Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Lebanese people that they could face “destruction and suffering” like the Palestinians in Gaza if they don’t “free” the country from Hezbollah.
“You have an opportunity to save Lebanon before it falls into the abyss of a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza,” the Israeli prime minister said in a video address directed to the people of Lebanon.
“I say to you, the people of Lebanon: Free your country from Hezbollah so that this war can end.”
A yes, the classic “start a war with the people we don’t like or we will start the war for you”. Truly sympathetic shit.
he’ll have to get his piss baby troops into Lebanon first. How’s that limited military operation going sir?
So he admits it. The plan was always to destroy Gaza, not Hamas, wasn’t it? Israel has some of the most advanced weaponry and intelligence out of any government on Earth, and the best they can do is indiscriminately bomb hospitals, refugee camps, residential blocks, and schools just in case Hamas is there, which is considered a warcrime by The Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute of the ICC. Rules of engagement state you do not attack civilian infrastructure in order to eliminate hostiles, unless you can demonstrate that the loss of civilian life is negligible compared to the military advantage gained from attacking a civilian building that houses hostiles. I’m sure the IDF really needed that hospital to run tactical ops out of.
Dont forget the purposeful murder of every journalist and aid worker they can find, very explicit and purposeful starving of a civilian population, and their attempts to frame the UN as a terrorist organization.
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So effing sick… 😥
why is this man in government and not standing trial in front of the international criminal court
Because we don’t have an international criminal police force.
Then they’ll do Syria, then Egypt with the Muslim brotherhood, then they’ll attack Iraq, then they’ll attack Saudi Arabia, and it’ll continue on and on like this.
I’m curious who America will bend over backwards for in a war between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
The highest bidder.
Right? I think that’s when the US will eventually say stop.
But who knows.
Just Bibi casually threatening a second genocide, nothing to see here /s
I wonder how fully, fully, fully Biden will support it.
People here constantly repeating this is so tiresome. Read this: https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/08/politics/bob-woodward-book-war-joe-biden-putin-netanyahu-trump/index.html
Just because Biden bitches about Netanyahu in private doesn’t mean he’s not supporting Israel unconditionally.
This comment is so puerile. Joe Biden isn’t a king. Take it up with the vast majority of Americans who have been supporting Israel’s genocide.
2/3rds of America support a ceasefire. This isn’t the will of the majority. Just the will of the rich.
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If he did actually support a ceasefire, he would have enforced it. Israel is America’s proxy. Biden holds the cards here.
They don’t care, they want to get Trump elected.
I’m taking him at face value, not someone’s memoire recollection.
Serious question: what do you think publicly repudiating Israel would do for the democrats’ chances of willing the presidential election? It makes sense for them to say nothing publicly while privately trying to tie down those loose cannons.
I think it would help. A lot.
Honestly I suspect it would do the opposite, Lemmy is a bit of a echo chamber and while users here heavily skew towards favoring Palestine in this, or at least condemning what Isreal is and honestly has long been doing to them, the US as a whole, even the base of the democratic party, has long been at least mildly friendly towards Isreal, and a large fraction will see Hamas’s attack as justifying Isreali action. It’s a bit of a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation for the dems I think where their current path angers progressives on the left, and actively sanctioning Isreal would probably anger the more center-right side of the party, and they need both to turn out to win. They probably figure that at the end of the day, the left either is mostly younger people that don’t vote as reliably, or will bite their tongues and vote for them, because, well, if you’re given only two possible futures, both evil, and a choice between them, one has a moral obligation to choose the lesser evil, no matter how evil that lesser is, just because by definition, the greater evil is worse. But the center-right, they probably figure, probably don’t care about what is happening as much, and will feel much less uncomfortable about just voting for the republicans instead if the dem candidate doesn’t do what they want.
That being said, it doesn’t really much matter, ethically, if not helping kill tens of thousands of innocent people makes it slightly harder to win political power for yourself, it’s still a pretty horrible excuse. Nobody sitting in a jury would let someone go free if they were accused of being an accomplice to a murder, if that accomplice’s defense was “well, I’m running for mayor, and if I didn’t help the murderer, his friends probably won’t vote for me”. Like I get that Kamala isn’t really calling the shots on that, being only vice president currently, but she doesn’t seem like she intends to change how Biden has handled the situation much.
