Israel (now broader Mid East discussion)
What do you think that Hamas does that Israel does not do? I think if one cares about the act, it doesn't matter who does it - they'll critique them.
Unfortunately it seems when the same or worse acts are committed by Israel, we find the mental gymanstics to excuse it. Wouldn't a more truthful approach be
to call out evil wherever it lies?
And I'm sure you're cognizant of the fact that much of our government is influenced by Israeli foreigners, right?
Would you be upset if it were Hamas funding politicians like AIPAC and other lobbying groups do to make certain decisions and Israeli government is unapologetically blasting propaganda at Americans?
Of course you would - and you should. So why not Israel? That's the question.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/...lawmakers-in-disinformation-campaign-00161906https://www.npr.org/2024/07/09/nx-s1-4994027/israel-us-online-influence-campaign-gaza
Our government is influenced by many countries and PACs, never said I liked it. The problem, as I see it, is that Hamas isn't striking military or dual use targets. They attacked a concert that was trying to promote peace, went through kibbutzs and murdered families, and took civilians hostage.
Had the concert been on a military post, while I wouldn't have liked it, would be much less damned by the west (primarily USA). It also doesn't help when they put videos out of parents holding "dead" children that are clearly still alive. People carrying a stretcher and alarm goes off and the "injured/dead" person gets up and runs for shelter. I have posted videos in the thread showing these actions.
I have posted videos/pictures of weapons and munitions being stored under hospitals and schools. That is a war crime, Israel destroying them is not. Any civilian deaths are then Hamas' fault and not Israel. I have also posted tweets produced by Hamas showing them firing mortars from inside and near bazaars. That is a Hamas war crime, Israel firing back is not.
It also doesn't help when you claim famine and the day a cease fire is signed, a bunch of well fed and well dressed people show up in the streets. It doesn't help when a single hostage is jeered and threatened by hundreds of Palestinians. The stories of the brutal conditions and dehumanizing things the hostages went through also don't help. I have posted tweets about them (may have been Hez bollah) storing weapons and muntions in apartment buildings. That is a war crime, Israel destroying buildings isn't. Any civilian deaths fall on Hamas and Hez bollah and not Israel.
I've pointed out how their supporters in Europe don't like western values. They want us to conform to them, many people would be dragged back 600 years. The Islamic fundamentalists and the attacking of non military targets are the two primary reasons, as I see it, for the ardent support of Israel.