Seems now that no lives matter—Only Lies Matter!
I would like to hope that there will be clever enough people to discuss how Israel has brought the lion’s share of its current plight onto its own head. However, I know that this is not going to happen. Such a mess, however, at first, impression appears to be too convenient in the BIGGER scheme of things.
I wonder too ‘how many other Jews’, myself being the grandson of a Zionist woman who was born in the Russian Empire and immigrated to the US, are thinking in this direction, and how many of those might be able to willing be to discuss it openly in light of bombs and rockets raining down on the Jewish State and on innocent victims.
Collective Guilt
There was a time in my life that Israel could do no wrong, and it had to be supported unconditionally, right or wrong—I am glad that I am not thinking like that anymore. I am torn in my soul, on the one side, the Jews are convinced they are right, and on the other, the Palestinians have had their land stolen from them by the Zionists, with the help of the United Nations under the collective guilt of the Holocaust, but as a result, the “persecuted-have-become-the-persecutors.”
It is too late in the game to assign blame, or label who is the BIGGER villain, the rule of terror dating back to the blowing up of the King David Hotel, British Headquarters in Jerusalem by Jewish terrorists, one of whom would go on to win the Nobel Prize for “Peace”.
The Biden administration is already firmly behind Israel. That’s what bothers me. That so many Americans disagree with the violence of Israel against Palestine and yet our government has an automatic, and opposite, response without hesitation. Another thing that bothers me is how Israel controls the flow of water to Palestine. To me that’s a bigger crime than rockets and bombs. To deprive others of water is a horrible war crime.
As Caitlin Johnstone noted with the premise that all of this death is the fault of the Western Press, … and now we’re facing another instance of intense emotional frenzy, in which we’re being told that Hamas attacked Israel completely unprovoked for no other reason than because they are evil monsters “who love killing Jews”.
We will be told to support any act of war deemed necessary because all such monsters understand is violence. Someday we’re going to have to stop falling for this tired old “song and dance.”
Mana from Heaven
There should be little doubt that this war comes at a very convenient time, for the US and EU, especially in light of the proxy war in Ukraine, and how that war is not going to plan for the West—and that is putting it lightly.
It’s “walk away” time again, as was the case in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and with political undulations, especially in the US and Israel, coming military operations and unwavering support from the United States for Israel is likely to result in “somewhat less” support for Ukraine.
Naturally, Iran and Hezbolla are “one and the same” in the eyes of the West and its media attack dogs, and this gives a push in the drive to settle old scores. It also explains away why Israel, Turkey and the US so heavily supported Azerbaijan with weapons, rhetoric and even by inaction, at least for the US – as it went back to the last line of defense over territorial integrity—all under the guise of International Law.
Windfall benefits abound, i.e., with the effort to fast track the nomination of Jack Lew as ambassador to Israel after the attack by Hamas on Saturday now is already shifting into a higher gear. It should come as no surprise why Senate Democrats are pushing aggressively for his quick confirmation, as otherwise he would likely not pass muster when a closer look taken as to his qualifications for the job. At least in theory, this begs the question: will the confirmation and ongoing war, “jump start a broader debate over aid to Israel in an already chaotic fall season?”
I will spare you the horrific images of terrorists shooting entire families so that the room resembles a pool of blood… Unfortunately, however, such instances have occurred, and this will continue badly with many more innocent Israeli victims of Hamas, while the Palestinians will also have many innocent victims of Israeli actions.
In my personal opinion, I am convinced that this is not a surprise, but that the Israelis allowed this to happen in order to bring about much larger operations, and not only against the Palestinians, but others as well
Many are of the opinion, including Israelis, one of whom I discussed this with, that the unexpected invasion was anything but a surprise attack, and that the operation was planned from above, and it was not a surprise in any aspect to the Israeli or American governments!
