Qasim, just as there is no free, open, truthful press in this country - only a shamefully irresponsible and incompetent mouthpiece media - there is also an absence of any real and functional international court system with teeth that is able and willing to dispense evenhanded criminal justice globally. This is still the wild wild west where might makes right and the weak be damned. Greed trumps compassion and sanity, wealth and armaments trump respect and mercy, impunity trumps outrage. Only in such a dysfunctional world could rapacious, bloodthirsty, depraved entities like nazisrael, amerikkka and the rest thrive. That's why all of this mindless, depraved brutality is truly shocking by all with consciences, but not surprising from a historical perspective.
If the litmus test of the uncommitted movement is that any candidate they'd vote for has to oppose Israel's genocide, then it's up to the candidates to oppose aiding and abetting that genocide.
.
.
It'd be difficult for Democrats to take on the power of the Israel Lobby but Democrats could turn this issue into an political win despite opposition from the Israel Lobby.
If they make a political case against foreign election interference with Israel buying seats in our Congress and manipulating our elections so that our politicians unconditionally fund their war crimes, then that would be a message that would appeal to any American who truly cares about our democracy and every penny the Israel Lobby spends would be proof of their election interference.
That would also need to be paired with a moral case against apartheid and genocide; both of which is real is guilty of. This would need to be Kamala Harris's first legitimate break with the Biden administration's policy towards Israel. This is a double-edged sword because without that break Kamala Harris will not earn back the support of the uncommitted movement which could cost the election. Alternatively coming out in favor of any sort of human rights conditions on the aid we send Israel will be portrayed by the pro-war fake news as betraying Israel, supporting a terrorist organization in Hamas, and will result in the Israel Lobby spending millions and millions of dollars to make sure democrats do not win in November. It is an extremely difficult situation, but it is manageable. I know it sounds far fetched but democrats need to acknowledge the reality of the situation, embrace the truth, and oppose war crimes even when Israel commits them. If Kamala Harris is able to come out and say;
‘Look Israel is not the vibrant democracy which respects human rights like we thought it was and right now religious fundamentalists in that nation are committing genocidal war crimes so America can no longer be complicit so if elected we would cut off the offensive weapons we've been supplying them until they;
-Commit to a legitimate 2 state solution
-End their use of starvation as a weapon of war
-End their indiscriminate bombing of Gaza
-End their aggression against other nations in the region
-Turn over Israeli war criminals to the ICC
-And end their apartheid occupation of illegally annexed Palestinian territory’
Then the truth combined with those utterly reasonable and moral policy proposals would be enough to win back the uncommitted movement while not turning away normie voters in the general election.
.
.
Democrats would also need to accurately portray Trump and the GOP as “Israel First,” which they are. Dems could campaign against Trump's Israel first agenda where he wants to send war criminals endless money and weapons with absolutely no red lines whatsoever during an active genocide, an agenda created by the “AIPAC babysitters” every Republican member of Congress has. So basically;
-Democrats should embrace the Leahy laws and advocate for a new law called “Ending the Israel Exemption” which makes clear that all US human rights conditions on foreign aid must be enforced on foreign aid to every nation, even Israel.
-Democrats should advocate to end the political manipulation of groups like the Israel Lobby by regulating campaign finance
-Democrats should offer the clear political choice between themselves supporting human rights & opposing genocide while Republicans oppose Palestinian human rights while supporting Israel's ongoing genocide.
Very well stated, William. You've clearly devoted a lot of thought to these sensible suggestions. I just fear that the honesty, foresight, clear thinking, commitment, collaboration, morality and courage that would be required is not sufficiently available where it would be required. Sad......
Qasim, for your readers who might not know this "The Lancet" is a very highly esteemed British medical journal.
