Ok, but describing it as a war is completely devoid of context. What happened was an atrocity, clearly. However, what do you expect given the situation the israeli government has been enforcing on Gaza for the last 18 years (the blockade began years before its official pronouncement)
You do understand that half of the population of gaza is under 18? Born into a blockade that bars medicine, imports of virtually every kind, allows in less than the medically advised calories per person per day? Ensures electricity only works 2-4 hours a day? The water is highly contaminated. The IDF Makes it impossible for gazans to leave, virtually. Destroys crops, wounds and kills women, children and elderly regularly, and does a whole host of other inhuman things - like testing out military hardware and crowd control techniques before being out on the market. It’s been going on for a very long time, but the last 18 years have been the pinnacle. You tell me if you grew up in that, which Amnesty, HRW and even David Cameron call “an open air prison” - one of the most densely populated areas on earth and absolutely the most surveilled, are you really telling me that situation isn’t going to give birth to violence?? And that in that context, both sides bear equally responsible??
Before this, in the last 4 years, hamas rockets had killed 50 or so. This year alone before recent events, israeli forces had killed nearly 300 gazans, injuring many many more. Like, crippling them.
98% of gazan children suffer from PTSD, depression. Suicide rates are really high. 50% of the working age are unemployed, with no hope of getting a job. 2.5 million people squeezed into a tiny strip of land. Forgotten by the entire western political system except when it is time to “condemn” them. And you feel we now need to be even handed? I would accept that if we were in any way even handed all the time. But no, we forget the Gazans until they lash out and then we stick the boot in. And now we are supporting horrors that make last week look like an amateur production of Scream. Which, i repeat, were an atrocity. But an inevitable atrocity that Israel and our western media and political class bear a big part of the blame for. Some of the people born into that kind of vicious extremity will lash out with extremity. Itnis entirely predictable.
Imagine being 18, it’s all you’ve known. You’ve lost brothers/sisters, parents, cousins, girlfriend, grandparents (that level of trauma is not uncommon in families from Gaza) and just over that fence, which you can never cross or even get within 300m without fear of a sniper taking a leg, you can see the land of comparative plenty. With your oppressors (in your mind - you’re a kid still) living it up whilst all you know is horror. Are you really telling me you are 100% certain you wouldn't lash out……?
I watched plenty in way less extreme circumstances sign up for the IRA back home. Many had it comparatively tough, but it was a picnic in heaven in comparison to what daily life in Gaza is like and has been like for 18 plus years.
The above is not a story oft told in our media. But read the reports from the UN, Amnesty and HRW. It is factually accurate.
So, all that said, Israel gets a lot of coverage, apologies, permission and sympathy while the Gazans are roundly condemned. I think in this case it is moral to do everything to highlight their side of the story. And i can do that, and still say last week was an atrocity.
Ok, but describing it as a war is completely devoid of context. What happened was an atrocity, clearly. However, what do you expect given the situation the israeli government has been enforcing on Gaza for the last 18 years (the blockade began years before its official pronouncement)
You do understand that half of the population of gaza is under 18? Born into a blockade that bars medicine, imports of virtually every kind, allows in less than the medically advised calories per person per day? Ensures electricity only works 2-4 hours a day? The water is highly contaminated. The IDF Makes it impossible for gazans to leave, virtually. Destroys crops, wounds and kills women, children and elderly regularly, and does a whole host of other inhuman things - like testing out military hardware and crowd control techniques before being out on the market. It’s been going on for a very long time, but the last 18 years have been the pinnacle. You tell me if you grew up in that, which Amnesty, HRW and even David Cameron call “an open air prison” - one of the most densely populated areas on earth and absolutely the most surveilled, are you really telling me that situation isn’t going to give birth to violence?? And that in that context, both sides bear equally responsible??
Before this, in the last 4 years, hamas rockets had killed 50 or so. This year alone before recent events, israeli forces had killed nearly 300 gazans, injuring many many more. Like, crippling them.
98% of gazan children suffer from PTSD, depression. Suicide rates are really high. 50% of the working age are unemployed, with no hope of getting a job. 2.5 million people squeezed into a tiny strip of land. Forgotten by the entire western political system except when it is time to “condemn” them. And you feel we now need to be even handed? I would accept that if we were in any way even handed all the time. But no, we forget the Gazans until they lash out and then we stick the boot in. And now we are supporting horrors that make last week look like an amateur production of Scream. Which, i repeat, were an atrocity. But an inevitable atrocity that Israel and our western media and political class bear a big part of the blame for. Some of the people born into that kind of vicious extremity will lash out with extremity. Itnis entirely predictable.
Imagine being 18, it’s all you’ve known. You’ve lost brothers/sisters, parents, cousins, girlfriend, grandparents (that level of trauma is not uncommon in families from Gaza) and just over that fence, which you can never cross or even get within 300m without fear of a sniper taking a leg, you can see the land of comparative plenty. With your oppressors (in your mind - you’re a kid still) living it up whilst all you know is horror. Are you really telling me you are 100% certain you wouldn't lash out……?
I watched plenty in way less extreme circumstances sign up for the IRA back home. Many had it comparatively tough, but it was a picnic in heaven in comparison to what daily life in Gaza is like and has been like for 18 plus years.
The above is not a story oft told in our media. But read the reports from the UN, Amnesty and HRW. It is factually accurate.
So, all that said, Israel gets a lot of coverage, apologies, permission and sympathy while the Gazans are roundly condemned. I think in this case it is moral to do everything to highlight their side of the story. And i can do that, and still say last week was an atrocity.
Go on, explain to me how this is tone deaf?
And how this represents a far left position?