Hamas attacking Israel

[Ilunga]

14 hours ago, Canuck Surfer said:

 

Compared to democracy by Hamas?  Its closer.

 

No shining example of success I agree. Democracy might re-elect Trump?  Maybe democracy is not the answer. Or democracy itself needs better standards, controls. 

 

It does not mean armed gangs should win power because they are the most brutal. The Middle East is full of such regimes. Where would you rather you send a daughter. To get a college education, or married. Syria or Israel?  Yemen, Sudan..., Gaza? 

 

We don't live in democratic nations.

We don't get to choose the people we elect,the party we vote for does.

The whole process is tainted by Political donations and lobbying.

There are a small minority of elected officials that actually care about us.

 

I would equate the corporations that effectively run our societies to the armed gangs that run some countries. The result is the same, vast amounts of wealth held by a few.

The only difference is they don't stick a gun in your face. 

 

I would not send my child to any of those countries.

 

Israel is virtually a non immigration destination unless you are off Jewish descent and even then it's matrlineal. 

There was a test court case, don't know the result. 

 

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2019-12-11/ty-article/.premium/in-israels-top-court-a-test-case-for-the-rights-of-patrilineal-jews/0000017f-e101-df7c-a5ff-e37b976b0000

 

 

Seems ridiculous doesn't it when you live in one of the worlds most  multicultural countries.

 

Both Australians and Canadians can say this.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 17 by Ilunga

[Canuck Surfer]

4 hours ago, Ilunga said:

Again for the billionth time, violence does not justify violence in return, in regards to civilians, especially women and children.

 

 

So what exactly is Hamas's, position on violence?  If Palestine is to have peace; they have to stop terrorist activities.  Give back hostages. Accept other cultures.

 

If Israel is to have peace; they have to stop settlement activities, abuse. Do as they did in 2006; hand territory back.   

 

 

Someone has to decide to take an opportunity not to retaliate. 

 

 

[Ilunga]

27 minutes ago, Canuck Surfer said:

 

They do hold a balance of power in the current minority govt.  Leverage it to the max. Mentioned this myself , more than twice...

 

Why do some Isrealis/Jews  themselves, let alone people like me, believe that some of the people who helped create the state of Israel were fascists ?

 

And those same people went on to positions of power, formed the current ruling party, and that Isreal has become a fascist state ? 

 

Like what kind of country basically allows only people who were born by their mothers to be designated as that nationality and be able to migrate there ? 

 

Is this not a form of ultra nationalism ? 

 

We, Australia have built our country on migration.

We used to be a racist country over 60 years, white Australia policy.

Even then, I grew up with Dutchies and Italians and Greeks, even a few Turks, have always loved me a kebab.

The Lebanese tigers scared the shit out of everyone back in the day.

 

Since then we have embraced all cultures. 

We are an Asian country, situated in Asia, and that is reflected now in our population. 

 

This is what Isreal should be doing.

Why should it be just a home for people of Jewish descent only.

 

When we hear dog whistles like this in countries like America in regards to foreign immigration what is our reaction ? 

 

Fuck racial divides in whatever form they take. 

 

First and foremost we are all human beings.

 

Me I hope that one day we don't call ourselves, Australians, or Canadians or Jews, but Terrans.

 

Maybe, just maybe, when we view each other in this manner, we, as a species, won't kill each other in pointless conflicts fighting over pieces of ground. 

 

 

[Canuck Surfer]

28 minutes ago, Ilunga said:

 

Seems ridiculous doesn't it when you live in one of the worlds most  multicultural countries.

 

 

What is this multiculturalism you speak of? 

 

 

[Canuck Surfer]

4 minutes ago, Ilunga said:

Why do some Isrealis/Jews  themselves,

 

Maybe because they have the freedom to express views?

 

Without getting dropped out an apartment block window.  

[Ilunga]

21 minutes ago, Canuck Surfer said:

 

 

So what exactly is Hamas's, position on violence?  If Palestine is to have peace; they have to stop terrorist activities.  Give back hostages. Accept other cultures.

