Agree. We have a lot to answer for.
But in my opinion, deliberately targeting civilians (killing, raping, torturing) takes it to a new level. It’s no different than the brutality Myanmar inflicted on the Rohinga or The Russian Federation on Ukraine.
Condemning it and acting to prevent it from occurring again (eradicating or degrading Hamas) does not mean supporting or ignoring the underlying issues. In fact, it is forcing us to.
Yes, and the rest of the world are starting to speak up and condemn the same old pattern from happening again. That is, going right back to the root cause and what needs to change. A Palestinian state attended to by a peacekeeping force.
I get the point you are making. There is an ongoing and deliberate effort to blur the distinction between supporting Palestinian rights and supporting Hamas.
Propaganda is essential for both sides.
But there are a couple of other points here. You can also support the rights of the Jewish people to their state and the right of that state to defend it’s civilian population (a right every single state has) without supporting the policies and actions of the government (past and ongoing) that contributed to this.
That calls for support of settlers on Palestinian lands and that can't be supported.
All states deserve the right to defense but that includes the Palestinian state too, when it's created.
In terms of the larger picture of the IP conflict, nothing is black and white.
It may be more black and white than we realize, but propaganda has blurred it.
In terms of what Hamas did however, it is very black and white to me.
There are always cases of excessive brutality and human rights abuses in wars. America's actions in Vietnam are as egregious as any of them. But we all tend to defend our own country's military actions.
And that brings up another point. Supporting what Hamas represents.
What exactly DOES Hamas represent? Is it Palestinian rights?
I think so but I'm open to other explanations?
Hamas has said the intention behind the brutality of the attack was to stir up a much larger regional conflict, perhaps a religious war.
Yes, they want to motivate their allies into creating a larger force that can be balanced with America. Is that warranted and justified?
Presently we are told that there is a rift developing between Russia and the Israelis. I would have predicted that this war would cause more nations of the world to choose sided either for or against America. I think that has become both Russia's and China's objective now.
Hamas absolutely had to know what Israel’s response would be…and what the casualties would be for the Palestinians. They embed themselves in civilian structures like schools and hospitals. They torture and murder dissenters to their regime. What exactly do they represent?
Yes, I believe that Hamas would purposely conduct the war with the main purpose of gaining the sympathies of the rest of the world. This is their one last tactic in desperation. That makes this time different.
Thank you for your thoughts. I've tried to remain neutral by mostly adding my comments to your thoughts.