I’m not saying anything against someone who for one reason or another (like that they are 2 years old or something) isn’t taking part in fighting, or just wants to live and not to be a part of the killing on either side.
I’m saying that if you don’t “align” yourself mentally against the invaders while they’re killing your family and blowing up your country, then yes, I think you’re a piece of shit. Meaning, it makes no sense to punish ordinary Palestinians or treat it as anything wrong with them if they are “aligned” against the Israelis or willing to take part in anti Israeli activities, no matter who they are. That may make them “not civilians” legally, but to remain a fully unaligned-with-the-conflict civilian, all the way up until your house is the one getting blown up and you and your family are the dead ones, is unequivocally wrong. In my opinion, and maybe I have no right to say that. You’re right that I’m just saying it from the outside without the slightest idea of the reality of what I’m talking about.
The solution is to stop the Israelis from brutalizing Palestine in a way that anyone with a shred of human spirit would try to resist against. The solution is not to decide that now that they’ve done that, any Palestinian who doesn’t like it isn’t a civilian anymore, so it’s okay to kill them too.
(And if someone in Palestine doesn’t care and just wants to get away and be safe, then that is fine. Not saying anything against that. And if they want to work for peace, and that’s their resistance, then great. That is much better. But I’m saying you can’t blame someone for fighting back in a situation this desperate and unfair.)
I’m not saying anything against someone who for one reason or another (like that they are 2 years old or something) isn’t taking part in fighting, or just wants to live and not to be a part of the killing on either side.
I’m saying that if you don’t “align” yourself mentally against the invaders while they’re killing your family and blowing up your country, then yes, I think you’re a piece of shit. Meaning, it makes no sense to punish ordinary Palestinians or treat it as anything wrong with them if they are “aligned” against the Israelis or willing to take part in anti Israeli activities, no matter who they are. That may make them “not civilians” legally, but to remain a fully unaligned-with-the-conflict civilian, all the way up until your house is the one getting blown up and you and your family are the dead ones, is unequivocally wrong. In my opinion, and maybe I have no right to say that. You’re right that I’m just saying it from the outside without the slightest idea of the reality of what I’m talking about.
The solution is to stop the Israelis from brutalizing Palestine in a way that anyone with a shred of human spirit would try to resist against. The solution is not to decide that now that they’ve done that, any Palestinian who doesn’t like it isn’t a civilian anymore, so it’s okay to kill them too.
(And if someone in Palestine doesn’t care and just wants to get away and be safe, then that is fine. Not saying anything against that. And if they want to work for peace, and that’s their resistance, then great. That is much better. But I’m saying you can’t blame someone for fighting back in a situation this desperate and unfair.)