Politics & Stuff

[robsblubot 3,595]

Reassuring that a source of news like +972 Magazine, which is based in Tel Aviv, is allowed to exist. Not sure the same would be possible elsewhere.

[Vesper 30,091]

BREAKING: Israeli ambassador @TzipiHotovely rejects the idea of a two-state solution "The answer is absolutely no"

 

[Vesper 30,091]

Videos of Israeli soldiers acting maliciously emerge amid international outcry against tactics in Gaza

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/videos-of-israeli-soldiers-acting-maliciously-emerge-amid-international-outcry-against-tactics-in-gaza

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli soldiers rummaging through private homes in Gaza. Forces destroying plastic figurines in a toy store, or trying to burn food and water supplies in the back of an abandoned truck. Troops with their arms slung around each other, chanting racist slogans as they dance in a circle.

Several viral videos and photos of Israeli soldiers behaving in a derogatory manner in Gaza have emerged in recent days, creating a headache for the Israeli military as it faces an international outcry over its tactics and the rising civilian death toll in its punishing war against Hamas.

The Israeli army has pledged to take disciplinary action in what it says are a handful of isolated cases.

Such videos are not a new or unique phenomenon. Over the years, Israeli soldiers — and members of the U.S. and other militaries — have been caught on camera acting inappropriately or maliciously in conflict zones.

But critics say the new videos, largely shrugged off in Israel, reflect a national mood that is highly supportive of the war in Gaza, with little empathy for the plight of Gaza’s civilians.

WATCH: Biden warns Israel is losing global support over ‘indiscriminate bombing’ in Gaza

“The dehumanization from the top is very much sinking down to the soldiers,” said Dror Sadot, a spokeswoman for the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem, which has long documented Israeli abuses against Palestinians.

Israel has been embroiled in fierce combat in Gaza since Oct. 7, when Hamas militants raided southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took about 240 hostages.

More than 18,400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, around two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory. About 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced within the besieged territory.

The videos seem to have been uploaded by soldiers themselves during their time in Gaza.

In one, soldiers ride bicycles through rubble. In another, a soldier has moved Muslim prayer rugs into a bathroom. In another, a soldier films boxes of lingerie found in a Gaza home. Yet another shows a soldier trying to set fire to food and water supplies that are scarce in Gaza.

In a photo, an Israeli soldier sits in front of a room under the graffiti “Khan Younis Rabbinical Court.” Israeli forces have battled Hamas militants in and around the southern city, where the military opened a new line of attack last week.

In another photo, a soldier poses next to words spray-painted in red on a pink building that read, “instead of erasing graffiti, let’s erase Gaza.”

A video posted by conservative Israeli media personality Yinon Magal on X, formerly Twitter, shows dozens of soldiers dancing in a circle, apparently in Gaza, and singing a song that includes the words, “Gaza we have come to conquer. … We know our slogan – there are no people who are uninvolved.” The Israeli military blames Hamas for the civilian death toll, saying the group operates in crowded neighborhoods and uses residents as human shields.

The video, which Magal took from Facebook, has been viewed almost 200,000 times on his account and widely shared on other accounts.

Magal said he did not know the soldiers involved. But the AP has verified backgrounds, uniforms and language heard in the videos and found them to be consistent with independent reporting.

Magal said the video struck a chord among Israelis because of the popular tune and because Israelis need to see pictures of a strong military. It is based on the fight song of the Beitar Jerusalem soccer team, whose hard-core fans have a history of racist chants against Arabs and rowdy behavior.

“These are my fighters, they’re fighting against brutal murderers, and after what they did to us, I don’t have to defend myself to anyone,” Magal told The Associated Press.

He condemned some of the other videos that have surfaced, including the ransacking of the toy store, apparently in the northern area of Jebaliya, in which a soldier smashes toys and decapitates a plastic figurine, as destruction that is unnecessary for Israel’s security objectives.

On Sunday, the Israeli military’s spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, condemned some of the actions seen in the recent videos. “In any event that does not align with IDF values, command and disciplinary steps will be taken,” he said.

The videos emerged just days after leaked photos and video of detained Palestinians in Gaza, stripped to their underwear, in some cases blindfolded and handcuffed, also drew international attention. The army says it did not release those images, but Hagari said this week that soldiers have undressed Palestinian detainees to ensure they are not wearing explosive vests.

Osama Hamdan, a top Hamas official, aired the video of the soldier in the toy shop at a news conference in Beirut. He called the footage “disgusting.”

Hamas has come under heavy criticism for releasing a series of videos of Israeli hostages, clearly under duress. Hamas militants also wore bodycams during their Oct. 7 rampage, capturing violent images of deadly attacks on families in their homes and revelers at a dance party.

Ghassan Khatib, a former Palestinian Cabinet minister and peace negotiator, said he can’t remember a time when each side was so unwilling to consider the pain of the other.

“Previously, there are people that are interested in seeing from the two perspectives,” said Khatib, who teaches international relations at Beir Zeit University in the West Bank. “Now, each side is closed to its own narrative, its own information, rules, and perspective.”