Don’t get me wrong, I am voting for her, I’m not one of those people that thinks that it is somehow noble to just let the greater evil win if it means not taking an action that helps the lesser evil beat it, I think that the going for the best outcome plausibly available is always the right thing to do and that doing the reverse because “well my hands are clean” is a misguided and self centered way to do ethics, but like damn people (to which I mean the people that actually side with Isreal in this, and the DNC I guess, not they they see my tired internet ranting), just because the other option is as close as the country has come in a century to “literally Hitler” does not mean that you have to emulate Churchill refusing to help the Bengalis.
They figured it’ll cost them more to condemn Israel. And they’re wrong. Progressive voters’ (a demographic that was essential for Biden’s 2020 victory) enthusiasm is in the ditch and Muslim voters are actively abandoning Harris (another essential demographic) and in doing so giving multiple swing states to Republicans. And I repeat: multiple. Michigan isn’t the only one.
That aside, you have to remember that center right democrats don’t care about Israel as much as leftists care about Palestine. Even Democrat voters who would find conditioning aid to Israel objectionable wouldn’t care enough to change their vote on election day, because the people who do care that much are already all republican.
Shit. You’re right.
Political power for themselves, sure, but that also means way less power for the Kremlin asset who will do an incredible amount of damage of elected again.
It would help with a base that doesn’t reliably vote even in countries where they have more political options available to them.
In the population in general more people support Israel than Palestine, especially amongst older electors that actually show up to vote.
It would guarantee a Trump landslide. Democrats are already being called antisemites.
Yeah this is exactly what people said about Biden dropping out of the race too.
Everyone, including Jon Stewart and Nancy Pelosi, wanted Joe Biden to drop out. We all did. But attacking him was a dumb strategy. Unless of course you’re a histrionic child throwing a tantrum.
He didn’t “say nothing publicly”, and nice try moving the goalpost.
Huh?
They’ve polled roughly that question. It would increase support among Democrats and Independents, i.e., the people that matter.
Nearly half (47%) of Americans say they would be more likely to support a 2024 presidential candidate who continues to support Israel, while 48% say they would be less likely to support a candidate who does so. These sentiments, however, vary by political affiliation. While at least half of Democrats (56%) and independents (51%) say that continuing to give military aid to Israel would make them less likely to support a presidential candidate, most Republicans (62%) say doing so would make them more likely to support a presidential candidate.
https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/americans-split-continuing-military-aid-israel
Now poll likely voters. Gen Z and their TikTok propaganda-fueled superficial outrage mean nothing in an election when they don’t bother to vote… and they don’t.
Here are 4 polls, 2 from May and 2 from Nov 2024
Polls:
Quotes
In Pennsylvania, 34% of respondents said they would be more likely to vote for the Democratic nominee if the nominee vowed to withhold weapons to Israel, compared to 7% who said they would be less likely. The rest said it would make no difference. In Arizona, 35% said they’d be more likely, while 5% would be less likely. And in Georgia, 39% said they’d be more likely, also compared to 5% who would be less likely.
- New Poll Suggests Gaza Ceasefire and Arms Embargo Would Help Dems with Swing State Voters (Full YouGov Report) (May 2024)
Quotes
- Data For Progress Poll (May 2024)
Quotes
Quotes
Majorities of Democrats (67%) and Independents (55%) believe the US should either end support for Israel’s war effort or make that support conditional on a ceasefire. Only 8% of Democrats but 42% of Republicans think the US must support Israel unconditionally.
Republicans and Independents most often point to immigration as one of Biden’s top foreign policy failures. Democrats most often select the US response to the war in Gaza.
what do you think publicly repudiating Israel would do for the democrats’ chances of winning the presidential election?
Would probably improve them. Dramatically so if backed by actions such as stopping all weapons shipments
It makes sense for them to say nothing publicly while privately trying to tie down those loose cannons.
First of all, no. It doesn’t make sense to publicly do the opposite of what a majority of the population, including an overwhelming majority of your own base, wants.
Also, “loose cannons” must be a new fucking record for downplaying 75 years of apartheid rule and an ongoing genocide!
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what a majority of the population, including an overwhelming majority of your own base
Source for this? Polls I’ve seen suggest otherwise, but maybe you have access to data that others don’t.
