Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered outside the parliament building in Jerusalem on Sunday in the largest anti-government demonstration since the country went to war in October. They urged the government to reach a cease-fire deal to free dozens of hostages held by the Hamas militant group in Gaza and to hold early elections.
Israeli society was broadly united immediately after Oct. 7, when Hamas killed some 1,200 people during a cross-border attack and took 250 others hostage. Nearly six months of conflict have renewed divisions over the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, though the country remains largely in favor of the war.
Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas and bring all the hostages home, yet those goals have been elusive. While Hamas has suffered heavy losses, it remains intact.
Stopping the ongoing genocide is fucking unquestionably necessary. If the far right psychos manage to put pressure on other far right psychos in order to do so, so be it. We’re not signing some pact with them. We’re trying to save lives.
The ongoing genocide didn’t start on Oct 7th, nor will this ceasefire stop it.
No shit. But even a ceasefire will save some lives. This “all or nothing” attitude is so detrimental to progress.
Yes, incrementalism is a disease, yes, signing treaties with far right genocidal maniacs is dicey at best, dropping aid as people continue to die isn’t enough. But cutting off any step in the right direction at the knees because “not good enough” is just so foolish.
We. Need. To. Save. Lives.
Do we also need to stop the genocide? Yes. Absolutely.
We need to dismantle capitalism. But that doesn’t mean that passing strict regulations in the meantime is a waste of time. See what I’m saying?
It’s not an all or nothing attitude, it’s a I’m not going to celebrate a slow genocide approach.
Me dismissing of Israel’s genocide is not going to cause more people to die in the interim.
Nor are these people protesting because they care what the international community thinks of them.
They are protesting for selfish reasons. I have zero influence over this situation, so let me hate on genocide.
Are you hating on genocide? It sounds like you’re trying to be the “no, I’M THE MORE RIGHTEOUS AMONG YOU!” person here. Because no one here is taking a pro-genocide stance. You’re drawing lines in the sand to say who can and can’t be helpful in saving lives because their motives aren’t pure.
That’s like a passerby rushing in to stop someone else from drowning a third person because they were worried they’d be charged too if they didn’t do anything. And you’re just standing on the beach shouting through cupped hands, “NO! DONT LISTEN TO THAT PERSON, THEIR MOTIVES ARENT PURE!”
So, in effect, you’re arguing for nothing to change if the people with some possible power to change it don’t agree with you. Sounds like a kinda pro genocide stance.