Earlier quoted context omitted.
Look, you obviously care a lot about this topic, but I think you're really wrong on your facts. For the record, I'm Israeli, so take what I say with your appropriate level of skepticism - but I'm going to at least try to get across what I think you're wrong about. I hope you approach what I say with an open mind, though many people tend not to (in any discussion of anything, not just about this). > And when you say "…
[flagged]
IDF soldiers should never do those things, and the IDF has multiple times said as much - and disciplined soldiers who did similar. (I don't know of this specific case, I think, but I've seen other very terrible displays - which most Israelis condemn and which are against the IDF's code.)
> And I am not criticizing Israel. I am criticizing Israeli Nazis, which happen to be in power. If you equate the two, that is your thing.
Thank you for saying so.
That said, let's be clear - I hate the current Israeli government and am one of the many people who have protested them for the last year. I wouldn't call them Nazis, that's going too far - but some of them are almost as bad, and a few have the rhetoric of Nazis, no question.
That said, the IDF isn't the Israeli government. The majority of soldiers are basically regular Israelis put into a terrible situation that they never wanted to be in. And the majority of the country, while hating the current government, supports this war.
> So, how do we ensure the IDF doesn't murder more journalists and civilians? Level Israel? I mean, how else could you be 100.00% sure, right?
I never said let's be 100% sure. I asked a question. A real question that all Israelis are asking. If Mexico had invaded the US and killed a thousand citizens, it would be completely legitimate to ask how the US would make sure this didn't happen again. If this was followed by Mexico continuing to shoot rockets at the US for 3 months, while promising to invade again, I think it would be legitimate to ask what the US should do.
You haven't said what you think should be done in this situation, and I'm still curious. And no, I don't need 100% certainty that Hamas doesn't do this again, but given what they say, I am 100% certain that it will happen again if Israel does nothing.
> Just take these for starters, and spare me all that hand wringing about being forced into smugly destroying civilian infrastructure. It doesn't even pass the smell test.
You've clearly made up your mind. I'd only say that your amount of certainty does not seem related to what any experts on the matter say about the type of operation that is underway. It is very similar in many ways to other operations carried out by e.g. the US against ISIS (though has some other complications).
If you're starting out from the assumption that of course the IDF wants to destroy civilian buildings, OK, nothing I can do to change your mind. But there are reasons for most bombings, and they're usually clear and explainable. The fact that you don't even entertain this idea is... well, not a good way to approach things.
> But seriously, it's not that I "care" so much about the topic, I simply know to much for it being worth your time to even try this on me.
Tr "try" this on you? I have to live this. I'm the one who lives knowing that people all around the world are convinced my country is committing genocide, despite it being wrong (you never answered anything of what I said about this, btw). I'm the one who lived through a week of not knowing if a multi-front war is about to start, which could endanger my life. I'm the who spent months explaining to my kids why they have to run daily to bomb shelters as we were being bombed.
And no one I've talked to has yet given me a good answer for what we should be doing instead
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R49v3K29mM
This was a great video - I haven't seen it. For the record, I agree with most of it. It doesn't really offer any other solutions either though.