Well it seems currently they’re supporting it, and currently they’re also neck and neck with Trump. Doesn’t it strike you as odd that the race is so close despite Trump having dozens of felonies, being so old, and being generally insane?
The genocide is real. Those are words, and 100% more cynical than thoughts and prayers
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That is not something I would take as fact. Questionable polling at best, and it’s laughable to say it’s what the American people want when they have no say in the matter. The powers at be will not allow candidates to be critical of Israel…ie the PACs that choose which candidates are on the national ticket. I’m sure if the American people were able to vote on this issue, funding to Israel would cease immediately.
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You’re either trolling or very naive
So your justification for supporting genocide is that it gives people better opportunities for career advancement? Well, now I’m convinced it’s a good thing.
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That’s true but as long as his political opponent has a more supportive stance on Israel, the Democratic Party knows that there’s a lot more room to support Israel without haemorrhaging too many voters who don’t align with that value.
And yet he has yet to get off Bibi’s dick.
Still sending weapons, aid money. no sanctions. Military support when they fuck around are about to find out.
But Biden is shaking his fist very angrily! That has to count for something! /s
Is his brow furrowed, though?
It’s the complete performance, though maybe the added wink and nod spoil it a bit.
Biden: “Israel has every right to extend its borders as biblically dictated…”
I actually thought this was something he really said for a second.
I actually thought this was something he really said for a second.
yep, it was said.
“We should prepare to go over to the offensive. Our aim is to smash Lebanon, Trans-Jordan, and Syria. The weak point is Lebanon, for the Moslem regime is artificial and easy for us to undermine. We shall establish a Christian state there, and then we will smash the Arab Legion, eliminate Trans-Jordan; Syria will fall to us. We then bomb and move on and take Port Said, Alexandria and Sinai.” David Ben-Gurion May 1948
On the 6th of February 1948, during a Mapai Party Council, Ben-Gurion responded to a remark from a member of the audience that “we have no land there” [in the hills and mountains west of Jerusalem] by saying: “The war will give us the land. The concepts of “ours” and “not ours” are peace concepts, only, and in war they lose their whole meaning” (Ben-Gurion, War Diary, Vol. 1, entry dated 6 February 1948. p.211)
The acceptance of partition does not commit us to renounce Transjordan. One does not demand from anybody to give up his vision. We shall accept a state in the boundaries fixed today — but the boundaries of Zionist aspirations are the concerns of the Jewish people and no external factor will be able to limit them.” P. 53, “The Birth of Israel, 1987” Simha Flapan
Biblically or bibi-vocally?
They always claim Hezbollah is terrorist, but surely the IDF have a larger civilian kill count and a larger percentage of civilians killed.
Israel feeling pretty confident there is zero consequences to their actions now.
This is what I don’t get… Hezbollah has seats in Lebanon’s parliament. How is it any different than Likud? Aside from the whole, “not being actively genocidal” thing. Should we compare civilian casualties between the two groups?
Why are we only cool with democracy (and “spreading” it) when they vote for the people we like?
Edit: well, I stand corrected. Here is an article today showing Hezbollah committing literal war crimes today… Oh no wait. Hold on a second, that was actually the IDF:
So at what point do they become “terrorists”? Or are we just having a pointless semantic argument at this point?
Likud doesn’t maintain a separate army under their own flag.
Literal terrorism. Literal war crimes. This just happened.
Even worse than a militant group, this is state-sponsored. Which is, of course, what legitimizes it in your sick minds. That’s the difference between “defending ourselves” and, “commiting horrific acts of terrorism.” Some intangible concept of legitimaticy that apparently gives carte blanche to commit genocide.
I could be wrong, but I cannot ever recall seeing any articles about Hezbollah (or even Hamas for that matter) attacking humanitarian aid convoys. And I mean ever. And yet this isn’t even the second, or third time I’ve seen Israel do it in one year.
Not many things are black and white in this world…
The only sane comment in this entire post.
So what’s the functional difference? Why does that matter? Should we compare civilian casualties of the IDF vs. Hezbollah and the Lebanese Army combined? Because it’s still not even close.
