Sorry, I should have included the link in the post:-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001z96s/storyville-praying-for-armageddon
The irony is that Israel has pretty much ethnically cleansed Palestine of Christians. Although they were never large in number Christian Palestinians are all but non-existent in Palestine these days.
The displacement of Christians isn't just about the actions of Israeli governments though of course... they have been increasing marginalised this century by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
they have been increasing marginalised this century by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
Eh? You think, for example, that there a quarter of a million Christian Palestinians living in Honduras because of Hamas?
I will remind you that the Holy Family Catholic church in northern Gaza which was repeatedly targeted by Israeli snipers and missiles just before Christmas was fully functioning and untouched by the Hamas administration before the IDF onslaught.
It is the IDF who have been killing Christian Palestinians not Hamas.
The same is true in the West Bank, the only threat to Christian Palestinians comes from the IDF and Israeli settlers, not the PLO.
All this talk of d-day....never again etc...etc
Meanwhile Israel drops US bombs on a UN run school compound in the Nuseirat refugee camp killing at least 45, yet more pictures of decapitated children whilst Israel looks under rocks, shouts "HAMAS" and drops bombs.
Genocidal ****s.
Well yeah, but obvious Western hypocrisy is not being lost on the people of the Global South.
And with each new day that arrives the apartheid regime seems to lose more friends in the West.
The latest today:
Spain became on Thursday the first European country to ask a United Nations court for permission to join South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
AsiaToday... Stupid clickbait article biased to make Israel look bad, if you ask me.
"Israel drops more bombs than WWII!!!1!!"
Actually, they mean more bombs than were dropped on just 3 cities in specific time periods ranging between 1 year and 1 month. What a worthless comparison.
DISCLAIMER: this post is not defending Israel. Just pointing out that the article is stupid.
What happened to unbiased reporting? It's not like Israel need any help looking bad, and bad reporting like this tends to make me ignore or write off anything the source says as unreliable.
Of course it is designed to make Israel look bad! It is attempt to give some sort of perspective to the amount of bombs that Israel has dropped on the people of Gaza.
I am not interested in the unbiased reporting of a genocide. Asia Today like other outlets is reporting a press release from Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor.
Unless you can provide evidence that the claims made by EuroMed Human Rights Monitor are false I don't understand what your problem is.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euro-Mediterranean_Human_Rights_Monitor
"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor".
- Desmond Tutu
I am not interested in the unbiased report of a genocide.
I am, from a news outlet. An article or opinion piece can say whatever they like.
Asia Today like other outlets is reporting a press release from Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor.
I have no issue with that. But the press release says Israel dropped 70,000 tons of bombs, granted it's a huge amount. What Asia Today are also doing is making up (effectively) fake headlines by doing stupid comparisons.
Can't find official figures but look here, where it says the amount of bombs dropped by the USAF alone during WW2 was around 2.5 million tons. Israel has dropped nowhere close to the amount of bombs during WW2. It makes me lose confidence in the accuracy of anything they say TBH.
Asia Today makes it crystal clear that they are referring to the bombs dropped on Dresden, Hamburg and London during World War 2. It's there in black and white, you don't even have to click on the link for that to be clear.
I reckon your problem is that as you quite rightly point out it is designed to make Israel look bad.
Israel is happily killing, starving, and maiming, thousands of children, that harsh reality must not be forgotten.
Making a comparison with the amount of bombs dropped on Dresden, Hamburg and London during World War 2 is an excellent way of reminding people.
This is what I have a problem with:
Israel has Dropped 70 Thousand Tons of Bombs on Gaza, Surpassing World War II
And not with the simple fact that it's designed to make Israel look bad. Despite me saying I prefer unbiased reporting (which I do), I'm largely in agreement with your general point.
Israel is happily killing, starving, and maiming, thousands of children, that harsh reality must not be forgotten.
Making a comparison with the amount of bombs dropped on Dresden, Hamburg and London during World War 2 is an excellent way of reminding people.
Absolutely. But a better article would be, say, reporting that Israel has dropped 70,000 tons of bombs, and pointing out in the article that this is more than the total amount of bombs dropped on Dresden etc during WW2.
As it is, with a nonsense headline and the article stating specific (and different) time periods for each city so they can get the total they are looking for, it's not the kind of article I'm interested in. I will be just as (in fact, more) horrified at what Israel is doing by reading this from a less sensationalist source.
For a silly comparison: What would you think of a mtb mag article saying "This is the fastest bike of the year!" and the article clarifying that actually it's faster than all Halfords bikes built during February? Maybe it is the fastest bike. But who cares, I've already written off the article as BS and gone elsewhere.
You called it a "Stupid clickbait article biased to make Israel look bad", if it's only the wording of the headline that is a problem then that's another story imo.
I don't get why the reporting of the crimes committed by the Israeli apartheid state should be from a neutral perspective.
