A commentary and extracts from Israeli academic on war in Gaza
There are those who know not that (in this quarrel)
we perish and die; those who realise this,
have their quarrels calmed.
Photo shows systematic decimation of a society, culture and heritage in Gaza
Three emails in the past 48 hours I received
These emails were a reaction to my blog in my previous newsletter.
Two emails were sent from Israel and one from New York.
Email 1. So we should offer to be murdered voluntarily. Did you see the videos the Hamas terrorists took themselves about butchering 1200 Israeli, also Bedouins and foreign workers, but mostly Jews.
Taping burning babies in ovens, burning whole families alive in their homes, taping many women and girls so brutally that they were found with broken hips dead. The UN were here and took all the hundreds of testimonies.They clearly wrote and said that if it’s up to them, they will kill us all.
We are deeply sorry for the suffering of civilians in Gaza .
But officially 30 thousand are or were armed Hamas soldiers and many from UNWRA and thousands of others helped. IDF do all not to hurt civilians.
There was a ceasefire toll 6.10 booked in a horrific way by Hamas taking after all that killing 240 hostages.
134 after almost half a year still under earth in terrible conditions. Imagine your daughter and grandchildren there.
We hate war hundreds of our young soldiers fell and every person in Israel knows someone murdered or fell or hostage. Me too. Many.
I am shocked about the well-meaning Buddhist people being heartless to one side ours.
Very sad about that.
My Response
“Imagine your daughter and grandchildren there.”
If my daughter and four grandchildren were held hostage in Gaza, I would be campaigning morning, noon and night for a ceasefire. This is also a view often expressed by those who have been released from the horrific nightmare inflicted on them by Hamas. What seems to be genocide will not help bring them home but is more likely to seal their fate.
Hamas night murder the hostages, bombing, shelling and indiscriminate bullets of IDF soldiers bullets might end their lives. Are we expected to believe that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has the interests of the hostages at heart? Does he see the hostages as a reason to perpetuate warfare with hostages as collateral damage? It is hard to image the anguish and suffering of family, friends and others in Israel over the hostages. A ceasefire is the priority and main hope.
With regard to your last two sentences. Please see extracts below from a previous blog/post.
Email 2. I dont know why I’m on your newsletter. Maybe some Buddhism stuff but this kind of anti Israel shit, keep to yourself. Why not write about Hamas atrocities, rape, mass murder, kidnapping and so on. Or is that Ok since it involves Israelis? War against people of Gaza? BULLSHIT. War is against Hamas.
Bye, mister ‘enlightened’.
My Response
Speaking about the war on Gaza, President Isaac Herzog of Israeli announced to Israel and worldwide at a press conference, “It’s an entire nation out there that is responsible. It’s not true this rhetoric about civilians not aware not involved. It’s absolutely not true ….and we will fight until we break their backbone.” The Washington Post, 24 October 2023.
My Response.
I advise you to email President Herzog of Israel and inform him the war against the people of Gaza is ‘bullshit.’
Here is the President’s email address. public@president.gov.il
Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant’s announced to Israel and worldwide that Israel is “imposing a complete siege on Gaza. No electricity, no food, no water, no fuel. Everything is closed. We are fighting human animals and are acting accordingly.” The Times of Israel. 9 October 2023.
I also advise you to email Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant and inform him the war against the people of Gaza is ‘bullshit.’
Here is the Minister’s email address: pniot@mod.gov.il.
Read Wikipedia. South Africa v. Israel (Genocide Convention). South Africa alleged that Israel had committed and was committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, contravening the Genocide Convention.
Email 3. Yes, what is happening to the people of Gaza is horrible and tragic. How come you don’t talk about how all of this shit storm was set off by what Hamas did on October 7.
I don’t give a damn what your politics are, which side of the fence you sit on, there was NO JUSTIFICATION for what Hamas did.
What did the Palestinians imagine the response was going to be?
And more important, what have they gained by Hamas’s actions?
Hamas are terrorists, that is the truth!
And might I suggest you read a bit more of the History, before you unilaterally make your comments.
Take me off your list.
Thank you.
My Response.
I have around 30 years of study/reflection/inquiry from the late 19th century to the current situation/plus annual visits to Palestine/Israel. You suggest I “read a bit more of the History.” Please send me the links what I need to read on the history of Palestine/Israel.
Please read below extracts of a previous blog/post.
Your name is removed from the list of subscribers.
Extracts from a 26 December 2023 blog/post of my newsletter
On Saturday morning of 7 October 2023, Hamas violent activists broke through the flimsy fences dividing Israel from Gaza and killed as many Israelis and others as possible. They took 250 Israelis hostages, young and old, with 129 currently unaccounted for. These fighters shot and killed anyone they came across in Israel, including children.
The death toll included about 300 soldiers and a total of about 900 civilians. Hamas massacred 260 young people at Nova music festival in south Israel. There are eyewitness reports Hamas fighters engaged in sexual violence upon Israelis.
Hamas officials have mostly spent their life living in Gaza. They have engaged in the immoral and repugnant launching of rockets and widespread mass killing in Israel. In the past, the same government has supported terror attacks, suicide bombers and random killings of Israelis.
Hamas officials knew the citizens of Gaza would suffer a ferocious Israeli military reaction upon Gaza. Based on decades of experience, the Gaza government was determined to trigger the Israeli government to inflict violent retribution on men, women and children, plus destruction of entire sections of the city and its infrastructure.
Hamas wanted international attention to shift back to Palestine and away from Ukraine – the more civilian deaths in Gaza, the greater the worldwide media attention. They got what they wanted. The officials exposed fellow Palestinians to a massive military reaction in their small, overcrowded city. Hamas surely knew countless numbers of Palestinian civilians would suffer terrible consequences, yet they still went ahead with the slaughter of Israelis.
Both sides have an essential policy of adhering to a violent ideology of Us and Them, an ideology that matters far more than the protection and support of Palestinians or Israelis.
MAY ALL BEINGS LIVE IN PEACE
MAY ALL BEINGS LIVE IN HARMONY
MAY ALL BEINGS LIVE IN PEACE AND HARMONY