If there was no other proof, the Israelis have very recently killed some very high level Hamas leaders who were in unmarked homes, in other countries, in the middle of the night. The Israelis are not remotely believable when they claim to be being strategically careful to spare innocent Palestinians (men, women, children, and babies), and aid workers, and journalists. In 1948, when the country was founded, they were able to find, apprehend, bring back for trial, convict, and execute Nazis from as far away as South America, without benefit of sophisticated intelligence, computers, or drones. And today, they can find and kill Hamas leaders in unmarked apartment buildings, in other countries, in the middle of the night. They have tried occasionally to claim that the assassinations of innocent civilians was a mistake. They're careful and precise, and they don't make mistakes like that. They can't complain that they're simply incompetent. The fact is that have consistently, for the life of the country, lied about their real goal, which they're achieving now. It's a wonder Biden took them at face value. Every hour of every day that Harris buys into this criminality, innocent people (not Biden, Harris, their families, or anyone they know) get killed. "Legacy," indeed. Biden will live with his for a while. Harris longer.
Why is Israel like this? They said never again, to the nazis, then do it thensekves? What does rape achieve? What gets them off on this? They know better, surely.
Everything in this article is horrific. Humans know better than to be like this by now. I dont see any excuses to avoid peace. Peace be on Palestine. Peace be on Israel. Peace to think clearly and stand up to this horror and cowardice. Rape is cowardice. Drones are cowardice... Oh, the whole lot... Its just got to stop. It cant be about sides, anymore. We are humans. We are jusr humans. Raping hurts the rapist, as well as the victim. Nobody wins. Nobody wins like this.
"State Dept calls for Israel to investigate allegations of ‘horrific’ sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees"
Something 'horrifically' wrong with this picture. Calling on the perpetrators to investigate themselves? And the complicitous U.S. government is all-of-a-sudden requesting investigations into decades-long criminal behavior of its ally - Israel? Hey - got a new joyous Blue Team ready to take over. Not to worry.
If it weren’t for Al Jazeera reports, I would not know the unnecessary day to day deaths in Gaza. Americans are oblivious because their news is not diverse IMO. IMO, It’s oligarchs against the rest of the world in American media. There IS A PATH TO PEACE & IT IS NOT AIPAC!
It's wrong to characterize the rioters protesting the arrest of Israeli soldiers accused of abusing Palestinian detainees as 'pro-rape' or demanding the right to rape Palestinians. I do not mean to justify the riot or the abuse of Palestinian prisoners, but they are angry because Israeli soldiers were set to be punished for abusing Palestinians while Hamas continues to hold innocent Israelis hostage in Gaza and abuse them without consequence. It's possible to understand how they feel, even if legally and morally they are in the wrong.
In my lifetime, 50+ years as a female American citizen, I have personally watched Israel sexually assault & bomb Palestinians(& then they wonder about agitation), FOR DECADES. It is literally mentioned in my USA graduate yearbook! History is not lost on me like the generations that might be younger than me. I support Jewish voices for peace because as a non-religious person, I know like them, peace & a separation of church & state is the only way FOR ANY DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY or any country!
Fascinating hill to die on, especially when in the Knesset members of Israeli government said that raping Palestinians is justified and no one should stop soldiers from doing so.
Not being prosecuted, does not remove the fact of rape, sexual assault, community assault, or death. I think VP Kamala Harris has layed this out beautifully in multiple speeches. I am 💯 with you Qasim. I have personally seen Palestinians persecuted in my 51 years on earth. It’s even mentioned in my USA yearbook from 1990. Israel needs to understand what they have done over decades. I am not anti- Israel, but I am anti Netanyahu.
It's plain from the videos that the rioters were not merely "protesting", they were attempting to physically prevent the soldiers from being arrested on charges of rape. If you are fighting police to prevent them from arresting rapists, you are at least "anti-consequences for rape" and most people would say that is not importantly different from "pro-rape".
If only there was something to stop the bloodshed from the war declared by Hamas on Oct. 7th...