Back in the days of apartheid in South Africa no one demanded that the racist white supremacists should be given a fair hearing and treated from a neutral perspective.
And the current Israeli apartheid regime is an incomparable worse tyranny than South African apartheid was. In comparison with Israel few massacres occurred in apartheid South Africa, in fact I can only think of two - the Sharpeville Massacre and the Soweto Massacre.
69 were killed in the Sharpeville Massacre, which is less than the IDF typically kills in a couple of hours, the total number killed in the Soweto Massacre is unknown but Israel regularly kills more than the maximum estimate in a single day.
In many ways comparing Netanyahu and his far-right government with South African apartheid is insulting to the former white supremacists of South Africa, they weren't that uncivilised.
make Israel look bad.
They're doing a pretty good job regardless of the headline.
I think it is safe to say that any campaigning organisation which has the word “Watch” in its name has its own agenda.
But the word "Monitor" is A-OK.
And Ossify has a point - "Israel dropped as many bombs in 10 months as the Allies did in 3 nights" is a bit of a daft comparison, and under scrutiny probably doesn't get across the point the author was aiming for.
And Ossify has a point – “Israel dropped as many bombs in 10 months as the Allies did in 3 nights” is a bit of a daft comparison
Which presumably is why they didn't make the comparison. The comparison they actually made is that the 70 thousand tons of bombs dropped on the people of Gaza far exceeds the bombs used in Dresden, Hamburg and London during World War II.
Read it, it is crystal clear. Or are you suggesting that dropping 70 thousands of tons of bombs on civilians in 2023-24 is okay?
And yes of course EuroMed Human Rights Monitor have an agenda, the clue is in the name! There is absolutely nothing wrong with having an agenda, I merely pointed out that your source attacking UNRWA probably had one and wasn't neutral.
So anyway back to today's news.....Spain has become the first European country to ask a United Nations court for permission to join South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. Any views on that?
As it is, with a nonsense headline and the article stating specific (and different) time periods for each city so they can get the total they are looking for, it’s not the kind of article I’m interested in. I will be just as (in fact, more) horrified at what Israel is doing by reading this from a less sensationalist source.
I made a very similar comparison regarding the quotes of the Hamas massacre of Oct 7th, decapitated babies, pregnant mothers cut open, babies in ovens etc - all unsubstantiated and no evidence yet that has been verified. Talking heads such as Biden corroborated such false statements.
The Oct 7th massacre was absolutely foul enough without making shit up.
The 'tonnage' of bombs doesn't account for the fact that the bombs would have a lot more bang than they did 80 years ago.
bombs would have a lot more bang than they did 80 years ago.
I think that the main aim is to make a comparison with European cities such as London and Hamburg, not necessarily the devastation that the bombs caused.
I reckon most people are aware that Gaza has been reduced to rumble by the IDF, people are being asked to see it in terms of a European city because the destruction of European cities is generally seen as less acceptable.
I reckon most people are aware that Gaza has been reduced to rumble by the IDF, people are being asked to see in terms of a European city because the destruction of European cities is generally seen as less acceptable.
I doubt anyone is seeing either as acceptable, the reality is that nobody is able to stop Israel from continuing their onslaught, they are not scared of being pariahs, they aren't blinking at any of the US threats, they are using it to continue to get backing from their citizens, and until that stops, i can't see an end to this death and destruction.
You are making some WILD leaps of logic if you think I am suggesting such a thing.
No leaps of logic - I am asking you a question because you appear to playing down to point that EuroMed Human Rights Monitor is trying to make, ie, 70 thousand tons of bombs dropped on the people of Gaza is horrific.
Oh they are. Israel is very dependent on bombs supplied by a UK NATO ally to destroy Gaza.
If the will in the West was there a great deal could be done to stop Israel.
If the US stop supplying them, then yes, they will be in trouble, but i cannot see the US dropping Israel like that as it's a domino they don't want to topple.
Also worth noting that Israel have a huge arms industry themselves, more than the UK have in terms of manufacturing bombs and explosives!
Course he isn’t. and it’s damned outrageous for you to suggest he is 😡
I made no suggestion. It was a very clear question.
Plenty of people believe that it perfectly okay for Israel to drop 70 thousands of tons of bombs on civilians in Gaza, including the UK government, which is why Israel keeps receiving supplies of bombs.
Plenty of people in Israel think it is okay too, the majority in fact it would appear. Why wouldn't TheFlying0x be one of them? Any particular reason?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/28/nikki-haley-finish-them-missile-israel
There is no point pretending that everyone is opposed to what Netanyahu and his government is doing in Gaza. It simply isn't true.
I'm not trying to play it down at all.
Firstly, I pointed out my amusement at the leaping on UN Watch's "agenda" because of its links to Israel, specifically calling out the use of "Watch" in its name, and then unironically posting an article sourced from a Palestinian-run agency with "Monitor" in its name as if the same standards shouldn't apply.
