Oct 9 Video statement by Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant:
“We are putting a complete siege on Gaza … No electricity, no food,
no water, no gas – it’s all closed.”
Sounds like a comprehensive plan for genocide, don't you think? And looking at Gaza now, it looks like Israel is doing its best to follow the plan.
Piece of cake to implement considering that Hamas doesn't have any fighter bombers, tanks, armored personnel carriers, heavy artillery, medevac, a few billion a year in help from Uncle Sam, veto power in the Security Council, and a safe haven (like the interior of Israel is to the IDF) to protect itself.
If Hamas had any guts at all it would takes its small arms and RPGs, and set up clearly marked, isolated, protective tents, miles from civilian populations. That would relieve Israel of the cost and burden of genocide. I'm sure Biden would let the IDF use our satellite systems and intel to find the tents.
"Sounds like a comprehensive plan for genocide, don't you think?"
I don't actually Sherm. It sounds like a plan to wage war against an enemy that just killed 1,200 people. And I think it's odd to focus on Gallant's comments and ignore the fact that Israel didn't cut off water and food, and regularly warned civilians before beginning military operations.
And there's a reason why Hamas doesn't set up its defenses miles from civilian areas. They understand that civilian deaths increase the pressure on israel to agree to a cease fire. it's part of their military strategy to increase civilian casualties.
The UN conducted an inquiry about war crimes committed by Hamas and Israel, starting with the Hamas attack on 10/7. This link is a press release of the subsequent report. Hamas is clearly accused of war crimes, and Israel is accused of war crimes plus crimes against humanity. It make clear that Israel's intent was to severely punish the Gaza Palestinian population as revenge against the 10/7 attack. This is contestant with Gallant's 10/9 statement. It's a siege, not a war.
Yeah I saw that and respectfully I think it's absurd and don't understand how the UN can determine intent, which is essential to judgments about war crimes. To suggest that it's a siege not a war, as you do above, means ignoring Hamas's actions at the beginning of the conflict, which quite clearly were acts of war. But I appreciate your view on this and I will flag the OHCHR report for readers in my next newsletter.
“We are putting a complete siege on Gaza … No electricity, no food,
no water, no gas – it’s all closed”
Seems like the intent was to severely punish the Gaza population, rather than declare war on Hamas. Interesting that the day after Gallant's 10/9 pronouncement, President Biden promised full support for Israel's defense needs. And the 10/10 NYT carried Gallant's words on page one. I couldn't find any public reaction to what I thought was a very profound statement of intent to harm the Gaza civilian population. (No question that that population has subsequently been very severely harmed in every aspect of life's necessities.)
Using the aid trucks to conceal their soldiers was so ingeniously spiteful I wonder if it came out of the National Security Ministry. Doesn’t take the Eye of Sauron to see a future where an aid truck is attacked, the Israelis suspend even that meager aid and even more Palestinians starve to death.
I mean… it’s the IDF saying that. There are any number of articles quoting Palestinians saying the opposite. We both know everyone over there lies like it’s manna.
We do know the IDF likes to dress up like medics, civilians and Hamas fighters. We also know they used civilian vehicles to get close. It’s not exactly a far leap to believe the “eye witnesses” who say they saw aid trucks.
Were the “eye witnesses” really there and telling the truth? I don’t know. But again, it wouldn’t be out of IDF character, right?
Thank you, Michael. These "pro-Palestinians" seem woefully under-informed, jumping on a cause that's become inexplicably trendy in some quarters. And a U.N. official who doesn't know the definition of "genocide" should be resigning. War casualties and collateral damage, while tragic, aren't "genocide," the deliberate attempt to eradicate a people because of their identity. Maybe it's just me but use of that word screams "anti-Semitic."
To me, the most common denominator for blame in all of this is Netanyahu. ALL of this.
Oct 9 Video statement by Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant:
“We are putting a complete siege on Gaza … No electricity, no food,
no water, no gas – it’s all closed.”