 

If Israel is to have peace; they have to stop settlement activities, abuse. Do as they did in 2006; hand territory back.   

 

 

Someone has to decide to take an opportunity not to retaliate. 

 

 

 

We know what Hamas' position on violence is, they have always been prepared to use it as a means to their end of a Palestinian state. 

 

I condemn this.

 

Did your watch the Four Corners report on this conflict a month or so ago ?

Very enlightening.

Talking to senior Isreali figures and ex IDF members.

 

 

 

From memory I think it was an ex head of the Shin Bet, one of the senior figures they interviewed.

While he fully supported the war, when he was asked what he would do if he was a Palestinian, he replied he would fight.

When asked how " dirty " he would fight, he answered he would do whatever it takes.

 

Anyone who has even a passing interest in this conflict should watch that report. 

 

It will play if you click on the link. 

 

I think we both know both of those things will not happen. 

 

In regards to settlements, I posted an article about a Isreali conservative think tank that advocated the US should stop supplying weapon's to Israel, in part because it stated that a land grab by the Israelis in the west bank during Blinken's visit to Isreal, was a big  " fuck you ", their words, to the US.

[Ilunga]

16 minutes ago, Canuck Surfer said:

 

 

What is this multiculturalism you speak of? 

 

 

 

I was talking about the country we live in.

Australia.

 

Also Canada is known to be one of the most multicultural countries on earth. 

 

Whats actually more to the point is our ethnic diversity.

We have over 270 different ethnicities/ancestries living in Australia. 

 

Canada has over 200 ethnicities/ancestries living in Canada.

 

From what I can gather there are only two ethnicities in Isreal.

Israelis/Jews and Arabs. 

 

 

 

 

[Canuck Surfer]

29 minutes ago, Ilunga said:

Since then we have embraced all cultures. 

We are an Asian country, situated in Asia, and that is reflected now in our population. 

 

This is what Isreal should be doing.

Why should it be just a home for people of Jewish descent only.

 

Its easy for us to suggest.  I also agree.

 

And...

 

My own version of ideal plans?  Was & is a multicultural one. A shared land.  Lay down your arms, swear peace. Israel return land rights, offer full rights over time. Both use independent parties mixed with locals committed to such a plan in holding their own accountable.  Will it be Palestine, Israel, two state, an international zone?  Until this war I thought two state, but the fundamental idea being more important.  Identifying the rights of the opposition, making the first compromise more likely to tell us the answer?

 

Whenever that first compromise takes place...

 

Rights of religion are embedded in the Declaration of Establishment of the state of Israel; its constitution? The same is not true of those in Gaza; where people outside the cultural majority are ostracized & most leave.  This is true of many if not most Middle Eastern countries. Where minorities of culture, religion, sex, gender suffer.  Freedoms are curtailed in occupied zones due to militant activity in larger principal.  As much as extremists abuse this, it is an overriding principal Israel has to enforce, police and curtail abuse. I have also always said Israel as the first world nation, the one with military power, should be the first to do so.

 

 

[Canuck Surfer]

I am skeptical, as much as I am an idealist.  

 

Somehow I don't see Houthis letting boats past unless someone pays them a toll.  I also believe Palestine has never had leadership that represented its people.  Hamas, the PLO before them were happy to control a spiralling mad infrastructure together with the butt end of a rifle. A promise of Jewish surrender. Try to take what they can get, as do ISIS, al Qaeda, etc..It is not profit for the people i can assure you. I remain of the belief that while most of the ME is run by militant groups, corruption is the bigger problem. 

 

Which empowers those RW idiots you speak of to pick them off.  Use a bus bombing as an excuse; but the reality is those occurrences happen. So Israel, the biggest lion goes looking for whatever was the disturbance. Settles for for the weakest prey. 

 

Israel should go first.  Palestinians will still have to embrace peace; disavow Hamas, Hezbollah. Who may not be willing to go away.     

[Ilunga]

54 minutes ago, Canuck Surfer said:

 

Maybe because they have the freedom to express views?

 

Without getting dropped out an apartment block window.  

 

Yes Jewish Isrealis have the freedom to express their views, however their Arab/Israeli brothers and sisters don't have the same rights.

