeling Israel's actions as a "punishment campaign" against the civilian population. He asserts that Israel's campaign goes beyond targeting Hamas, resulting in widespread civilian casualties, displacement, and starvation in Gaza. He describes these actions as potentially amounting to ethnic cleansing or even genocide.
Here's a breakdown of some of his key points:
Beyond Targeting Hamas: Mearsheimer believes that Israel's actions extend beyond justifiable self-defense and target the entire Palestinian population in Gaza, not just Hamas.
A Deliberate Campaign: He suggests that Israel is engaged in a conscious effort to make Gaza uninhabitable for the Palestinian people, employing tactics like bombardments, destruction of infrastructure, and targeting civilians to force their displacement.
Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide: Mearsheimer doesn't shy away from using the terms "ethnic cleansing" and even "genocide" to characterize Israel's actions, arguing they align with the international legal definition of intending to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.
Historical Context: He links the current violence to a longer-term Israeli objective of consolidating control over the land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River, making a viable Palestinian state impossible.
Criticism of the United States: Mearsheimer critiques the United States' role, suggesting its support for Israel is not only morally indefensible but strategically disastrous, potentially leading to a wider regional conflict. He also argues that the US is complicit in Israel's actions by not taking concrete steps to stop the bombing campaign.
Loss for Israel: Mearsheimer believes that Israel has ultimately lost in Gaza, failing to achieve its goals of destroying Hamas and ethnically cleansing northern Gaza. He notes that Hamas remains active despite the Israeli offensive.
It's important to acknowledge that Mearsheimer's views are controversial and are not universally accepted. His analysis is presented within the context of his broader theoretical framework of offensive realism in international relations, where states prioritize their own security interests." AI Overview
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Disagree with him if you like (I certainly do on his Ukraine takes), but if you pushed his stuff before and didn't know about this that's kind of on you.
Greetings, I've temporarily come of retirement to share this shocking video. I don't recommend watching it but I share it to disavow all comments I may have made in the past in support of Mearsheimer. I used to view him as a credible voice in international affairs. No more. I've never heard such utter garbage from someone who obviously knows better.
I took your advice and didn't watch the video. When you characterized Mearsheimer's statements in the video as "utter garbage," I posed the following question to AI:
"What is Mersheimer's opinion on what is going on in Gaza?"
This is the response it returned:
"John Mearsheimer, a prominent international relations scholar, has offered a critical perspective on the situation in Gaza, labeling Israel's actions as a "punishment campaign" against the civilian population. He asserts that Israel's campaign goes beyond targeting Hamas, resulting in widespread civilian casualties, displacement, and starvation in Gaza. He describes these actions as potentially amounting to ethnic cleansing or even genocide.
Here's a breakdown of some of his key points:
Beyond Targeting Hamas: Mearsheimer believes that Israel's actions extend beyond justifiable self-defense and target the entire Palestinian population in Gaza, not just Hamas.
A Deliberate Campaign: He suggests that Israel is engaged in a conscious effort to make Gaza uninhabitable for the Palestinian people, employing tactics like bombardments, destruction of infrastructure, and targeting civilians to force their displacement.
Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide: Mearsheimer doesn't shy away from using the terms "ethnic cleansing" and even "genocide" to characterize Israel's actions, arguing they align with the international legal definition of intending to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.
Historical Context: He links the current violence to a longer-term Israeli objective of consolidating control over the land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River, making a viable Palestinian state impossible.
Criticism of the United States: Mearsheimer critiques the United States' role, suggesting its support for Israel is not only morally indefensible but strategically disastrous, potentially leading to a wider regional conflict. He also argues that the US is complicit in Israel's actions by not taking concrete steps to stop the bombing campaign.
Loss for Israel: Mearsheimer believes that Israel has ultimately lost in Gaza, failing to achieve its goals of destroying Hamas and ethnically cleansing northern Gaza. He notes that Hamas remains active despite the Israeli offensive.
It's important to acknowledge that Mearsheimer's views are controversial and are not universally accepted. His analysis is presented within the context of his broader theoretical framework of offensive realism in international relations, where states prioritize their own security interests." AI Overview
That was the wrong advice, you should watch that video. You can watch it at 1.25X or 1.5X speed as Mearsheimer and Napolitano are both slow talkers
Mearsheimer goes over many basic facts about the founding of Israel and puts the current events in Gaza in their proper historic perspective, required viewing for those who are not familiar with these elements.