Eran Halperin, a professor with Hebrew University’s psychology department who studies communal emotional responses to conflict, said that in previous wars between Israel and Hamas, there may have been more condemnation of these types of photos and videos from within Israeli society.

But he said the Oct. 7 attack, which exposed deep weaknesses and failures by the army, caused trauma and humiliation for Israelis in a way that hasn’t happened before.

“When people feel they were humiliated, hurting the source of this humiliation doesn’t feel as morally problematic,” Halperin said. “When people feel like their individual and collective existence is under threat, they don’t have the mental capacity to empathize or apply the moral rulings when thinking about the enemy.”

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0lnWqRCuqp/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=03a2a62c-c3a2-4dd1-8344-ce493a95c9ad

[Fulham Broadway 17,299]

3 hours ago, Vesper said:

Videos of Israeli soldiers acting maliciously emerge amid international outcry against tactics in Gaza

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/videos-of-israeli-soldiers-acting-maliciously-emerge-amid-international-outcry-against-tactics-in-gaza

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli soldiers rummaging through private homes in Gaza. Forces destroying plastic figurines in a toy store, or trying to burn food and water supplies in the back of an abandoned truck. Troops with their arms slung around each other, chanting racist slogans as they dance in a circle.

Several viral videos and photos of Israeli soldiers behaving in a derogatory manner in Gaza have emerged in recent days, creating a headache for the Israeli military as it faces an international outcry over its tactics and the rising civilian death toll in its punishing war against Hamas.

The Israeli army has pledged to take disciplinary action in what it says are a handful of isolated cases.

Such videos are not a new or unique phenomenon. Over the years, Israeli soldiers — and members of the U.S. and other militaries — have been caught on camera acting inappropriately or maliciously in conflict zones.

But critics say the new videos, largely shrugged off in Israel, reflect a national mood that is highly supportive of the war in Gaza, with little empathy for the plight of Gaza’s civilians.

WATCH: Biden warns Israel is losing global support over ‘indiscriminate bombing’ in Gaza

“The dehumanization from the top is very much sinking down to the soldiers,” said Dror Sadot, a spokeswoman for the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem, which has long documented Israeli abuses against Palestinians.

Israel has been embroiled in fierce combat in Gaza since Oct. 7, when Hamas militants raided southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took about 240 hostages.

More than 18,400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, around two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory. About 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced within the besieged territory.

The videos seem to have been uploaded by soldiers themselves during their time in Gaza.

In one, soldiers ride bicycles through rubble. In another, a soldier has moved Muslim prayer rugs into a bathroom. In another, a soldier films boxes of lingerie found in a Gaza home. Yet another shows a soldier trying to set fire to food and water supplies that are scarce in Gaza.

In a photo, an Israeli soldier sits in front of a room under the graffiti “Khan Younis Rabbinical Court.” Israeli forces have battled Hamas militants in and around the southern city, where the military opened a new line of attack last week.

In another photo, a soldier poses next to words spray-painted in red on a pink building that read, “instead of erasing graffiti, let’s erase Gaza.”

A video posted by conservative Israeli media personality Yinon Magal on X, formerly Twitter, shows dozens of soldiers dancing in a circle, apparently in Gaza, and singing a song that includes the words, “Gaza we have come to conquer. … We know our slogan – there are no people who are uninvolved.” The Israeli military blames Hamas for the civilian death toll, saying the group operates in crowded neighborhoods and uses residents as human shields.

The video, which Magal took from Facebook, has been viewed almost 200,000 times on his account and widely shared on other accounts.

Magal said he did not know the soldiers involved. But the AP has verified backgrounds, uniforms and language heard in the videos and found them to be consistent with independent reporting.

Magal said the video struck a chord among Israelis because of the popular tune and because Israelis need to see pictures of a strong military. It is based on the fight song of the Beitar Jerusalem soccer team, whose hard-core fans have a history of racist chants against Arabs and rowdy behavior.

“These are my fighters, they’re fighting against brutal murderers, and after what they did to us, I don’t have to defend myself to anyone,” Magal told The Associated Press.

He condemned some of the other videos that have surfaced, including the ransacking of the toy store, apparently in the northern area of Jebaliya, in which a soldier smashes toys and decapitates a plastic figurine, as destruction that is unnecessary for Israel’s security objectives.

On Sunday, the Israeli military’s spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, condemned some of the actions seen in the recent videos. “In any event that does not align with IDF values, command and disciplinary steps will be taken,” he said.

The videos emerged just days after leaked photos and video of detained Palestinians in Gaza, stripped to their underwear, in some cases blindfolded and handcuffed, also drew international attention. The army says it did not release those images, but Hagari said this week that soldiers have undressed Palestinian detainees to ensure they are not wearing explosive vests.

Osama Hamdan, a top Hamas official, aired the video of the soldier in the toy shop at a news conference in Beirut. He called the footage “disgusting.”