 

I posted these article before, I suggest you read them.

 

https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/editorial/2023-10-31/ty-article-opinion/end-the-persecution-of-israels-arab-citizens/0000018b-827e-d805-a98f-b6ffe9870000

 

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-11-02/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/systematic-witch-hunt-what-persecution-of-israeli-arabs-looks-like-amid-gaza-war/0000018b-90db-db7e-af9b-fbdb254e0000

 

 

 

 

https://www.npr.org/2023/11/21/1214341078/israeli-citizens-who-identify-as-arab-or-palestinian-struggle-with-israel-hamas-

 

Why you keep comparing Hamas to Isreal ?

 

Do you believe they make a good comparison ?

 

Actually they do make a good comparison to some of the founders of Isreal.

Those terror groups terrorised by Arabs and Jews alike, just like Hamas does.

[Canuck Surfer]

3 minutes ago, Ilunga said:

 

Yes Jewish Isrealis have the freedom to express their views, however their Arab/Israeli brothers and sisters don't have the same rights

 

Granted.

 

Is it better than Algeria; where are your Jews?  Somalia, Yemen? Iran???  I believe it is. 

[Ilunga]

23 minutes ago, Canuck Surfer said:

 

Its easy for us to suggest.  I also agree.

 

And...

 

My own version of ideal plans?  Was & is a multicultural one. A shared land.  Lay down your arms, swear peace. Israel return land rights, offer full rights over time. Both use independent parties mixed with locals committed to such a plan in holding their own accountable.  Will it be Palestine, Israel, two state, an international zone?  Until this war I thought two state, but the fundamental idea being more important.  Identifying the rights of the opposition, making the first compromise more likely to tell us the answer?

 

Whenever that first compromise takes place...

 

Rights of religion are embedded in the Declaration of Establishment of the state of Israel; its constitution? The same is not true of those in Gaza; where people outside the cultural majority are ostracized & most leave.  This is true of many if not most Middle Eastern countries. Where minorities of culture, religion, sex, gender suffer.  Freedoms are curtailed in occupied zones due to militant activity in larger principal.  As much as extremists abuse this, it is an overriding principal Israel has to enforce, police and curtail abuse. I have also always said Israel as the first world nation, the one with military power, should be the first to do so.

 

 

 

I don't just suggest it, I live it. 

 

I always have.

As you well know I put my safety at risk standing up for what I believe in when I was a kid.

That means until I was in my mid twenties.

I fought guys who were racist, Simply because they were racist.

And yes at the time, I enjoyed it. 

 

Since then I have come to the conclusion that violence isn't the answer to our problems.

As I have stated before, I was an angry dumbass kid. 

 

Regardless, I have always treated other people by the content of their character not the colour of their skin, to use a man I admire greatly, words. 

 

To the best of my ability I treat others the way I want to be treated myself. 

 

It's actually very easy. 

 

I have already told you my version, scrap all borders, one big orgy of race mixing, so there aren't races anymore. 

 

As for doing or believing something, as long as you aren't negatively impacting others by your beliefs or actions, have at it.

[Canuck Surfer]

In peacetime, would I prefer to live in Israel as an Arab as a citizen, be a Muslim or Bedouin merchant in Sana'a? Capital of Yemen.

 

First of all when has there been peace? Second, how many times in the last 25 years would you have had to pick the right affiliation to survive. Or be lucky & leave.  Same question regarding Syria but a Shii or Kurd?  This conflict Israel against Hamas is only inflamed because Israel is so much bigger a power. This problem exists with and without Israel.  Will even if Israel offers peace. 

[Ilunga]

7 minutes ago, Canuck Surfer said:

 

Granted.

 

Is it better than Algeria; where are your Jews?  Somalia, Yemen? Iran???  I believe it is. 

 

Where are our Australians ?

 

Like who fuckin cares.

 

Hanging on to this " national " identity like it makes us special and different from one another.

 

Take it from someone who had identity problem when he was told he was adopted, none of this shit matters.

And not only that, it causes so much shit in the world. 