The last paragraph of that AI capsule above is highly misleading, there are no controversial elements in Mearsheimer's academic analysis of Israeli history and current events. He based his assessments of Israeli intents on the writings of the founders of Israel and on current facts, as any serious academic should.
The last part of the interview is particularly interesting, an aspect of this crisis with which most casual observers aren't familiar, the fact that the current GOP leadership and many zionist sycophants like Cory Booker are on board on the messianic endtimer third temple reconstruction project, the red heifers destined for ceremonial sacrifice at that temple being that project's capstone. The nuttiest Evangelical elements seem to be in charge of GOP leaders like Mike Johnson.
As well, while only a third of Democrat base has a favorable view of Israel, almost all their representatives are totally subservient to the zionist lobby.
"The last paragraph of that AI capsule above is highly misleading, there are no controversial elements in Mearsheimer's academic analysis of Israeli history and current events."
I didn't want to be accused of editing/censoring the full AI Overview response.
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That was the wrong advice, you should watch that video. You can watch it at 1.25X or 1.5X speed as Mearsheimer and Napolitano are both slow talkers
Mearsheimer goes over many basic facts about the founding of Israel and puts the current events in Gaza in their proper historic perspective, required viewing for those who are not familiar with these elements.
The last paragraph of that AI capsule above is highly misleading, there are no controversial elements in Mearsheimer's academic analysis of Israeli history and current events. He based his assessments of Israeli intents on the writings of the founders of Israel and on current facts, as any serious academic should.
The last part of the interview is particularly interesting, an aspect of this crisis with which most casual observers aren't familiar, the fact that the current GOP leadership and many zionist sycophants like Cory Booker are on board on the messianic endtimer third temple reconstruction project, the red heifers destined for ceremonial sacrifice at that temple being that project's capstone. The nuttiest Evangelical elements seem to be in charge of GOP leaders like Mike Johnson.
As well, while only a third of Democrat base has a favorable view of Israel, almost all their representatives are totally subservient to the zionist lobby.
Basic facts of the founding of Israel? Yeah, "facts" that aren't facts but rather completely one-sided half-truths peppered with outright lies. Examples: He claims that there was a large Palestinian population in the region prior to the arrival en masse of Jews. He neglects to mention that there has never been a Palestinian state nor national consciousness of such a thing, not to mention the huge influx of Arabs who immigrated to Palestine once Jews started developing the land. He talks about how the land was mostly owned previously by Arabs. What he neglects to mention is that most of the land was owned by Arabs outside the area and was purchased, not stolen. And he forgets to mention all the property that was taken by Arabs during the '48 war from Jews living throughout the Arab world for thousands of years. He conveniently ignores the fact that the UN plan incorporated elements of the Balfour Declaration which ceded the vast majority of the land in the region to Arab states including Jordan. He neglects to mention that all of Israel's territorial gains came as a result of wars that were initiated by Arabs. Or that the Arabs have been conducting terror campaigns virtually nonstop for decades. Or that millions of Arabs have more rights and a better standard of living in the Jewish state than they do in neighboring Arab states. Or that Palestinians have rejected every peace deal brokered by the US/UN etc. Or that when given their own state with self-rule (Gaza), the PEOPLE voted in a terrorist government and mobilized the entire area into a terror factory. Or that the ones chanting "from the river to the sea" are not Jews but Arabs. Or that neighboring states want NOTHING to do with the so-called Palestinians and guard their borders like Fort Knox because these people cause nothing but trouble wherever they go.
As for the Zionist comments from the founders of Israel, if that's your criteria, then we should look at the comments of every Hamas, Hezbollah, PLO, and other Arab leader not to mention the Muslim clerics over the last 100 years. You definitely don't want to go there be because it would obliterate your position. (As an aside, if Jews have no business being in Palestine which is what Mearsheimer implies and all the radical Leftists believe, then what the heck are Muslim Arabs and Africans doing in Europe? What do THEIR LEADERS have to say about their intentions?)
Apologies if this comes across as overly aggressive, I respect your views on many topics, but this crap from Mearsheimer and many others pisses me off. I'm neither Arab nor Jewish. I've got no dog in this fight. I'm all for balance, nuance, and reality. I'm concerned about the Zionist lobby and don't think our foreign policy should be dictated by Israel, nor should Israel be allowed to do whatever it wants. But as powerful as the Zionist lobby is, it can't match the unhinged antisemitic brainwashing and violence from the Muslim world, aided and abetted by radical Left, and to a lesser extent, the far right.
