Solidarity with Palestine

[Purple]

After reading the Irish newspapers and listening to Irish radio and TV over the last few weeks I find it noteworthy that there is such interest in what Israel does whereas there is comparatively little reporting on other larger conflicts around the world. The bombing of a Girl's School in Kabul, which killed 85 people, received comparatively little coverage. The war in the Congo, the deadliest in the world since the Second World War, gets little or no coverage. The continued systemic oppression and mass killing of civilians by a European nation, Turkey's oppression of the Kurds, gets even less coverage.

I'm not in any way justifying Israel's actions in Gaza but why are we so obsessed with it while we care not a whit about much larger and bloodier conflicts?

 

[Peanuts20]

After reading the Irish newspapers and listening to Irish radio and TV over the last few weeks I find it noteworthy that there is such interest in what Israel does whereas there is comparatively little reporting on other larger conflicts around the world. The bombing of a Girl's School in Kabul, which killed 85 people, received comparatively little coverage. The war in the Congo, the deadliest in the world since the Second World War, gets little or no coverage. The continued systemic oppression and mass killing of civilians by a European nation, Turkey's oppression of the Kurds, gets even less coverage.

I'm not in any way justifying Israel's actions in Gaza but why are we so obsessed with it while we care not a whit about much larger and bloodier conflicts?

Couple of reasons immediately spring to mind,

1. it's closer to home
2. we have soldiers with the UN in the area (ok, next door in the Lebanon but only 150k or so away from Jerusalem) so if something major breaks out, they could be caught up in the middle of it.

Had we gone back to the 60's, then probably the Congo got more coverage here because of our UN involvement at the time.

Hate to say it as well, but the Gaza situation makes "easy" news since it is far easier captured on video then anything happening in the Congo

 

[Purple]

Couple of reasons immediately spring to mind,

1. it's closer to home
2. we have soldiers with the UN in the area (ok, next door in the Lebanon but only 150k or so away from Jerusalem) so if something major breaks out, they could be caught up in the middle of it.

Had we gone back to the 60's, then probably the Congo got more coverage here because of our UN involvement at the time.

Hate to say it as well, but the Gaza situation makes "easy" news since it is far easier captured on video then anything happening in the Congo

In our case I think it's more to do with how the terrorist campaigns of the PLO and the IRA were at their height in the 70's but globally Israel gets far more coverage than any other country for this sort of thing.
Turkey oppresses the Kurds far more than the Israeli's oppress the Palestinians. They have also killed far more Kurdish civilians. I might have missed it but I don't remember wee Mickey D jumping up and down about that. I don't remember the calls for boycotts of Turkish products. I'm not saying their should be either but the far left here seem to have to very selective about what conflicts they are interested in.

 

[odyssey06]

Hate to say it as well, but the Gaza situation makes "easy" news since it is far easier captured on video then anything happening in the Congo

And the most repressive regimes don't allow people to wander around reporting on their activities for long, they destroy evidence etc etc

 

[WolfeTone]

I'm not in any way justifying Israel's actions in Gaza but why are we so obsessed with it while we care not a whit about much larger and bloodier conflicts?

Fair point.

But I hazard a guess. The two-state solution has already been agreed and is supported by the international community at large. So Israel, who receives a lot of its military and economic capability from Western powers of EU and US, when it disregards the will of the international community a light will shine on the political administrations that are backing Israel and legitimately ask "what are you going to do about?", considering, there does appear to be a lot Western powers could do, but never to seem to do.

The attack in Afghanistan was horrendous. Allegedly by Taliban, who I assume Western powers do not hold much influence over? A pecularity in my view. Biden announced a short time before it that the US military will have pulled out of Afghanistan by Sept 11. Strange, the Taliban taking an action that may prolong that departure?

As for the Congo, correct, very little airtime is given to it. I would be near oblivious to what is occurring there.

 

[Baby boomer]

I'm not in any way justifying Israel's actions in Gaza but why are we so obsessed with it while we care not a whit about much larger and bloodier conflicts?

Gosh, I wonder. It is a bit odd alright. Perhaps there's something unique and special about the state of Israel that makes it a one of a kind nation. Some characteristic that's not shared by any of the other 200 odd states in the world. Whatever could it be? What is it about Israel's inhabitants that attracts so much negative comment? Would there be a history of singling out that type of people for special adverse treatment, at all?

Puzzling eh?

 

[Purple]

As for the Congo, correct, very little airtime is given to it. I would be near oblivious to what is occurring there.

There's a https://www.amazon.co.uk/Africas-World-War-Continental-Catastrophe/dp/0199754209 (great book on the subject), for those who are interested.

 

[Purple]

But I hazard a guess. The two-state solution has already been agreed and is supported by the international community at large. So Israel, who receives a lot of its military and economic capability from Western powers of EU and US, when it disregards the will of the international community a light will shine on the political administrations that are backing Israel and legitimately ask "what are you going to do about?", considering, there does appear to be a lot Western powers could do, but never to seem to do.

There are plenty of conflicts in which the international community has brokered an agreement only for the protagonists to break it. Israel exports more weapons and technology than it imports.

 

[WolfeTone]

There are plenty of conflicts in which the international community has brokered an agreement only for the protagonists to break it.

I know, I suppose what I am saying is the degree with which Western powers have invested in any peace-deal and its wider ramifications (perceived or otherwise) for economic and social stability in the region and possibly beyond that.
That, I presume, is a reason for increased media attention.

 

[Purple]

I know, I suppose what I am saying is the degree with which Western powers have invested in any peace-deal and its wider ramifications (perceived or otherwise) for economic and social stability in the region and possibly beyond that.
That, I presume, is a reason for increased media attention.