Secondly, I had a massive reading comprehension fail to which I hold up my hands.
Thirdly, this is a delicate point that I am no doubt making in an extremely clumsy manner. The article wants to draw comparison with WW2 so if the Allies killed ~25000 over the 3 nights bombing of Dresden, then after 10 months of bombing an area with almost 10x the population density and with almost 20x the amount of (apparently higher yield) bombs, surely if the intent was eradication of Gazan Palestinians then we'd be talking about at least an order of magnitude more deaths than have been reported.
At no point within this post am I stating agreement with what's happening in Gaza, nor am I numb to the plight of the civilians under attack and forced to flee. I'm saying that with the huge technological and firepower advantage the IDF has, by the measures used in the WW2 comparison article, then either they're pretty shit at the whole extermination thing or maybe it is actually about destroying Hamas after all - not that I think they ever could truly end Hamas or that this is the way they should be going about it.
I made no suggestion. It was a very clear question.
"I'm just asking questions" - a tactic/phrase beloved of right-wing US talk show hosts.
There is no point pretending that everyone is opposed to what Netanyahu and his government is doing in Gaza. It simply isn’t true.
And nor is there any point pretending the average Palestinian doesn't agree with the attacks on October 7th
And if you agree with terrorist acts, what are you?
Cool, we appear to agree on a couple of things!
The article makes the comparison with the bombing of London, Dresden, and Hamburg. If the headline gives the impression that that they are referring to the whole of WW2 (it doesn't say that) then the article makes it absolutely clear what exactly it is referring to, you don't even need to click on the article to see that.
I have already suggested the reason for a comparison with European cities.
And I have also already pointed out that yes of course EuroMed Human Rights Monitor has an agenda, which is obviously to monitor human rights! There is nothing wrong with having an agenda. It important to recognise what an organisation's agenda is though, obviously.
then either they’re pretty shit at the whole extermination thing or maybe it is actually about destroying Hamas after all – not that I think they ever could
Absolutely they are shit at the whole extermination thing. They are also shit at destroying Hamas.
There are over a million children in Gaza so far the IDF has only managed to kill 15 thousands. They simply cannot wipe out the Palestinian people, nor can they destroy Hamas - they are currently fighting the children that they haven't previously managed to kill in their countless incursions into Gaza of the last 20 years. At the moment they are creating the resistant fighters of the future, while simultaneously turning the whole world slowly against them.
The only thing in question is how many needless deaths will they cause?
Just asking questions
I had reasonable reason to assume that you might support the current IDF military operations in Gaza, most people living in Israel apparently do. As I understand it you live in Israel.
That does not make it comparable to "a right-wing US talk show host", what a bizarre suggestion, and talk about leaping to conclusions!
Anyway this what we are up against:
Starvation already causing many deaths and lasting harm in Gaza, agencies say
And:
Israel is flooding Gaza with so much aid, the UN is drowning under it.
https://twitter.com/EylonALevy/status/1798423365746868382
I was helping keep the lights on in Gaza
Which nicely backs up the United Nations claim that pre October last year Gaza was under unlawful occupation by Israel.
Not that there was any doubt of course but Israel tried to maintain the lie that Gaza was not under occupation - a claim firmly rejected by the United Nations.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/10/1129722
They stressed that under international humanitarian law, the occupation of territory in wartime is a temporary situation and does not deprive the occupied power of its statehood or sovereignty.
Where exactly were Israel located in Gaza before October 7th 2023? My understanding is that they completely withdrew in 2005. And if they're weren't in Gaza, how were they illegally occupying it?
Maybe your turn for reading comprehension fail? The article you linked doesn't mention Gaza once, instead talking about Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Yup, the United Nations rejects that assertion. It considers that Gaza was under occupation as Israel controlled everything going in and coming out, including the electricity.
And Florida gonna Florida. Not really sure what to say about this, it's Florida. But this is not the way to show support for innocent civilians in Gaza.
The BBC are reporting that the UN have placed the Israeli military on a list off militaries committing violations against children - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8883ndp2lko
About bloody time
4 hostages have just been released but the Gaza Health Ministry are are reporting dozens killed & injured (including children) as part of the operation.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd11z2j34k4o
If the Gaza Health Ministry statement is true, this is Hamas admitting it uses children as human shields, not just to protect the lives of its fighters but to protect its political leverage.
Regardless of whatever else can be said about this conflict, or whether Israel shouldn’t have attempted the rescue because of the terrible cost, Hamas used the lives of Palestinian children to keep its ‘bargaining chips’ secure.
If the Gaza Health Ministry statement is true, this is Hamas admitting it uses children as human shields, not just to protect the lives of its fighters but to protect its political leverage.
It is no such thing. Obviously hostages will be in bombing distance of civilians. The ones responsible for killing children are the ones dropping bombs.
