ttbn,

I'm so sorry you feel this way.

However I believe, along with many historians, journalists,
authors,political commentators, as well as so many people
worldwide including Israelis and Palestinians,
that a true and unbiased understanding
of the past does offer the possibility of peace.

Whereas the distortion and manipulation of history, in contrast
as Prof. Ilan Pappe points out - will only sow
disaster.

Prof. Pappe says that
historical disinformation
- even of the most recent past can do tremendous harm.
He tells us that this wilfull misunderstanding of history and
current events can promote oppression and protect a regime of
colonization and occupation.

Pappe says that it is not surprising therefore that policies
of disinformation and distortion continue to the present and play
an important part in perpetuating the conflict, leaving very little
hope for the future.

I believe that people have to face up to the moral implications
of their actions. Truth is not that hard to see if you open
your eyes. I don't buy what's has been repeated endlessly in
the media - and what has been enforced by the military and
accepted without question by the world's governments - reinforcing
the regional status quo.

In any case - surely we can disagree on many issues
without resorting to labels and name calling.
We should be mature enough to do that.

I appreciate your telling me how you feel.

ttbn,

BTW - I am not sour and bitter. I have
been taught since childhood to try to
remain positive no matter what. And my secret
wish on this Forum is to finally make you see
that perhaps I'm not as bad as you think I am.

I certainly don't bear any ill-will towards you.
I often get the feeling that you are misunderstood.
And actually are a softie at heart.

Dear Foxy,

«I don't agree that criticisizing Israel makes you
a Jew-hater or that it's anti-Semitic to do so.
Many Jews are also critical of Israel.»

Correct.

Many who criticise Israel are not Jew-haters,
but there are also many Jew-haters who only criticise Israel because of that,
rather than because they have a genuine criticism of Israel.
Sadly there are also Jew-lovers who therefore automatically approve of anything Israel does, including its mistakes.

I perceive of this linkage between Israel and Jews as a grave historical mistake: the Israeli people need not suffer due to the world's perennial hatred of Jews, nor should worldwide Jews suffer from criticism and live in fear due to errors of Israel.

Israel is a state of its people, the Israelis.
The fact that most of them (but certainly not all) happen to also be Jews should not determine how Israel is treated - neither against nor in favour.

«Today-Israel's efforts to assert its right to self-defence»

What a flowery expression: Israel is not trying to assert anything - Israel is defending itself, period: that is the dictate of nature which neither animals (some plants even) nor humans escape, only saints who follow Jesus' advice to turn the other cheek.

«that labels Hamas as a terrorist group»

How else would you call a group that sows terror all around it?

Yes, following October the 7th, Israelis are in terror - you don't like that word? OK, then Israelis are since in constant fear for their lives, they are shaking, they tremble, they pee in their pants; and yes, they act accordingly, with whatever they have.

Israel can be legitimately criticised for many other things, but no other group would be similarly criticised for its natural reaction to the terror and existential threat which Hamas (and the other proxies of Iran) pose.

«It's becoming clear to many that Israel has waged a
ruthless campaign on land, sea, and air cutting off
Gaza's access to essentials...»

[continued...]

[...continued]

The way this sentence is constructed suggests an intentional direct connection between the two, which is simply not there in reality.

Yes, Israel has waged a ruthless campaign on land, sea, and air against Hamas.
The cutting off of Gaza's access to essentials, etc. etc., is a very regrettable side-effect, rather than the aim of that campaign.

«It now appears as though Israel - a state that claims to
represent Jews worldwide»

Only SOME idiots in Israel's government claim so.

«is mirroring the behaviour of its
Nazi oppressors»

The Nazis never oppressed Israel. You keep wrongly mixing up Israel with Jews.
In any case, the German Nazis had genocidal intentions and so do their Nazi friends in Israel's government, representing according to the latest polls only about 13% of Israel's population.

«And as many Jews worldwide and in Israel
cry - "Not in my name you don't!"»

That makes 87% of Israelis!

«It's too frightening to contemplate what could happen next
if this does not stop.»

And it will stop only when the Israeli hostages are released.
Do you want to help the poor Gazans? then protest for their immediate release!

«The Law of Return states that any Jew born anywhere in the
world can go and live in Israel. No Palestinian can. This
is wrong. It is not acceptable. And criticizing Israel for
it does not make anyone a Jew-hater.»

Fine, then go ahead and protest against Israel's Law of Return,
but not against Israel's necessary war of survival against Hamas and the other proxies of Iran.

Armchair Critic and Foxy are "...a sour and bitter pair..." Well if that ain't the pot calling the kettle black.

To date, the government of Israel has done nothing to convince me that the killing of thousands of innocent civilians is justified. I see it as an act of barbaric inhumanity. Until they can persuade me otherwise, I will call them out for it. Meanwhile, you can go right ahead and call me any of those intellectually lazy slogans the loony right so easily fall for.

Dear Critic,

True to your nickname, you only criticise but provide no alternative solutions.

If you oppose Israel's use of F-35s and smart bombs, then please suggest what alternate weapons it could use.
And should your solution be for Israel to lie down passively belly-up and allow itself to be raped, then please again, say so clearly.

«Are we talking about Israels's survival or Netanyahu's?»

Netanyahu is a goner, also a coward who lacks the basic courage to commit Harakiri and rather live in utter shame a few months longer or at best end up a refugee in America.
Israel's survival on the other hand, is now on the balance.

«Does Israel REALLY need to murder and starve so many innocent people 'in order to survive'?»

No, it doesn't, but unfortunately, due to Hamas using them as human shields, it cannot survive without killing a number of them.

«Israel / Jews seem to have this iron-fisted 'never-again' attitude, where they meter out extreme disproportionate revenge attacks»

I do not support revenge attacks, nor any linkage between Israel and Jews, I only support what is required for Israel's survival and unfortunately that requires attacking Hamas' underground infrastructure which cannot be reached in any other way.

«upon any Palestinian who dares to resist amongst an entire group of people that Israel routinely subjugates and oppresses.»

That I do not support, nor does my family.

«So maybe you should try and find a Plan B and consider something else.»

Israel tried, several times, it offered the local Arabs to have their own independent state, but they refused time and again.

Perhaps it is now your turn to suggest some Plan B?

«For me, I think the Netanyahu government has to go for starters and the IDF need to suffer some kind of serious military defeat before the country will ever change.»

Netanyahu WILL go and the country WILL change, no military defeat is needed.

«Go ahead and do what you did in 1948»

What I did in 1948?
How old do you think I am?

[continued...]