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RE: Question time, Israel!

in #israel7 years ago

I would just point out that it is more than a little misleading to say that 59 people were killed for throwing stones. The problem is that you often don't know if it is just people throwing stones or suicide bombers or something else until it is too late. Do you shoot first or wait to find out? It's not as if there is a shortage of of terrorist attacks in that area. Even if it just was people throwing stones in this case (which I'm not sure is clear) they initiated aggression against an armed people conditioned by a long history of violence against them to expect the worst. Probably not a smart move and the results are tragic and predictable.

To be clear, I don't support U.S. involvement in the Middle East. Whatever the motives, U.S. and European involvement there has only contributed to the chaos. If individual citizens want to give money to Israel then they should be free to do so but it should not be taken.

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I hear what you are saying, though that border/fence is illegal, and so is the occupation - under international law. So what are the shooters protecting then? an illegal barrier and blockade, now tell me this, if it was you kicked out of your house and banished behind a fence, would you not fight for it back? If so leave the keys to your house outside and I will be around later to claim it as mine, and I may just rent it back to you. P.S what car do I now drive of yours?

I just checked all the headlines, and did not see anyone getting back into their old lands Israel, I also saw no mention of suicide bombers, so misleading I am not.

The point is that they probably wouldn't know until it is too late. There were no suicide bombers THIS time but there have been plenty in the past and anyone with any sense of self preservation along that border is going to be aware of that and act accordingly when violence is initiated. You make it sound as though Israelis are out there enjoying target practice against helpless Palestinians and I don't think that is the mindset at all. That's what is misleading.

Also, Israel does not currently occupy Gaza and building a fence along a border is not illegal or a very many countries would be breaking that law. That border barrier is directly responsible for a large drop in suicide bombings and other terrorist attacks.

How many videos would satisfy you?

Satisfy what? Assuming this video represents what it claims to, it clearly isn't representative of the behavior of all Israeli's guarding the border or there would be many more dead. The Israelis' of course claim that Hamas uses people people disguised as civilians and even children to commit terror acts. Are they simply lying? Apparently not: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_suicide_bombers_in_the_Israeli%E2%80%93Palestinian_conflict

This wasn't a peaceful protest. Anyone guarding that border is going to be looking at all of those people as potential terrorists or suicide bombers because that's what history has shown. They have legitimate reasons to believe that more such attacks are coming. As bad as the above videos make things look, I wouldn't make a judgement without more context. What was going on before these videos for instance? It's easy to hate people you think want to kill you. Why the shock and outrage that committing violence along the border leads to people being shot? Like I said, tragic but predictable. I'm not trying to justify any one soldiers actions or decision to shoot, just pointing out that the behavior of the Israelis' as a whole is understandable given the circumstances. What is your solution? What exactly is it you think Israel should do?

Go back where they came from maybe? the fence is illegal under international law, as are the settlements, you either have a law for all or for none, which is it you want?

A border fence is not illegal and Israel has not had any settlements in the Gaza strip for a long time. Since 2005. Israel does not occupy Gaza.