Hamas strike on Israel - Threadbans in op - mod warning in OP updated 19/10/23

The word in Arabic means "Effort" and can be applied to any endeavor as I have mentioned. So yes, that's what it means. Muslims use the term a lot in their personal everyday lives when striving for something. They ask Allah's help in their Jihad against tobacco, for example, or their children's efforts to pass their exams. Etc. It can be applied to anything. And it's not "A Jihad", its simply "Jihad".

Yes, the hypocrisy is startling. It goes back to what I said earlier; I am appalled by war crimes when the side I oppose commit them, but when the side I support commit them, then they are a 'mistake'- there is a context. This is why some will rant about the violence of others, but defend to the hilt violence pursued in the name of ideals they believe in. All the while oblivious to their own double standards on the use of violence . This is why they can be appalled by the savagery of Hamas, but will stay silent in relation to settler violence and the brutal actions of Lehi in the past. Who in reality were no different to Hamas in their bloodlust and savagery.

It has already happened. Israel is a busted flush on the international stage : most people in future will think 'terrorist state' rather than western liberal democracy when their name comes up. They've let the mask slip a good bit in the last couple of months.

This is journo Owen Jones

My transcript:

Scroll to: 14:30 / 25:23

Owen Jones said:

“Watching this film of horrors, and they are horrors, does not lead me to want to support other horrors. Watching innocent civilians being killed in Israel does not make me more likely to support killing more innocent civilians in Gaza. Indeed, several times over more innocent civilians. The fact that this is controversial. And I know that for those who supported the screening and its purpose find this controversial, is absurd. You have a choice when you learn of the horrors that humans are capable of inflicting against each other, you either allow these horrors to deepen your humanity, or you use those horrors to numb your humanity, so that you can become complicit in even more, and indeed often, greater horrors. This is a very basic and fundamental lesson from human history which is never learned, with a grave human cost.” […]

0:49 / 25:23

‘I Watched The Hamas Massacre Film. Here Are My Thoughts.’

Nov 27, 2023​

"I was invited to watch a screening - organised by the IDF - of the Hamas atrocities committed on 7th October. Here's my response in detail. "When you learn of the horrors which humans are capable of inflicting against each other, you either allow these horrors to deepen your humanity or you use those horrors to numb your humanity so that you can be complicit in even more, and indeed often, greater horrors."

StarryPlough01: ^ Owen Jones couldn’t go along with the purpose of the screening. What happened does not justify the genocide in Gaza. There is one act of terrorism that is seared into Owen’s memory.

The Israeli police admitted there's a lack of forensic evidence. The women (girls?) weren’t questioned by trauma informed health agencies / professionals.

I also heard reports and read that the Israeli health agencies did not ask the women about rape. These people are appropriately trained in cultural competency… and how to frame sensitive questions, etc. It could even be in the form of a questionnaire. It didn't happen. We await the conclusion of the Israeli investigation, with documented evidence, for public scrutiny.

TIMES OF ISRAEL

‘Amid war and urgent need to ID bodies, evidence of Hamas’s October 7 rapes slips away’

‘Despite definitive witness testimony, global skepticism persists about the terrorists' sexual crimes. ToI investigates how a mass-casualty event in a war zone made forensic determination impossible’

By Carrie Keller-Lynn

9 November 2023, 3:18 pm

https://www.timesofisrael.com/amid-...nce-of-hamass-october-7-rapes-slips-away/amp/

Yes, economies built on primary industry are more likely to be ruled by autocratic governments. Once an economy requires a well educated workforce and a domestic consumer market it is harder to maintain that top down system of government. When you think of dictators or dictatorial government around the world, from Russia to Venezuela to the Gulf States to many African countries they usually have economies that are mainly reliant on the export of primary produce. Where they don't the government usually relies on the sponsorship of a large foreign power. Examples of these include the dictators that the US kept in power in Central and South America.

And in the context of what was being chanted at that protest the meaning is unambiguous and is a call of a holy war against Israel.

I was talking about both Israelis and Palestinians. Just stating that all these people want is a quiet life, no trouble. just like me and you.

How you managed to conclude what you did is frankly astonishing, especially your last para.

where you ever in Israel?

And for the record - the snip of yours actually referred to the Palestinian carpenter I used to give a lift to, if you read carefully...

But the phrase would equally apply to the very elderly Jewish father of a Jewish friend.

I don't think he is

The longer this drags on the danger for him is if enough of his base stay at home and abstain in protest the swing votes might not be enough. His polling numbers have been very poor of late. He has been very pro Israel throughout his career, so I see his stance on current events as being a consistent position of his rather than him just seeing which way the wind is blowing.

Israeli MP - " Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip is our victory in the war. Our warriors at the front are giving their lives for this decision.

Today I turned to the Prime Minister and told him the only picture of victory in this war is that we will see Jewish homes in Gaza. The victory will be when we see the children of Israel playing in the streets of Gaza."

Well you for one. Consistent I suppose.

Pretty sure he was called those things due to spouting the now familiar lines about the sexual assault and rape of women, questioning if it happened, despite seeing naked and bloodied women. Apparently he wants to see actual footage of rapes before he believes it. Sounds like some posters on here

Actually, those who saw the film wouldn't share it because of the level of depravity. The journalists all said the same thing - it wasn't suitable for public viewing given the level of atrocities.

Now if I said that anyone who starts with a post saying that "I'm not a Hamas supporter but......" and that it usually ends up with them defending war crimes or the like, I am sure that you would tolerate that post and respond in a polite manner, wouldn't you? Hmmm, or would you rant back? Or complain to the mods?

When a poster resorts to categorising other posters in the manner in which you have done, it is usually because they can no longer rationalise or defend their own extreme position but are unwilling to concede merit in the other position.