"The Israeli government is courting popular MAGA influencers in an effort to address Republican divisions over the war in Gaza, where scenes of violence and starvation have fueled global outrage, Axios' Tal Axelrod writes.
Why it matters: U.S. support for Israel's military actions has fallen to record lows. Even within the traditionally pro-Israel GOP, younger Republicans are increasingly skeptical questioning both the alliance and the billions in U.S. aid that sustain it.
Zoom in: Fifteen MAGA influencers visited Israel this week on a trip organized by Israel365, an advocacy group that aims to "strengthen Israel by building bridges between Jews, Christians and all who share our faith-based values."
Israel365 was awarded a no-bid contract worth $70,000 by the Israeli Foreign Ministry to organize the trip, according to a Foreign Ministry memo obtained by Axios.
The intrigue: Steve Bannon's "War Room" podcast parted ways with MAGA influencer Jayne Zirkle over her participation in the government-funded trip." Axios
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That was the wrong advice, you should watch that video. You can watch it at 1.25X or 1.5X speed as Mearsheimer and Napolitano are both slow talkers
Mearsheimer goes over many basic facts about the founding of Israel and puts the current events in Gaza in their proper historic perspective, required viewing for those who are not familiar with these elements.
The last paragraph of that AI capsule above is highly misleading, there are no controversial elements in Mearsheimer's academic analysis of Israeli history and current events. He based his assessments of Israeli intents on the writings of the founders of Israel and on current facts, as any serious academic should.
The last part of the interview is particularly interesting, an aspect of this crisis with which most casual observers aren't familiar, the fact that the current GOP leadership and many zionist sycophants like Cory Booker are on board on the messianic endtimer third temple reconstruction project, the red heifers destined for ceremonial sacrifice at that temple being that project's capstone. The nuttiest Evangelical elements seem to be in charge of GOP leaders like Mike Johnson.
As well, while only a third of Democrat base has a favorable view of Israel, almost all their representatives are totally subservient to the zionist lobby.
Basic facts of the founding of Israel? Yeah, "facts" that aren't facts but rather completely one-sided half-truths peppered with outright lies. Examples: He claims that there was a large Palestinian population in the region prior to the arrival en masse of Jews. He neglects to mention that there has never been a Palestinian state nor national consciousness of such a thing, not to mention the huge influx of Arabs who immigrated to Palestine once Jews started developing the land. He talks about how the land was mostly owned previously by Arabs. What he neglects to mention is that most of the land was owned by Arabs outside the area and was purchased, not stolen. And he forgets to mention all the property that was taken by Arabs during the '48 war from Jews living throughout the Arab world for thousands of years. He conveniently ignores the fact that the UN plan incorporated elements of the Balfour Declaration which ceded the vast majority of the land in the region to Arab states including Jordan. He neglects to mention that all of Israel's territorial gains came as a result of wars that were initiated by Arabs. Or that the Arabs have been conducting terror campaigns virtually nonstop for decades. Or that millions of Arabs have more rights and a better standard of living in the Jewish state than they do in neighboring Arab states. Or that Palestinians have rejected every peace deal brokered by the US/UN etc. Or that when given their own state with self-rule (Gaza), the PEOPLE voted in a terrorist government and mobilized the entire area into a terror factory. Or that the ones chanting "from the river to the sea" are not Jews but Arabs. Or that neighboring states want NOTHING to do with the so-called Palestinians and guard their borders like Fort Knox because these people cause nothing but trouble wherever they go.
These are most of the elements associated with the basic zionist narrative of "a land without people for a people without land", a long laundry list of talking points that many older/RW Americans still believe in.
All of these items are blatantly false, the result of decades of propaganda: that there was never a Palestine, or Palestinians, that zionists never intended to conquer all of Palestine (and beyond) and wanted to live in peace with the local natives and that the Greater Israel project of Israel extending beyond Palestine into Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, which Netanyahu and the Israeli political class now openly talk about (only in Hebrew though), ignoring facts like Israel was built on terrorism, and the original terrorist groups or Irgun, Stern, were led by future Israeli prime ministers like Begin, Shamir, and that "from the river to the sea" is part of the Likud Party manifest, that Israel actively promoted the most radical parties in Gaza in order to justify their mass slaughters, that Israel made no good faith attempts to accommodate for a viable Palestinian state, propaganda about the Palestinians being inherently evil, and that there is no Greater Israel plan and so forth.