Qasim, just as there is no free, open, truthful press in this country - only a shamefully irresponsible and incompetent mouthpiece media - there is also an absence of any real and functional international court system with teeth that is able and willing to dispense evenhanded criminal justice globally. This is still the wild wild west where might makes right and the weak be damned. Greed trumps compassion and sanity, wealth and armaments trump respect and mercy, impunity trumps outrage. Only in such a dysfunctional world could rapacious, bloodthirsty, depraved entities like nazisrael, amerikkka and the rest thrive. That's why all of this mindless, depraved brutality is truly shocking by all with consciences, but not surprising from a historical perspective.
If the litmus test of the uncommitted movement is that any candidate they'd vote for has to oppose Israel's genocide, then it's up to the candidates to oppose aiding and abetting that genocide.
.
.
It'd be difficult for Democrats to take on the power of the Israel Lobby but Democrats could turn this issue into an political win despite opposition from the Israel Lobby.
If they make a political case against foreign election interference with Israel buying seats in our Congress and manipulating our elections so that our politicians unconditionally fund their war crimes, then that would be a message that would appeal to any American who truly cares about our democracy and every penny the Israel Lobby spends would be proof of their election interference.
That would also need to be paired with a moral case against apartheid and genocide; both of which is real is guilty of. This would need to be Kamala Harris's first legitimate break with the Biden administration's policy towards Israel. This is a double-edged sword because without that break Kamala Harris will not earn back the support of the uncommitted movement which could cost the election. Alternatively coming out in favor of any sort of human rights conditions on the aid we send Israel will be portrayed by the pro-war fake news as betraying Israel, supporting a terrorist organization in Hamas, and will result in the Israel Lobby spending millions and millions of dollars to make sure democrats do not win in November. It is an extremely difficult situation, but it is manageable. I know it sounds far fetched but democrats need to acknowledge the reality of the situation, embrace the truth, and oppose war crimes even when Israel commits them. If Kamala Harris is able to come out and say;
‘Look Israel is not the vibrant democracy which respects human rights like we thought it was and right now religious fundamentalists in that nation are committing genocidal war crimes so America can no longer be complicit so if elected we would cut off the offensive weapons we've been supplying them until they;
-Commit to a legitimate 2 state solution
-End their use of starvation as a weapon of war
-End their indiscriminate bombing of Gaza
-End their aggression against other nations in the region
-Turn over Israeli war criminals to the ICC
-And end their apartheid occupation of illegally annexed Palestinian territory’
Then the truth combined with those utterly reasonable and moral policy proposals would be enough to win back the uncommitted movement while not turning away normie voters in the general election.
.
.
Democrats would also need to accurately portray Trump and the GOP as “Israel First,” which they are. Dems could campaign against Trump's Israel first agenda where he wants to send war criminals endless money and weapons with absolutely no red lines whatsoever during an active genocide, an agenda created by the “AIPAC babysitters” every Republican member of Congress has. So basically;
-Democrats should embrace the Leahy laws and advocate for a new law called “Ending the Israel Exemption” which makes clear that all US human rights conditions on foreign aid must be enforced on foreign aid to every nation, even Israel.
-Democrats should advocate to end the political manipulation of groups like the Israel Lobby by regulating campaign finance
-Democrats should offer the clear political choice between themselves supporting human rights & opposing genocide while Republicans oppose Palestinian human rights while supporting Israel's ongoing genocide.
Very well stated, William. You've clearly devoted a lot of thought to these sensible suggestions. I just fear that the honesty, foresight, clear thinking, commitment, collaboration, morality and courage that would be required is not sufficiently available where it would be required. Sad......
Qasim, for your readers who might not know this "The Lancet" is a very highly esteemed British medical journal.