 

Few days time we have to go through the hyper nationalistic ritual that has become  ANZAC day.

The day we honour our vets.

This is all good how it used to be before Howard weaponized ANZAC day.

 

When I was growing up, it used to be a quiet day of reflection for the men and women who fought to keep us free.

 

People have forgotten that the original ANZACS, The WW 1 vets, on returning home told us not to honour them. There was no glory in war, only pain, suffering and death.

I actually have a VHS recording of a four corners report from the 80's where they interviewed some of the surviving " diggers " and this is what they all stated.

They weren't fighting for our freedom, the were fighting and dying in horrific conditions for a few miles of territory half a world away.

Those same countries had been fighting over those same bits of land for centuries. 

 

Then in the 90's Howard weaponized ANZAC day.

All the BS national pride.

Guess what happened in a few years ?

He volunteered a bunch of our young men and sent them to be involved in an illegal invasion of another country. 

 

While we go through all the BS of ANZAC, you know what the bitter truth our vets have to face ?

The fact that more of them take their own lives than are killed while serving in the armed forces. 

 

The stats for American servicemen are staggering, four times as many ex servicemen took their own lives between 9/11 and 2021.

Over 30,000 men, compared to the just over 7,000 men that were killed in the " war on terror "

 

Some good Winnipeg boys words 

 

" Fuck Nationalism

Fuck Militarism "

 

[RomanPer]

5 hours ago, Ilunga said:

 

Fair enough.

 

I found that post " tone deaf " in regards to what is happening virtually next door. 

 

 

“Tone deaf”? “ “One member”? You can’t even call my name anymore? I am proud of being selected to represent Canada in Israel. And I don’t really care about how you feel about it. Whatever is happening in Gaza is on Hamas and their supporters. And your argument that members of Knesset are not elected democratically is laughable. You keep on finding opinions of some Israelis and make it into facts. One thing you are missing in all this - people in Israel have different opinions on variety of subjects and are not being persecuted for having difference of opinions. Unlike the neighbours.

 

Good bye now.

[Ilunga]

3 minutes ago, RomanPer said:

 

“Tone deaf”? “ “One member”? You can’t even call my name anymore? I am proud of being selected to represent Canada in Israel. And I don’t really care about how you feel about it. Whatever is happening in Gaza is on Hamas and their supporters. And your argument that members of Knesset are not elected democratically is laughable. You keep on finding opinions of some Israelis and make it into facts. One thing you are missing in all this - people in Israel have different opinions on variety of subjects and are not being persecuted for having difference of opinions. Unlike the neighbours.

 

Good bye now.

 

I suggest you read the Times of Isreal article I posted about how members of the Knesset are appointed.

By Cabinet ministers.

 

It also stated something along the lines that members of the Likud party " rose or fell " dependent on their loyalty to Netanyahu. 

 

I can go back and find the article when I get home from my ride if you like. 

 

Meanwhile I will leave you with this article, couple of years old

 

The Mayor of Tel Aviv, Ron Huldai, warning that Isreal is heading towards a fascist theocracy.

 

https://www.timesofisrael.com/tel-aviv-mayor-warns-israel-heading-toward-a-fascist-theocracy/

 

I, like many Isrealis believe his warning has come true. 

 

How could I ever forget you Roman.

You are unforgettable. 

And not in a bad way.

 

You are passionate about what you believe in, I respect that.

I just don't agree with your views.

 

Seeing as you are speaking to me, remember you stated that anti semitism isn't limited to non Jews ?

 

Did you see my example of a Isreali/ Jew who is a real anti semite ?

 

You know the guy that the KKK's David Duke shared his post.

The Nazi rag the daily stormer called him " bro "

 

Yair Netanyahu, Benny's son.

 

https://www.npr.org/2017/09/11/550058346/netanyahus-son-yair-stirs-up-controversy-with-anti-semitic-cartoon

 

Now that's what anti semitism really looks like. 

 

 

Hope you are having a good one...

[Canuck Surfer]

3 hours ago, Ilunga said:

 

I don't just suggest it, I live it. 

 

I always have.