It was ALWAYS about Greater Israel.
Netanyahu announced he's on a “historic and spiritual mission” to achieve Greater Israel
That means taking all of Palestine, Lebanon & Jordan, parts of Iraq, Syria, Egypt & Saudi Arabia, if he is referencing the historic map of the project. pic.twitter.com/Ynulccb53N
The religious fanaticism entrenched within the Israeli state is becoming too outlandish for even Western media to completely ignore. A recent documentary features an interview where finance minister Bezalel Smotrich’s describes his genocidal fantasy about Greater Israel. pic.twitter.com/ANskjmA9pW
There are some more obscure facts about the creation of Israel that have been largely hidden, like the fact that Israel conducted false flag bombings on Arab Jews to push them to emigrate to Israel. The other elements above are basic truths that have been widely accepted beyond the bubble of older American conservatives.
Wow first time hearing this
There were 100000s of Iraqi Jews. In the 1950s, Mossad conducted false flag bomb attacks against Iraqi Jewish communities and blamed Arabs to compel Jews to leave Iraq and come to Israel.
It is unfair to criticize Israel or its leaders for their intentions as if the the terrorism and endless wars never happened. That is counterfactual thinking. Israel has the Golan Heights and the West Bank because of the Six-Day War. Israel goes into Lebanon from time to time because it is attacked. Israel is in Gaza because of October 7. Such is the way war works, yet you attack Israel yet give the Arabs a pass for 100 years of nonstop violence? Would the Arabs been justified in wiping Israel off the map as they intended in any of these wars and as they still intend today?
I really don't understand this obsession with the Palestinians. What about the massacre of innocent Christians in places like Syria and Nigeria--peaceful, indigenous people who are being senselessly slaughtered for not bending the knee to Islam? Heck, even the Yazidis and Druze are being wiped out and yet virtually no one cares. Where is the justice for them? Where are the protestors? the advocates? All the attention goes to perhaps the most violent, quarrelsome, unproductive, ungovernable people group on the face of the earth. Anyone who obsesses over the Palestinians is not doing so out of virtue in my opinion.
People have short memories. After a respite of a couple hundreds of years of relative peace, Islam is on the march again. Islam is the most colonialist, culturally imperialist force the world has ever seen. For a thousand years Islam advanced into Europe and ultimately destroyed the Byzantine empire. If not for some key victories like the Battle of Tours, the Battle of Vienna, the Reconquista, etc, Europe would be a radically different place and not for the better. All the values we cherish in the West today would not have even developed had the Muslim conquest succeeded. And these values are very much under threat today. Unless Europe takes drastic action, it is finished and for some countries it may already be too late. And the US is on the same path. People can scoff if they like but the facts are clear. Africa, Asia, Europe, and now America, it doesn't matter, wherever Islam goes it brings misery and conflict. Islam is incompatible with peaceful coexistence. It is also incompatible with democracy. To pretend that this conflict is about colonialism is to ignore the elephant in the room.
I really don't understand this obsession with the Palestinians. What about the massacre of innocent Christians in places like Syria and Nigeria--peaceful, indigenous people who are being senselessly slaughtered for not bending the knee to Islam? Heck, even the Yazidis and Druze are being wiped out and yet virtually no one cares. Where is the justice for them? Where are the protestors? the advocates? All the attention goes to perhaps the most violent, quarrelsome, unproductive, ungovernable people group on the face of the earth. Anyone who obsesses over the Palestinians is not doing so out of virtue in my opinion.
The difference, at least for Americans, is that the United States isn't actively funding any of that like it is for Israel.
If we cut off the funding for the Israeli military? I agree, all of those are worth the same attention.
I really don't understand this obsession with the Palestinians. What about the massacre of innocent Christians in places like Syria and Nigeria--peaceful, indigenous people who are being senselessly slaughtered for not bending the knee to Islam? Heck, even the Yazidis and Druze are being wiped out and yet virtually no one cares. Where is the justice for them? Where are the protestors? the advocates? All the attention goes to perhaps the most violent, quarrelsome, unproductive, ungovernable people group on the face of the earth. Anyone who obsesses over the Palestinians is not doing so out of virtue in my opinion.
