Sunday, July 6, 2014

MY COMMENT ON THE ISRAELI/PALESTINIAN CONFLICT AT THE MOMENT

In every conflict, both sides tend to exaggerate, distort, misdirect, misinform and attempt to control information, at least to some extent...but...and it's another big BUT...when one side has a lopsided dominance in power over the other (as giant corporations do worldwide over most governments, media, small businesses and ordinary people, or brutal dictatorships do over their subjects, or "whites" have historically over "blacks" in the USA, or Brits over native Irish in Ireland's history, or Germans and most nationalities over Jews in their nations, etc.) cries of victimhood from the dominant power side come off as petty and indulgent...as does Israel when complaining that a people their government drove out of their homes and off their lands—and continue to do that in "occupied territory"—are throwing stones at them or sending rockets into usually unpopulated areas of Israel (because they fear a direct hit on an Israeli target with many casualties would mean an even more brutal response from the Israeli military than those in the past that have been so lopsided)...

And the kidnapping and murder of teenage boys on both sides (or any other criminal act) should be treated like a crime and the criminals found and brought to legal justice...And the Israeli government rightfully can brag about their usually more successful attempts to do that as in the present situation it would seem...but not turn it into a sideshow of revenge retaliations on the general populace of either side...obviously...though not obvious to many directly involved...

PS: It is totally hypocritical of Israel's government to demand no inclusion of Hamas in Palestinian governance because Hamas denies Israel's right to exist, when Israel's own government includes parties that deny Palestine's right to exist!