 

With the greatest of respect, I believe you mean this, have committed to this, are committed to this! 

 

There is still blame. Its a blemish. Unintended. 

 

Imagine the blame Palestinians live with? 

 

Watch the world?  Blame does not solve wars. Palestinians also have to reach out... 

[Canuck Surfer]

To a different topic?

 

Only 6 weeks till I head to Egypt, Jordan & Saudi Arabia. Cruise the Nile, my wifes dream, Alexandria, dive at a resort on the Red Sea. See Petra, Sharm El Sheikh in Sinai.

 

We cut Lebanon, Jerusalem, a life dream of mine, and the West Bank from a tour we bought & postponed initially three years ago in Covid. Then last year when I lost my job.  

[Ilunga]

9 minutes ago, Canuck Surfer said:

 

With the greatest of respect, I believe you mean this, have committed to this, are committed to this! 

 

There is still blame. Its a blemish. Unintended. 

 

Imagine the blame Palestinians live with? 

 

Watch the world?  Blame does not solve wars. Palestinians also have to reach out... 

 

I have always stated that at the core of this conflict both sides have been intractable. 

 

However the situation now is unlike any other in this forever war. 

 

Imagine if this was anyone else but Isreal. 

 

The virtual destruction of an entire enclave with a population of more than 2 million.

 

The killing of thousands of women and children, that's at a minimum.

Now the survivors are starving.

The aggressor, Isreal has up until this point made it virtually impossible for any decent sort of aid to be delivered to the survivors.

Hundreds of thousands of those are children.

 

They have killed journalists, 3 quarters of the journalists killed in 2023 were killed in Gaza.

They have killed aid workers.

One a beautiful kind Australian girl.

 

These people are non combatants so this is basically murder. 

 

I can try and ignore what is happening to the adults, even though I believe it is wrong, however the kids brother.

As I have detailed, this is not just effecting them now, this will effect them for the rest of their lives. 

 

Hamas' is not denying them aid, Israel is. 

 

As another poster noted, history will damn the Isrealis for this, just as it will damn the Palestinians who took part in the October 7 attack. 

 

Why are people all over the world protesting this ?

Why are even Jewish people protesting this ?

Because we both know that what is happening is wrong. 

 

As horrific as the events of October 7 were, the Israeli response is not humane, is not proportionate.

It is actually counter productive to solving this never ending conflict.

Even if they manage to destroy Hamas' and that is no certainty, their actions are very probably breeding a whole new generation of militants.

 

All I am asking is that aid be delivered to the Palestinian people, making sure that the children are fed first.

If you follow this conflict you will already know that many of the parents are giving any food they do get to their kids first. 

 

As I stated, an ex head of the Shin Bet was asked what he would do if he was a Palestinian, his reply was that he would fight.

When asked how " dirty " he would be, he replied he would do what it takes.  

 

Again watch that Four corners report, it is very enlightening.

 

As you know Four corners is one of our longest running TV shows, and has built a very high reputation as an honest, investagive journalistic program. 

 

Many people claim there has never been a battle like this, fought in Urban conditions.

They obviously no nothing about the Battle of Stalingrad. 

 

 " The battle of Stalingrad is seen as the defining battle of urban warfare. 

The battle was the single largest and costliest urban battle ever, with it being seen as the worst and most extreme case of urban warfare. " 

 

 

 

[Ilunga]

14 minutes ago, Canuck Surfer said:

To a different topic?

 

Only 6 weeks till I head to Egypt, Jordan & Saudi Arabia. Cruise the Nile, my wifes dream, Alexandria, dive at a resort on the Red Sea. See Petra, Sharm El Sheikh in Sinai.

 

We cut Lebanon, Jerusalem, a life dream of mine, and the West Bank from a tour we bought & postponed initially three years ago in Covid. Then last year when I lost my job.  

 

I hope you have a fantastic time. 

What an awesome trip that will be. 

 

I know you are very  probably going to see the pyramids.

If I ever go to Jordan I would love to visit Petra.

[Bob Long]

13 hours ago, Ilunga said:

 

That's the thing, how many generations of Palestinian kids haven't had hope for a good future.