The difference, at least for Americans, is that the United States isn't actively funding any of that like it is for Israel.
If we cut off the funding for the Israeli military? I agree, all of those are worth the same attention.
Is there something that prevents you for doing both? Of course not. The double standard is obvious, but not explained by your stated reason.
And if its the US funding you're concerned about, then why aren't you directing your criticism toward the US, rather than Israel? Instead you criticize Israel for its policies. Nothing intrinsically wrong with that, but it belies your stated concerns regarding US funding and your inexplicable silence of other (arguably greater) situations of suffering.
The US has given more $$ to Ukraine than Israel in recent years (not true historically). The Ukrainian government is repressive, corrupt and has committed many human rights violations. Why haven't you spoken to that issue with equal vigor to your criticisms of Israel?
And in terms of your claim, it is absolutely false to say the US has not funded groups in Syria (and other places) that have committed human rights violations, or for that matter Turkey which has caused a lot of suffering/persecution of minority groups (including the kurds and in Syria). Not a word from you on that front despite the US funding.
I really don't understand this obsession with the Palestinians. What about the massacre of innocent Christians in places like Syria and Nigeria--peaceful, indigenous people who are being senselessly slaughtered for not bending the knee to Islam? Heck, even the Yazidis and Druze are being wiped out and yet virtually no one cares. Where is the justice for them? Where are the protestors? the advocates? All the attention goes to perhaps the most violent, quarrelsome, unproductive, ungovernable people group on the face of the earth. Anyone who obsesses over the Palestinians is not doing so out of virtue in my opinion.
The difference, at least for Americans, is that the United States isn't actively funding any of that like it is for Israel.
If we cut off the funding for the Israeli military? I agree, all of those are worth the same attention.
Is there something that prevents you for doing both? Of course not. The double standard is obvious, but not explained by your stated reason.
And if its the US funding you're concerned about, then why aren't you directing your criticism toward the US, rather than Israel? Instead you criticize Israel for its policies. Nothing intrinsically wrong with that, but it belies your stated concerns regarding US funding and your inexplicable silence of other (arguably greater) situations of suffering.
The US has given more $$ to Ukraine than Israel in recent years (not true historically). The Ukrainian government is repressive, corrupt and has committed many human rights violations. Why haven't you spoken to that issue with equal vigor to your criticisms of Israel?
And in terms of your claim, it is absolutely false to say the US has not funded groups in Syria (and other places) that have committed human rights violations, or for that matter Turkey which has caused a lot of suffering/persecution of minority groups (including the kurds and in Syria). Not a word from you on that front despite the US funding.
I can criticize the both US funding and the behavior of Israel.
Ukraine has not committed violations on anywhere near the same level, and they are actually defending against an invading power, not trying to overtake anyone else's territory. I support the aid to them.
I tend to agree with taking aid away from those groups in Syria or Turkey or whatever, but again, it's not on the same scale as what we give to Israel.
I do find it telling, however, that the argument seems to have shifted to "Why criticize Israel and not these other bad things?" as opposed to "Israel isn't doing anything bad." Seems like the latter is no longer a tenable position.
I really don't understand this obsession with the Palestinians. What about the massacre of innocent Christians in places like Syria and Nigeria--peaceful, indigenous people who are being senselessly slaughtered for not bending the knee to Islam? Heck, even the Yazidis and Druze are being wiped out and yet virtually no one cares. Where is the justice for them? Where are the protestors? the advocates? All the attention goes to perhaps the most violent, quarrelsome, unproductive, ungovernable people group on the face of the earth. Anyone who obsesses over the Palestinians is not doing so out of virtue in my opinion.
The difference, at least for Americans, is that the United States isn't actively funding any of that like it is for Israel.
If we cut off the funding for the Israeli military? I agree, all of those are worth the same attention.
Is there something that prevents you for doing both? Of course not. The double standard is obvious, but not explained by your stated reason.
And if its the US funding you're concerned about, then why aren't you directing your criticism toward the US, rather than Israel? Instead you criticize Israel for its policies. Nothing intrinsically wrong with that, but it belies your stated concerns regarding US funding and your inexplicable silence of other (arguably greater) situations of suffering.