Sounds like a comprehensive plan for genocide, don't you think? And looking at Gaza now, it looks like Israel is doing its best to follow the plan.
Piece of cake to implement considering that Hamas doesn't have any fighter bombers, tanks, armored personnel carriers, heavy artillery, medevac, a few billion a year in help from Uncle Sam, veto power in the Security Council, and a safe haven (like the interior of Israel is to the IDF) to protect itself.
If Hamas had any guts at all it would takes its small arms and RPGs, and set up clearly marked, isolated, protective tents, miles from civilian populations. That would relieve Israel of the cost and burden of genocide. I'm sure Biden would let the IDF use our satellite systems and intel to find the tents.
"Sounds like a comprehensive plan for genocide, don't you think?"
I don't actually Sherm. It sounds like a plan to wage war against an enemy that just killed 1,200 people. And I think it's odd to focus on Gallant's comments and ignore the fact that Israel didn't cut off water and food, and regularly warned civilians before beginning military operations.
And there's a reason why Hamas doesn't set up its defenses miles from civilian areas. They understand that civilian deaths increase the pressure on israel to agree to a cease fire. it's part of their military strategy to increase civilian casualties.
The UN conducted an inquiry about war crimes committed by Hamas and Israel, starting with the Hamas attack on 10/7. This link is a press release of the subsequent report. Hamas is clearly accused of war crimes, and Israel is accused of war crimes plus crimes against humanity. It make clear that Israel's intent was to severely punish the Gaza Palestinian population as revenge against the 10/7 attack. This is contestant with Gallant's 10/9 statement. It's a siege, not a war.
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/06/israeli-authorities-palestinian-armed-groups-are-responsible-war-crimes
Yeah I saw that and respectfully I think it's absurd and don't understand how the UN can determine intent, which is essential to judgments about war crimes. To suggest that it's a siege not a war, as you do above, means ignoring Hamas's actions at the beginning of the conflict, which quite clearly were acts of war. But I appreciate your view on this and I will flag the OHCHR report for readers in my next newsletter.
“We are putting a complete siege on Gaza … No electricity, no food,
no water, no gas – it’s all closed”
Seems like the intent was to severely punish the Gaza population, rather than declare war on Hamas. Interesting that the day after Gallant's 10/9 pronouncement, President Biden promised full support for Israel's defense needs. And the 10/10 NYT carried Gallant's words on page one. I couldn't find any public reaction to what I thought was a very profound statement of intent to harm the Gaza civilian population. (No question that that population has subsequently been very severely harmed in every aspect of life's necessities.)
Using the aid trucks to conceal their soldiers was so ingeniously spiteful I wonder if it came out of the National Security Ministry. Doesn’t take the Eye of Sauron to see a future where an aid truck is attacked, the Israelis suspend even that meager aid and even more Palestinians starve to death.
They didn't enter in aid trucks!. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-denies-reports-claiming-troops-used-aid-trucks-to-carry-out-hostage-rescue-mission/
I mean… it’s the IDF saying that. There are any number of articles quoting Palestinians saying the opposite. We both know everyone over there lies like it’s manna.
We do know the IDF likes to dress up like medics, civilians and Hamas fighters. We also know they used civilian vehicles to get close. It’s not exactly a far leap to believe the “eye witnesses” who say they saw aid trucks.
Were the “eye witnesses” really there and telling the truth? I don’t know. But again, it wouldn’t be out of IDF character, right?
Excellent LOTR reference.
Thank you, Michael. These "pro-Palestinians" seem woefully under-informed, jumping on a cause that's become inexplicably trendy in some quarters. And a U.N. official who doesn't know the definition of "genocide" should be resigning. War casualties and collateral damage, while tragic, aren't "genocide," the deliberate attempt to eradicate a people because of their identity. Maybe it's just me but use of that word screams "anti-Semitic."
Preach it, Michael!
Always!