# New discussion thread for Israel/Gaza/West Bank (Hijacks tolerated) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** israel-hamas-war, hijacks-tolerated\ **Created:** [July 12, 2026, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615 "2026-07-12T00:17:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 32
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/635 "2026-10-01T16:15:34Z")
Is Hamas claiming that these journalists were current, active combatants with Hamas? Or that they were, at some point in the past, somehow affiliated with Hamas, but not necessarily present day combatants? ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/636 "2026-10-02T01:11:24Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Great article about the state of Gaza from one of the best interviewers around, Isaac Chotiner: > > [What Life Is Actually Like in Gaza Today | The New Yorker](https://archive.ph/6mNVw) …thank you for sharing. From the article: > [@the article](#): > > **I know that your wife and two of your kids were killed early on in the war.** > > Yeah. And later on, in July, 2025, my mother and my sister and her children were also killed. And when they were seeking refuge at my uncle’s house, he was killed, too, with his wife. > … > In July, 2025, two days or two nights before my mother was killed, I called her. My mother was seventy-five years old. She had a car accident years ago, and she was suffering from bad legs and her right arm was totally paralyzed, and I told her that the Israeli tanks were around her area and she needed to move. She said, “No, I’m not moving. Whatever happens, happens. I will not move this time.” My mother was displaced six times with this health condition, and, eventually, she was desperate. She was saying, “No, not anymore.” And she chose to die, apparently. This kind of atmosphere is prevailing in Gaza, and everyone that I’m talking to in Gaza is wishing to get out of Gaza. Everyone—literally everyone. We probably never will know the full scale of death and destruction in Gaza. International reporters are still banned. War crimes investigators are banned. The entire Gaza Strip is a crime scene: and the perpetrators of that crime have near total control and are systematically cleaning it up. [https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/is-israel-erasing-evidence-of-alleged-war-crimes-in-gaza-a-visual-investigation-9.7357122](https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/is-israel-erasing-evidence-of-alleged-war-crimes-in-gaza-a-visual-investigation-9.7357122) The official death toll is 74,022 Palestinians killed and over 175,098 wounded. Almost every expert agrees that this is probably a substantial undercount. These are _violent_ deaths and injuries. It doesn’t count deaths from malnutrition, from not being able to access healthcare or from collapses of the healthcare system, from disease. It doesn’t include those missing under the rubble, estimated to be over 10,000. Many of those bodies are inaccessible in the Palestinian-controlled parts of Gaza because they don’t have access to heavy machinery, and they are inaccessible in the IDF-controlled parts of Gaza that are quietly being “cleaned up.” The part of Jaser AbuMousa’s story that I quote here highlights one particular thing that Israel did in its execution of this “war” that was contextualized as “humane” but was actually very, very cruel. Perhaps intentionally so. On the 13th of October, 2023, the IDF ordered the evacuation of Northern Gaza. 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza were told they had 24 hours to leave. This was the start of using evacuations and displacements as a tool to wear Palestinians down. > **[Israel renews calls for evacuations as it widens Gaza offensive but...](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/israel-renews-calls-for-evacuations-as-it-widens-gaza-offensive-but-palestinians-running-out-of-places-to-flee)** > > Israel's military has renewed calls for mass evacuations from the southern town of Khan Younis, as it widened its ground offensive and bombarded targets across the Gaza Strip. Palestinians were driven out of the north. And then the north was effectively cut off by the Netzarim Corridor. People were driven to Khan Younis. Then they were forced down to Rafah. At its peak, Rafah had an estimated 1.5 million people living there. Rafah became Biden’s “red line.” Then they came for Rafah. And Rafah was razed and destroyed. Forced displacements _were used as a weapon of war_. Jaser AbuMousa’s mother was one of those casualties. “Whatever happens, happens. I will not move this time.” We can never ever forget what was done here. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/637 "2026-10-02T02:27:34Z")
…regarding the Telegraph article about journalists shared earlier: it’s just a load of hot air. There is a lack of primary sources in the article, and it appears to just be regurgitating earlier reports and talking points made by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center and getting ahead of what the IDF today. But the people accused of committing atrocities _should not be considered an unbiased source_. And while they are claiming to be citing Hamas, there are subtleties and nuances at play here that clearly don’t translate well. Even accounting for some misclassifications, the broader pattern doesn’t go away. Israel remains the biggest killer of journalists in the last three years. And we also have ([as reported by the UN](https://www.ochaopt.org/content/reported-impact-snapshot-gaza-strip-23-september-2026)) 596 aid workers killed, 1700 health workers killed, 145 civil defense workers killed while on duty. We have targeted killings of people like Refaat Alareer. We have the systematic targeting of the healthcare system. Destruction of churches, schools, and mosques. The targeted killings of journalists are just one piece of a much wider body of evidence. And when I think about Palestinian journalists, there is just one scene that I can never ever forget. > **[Israeli forces attack mourners at Al Jazeera journalist's funeral](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be8x0MhCzu8%2F)** > > Israeli security forces attacked mourners at the funeral of the Al Jazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead whilst covering a raid.Police fir... For those that don’t want to click, the footage shows Israeli forces inexplicably attacking mourners for Shireen Abu Akleh, at one point the mourners nearly drop the coffin. Shireen Abu Akleh was a Palestinian American journalist who was killed by an IDF sniper while covering events in the West Bank. She was killed on the 11th of May 2022. Even in death they just couldn’t let her rest. And even in death the Palestinian journalists who were killed while covering Gaza cannot escape the slander. To this day Israel still prevents independent foreign journalists from entering Gaza. So any discussion about journalists and journalism coming from Gaza needs to start there. If you don’t trust Palestinian journalists, then the obvious answer is to open the doors and let international journalists in unconditionally: no censorship (from either side), no restrictions on either side of the yellow line. Let the truth be heard. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/638 "2026-10-02T08:24:21Z")