The US has given more $$ to Ukraine than Israel in recent years (not true historically). The Ukrainian government is repressive, corrupt and has committed many human rights violations. Why haven't you spoken to that issue with equal vigor to your criticisms of Israel?
And in terms of your claim, it is absolutely false to say the US has not funded groups in Syria (and other places) that have committed human rights violations, or for that matter Turkey which has caused a lot of suffering/persecution of minority groups (including the kurds and in Syria). Not a word from you on that front despite the US funding.
I can criticize the both US funding and the behavior of Israel.
Ukraine has not committed violations on anywhere near the same level, and they are actually defending against an invading power, not trying to overtake anyone else's territory. I support the aid to them.
I tend to agree with taking aid away from those groups in Syria or Turkey or whatever, but again, it's not on the same scale as what we give to Israel.
I do find it telling, however, that the argument seems to have shifted to "Why criticize Israel and not these other bad things?" as opposed to "Israel isn't doing anything bad." Seems like the latter is no longer a tenable position.
Israel is also defending itself. There was no war on October 6. Full stop.
The argument has NEVER been that Israel hasn't done anything bad. That is a complete strawman and you know it. Israel makes mistakes and is not perfect. Like any other western democracy including our own.
The argument is that Hamas has rarely if ever done anything good and is an overwhelmingly evil and malevolent terrorist organization. Hamas started the war and is holding hostages. Hamas aligned with Iran and Hezbollah to terrorize Israel (and the USA) with the express purpose of ending Israel's existence - a campaign lasting many decades. The USA and most other countries would have done the exact same thing as Israel.
If Hamas remains in power, there will never be peace. For all your criticism of Israel, you have no solution to that reality.
It is telling that you don't hold Hamas - and for that matter Palestinians - to the same standard you hold Israel. Hamas could end the suffering in Gaza in 5 minutes. But rather than release the hostages, they starve them and rely on misguided people like you to defend them.
IMO it is ludicrous to claim that Hamas, in its present state, is still any kind of immediate threat to Israel. This is not a defensive war anymore.
But again, the repetition of these arguments continues to show me just how weak Israel's rhetorical position is now.
Once again, you're constructing a strawman. No one is arguing that Hamas is an "immediate" threat. But Israel has "mowed the grass" multiple times and the result was October 7. They have no obligation (and it would be absurd) to leave Hamas in power so they can rearm and attack again. The issue is Hamas remaining in power. And no doubt, Hamas continues to proudly announce they would attack again.
I note you once again fail to explain how there can be peace with Hamas in power. You literally ignore the question/issue and simply insist that Israel stop fighting because you hold Israel solely responsible for the suffering cause by Hamas.
You acknowledge this started as a defensive war. Just like the US in WWII, Israel is entitled to fight the war to a victory. Did the Allies stop fighting in WWII when it became clear Germany/Japan were "no longer an immediate threat"? Again, you're holding Israel to a standard no other country would accept.
And I note that Israel agreed to the recent terms of a cease fire that was proposed/endorsed by the US, Egypt, and Qatar. Israel agreed. Hamas rejected the deal because they don't care about Gazans and they're relying on people like you to focus solely on Israel. The irony in all of this is that you profess to abhor the suffering of Gazans and your actions/position on this issue is only prolonging that suffering.
Israel can do what it wants. We don't have total control over their decisions. I think that:
1. "Removing Hamas from Gaza forever" is not an achievable military goal and is akin to the US trying to defeat all terrorism post-9/11. That's just not how it works.
2. If Israel wants to pursue this (IMO) impossible goal, the US does not need to keep giving them any help. Let them do it on their own.
If the Israeli government does not want people to assume they have genocidal intent, then they should stop saying that they do.
⚡️🇮🇱Israel’s Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich:
"We conquer, cleanse, and stay... On the way, we annihilate everything that still remains.….We're breaking Gaza apart, leaving it as a pile of rubble, total unprecedented destruction."pic.twitter.com/5bDj27gcyQ
Israel can do what it wants. We don't have total control over their decisions. I think that:
1. "Removing Hamas from Gaza forever" is not an achievable military goal and is akin to the US trying to defeat all terrorism post-9/11. That's just not how it works.
2. If Israel wants to pursue this (IMO) impossible goal, the US does not need to keep giving them any help. Let them do it on their own.