 

And I know that some Palestinian themselves are responsible for this, but not the kids. 

 

We both know that there hasn't been a genuine attempt for a peaceful solution from both sides since Rabbin was assassinated.

 

Check out where Netanyahu and Ben Gvir where a few weeks before the assassination and the threats that were made against his life at that rally that they attended. 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/04/opinion/incitement-movie.html

 

 

 

Kids are never responsible.

[Boudrias]

16 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

Kids are never responsible.

A strong effort of moral equivalency uses the kids. Pro Hamas supporters use the kids the same way Hamas in Gaza is doing. Who in their right minds would willing use kids as shields to expedite their political goals. Yet it is done. If the world had true leadership it would never have tolerated the corrupt gangs that have ruled the West Bank and Gaza for decades. They did nothing. Yet the expectation is that the IDF is expected to place their soldiers at risk and their missions at risk to accommodate those who have failed so miserably. Gazans could be moved to the Sinai if world leadership wanted that to happen. It has not and yet fingers are pointed at Israel. 

 

The pro Hamas propaganda effort thinks that Israel is losing the support of world opinion. I doubt Israelis are losing much sleep over that. I guess all the Arab countries that helped defend Israel against the Iranian missile attack missed the memo. Unfortunately life is cheap for Palestinians. My hope is that Israel survives and when peace happens that the Sunni countries resume their normalization of relations with Israel continues. From that a economic prosperity begins that actually provides a future for Palestinians.    

[Bob Long]

4 minutes ago, Boudrias said:

A strong effort of moral equivalency uses the kids. Pro Hamas supporters use the kids the same way Hamas in Gaza is doing. Who in their right minds would willing use kids as shields to expedite their political goals. Yet it is done. If the world had true leadership it would never have tolerated the corrupt gangs that have ruled the West Bank and Gaza for decades. They did nothing. Yet the expectation is that the IDF is expected to place their soldiers at risk and their missions at risk to accommodate those who have failed so miserably. Gazans could be moved to the Sinai if world leadership wanted that to happen. It has not and yet fingers are pointed at Israel. 

 

The pro Hamas propaganda effort thinks that Israel is losing the support of world opinion. I doubt Israelis are losing much sleep over that. I guess all the Arab countries that helped defend Israel against the Iranian missile attack missed the memo. Unfortunately life is cheap for Palestinians. My hope is that Israel survives and when peace happens that the Sunni countries resume their normalization of relations with Israel continues. From that a economic prosperity begins that actually provides a future for Palestinians.    

 

anyone that thinks the Gaza situation is unique in terms of how the globe treats its poorest kids needs to go study up on Africa, and the horror show stuff that is occurring right now but gets zero media coverage. Harder to "side" that stuff I guess. 

 

I do think that Israel needs more moderate governance, and its likely a more moderate government would have been more measured in its response, but I don't think it would be a huge difference. 

 

Hamas is led by monsters that put the deaths thousands of kids into its planning. They banked on it, hoped for as many as possible. 

 

[Ilunga]

7 hours ago, Boudrias said:

A strong effort of moral equivalency uses the kids. Pro Hamas supporters use the kids the same way Hamas in Gaza is doing. Who in their right minds would willing use kids as shields to expedite their political goals. Yet it is done. If the world had true leadership it would never have tolerated the corrupt gangs that have ruled the West Bank and Gaza for decades. They did nothing. Yet the expectation is that the IDF is expected to place their soldiers at risk and their missions at risk to accommodate those who have failed so miserably. Gazans could be moved to the Sinai if world leadership wanted that to happen. It has not and yet fingers are pointed at Israel. 

 

The pro Hamas propaganda effort thinks that Israel is losing the support of world opinion. I doubt Israelis are losing much sleep over that. I guess all the Arab countries that helped defend Israel against the Iranian missile attack missed the memo. Unfortunately life is cheap for Palestinians. My hope is that Israel survives and when peace happens that the Sunni countries resume their normalization of relations with Israel continues. From that a economic prosperity begins that actually provides a future for Palestinians.    

 

Who in their right mind punishes kids for the actions of adults ?  