I think we’ve already raised it here so I’m sure it should be fine (also: hijacks tolerated, remember?). I think the initial response by the government to threaten to strip the directors’ citizenship tells you all you need to know about how “liberal” they are. The IDF’s recent response was also lame, and has already been pushed back on: > **[NAZA film-makers say they spoke to more than 100 sources about Israeli...](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/oct/01/makers-naza-film-spoke-more-than-100-sources-israeli-actions-gaza)** > > Team behind documentary push back against IDF attempt to discredit its exposure of military systems ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/639 "2026-10-07T13:02:04Z")
I read that the film will be available in the US. Does anyone know where are when? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/640 "2026-10-07T13:11:43Z")
From googling, I see it’s already playing (or will be starting tomorrow) at some scattered US theaters, but not widely. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/641 "2026-10-07T16:15:49Z")
Will there be a streaming option? I only rarely go to a theater, and probably won’t fit this, even if it’s available somewhere i could get to. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/642 "2026-10-07T16:21:39Z")
Only in November: > **[Global release announced for acclaimed Gaza documentary NAZA](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/sep/24/global-release-announced-for-acclaimed-gaza-documentary-naza)** > > Theatrical rollout across 56 territories planned for documentary about Israel’s mass killing of civilians in Gaza before film will stream on Guardian website > After its run in cinemas, the film will stream in late November on the Guardian’s website, for free, as part of the news organisation’s commitment to the dissemination of independent journalism. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/643 "2026-10-07T16:22:47Z")
Thanks! I’ll check for it then. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2026, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/644 "2026-10-09T21:08:42Z")
Anybody know anything (by which I mean, have any links that are not simply links to links to links to the same original unconfirmed story) about some “professor” who was planning a massive terror attack in the West Bank, and was trying to get some right-wing politician to facilitate this operation, except he was also(?) blackmailing this politician, but apparently not very well since said politician then turned him in to the police? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2026, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/645 "2026-10-09T21:18:34Z")
Shahar Nevo? [https://www.timesofisrael.com/mathematician-accused-of-plotting-to-murder-hundreds-of-arabs-named-as-shahar-nevo/](https://www.timesofisrael.com/mathematician-accused-of-plotting-to-murder-hundreds-of-arabs-named-as-shahar-nevo/) ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2026, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/646 "2026-10-09T21:30:28Z")
That is the story, yes. What was the deal with him seeking “to coax, then blackmail” a politician? And are we talking about a straight-up loony or someone quite a bit more dangerous than that (was there anyone involved in this terrorist plot outside the leader’s imagination?) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2026, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/647 "2026-10-10T07:18:04Z")
All I know’s what’s been reported. The ToI article is readable enough. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2026, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/648 "2026-10-10T22:46:01Z")
Okay, so question I’ve always had: is the goal of peacefully dissolving the nation of Israel common amongst the left? Is this an extreme point of view? Antisemitic? Are you a Zionist if you do not support the peaceful dissolution of the nation of Israel as the ultimate goal? There are certain folks on social media whom I followed for pop culture related reasons, and I have the sense that some of the sentiments on serious issues like this are amplified in an echo chamber style way, but I’m not sure… ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2026, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/649 "2026-10-10T23:00:33Z")
I’ve never heard that from a lefty. Only a call for a Palestinian state. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2026, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/650 "2026-10-10T23:30:11Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I’ve never heard that from a lefty. You’ve never heard a “lefty” say “from the river to the sea”? Which river and which sea do you think are involved and how do you imagine that the entire space in between could be Palestine without disestablishing Israel which is entirely between said river and said sea? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2026, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/651 "2026-10-10T23:54:48Z")
Yes, I haven’t heard that, that’s why I said that I have not. I have heard lefties say that Palestinians should have a place to call their own, and by golly, so should Israel. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/652 "2026-10-11T01:13:05Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Yes, I haven’t heard that, that’s why I said that I have not. I’m pretty sure that “From the River to the Sea” is the single most common chant at these pro Palestine protests but alright, I guess you haven’t run into one? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/653 "2026-10-11T01:43:41Z")
The Reddit leftists seem to be hung up on Israel being an “ethnostate” and therefore bad, and insist that if only Israel and Palestine were a single state with equal rights for all, everyone would get along and it totally wouldn’t result in an Islamist government getting voted in and stripping the Jews of citizenship. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615/654 "2026-10-11T03:33:49Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > I’m pretty sure that “From the River to the Sea” is the single most common chant at these pro Palestine protests but alright, I guess you haven’t run into one? Please tell us about the ones you’ve been to, and perhaps how recent they were? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615.md?page=31) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-discussion-thread-for-israel-gaza-west-bank-hijacks-tolerated/1031615.md?page=33)