This blog, posted on Friday 13th October 2023, says everything that needs to be said about the current Israeli/Hamas conflict – you can’t really call it a war when the two sides are so unequal – but I’m going to say it again in the hope that someone’s listening. We are being fed misinformation to justify escalation https://www.councilestatemedia.uk/p/we-are-being-fed-misinformation-to?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

A couple of years ago I was dogpiled for 36 hours for saying All Lives Matter. It was seen as a racist trope opposed to Black Lives Matter, and I’ve no doubt that it has been used that way, but the words themselves are not racist. On the contrary, they mean exactly what they say and I include nonhuman life.

Those attacking me couldn’t tell me which lives don’t matter, but we’re starting to find out. Human rights don’t apply to Palestinians because they’re not considered human! We’re constantly being told of the murder of Jewish children by Hamas, some of which may be true but it hasn’t been verified and there’s no mention of the ongoing murder and incarceration of Palestinian children.

A similar misinterpretation is happening with the slogan: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”. It implies an equivalence between an assertion of Palestine’s right to a existence and a denial of Israel right. It may be true that Hamas want to wipe Israel off the map, and the illegal settlements cannot claim any such right, but it’s the avowed intention of right wing Israeli politicians to obliterate Gaza – and western politicians condone it!

Netanyahu has announced his intention to cut off all food, power, water and medical supplies and threatens to obliterate Gaza with blanket bombing. He has no consideration for Israeli hostages caught up in the siege, bombs don’t discriminate and cutting off food supplies means hostages will starve as well as Palestinian civilians. It’s easy to say “Hamas must release the hostages”, but that requires dialogue which is becoming impossible if it isn’t already. Some news is still getting out of Gaza, but for how much longer will it continue without power?

It reminds me of the siege of Rouen in the 100 Years War when the French put the women and children in the dry moat hoping the English would have mercy, leaving more food for the garrison. Some Englishmen tried to give them food but Henry V forbade it. “I put them not there!” he said, and became a national hero thanks to Shakespeare’s propaganda.

The Israeli response to the incursion of Hamas is not universally supported even by Israelis, it’s been condemned by human rights group B’Tselem and leading journalists writing for Haaretz. Let’s not forget the young Israelis who choose prison over proscription into the misnamed Israeli Defence Force. It’s true that there sentence is mild compared with what there Palestinian brethren suffer, but there defiance could make all the difference.

I don’t condemn all Israelis for the crimes of their government, and most Jews worldwide would agree with what I’m saying. Jewish Voice for Peace are calling for action in support of Palestine this week in Washington DC, perhaps governments will start listening! We’ve seen Jews expelled from the Labour Party for sharing a platform with someone who supports Palestine and a Holocaust survivor who resigned after being forbidden to speak at a Holocaust remembrance event organised by a proscribed group 😠

I came across the term suicide-by-Israel recently, which is a vile euphemism for genocide and to be utterly condemned! All of our politicians and mainstream journalists need to take a step back and think about what they’re asking. They harass Jeremy Corbyn by continually asking “Will you condemn Hamas?” when he’s already said he condemns ALL violence. Apparently not all people understand the meaning of “all” 🙄

I saw a video of the Palestinian ambassador when he was asked the same question and gave the same answer, but he asked “Do you ask the Israeli ambassador this question?” Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett was asked about power cuts affecting life support in Gaza, this is his monstrous response https://youtu.be/8_ohDaPLfyA?si=woS9zKsN2yP4z9FZ

It’s already an extremely unequal conflict, with Israel having a vast superiority in high tech weaponry as well as controlling the borders and essential supplies of food, medicine, water and power. The USA is sending even more arms to Israel, and a naval task force to the Mediterranean, but little talk of humanitarian aid for Palestinians.

The USA have negotiated passage into Egypt for foreigners while Palestinians are bombed whether they stay where they are or flee south, which many are unable. To those who say that Israel has a right to defend itself but deny that right to Palestine I say: By no mangling of the English language can genocide be described as self-defence and it’s monstrous to suggest that it can 😠

Without condoning the actions of Hamas in invading Israel, killing civilians and taking others hostage, I will say: What did you expect after 75 years of oppression? Even a wounded animal is dangerous when forced to stand at bay. Israeli’s seem to adhere to a particular interpretation of the Lex Talionis but it has been said “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind!” A war crime committed by one party cannot and must not excuse the war crimes of the other party! Of course we’re finding in the case of Julian Assange that exposing war crimes is considered a greater crime in the eyes of our rulers.

I’m shocked that Keir Starmer, a human rights lawyer, says that Israel “has a right” to cut off supplies to Gaza. It’s the same “right” Henry V had to deny supplies to Rouen 😠 I hope this will be the last straw for any socialist remaining in the Labour Party, and those still considering voting for Labour to “get the Tories out”, and they will quit with some integrity. Sadly I fear I’m preaching to the converted!

It’s heartening to see the millions marching in major cities worldwide and the number of Palestinian flags on display in defiance of attempts to ban such demonstrations. Britain First has put out a video claiming that someone, probably one of their members as there was at least one other person present to film it and post on social media, was arrested for unfurling a Union Flag. This in itself would have been provocative in the circumstances, but there was more to it. Police have confirmed that someone was arrested, they won’t say why as an investigation is ongoing but it had nothing to do with the flag. Perhaps they’ll convince Suella Braverman that such bans are unenforceable if we’re united.

Rise, like lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number!
Shake your chains to earth, like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you:
Ye are many – they are few!