If there was no other proof, the Israelis have very recently killed some very high level Hamas leaders who were in unmarked homes, in other countries, in the middle of the night. The Israelis are not remotely believable when they claim to be being strategically careful to spare innocent Palestinians (men, women, children, and babies), and aid workers, and journalists. In 1948, when the country was founded, they were able to find, apprehend, bring back for trial, convict, and execute Nazis from as far away as South America, without benefit of sophisticated intelligence, computers, or drones. And today, they can find and kill Hamas leaders in unmarked apartment buildings, in other countries, in the middle of the night. They have tried occasionally to claim that the assassinations of innocent civilians was a mistake. They're careful and precise, and they don't make mistakes like that. They can't complain that they're simply incompetent. The fact is that have consistently, for the life of the country, lied about their real goal, which they're achieving now. It's a wonder Biden took them at face value. Every hour of every day that Harris buys into this criminality, innocent people (not Biden, Harris, their families, or anyone they know) get killed. "Legacy," indeed. Biden will live with his for a while. Harris longer.
Why is Israel like this? They said never again, to the nazis, then do it thensekves? What does rape achieve? What gets them off on this? They know better, surely.
Everything in this article is horrific. Humans know better than to be like this by now. I dont see any excuses to avoid peace. Peace be on Palestine. Peace be on Israel. Peace to think clearly and stand up to this horror and cowardice. Rape is cowardice. Drones are cowardice... Oh, the whole lot... Its just got to stop. It cant be about sides, anymore. We are humans. We are jusr humans. Raping hurts the rapist, as well as the victim. Nobody wins. Nobody wins like this.
From a report I read, Al-Ghoul and Al-Refee had just come from covering/interviewing Ismail Haniyeh, "just before" he was assassinated.
Wow. That only adds to the atrocity that this was intentional.
CNN Headline:
"State Dept calls for Israel to investigate allegations of ‘horrific’ sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees"
Something 'horrifically' wrong with this picture. Calling on the perpetrators to investigate themselves? And the complicitous U.S. government is all-of-a-sudden requesting investigations into decades-long criminal behavior of its ally - Israel? Hey - got a new joyous Blue Team ready to take over. Not to worry.
I mean…blue team is in charge right now. We need to up the pressure to demand accountability.
If it weren’t for Al Jazeera reports, I would not know the unnecessary day to day deaths in Gaza. Americans are oblivious because their news is not diverse IMO. IMO, It’s oligarchs against the rest of the world in American media. There IS A PATH TO PEACE & IT IS NOT AIPAC!
It's wrong to characterize the rioters protesting the arrest of Israeli soldiers accused of abusing Palestinian detainees as 'pro-rape' or demanding the right to rape Palestinians. I do not mean to justify the riot or the abuse of Palestinian prisoners, but they are angry because Israeli soldiers were set to be punished for abusing Palestinians while Hamas continues to hold innocent Israelis hostage in Gaza and abuse them without consequence. It's possible to understand how they feel, even if legally and morally they are in the wrong.
In my lifetime, 50+ years as a female American citizen, I have personally watched Israel sexually assault & bomb Palestinians(& then they wonder about agitation), FOR DECADES. It is literally mentioned in my USA graduate yearbook! History is not lost on me like the generations that might be younger than me. I support Jewish voices for peace because as a non-religious person, I know like them, peace & a separation of church & state is the only way FOR ANY DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY or any country!
Fascinating hill to die on, especially when in the Knesset members of Israeli government said that raping Palestinians is justified and no one should stop soldiers from doing so.
Not being prosecuted, does not remove the fact of rape, sexual assault, community assault, or death. I think VP Kamala Harris has layed this out beautifully in multiple speeches. I am 💯 with you Qasim. I have personally seen Palestinians persecuted in my 51 years on earth. It’s even mentioned in my USA yearbook from 1990. Israel needs to understand what they have done over decades. I am not anti- Israel, but I am anti Netanyahu.
It's plain from the videos that the rioters were not merely "protesting", they were attempting to physically prevent the soldiers from being arrested on charges of rape. If you are fighting police to prevent them from arresting rapists, you are at least "anti-consequences for rape" and most people would say that is not importantly different from "pro-rape".