Hamas has come under heavy criticism for releasing a series of videos of Israeli hostages, clearly under duress. Hamas militants also wore bodycams during their Oct. 7 rampage, capturing violent images of deadly attacks on families in their homes and revelers at a dance party.

Ghassan Khatib, a former Palestinian Cabinet minister and peace negotiator, said he can’t remember a time when each side was so unwilling to consider the pain of the other.

“Previously, there are people that are interested in seeing from the two perspectives,” said Khatib, who teaches international relations at Beir Zeit University in the West Bank. “Now, each side is closed to its own narrative, its own information, rules, and perspective.”

Eran Halperin, a professor with Hebrew University’s psychology department who studies communal emotional responses to conflict, said that in previous wars between Israel and Hamas, there may have been more condemnation of these types of photos and videos from within Israeli society.

But he said the Oct. 7 attack, which exposed deep weaknesses and failures by the army, caused trauma and humiliation for Israelis in a way that hasn’t happened before.

“When people feel they were humiliated, hurting the source of this humiliation doesn’t feel as morally problematic,” Halperin said. “When people feel like their individual and collective existence is under threat, they don’t have the mental capacity to empathize or apply the moral rulings when thinking about the enemy.”

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0lnWqRCuqp/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=03a2a62c-c3a2-4dd1-8344-ce493a95c9ad

They wouldnt be so arrogant without 3.9 billion of US hi tech weaponry given every year. They also have a history of this. Last time they invaded gaza they smeared human shit all over the kids paintings in Kindergarten

[KEVINAA 129]

Elon Musk brought in Israeli tech company CHEQ that is Israeli they will suppress any truth.

 

 

 

 

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

3 hours ago, KEVINAA said:

Elon Musk brought in Israeli tech company CHEQ that is Israeli they will suppress any truth.

 

 

 

 

its hilarious that people ever thought the apartheid love child Elon Musk would ever take a stand against Israel. He knows where his bread is buttered, and when the rest of the world turned against his fatherland in the 80's who was on his side in suppressing the natives.

Elon will always be someone who bends the knee to their will because their will is HIS will.

[Fernando 6,585]

Yes at this rate Israel will lose all international support. 

But then again that same thing happened to Russia and nothing is happening to them. Even with the sanctions. 

I wonder how much of the support really impacts as we thought that Russia would cave and they seem to gotten stronger then before. 

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

Just now, Fernando said:

Yes at this rate Israel will lose all international support. 

But then again that same thing happened to Russia and nothing is happening to them. Even with the sanctions. 

I wonder how much of the support really impacts as we thought that Russia would cave and they seem to gotten stronger then before. 

I wouldnt be too sure nothing is happening to Russia:

 

Russia has lost 87% of troops it had prior to start of Ukraine war, according to US intelligence assessment

 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/12/politics/russia-troop-losses-us-intelligence-assessment/index.html

Not to take into account the massive number who are being lost with conscription now. A nation cant give up that many productive age men and remain healthy or normal. It depresses productivity, the economy, and on a family level simply means there are no viable men for the women. There was a reason why the Russian Male order bride thing was so huge even during my childhood 40+ years after the end of WW2. That is going to be the reality at the end of this, for Russians and Ukrainians.

 

[Fulham Broadway 17,299]

 

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

Kanye is off his meds again, and hinting at a 2024 run:

 

[Vesper 30,091]

 

Trump quotes Putin and Hitler at NH rally

Trump says immigrants are ‘poisoning the blood of our country.’ Biden campaign likens comments to Hitler.

Lindsey Graham: 'I could care less' what language Trump uses to describe migrants

Trump notes he was indicted more times than the 'great' Al Capone
 

Edited December 18, 2023 by Vesper

[cosmicway 1,333]

Can Trump appoint a substitute in case he is barred from running for president ?
Obviously it won't be Mike Pence but some of the magas around.
So the substitute is elected and Trump is given the unofficial title "president of the people".

It is something we 've seen before, especially with football managers.
Take for example the Polish Yacek Gmoch.
Manager of Panathinaikos in the eighties, gets red carded, for one month he was not allowed to be on the bench.
What did Panathinaikos do ?
Panathinaikos had a small wrestling arena next to the football field.
Once upon a time, many many years ago, one of the wrestlers was "the monster from outer space".
It was a gimmick really and to make it look more natural they had placed the "monster" in an iron cage, brought it to the ringside and released the monster there to fight the Greek champion.
So this cage still existed somewhere and could also be suspended with chains from the edge of the terrace.
So Gmoch was placed inside, as the cage was not touching the floor it was ok and he was able to shout commands to the players during the month he served his punishment.
A trick like that I think can be used.

[KEVINAA 129]

Deleted post

Edited December 22, 2023 by KEVINAA

[Fulham Broadway 17,299]

Just watching Palestinian grandmother finding bits of her grandaughters, legs, head body parts in the rubble of their flattened house. Those brave Israeli F16 bombers.

[Fernando 6,585]

Mass shooting in Prague. How is that possible? Are they like usa? In favor of guns?