Doesn’t seem like anyone who replied to me has any interest in comparing these types of statistics. They never are. I wonder why that is…
Seems a bit telling. Hezbollah, a literal terrorist organization; It should be a trivial exercise to compare civilian casualties. Why wouldn’t any IDF defenders want to have this conversation? “Most moral military in the world,” I thought? Should be no problem.
Yes they do, it’s called the IDF and literally every citizen has to serve and receive “conditioning” that dehumanizes Arabs.
Since I know you’re going to balk at that (doesn’t change the fact that it is an accurate comparison)… Then how about Israeli settlers (AKA Jewish people from Brooklyn) in the West Bank invading Palestinian villages with AR-15s and forcing them from their ancestral homes at gunpoint? Murdering men, women, and children for some property they have zero claim to. Is that close enough for you?
No, you’re right, it’s not. Because Hezbollah isn’t an invading force.
I’m tired of people acting like these parties don’t have militant arms directly because of Israel’s actions. Intentional, I might add. They know they’re creating more “terrorists.”
What language was the announcement in?
Israel is very consistent in using the language for televised statements in the language of the intended audience.
When Israel states something in English, the intended audience is generally the US, not whom they are addressing.
Media Bias/Fact Check - News Source Context (Click to view Full Report)
Information for Media Bias/Fact Check:
MBFC: Least Biased - Credibility: High - Factual Reporting: Very High - United States of America
Wikipedia about this sourceThe Guardian - News Source Context (Click to view Full Report)
Information for The Guardian:
MBFC: Left-Center - Credibility: Medium - Factual Reporting: Mixed - United Kingdom
Wikipedia about this sourceSearch topics on Ground.News
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/oct/08/israel-iran-live-blog-hezbollah-lebanon-gaza-hamas-war-middle-east-crisis-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-670564528f08f65f2b70021d#block-670564528f08f65f2b70021d
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/the-guardian/Why do they hate us so much?
Would it be because I’m a genocidal dictator dick?
Naaah, it must be them, they are the fanatics, they are the psychos, not me!
I can’t support this. It’s like America’s little putin.
The only way this possibility ends in peace is an airstrike resulting in Netanyahu’s death, which is rather unlikely
That’s sort of his plan, to raze it to the ground. What Netanyahu doesn’t realize is that all the war money he’s burning through is also Israel’s defense money, and that it will be some of the last it will ever get even if Trump wins. Biden is getting fed up, and Trump isn’t a fan of Israel, he’s a fan of money and Russia.
Don’t listen to this manipulative pro-Trump garbage. Trump loves Israel.
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/harris-trump-iran-israel-gaza-positions/
As president, Trump controversially moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and ended decades of U.S. opposition to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. (The Biden administration reversed the settlement decision.)
Pro-Trump? Are you an idiot? Again, Trump loves money, not Netanyahu. Netanyahu is a free loopback for public to private money interests for a lot of politicians, but when you increasingly control that money at its source, it becomes less significant. Trump is going for a dictatorship in the US this time around, so Trump needs Putin, an Iran ally and leader at this sort of subterfuge, more than he needs Netanyahu.
With morons all around, from his supporters to the sort that calls observations like that “Pro-Trump”, he’s closer than ever to his goal. If you insist enough on it, I’m sure you will get a lot of pro-Netanyahu people, the sort already pushing troll factories onto social networks, to vote and promote Trump since they care more about Israel than the US. I’m just reminding them they are going to get screwed either way, if anything more so with Trump.
“Trump will end support for Israel’s genocidal violence against Palestine” is essentially what you were saying.
If it were true, I’d grit my teeth and let this praise of Trump slide. But it is a lie in service to a fascist, relating to an issue that can swing votes.
… this praise of Trump … But it is a lie in service to a fascist
Not sure how utterly brain damaged you have to be to extrapolate that from my statement, but here we are. Dictators are not the best of bedfellows, history has proven that time and time again.
Congratulations for standing up for the supposed people in swing states who would vote a fascist dictator because they might drop support for Israel in the future because he’s a fan of money, not Israel … but somehow ignore the part where I’m also stating that Biden is getting fed up as well, I guess? Sorry, I don’t know how the crazed zealot mindset works, it certainly isn’t on logic, which is what I oppose Trump on.
Israeli terroristic threats levied to innocent civilians. Must be a wednesday.