I agree. The Israeli lobby in the USA is, in my opinion, the main driver.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

@Purple a very good question. It is really in two parts.
Why does Israel get such focus? I think this goes back to WWII and the Cold War. The creation of Israel became a controversial reaction to the Holocaust and was a source of big power rivalry post war, and of course was the cause of wars which had potential to be far more widespread.
The second part is why do the left have a knee jerk anti Israel stance. There would be a small element of antisemitism ala Jeremy Corbyn, an element of "Jews are capitalist pigs" and a very big element of anti Americanism, itself dating back to the Cold War when the left yearned for Soviet supremacy.

 

[WolfeTone]

why do the left have a knee jerk anti Israel stance. There would be a small element of antisemitism

This is the knee-jerk reaction. Conflating anti-Israel policy with anti-semitisim.

There are plenty of Jews, both inside and outside Israel, who are as opposed to what the Israeli government are doing.

 

[Purple]

This is the knee-jerk reaction. Conflating anti-Israel policy with anti-semitisim.

There are plenty of Jews, both inside and outside Israel, who are as opposed to what the Israeli government are doing.

Yes, and there are also plenty of people who conflate 'Israeli' and 'Jewish' and both with supporting the policies of the current Israeli government. The recent spate of attacks against Jews across Europe and the USA is evidence of this.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

This is the knee-jerk reaction. Conflating anti-Israel policy with anti-semitisim.

There are plenty of Jews, both inside and outside Israel, who are as opposed to what the Israeli government are doing.

I said a small element of antisemitism. Antisemitism almost certainly implies anti Israel but I was not saying that it worked the other way round which would be a conflation. The main driver in anti Israel sentiment by the left is anti America. Your OP asks why does America not give an equal supply of anti missile capability to Hamas.

 

[WolfeTone]

Your OP asks why does America not give an equal supply of anti missile capability to Hamas.

Well it need not be the responsibility of the US, but I understand how my OP was read that way.
Simply, UN peace-keeping forces armed with capable anti-offensive weaponry on both sides so that international peace accords can be sustained.
It doesn't seem an unreasonable ask to me.

I said a small element of antisemitism.

Let's just say there is small elements of antisemitism, anti-black, anti-Traveller, anti-muslim, anti-Russian, etc, etc, pocketing all walks of life, across many societies.
Back to Israeli policy that, from my perspective, is intent on wiping Palestine off the face of the earth.

 

[Purple]

Let's just say there is small elements of antisemitism, anti-black, anti-Traveller, anti-muslim, anti-Russian, etc, etc, pocketing all walks of life, across many societies.

We in Ireland spend a lot of time and a lot of column inches condemning Israel while saying very little about Hamas or the hundreds of millions that the sainted the terrorist Arafat stole from his impoverished people. There is a narrative that somehow if only Israel behaved properly everything would be fine.
It seems okay to hate Israel and to imply complicity by all Jewish people.

Back to Israeli policy that, from my perspective, is intent on wiping Palestine off the face of the earth.

If Israel wanted to wipe them off the face of the earth then they'd do it and most of their neighbours would be delighted.

 

[WolfeTone]

We in Ireland spend a lot of time and a lot of column inches condemning Israel while saying very little about Hamas

I opened this topic simply because it was apparent to me, from what I gleam from several media sources, is that Israeli govt policy of confiscating and evicting Palestinians from their homes, and attacking muslims at prayer at holy sites in Jerusalem, provoked a (typical) response by Hamas, in turn, an excessive bombardment from Israel.
If you wish to open a thread about Hamas, or Arafat, or the Congo, by all means do. This would be preferable to wondering why little attention is given to them.

It seems okay to hate Israel and to imply complicity by all Jewish people.

Says who? This is the false propaganda narrative once more.
It is ok to hate, or be critical of, Israeli government policy. This is the second time in a few short posts that the anti-Israeli govt policy of systematic annexation of an internationally recognised state of Palestine is conflated with all Jewish people.

If Israel wanted to wipe them off the face of the earth then they'd do it and most of their neighbours would be delighted.

They are wiping them off the face of the earth.

Im not sure what neighbours you are referring to but my guess they are they unelected, theocratic, self-serving, privileged leaderships that is anathema to all we believe in, in the west.
If Israel wants to throw their hat in with this crowd then all the more reason to hold them account.

 

[Purple]

This is the second time in a few short posts that the anti-Israeli govt policy of systematic annexation of an internationally recognised state of Palestine is conflated with all Jewish people.

I and other are pointing out that there is a conflation in the minds of many people between Israeli government policy and Jewishness in general. That's some false narrative.

They are wiping them off the face of the earth.

No, they are still there. If Israel wanted to wipe them off the face of the Erath they'd have it done by the weekend.

Im not sure what neighbours you are referring to but my guess they are they unelected, theocratic, self-serving, privileged leaderships that is anathema to all we believe in, in the west.
If Israel wants to throw their hat in with this crowd then all the more reason to hold them account.

Okay, so Israel is held to a higher standard than its neighbours. Why is that?

 

[WolfeTone]

Israel is held to a higher standard than its neighbours. Why is that?

It is not held to a higher standard. Who holds them to a higher standard? All well and good wagging fingers at them but if no action is ever taken against them then they are not held to higher standard, rather a lower standard.

 

[WolfeTone]

No, they are still there. If Israel wanted to wipe them off the face of the Erath they'd have it done by the weekend.

They are wiping the nation state of Palestine off the map.