 

So let's follow your logic, you murder someone, that gives me the right to kill and/or starve your kids ?

 

And in the case of the Palestinians, the kids of people who weren't even involved in the terror attack on October 7 ?

 

 

And just so we are clear, are you accusing me of being a Hamas supporter simply because I am advocating for aid to be delivered to the Palestinians, with the focus on food being provided first for the children ?

 

Unlike you I condemn all violence. 

 

All those Sunni countries.

So are you are supporter of Saudi Arabia ?

You know the country where most of the 9/11 terrorists came from.

 

Their leader who ordered Jamal khashoggi to be murdered and chopped to bits.

 

Where women cannot get married or obtain healthcare without the permission of their  " male guardian ".

 

Other basic rights such as free speech and the right to a fair  trial are denied. 

 

As for your hope that Israel survives, they were attacked over 6 months ago for a couple of days.

For more than six months they have been the aggressor. 

They have never been at risk of " not surviving ".

 

 

I am in agreement with you about the corrupt Palestinian leadership, they should be removed.

 

What are your thoughts on the corrupt Isreali leadership ?

 

I am especially interested to hear from the people who I know are very anti - religion about the far right religious fanatics that are making the political decisions in Isreal right now.

There has never been a real divide in Israel between religion and the state, and now as I have stated, fanatical religious dudes are making, or at the very least, influencing the decisions that are made in the Knesset.  

 

 

Remember all the bullshit claims Isreal made about UNRWA employees months ago being terrorists ?

Months later, they have yet to provide any evidence to back up those claims.

They have, and are continuing to stop the UNRWA from delivering aid to Gaza. 

 

 

So we are clear, advocating that countries, in this case Isreal abide by International Humanitarian Law is not supporting terror organisations such as Hamas, or trying to justify the acts of terror they commit.

 

[Ilunga]

11 hours ago, Bob Long said:

 

anyone that thinks the Gaza situation is unique in terms of how the globe treats its poorest kids needs to go study up on Africa, and the horror show stuff that is occurring right now but gets zero media coverage. Harder to "side" that stuff I guess. 

 

I do think that Israel needs more moderate governance, and its likely a more moderate government would have been more measured in its response, but I don't think it would be a huge difference. 

 

Hamas is led by monsters that put the deaths thousands of kids into its planning. They banked on it, hoped for as many as possible. 

 

 

As I have stated a few times, I have " sponsored " a number of kids in Africa for decades. 

 

When I brought up, what was at that time the world largest humanitarian crisis on this planet, the plight of the people in Yemen, in the Ukraine war thread on the old board, I was told by a regular poster in this thread, that if I cared that much about it, I should start a thread about that.

 

I did.

Apart from those I have come to know that are compassionate, kind people, no one cared enough to even comment briefly on the situation there. 

 

I am well aware of the suffering that exists in this world.

For some reason I feel their pain.

Like it actually upsets me that people are starving, that they live in fear.

That they don't have what we do.

A safe place to raise their kids, food to eat and access to a good education.

The very basic of human rights.

 

I was raised by people who gave a large chunk of the wealth they earned to people that were far less fortunate than us.

They instilled those values in me.

My heart tells me that this is the right thing to do. 

 

And it's not just in other countries that kids are living in poverty. 

 

As of 2022, over 750,000 kids live in poverty here in Australia.

Which according to The Smith Family is one in six Aussie kids.

 

Again I " sponsor " a couple of " Smith " family kids. 

 

https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/

 

I give a bit of money, that's good.

The real heroes are the volunteers who actually give their time to helping these kids, and others that are far less fortunate than us.

Apart from our loved ones, time is the most precious thing we have.

It can never be replaced once it is gone. 

 

We have just lost a true Australian hero, Les Twentyman.

He devoted his life to helping those in need.

To those who some  others in society looked down on.

 

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/les-twentyman-wrote-his-own-eulogy-these-are-his-parting-words-20240415-p5fjz2.html

 

 

I count myself very lucky to have met this man, shake his hand and have a brief chat. 

 

 

Edited April 18 by Ilunga