I agree, Israel should amplify his voice as a moderate. Can you think of any ways to do this? Ooh, ooh, I know, maybe he could become a member of the Knesset! Would that count as amplifying his voice?
Hey, random question, what does Ayman Odeh do for a living?
Cute, but I know he’s in the Knesset. My point is that there are indeed moderate pro Palestinian voices, and Israeli leadership should elevate them rather than seek to minimize them, as they have.
That’s the disagreement here, I think. I think the big story on this issue is that Netanyahu and allies have very substantially and very deliberately sought to empower Hamas/extremists and weaken moderate voices, and you disagree. We can leave it there.
I agree that Netanyahu did plenty of fucked up shit.
However, that’s not enough to put the blame for the conflict on him.
The question we need to ask is “but for”. But for Netanyahu’s actions, what would the situation be?
I blame him for Oct 7, in the sense that BUT FOR his actions with the Judicial overhaul attempt, or his allies’ actions in the West Bank requiring many soldiers to be moved from the Gaza border to securing settlements, Israel should have been able to detect and stop the buildup for Oct 7; instead, we were distracted by infighting and West Bank nonsense.
But I don’t blame him for the fact that the Palestinians have no interest in a two state solution, because they had no interest in a two state solution long before he ever showed up.
And my point is that moderate Pro Palestinian voices can be found in Israel, even in positions of power. That’s because contrary to your claim Israel does not actually suppress these voices. They cannot be found in the leadership of the Palestinian territories. It’s ridiculous to blame Israel or Netanyahu for that fact.
So this is the disagreement, then. I think it is largely the fault of the Israeli right. I think the evidence shows they did deliberately assist Hamas, and weaken more moderate rivals, and that made a difference.
Yes, it is my opinion that in order to survive Israel must expand. It has population, intellect and a solid economy but it lacks resources.
Israel is not the result of natural political evolution like France, China or the Arab states. Israel exists by UN fiat. Israel has so far appropriated the resources needed for survival, but now it needs Gaza and the west bank. Of course this is my observation, but it agrees with the current policies of Israel and the US.
Although I think you’re sincere in that I do not have confidence that a sufficient number of the people running Israel would be willing to accept such a deal. I would be happy to be proved wrong with an actual two-state solution supported by all involved parties be created and maintained, but I am not holding my breath.
That is a question that can certainly be debated. Part of the issue is that in today’s world there is so very much documentation in real-time of what such a military operation is like, as opposed to, say, WWII when people weren’t getting real-time video of what living through a bombing is like and propaganda didn’t involve video fakery.
I don’t see this scenario playing a significant role in the motivation of the Paliestinians. I have never heard any rhetoric about how those plucky protestors on College campuses will soon bring Israel to its knees and liberate us. What I mainly see is a group of people who feel they have no hope and certainly no trust as a in the state that has its boot on their neck as a negotiating partner. So with nothing left to lose they put their effort on fighting back against that boot. No it probably won’t make a difference but at least it gives you purpose.
And that’s where I asked for a cite that shows that Israel must expand.
Must Singapore expand?
Only if you believe that the Jew is somehow fundamentally different from the Frenchman or the Chinese person or the Arab and therefore doesn’t deserve a homeland.
One of these things is not like the others, One of these things just doesn’t belong, Can you tell which thing is not like the others, By the time I finish my post?
I didn’t need to insinuate anything to tweak you for splitting Europeans and Asians into nationalities while lumping all Middle Easterners into “Arabs”.
Singapore is not militant. Their approach to nation building is different.
Jews are well assimilated into US society.
In California Jews were less discriminated against (if at all) than Okies or blacks. I know because I am a second generation Okie. It is Israel that categorizes Jews as uniquely in need of an ethnocracy to support their life styles. And, modern Israel is an experiment in nation building. Much like the nation building after WW1. Many of those have failed.