Merged Gaza just launched an unprovoked attack on Israel

[bilby]

I suggest you drop this and start working on regaining some of your lost respect. How about that?

Nah, I am not interested in the "respect" of morons who accuse me of antisemitism. Particularly when they offer advice on regaining respect while doubling down on that absurd slander.

 

[DrZoidberg]

I suggest you drop this and start working on regaining some of your lost respect. How about that?

Nah, I am not interested in the "respect" of morons who accuse me of antisemitism. Particularly when they offer advice on regaining respect while doubling down on that absurd slander.

I haven't been saying I think a lot of the pro-Palestine rhetoric is antisemitism because I'm trying to insult anyone, or hurt anyone's feelings. I haven't intended it as slander. I'm saying it, because I think it really is antisemitism. Western culture has a deep cultural grove cut into its thought, which makes it harder for us to think critically about Jews. Whatever side is fighting Jews we have a tendency to feel more sorry for the other side. The word for that is antisemitism. And Jews are not bulletproof to this way of thinking themselves. Western Jews are embedded in a gentile culture. They're bound to be influenced. A lot of Jews in Israel also are. Israel is part of the wider world and consume the same media. The Israeli left say a lot of the same things that the left does all over the west. But it's delusional. When delusions hit reality, they often shatter. This is the reason the Israeli left is so weak today, and why Netanyahu still is in power, despite his enormous failure as a prime minister in his previous term.

I think it's more nuanced than just racism. The western left is today postmodern. It's obsessed with structural oppression and to identify who is the most victim. Whoever has suffered the most is automatically the one who is morally superior, no matter culpability.

While Islam is a victimhood culture. Pretty much, the only people they elevate are martyrs. Having suffered for your cause, and ideally die, is the highest status.

These two in combination is an ideological dynamite, that the western left doesn't seem to know how to deal with. Arabs can commit all manner of horrific acts of violence, but since they never really use any win to enrich themselves. That's not the goal of it. As long as all they do is make themselves and everyone around them more miserable, the left struggles with condemning it.

When Netanyahu said that Jews have been losing the propaganda war for 2000 years, he wasn't wrong. Most Jews are resigned to antisemtism. They're aware of it. But treat it as a force of nature. They do little to combat it, argue their side or convince anyone. Since they've largely opted out of the propaganda war, they lose it even more than they would otherwise.

When I call things antisemitism, I'm not doing it flippantly or as a knee jerk reaction. Each time I've used the term here I've given the person I've been talking with every opportunity to make a coherent argument. I've only ever called people antisemetic when they're out of arguments. If you lack rational arguments, that leaves the irrational arguments.

 

[steve_bank]

I think it is the other way around after Israel took over the entire city..

A turning paint was Trump recognizing Jerusalem as the capitol of Israel. The status of the city was not settled.

Technical Difficulties

The President said, “I’ve judged this course of action to be in the best interests of the United States of America and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. This is a long-overdue step to advance the peace process and to work towards a lasting agreement.”

Israel today controls accces to holy sites, and has been pushing Arabs out of Jerusalem.

Yes — since 1967 Israel has controlled all of Jerusalem, including its holy sites, but access to the most sacred locations is heavily restricted and managed under a long‑standing “Status Quo” arrangement.
Historical background

After the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Jerusalem was divided: West Jerusalem was under Israeli control, and East Jerusalem — including the Old City, the Temple Mount, and other holy sites — was under Jordanian rule www.israelanswers.comwww.israelanswers.com. Jordan restricted Jewish access to Jewish holy sites, and Jews were banned from the Western Wall and the Temple Mount

It shows the destructive nature of religion. People killing over what is considered sacred.

Zionism is as toxic as any extreme Islamist group.

 

[DrZoidberg]

I forgot to mention, another layer of leftist racism, which I think is exceptionally peculiar. The left doesn't judge settler attacks on Palestinians on par with Palestinian attacks on Israelis. It's an incredibly complicated relationship. But generally, settler attacks are annoying. Palestinian attacks are deadly.

I think some of the leftist logic here goes like this: Jews are westerners so therefore they are civilised. They should know better. While the Arabs are savages who can't help themselves.

Israeli leftists also have these same double standards. Arabs are viewed through a benevolent paternal lens. While Israeli attacks are harshly condemned. Arab attacks have always been way more violent. More deadly. Yet continually are made excuses for.

This discrepancy is interesting and hard to explain, by the side, who claim to be against racism.

Note. I know it is more complicated. The settlers are almost always better educated and better connected. They're adept at exploiting legal loopholes in a way that the Palestians aren't. So the double standards aren't completely crazy. But still... deadly violence should always be condemned more than sabotage imho. No matter what.