Fixing the Blame
I had something of discussion with a long-term resident from Israel, her parents were great USSR patriots, and they died in Russia, but she, the daughter, was so brainwashed…after 30 years in Israel and when I said that Iran and Russia are not to blame for what happened in Israel. She became furious …
I did not argue with her much, as I saw it was useless. I just wished her and the victims on all sides’ peace as soon as possible. She reminded me of many brainwashed Georgians and Ukrainians… See, even Jews can be brainwashed easily. It is clear that intelligence steps aside when feelings are played upon….
Even politics works the same way; US Democrats support Palestinians over Israel, while the GOP overwhelmingly stands with a “US ally”, according to a 2023 poll. According to open sources, at least 1,600 people have died in the current four-day war, including more than 900 Israelis and 11 Americans. So far, more than 160 people were also taken as hostages by Hamas-led forces, including an unknown number of Americans, who are believed to be among the hostages.
It is becoming all the more clear that political calculations have resulted in a catastrophic situation, and the blowback will impact the entire region, and the resulting mess is as much as a ticking bomb as one of Netanyahu’s diagrams on how close is Iran to getting nuclear weapons.
It should be clear that nobody can claim it all, when Netanyahu’s government’s guidelines state that “the Jewish people have an exclusive and inalienable right to all parts of the Land of Israel,” Netanyahu’s fanatical government made bloodshed inevitable.
Whatever happened to Camp David, Peace Talks and a Two-State Solution?
This attitude is like adding fuel to the fire, and fanning the flames too. As an opinion piece in the LA Times by a former Diplomat discusses, Israeli policies provided an “open season” to grab and confiscate more and more Palestinian lands, expand illegal settlements, scorn Muslim sensibilities regarding the sacred mosque on the Temple Mount, as well as constant lawless attacks on the Christian Churches, Orthodox and Catholic, which many Palestinians still adhere to, and promoting suicidal delusions about the reconstruction of the Biblical Temple in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu also sidelined and marginalized the more moderate Palestinian leadership of Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank, effectively beefing up the radical Hamas in Gaza.
It should be noted that Biden has ordered a US Navy aircraft carrier group to the eastern Mediterranean, including the largest and most modern aircraft carrier, and this will likely be more destabilizing than serving any peaceful purpose.
In Israel and Germany, you are not allowed to deny the Holocaust. And in Israel, you are not allow to mention the Nakar, the Arab way of describing the confiscation of Palestinian land and property, and the expulsion of the majority local population in mass to make way for Jewish settlers (refugees).
Gabor Mate, a child of Holocaust Survivors, says exactly what I have come to learn, about at whose expense and lives, human rights was the State of Israel established. It was not a Land without a People for a People without a Land, to say the least.
Both Palestinian and Israeli lives matter, but unfortunately nobody wants to say it in the west. Only the Israelis are people, apparently
“We have abolished all rules of warfare. Our soldiers will not be held responsible for anything. There will be no military courts,” — Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. It does not help an already out of control situation that unquestioned US support of Israel may bring about ‘Incredible Amounts of Misery’ for Gaza’s Civilians!
Where have we heard that sort of language before, pray tell?
But this time Israel society will be torn because for the first time they will die in mass, as have the Palestinians since the Israeli war of independence in 1948. This time, this war; even if military victory is won, will be a moral and strategic defeat. It will be different in the end, as is a huge hate is growing in many countries over what Israel has done, and is doing, and Israelis are no longer perceived as being so Lilly White innocent. The excuse of “but the Holocaust” is wearing thin, so thin that you can see through it.
As with the statement by Yoav Gallant, it is becoming clear that the state of Israel is converging with the criminals of the past that so persecuted the Jewish people in the 20th Century. Do we see the tragedy of “battered children’s syndrome” writ large on an entire nation? Where the abused becomes the abuser in turn?
Unfortunately, I believe so, and it hurts.
Seems now that no lives matter—Only Lies Matter!
It is soul tearing to have to revisit much of what I grew up believing, and to understand that I was both mislead and had deceived myself too
But too few are willing to look at the root causes of this conflict; fewer are willing to accept their share of the blame! Even when they do, it is often by happenstance when trying to fix the blame for recent events on “the other”.
Seth Ferris, investigative journalist and political scientist, expert on Middle Eastern affairs, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.