This is now the third strawman you've constructed on this issue and it seems pretty clear it is not an accident. Removing Hamas from power is not the same thing as removing Hamas from Gaza forever.
If the Israeli government does not want people to assume they have genocidal intent, then they should stop saying that they do.
⚡️🇮🇱Israel’s Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich:
"We conquer, cleanse, and stay... On the way, we annihilate everything that still remains.….We're breaking Gaza apart, leaving it as a pile of rubble, total unprecedented destruction."pic.twitter.com/5bDj27gcyQ
Picking an extremist viewpoint/person and suggesting that person speaks for the Israeli government is more bad faith. He represents an extreme (and abhorrent) viewpoint that is not the government's position and not widely held in Israel. Israel has agreed to a cease fire - Hamas has not.
Do AOC, Bernie Sanders, Ilhan Omar, Pramila Jayapal, Cori Bush, Jamal Bowman, and Zohran Mamdani - all of whom have said some extreme things - represent the views of the "US Government"? Of course they do not. And yes, there are equally extreme elected members of the right who similarly don't represent the US government's (or mainstream) viewpoints.
And while we're on the subject, what do member's of Hamas say about committing genocide against Israelis? They expressly advocate for genocide, tried to advance that on 10/7, and have threatened to repeat that attack if/when they can. Sort of odd you skip over those statements particularly when Israel has agreed to a cease fire and Hamas has not.
Israel can do what it wants. We don't have total control over their decisions. I think that:
1. "Removing Hamas from Gaza forever" is not an achievable military goal and is akin to the US trying to defeat all terrorism post-9/11. That's just not how it works.
2. If Israel wants to pursue this (IMO) impossible goal, the US does not need to keep giving them any help. Let them do it on their own.
This is now the third strawman you've constructed on this issue and it seems pretty clear it is not an accident. Removing Hamas from power is not the same thing as removing Hamas from Gaza forever.
How do you prevent Hamas from returning to power? They're not an organization led by one guy. Continued occupation?
If the Israeli government does not want people to assume they have genocidal intent, then they should stop saying that they do.
⚡️🇮🇱Israel’s Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich:
"We conquer, cleanse, and stay... On the way, we annihilate everything that still remains.….We're breaking Gaza apart, leaving it as a pile of rubble, total unprecedented destruction."pic.twitter.com/5bDj27gcyQ
Picking an extremist viewpoint/person and suggesting that person speaks for the Israeli government is more bad faith. He represents an extreme (and abhorrent) viewpoint that is not the government's position and not widely held in Israel. Israel has agreed to a cease fire - Hamas has not.
Seems like he has a pretty high position in the government, though. Him still being there despite saying stuff like this suggests that his views are not actually extreme.
I actually think it's weird that you keep dismissing these guys as not relevant to Israel's positions when it seems pretty obvious that they are.
If the Israeli government does not want people to assume they have genocidal intent, then they should stop saying that they do.
⚡️🇮🇱Israel’s Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich:
"We conquer, cleanse, and stay... On the way, we annihilate everything that still remains.….We're breaking Gaza apart, leaving it as a pile of rubble, total unprecedented destruction."pic.twitter.com/5bDj27gcyQ
Picking an extremist viewpoint/person and suggesting that person speaks for the Israeli government is more bad faith. He represents an extreme (and abhorrent) viewpoint that is not the government's position and not widely held in Israel. Israel has agreed to a cease fire - Hamas has not.
Do AOC, Bernie Sanders, Ilhan Omar, Pramila Jayapal, Cori Bush, Jamal Bowman, and Zohran Mamdani - all of whom have said some extreme things - represent the views of the "US Government"? Of course they do not. And yes, there are equally extreme elected members of the right who similarly don't represent the US government's (or mainstream) viewpoints.
And while we're on the subject, what do member's of Hamas say about committing genocide against Israelis? They expressly advocate for genocide, tried to advance that on 10/7, and have threatened to repeat that attack if/when they can. Sort of odd you skip over those statements particularly when Israel has agreed to a cease fire and Hamas has not.
AOC, Bernie Sanders, Ilhan Omar, Pramila Jayapal, Cori Bush, Jamal Bowman, and Zohran Mamdani aren't and have never been Cabinet members. Smotrich is the Israeli Minister of Finance. If he, as a Cabinet member, doesn't reflect the views of the Israeli government, who does?
