Israel

[stylofone]

I noticed that Netanyahu used the controversial phrase "from the river to the sea" in his recent rejection of a two-state solution. I was also pondering how recognising the state of Israel was so important in the Oslo process and before that for countries like Egypt. You get a Nobel Peace Prize for that sort of thing. The peace treaty between Egypt and Israel is still in effect after more than 40 years. Netanyahu's opposition to a Palestinian state is like a policy in favour of endless war. I recall that fellow despot Trump, in his dishonest and dopey way, also floated the idea of dumping the two-state solution.

Maybe we can have an anarchist dream of a no-state solution, I don't know how, but the usual ideas seem pretty fanciful at the moment, so why not?

[joele]

Disturbing testimony..

Israeli women held hostage in the Gaza Strip are being subjected to regular sexual abuse, with their guards treating them like “dolls,” survivors of October 7 testified in the Knesset on Tuesday, adding to a growing body of evidence that Hamas weaponized sexual assault and is likely still violating victims in captivity.

“I saw it with my own eyes,” said former hostage Aviva Siegel, who was abducted from Kibbutrz Kfar Aza with her husband Keith on October 7 and released during a ceasefire in late November.

“I felt as if the girls in captivity were my daughters. The terrorists bring inappropriate clothes, clothes for dolls and turn the girls into their dolls. Dolls on a string with which you can do whatever you want, whenever you want,” she told a meeting of the newly established Knesset caucus on victims of sexual and gender violence in the war against Hamas.

“I’m still there. My body is there. The boys also go through abuse — what the girls go through. Maybe they don’t get pregnant [but] they are also puppets on a string.”

https://www.timesofisrael.com/right-now ... ex-crimes/

[Irrev-Black]

Hamas and the Israeli military - both products of that despicable Netanyahu.

He is an argument for the death penalty, and his victims are into the tens of thousands.

[stylofone]

Last night I heard Bassem Youssef on the BBC radio broadcast of Hardtalk, explaining why Biden's material support and feeble criticism of Israel diminishes him. I don't want to misrepresent the nuance of Bassem's position, but he seemed to say Biden is so bad he's no better than Trump. The show is not available to stream yet, but here is Bassem in the video from a while ago which really made me take notice of what he has to say.

[joele]

Finally a Burgatory arson update.. Turns out it had nothing to do with Caulfield's Jewish community..

I heard on radio news that the police originally thought it wasn't religiously or politically motivated as it fit a series of crimes they were investigating involving arson and theft. Not sure if these two arrested are part of that or it is an unrelated theft and arson. Guess we will see if they get additional charges.

Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit detectives arrested a 27-year-old man at an apartment on Belsize Avenue, Carnegie, about 9.15am on Wednesday.

A 25-year-old man was then arrested in Werribee Street, Dallas, at about 11am.

The 25-year-old was taken to hospital, under police guard, but police allege his injuries are unrelated to his arrest.

Moorabbin Investigation and Response Inspector Scott Dwyer said the attack was unrelated to Mr Tayeh’s pro-Palestine activism.

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-ne ... f56cd9a9da

Not 100% on topic for this thread but as the original arson was discussed in this thread I thought it worth updating here.

[Irrev-Black]

Finally a Burgatory arson update.. Turns out it had nothing to do with Caulfield's Jewish community..

(SNIP)

And that controversial chant didn't contain the word "gas", according to expert analysis.

(Still shitty to conflate all Jews with Netanyahu and his thugs.)

[joele]

And that controversial chant didn't contain the word "gas", according to expert analysis.

(Still shitty to conflate all Jews with Netanyahu and his thugs.)

That is interesting, so what word was incorrectly subtitled as 'gas'? they don't seem to say in that video.. Was it just "fuck the jews" but it just sounded like gas?

It doesn't really change anything for me, this is no different than if there was a pro Israel rally and they chanted "fuck the muslims" it's just shitty bigotry.

[Irrev-Black]

And that controversial chant didn't contain the word "gas", according to expert analysis.

(Still shitty to conflate all Jews with Netanyahu and his thugs.)

That is interesting, so what word was incorrectly subtitled as 'gas'? they don't seem to say in that video.. Was it just "fuck the jews" but it just sounded a bit like gas?

It doesn't really change anything for me, this is no different than if there was a pro Israel rally and they chanted "fuck the muslims" it's just shitty bigotry.

The "gas" rumour appears to have arisen with the "Australian Jewish Association" a non-accredited org-of-about-one, whose activity online speaks for its reputation.

For the investigation, the police hired an independent biometric science expert to analyze the audio-visual records. Upon analyzing the video and audio recordings of the protest, no evidence was found to support the claim that protesters chanted “gas the Jews.” However, the investigation determined that the unsettling phrase captured in audio and video recordings was “Where’s the Jews?” Additionally, the evidence revealed the utterance of other offensive slogans, such as “F*** the Jews.”

- Jurist News

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-n ... o-evidence

I agree, "(anything) the Jews" is bigotry and I condemn it.

The role of the AJA in divisive matters is worth noting.

The AJA has no standing as a representative body and does not represent the views of the majority of Australian Jews. Perhaps its name, which includes the word association, has implied to other media that it somehow represents a broader grouping of Jewish community interests.

But let’s be clear. It is a private advocacy group, formed some five years ago, whose policies and views place it on the far-right of the political spectrum in relation to the Middle East and public debate. The AJA does not support a two-state solution in the Middle East.

https://plus61j.net.au/a-troubling-tren ... sociation/

[joele]

However, the investigation determined that the unsettling phrase captured in audio and video recordings was “Where’s the Jews?”

Doesn't sound like "where's" to me but I guess if that is what the analysis says, so be it..

The AJA does not support a two-state solution in the Middle East.

Neither do many protestors on the other side, that is the point of "from the river to the sea" it is calling for a one state solution too. Though as we see both sides are using that phrase now to support their opposing singular states.

Never heard of AJA to be honest, well not until very recently unlike the ECAJ and ZFA which I have heard of since childhood. Though interestingly they are claiming they are preparing to release a documentary with more footage and more chants including other genocidal ones (in Arabic) from the same and other protests in Australia.

AJN (Australian Jewish News) article on the chant (quoting both ECAJ and ZFA representatives) - https://www.australianjewishnews.com/we ... -we-heard/

[Irrev-Black]

Just quietly, I'm an anarchist, and ultimately would approve a no-state solution, everywhere.