This picture of Israeli soldiers smiling for a selfie in front of a destroyed Gaza...

Oh, come off it. This sort of thread is as pointless and offensive as if I were to post photos of Gazans celebrating in the streets on 8 October and ask you to comment.

Typo. This was meant to say it WASN'T the fact it happens that beggars belief.

It was your reaction to it.

@Dibilnik

Also, to be blunt, soldiers tend not to kneel weeping in front of the destruction they have created. It seems naive to think it beggars belief that this sort of thing happens in a war situation.

It was the fact it happened that 'beggars belief'.

It was your reaction to it.

Why is it anti-semitic and dehumanising to express that it seems inappropriate and to show a lack of awareness when people take selfies and group photos surrounded by or with a backdrop of death and suffering?

Not really. It's highlighting the dehumanising of Palestinians.

Also, calling people "anti-semitic" when they criticise the IDF is bound not to go well for you.

What strikes me as antisemitic is a thread like this, the whole purpose of which seems to be to dehumanise Israelis.

Umm, 2 posts from people already actively discussing something isn't a pile on.

Personally, I struggle to see how commemorative photos in conflict zones are at all professional or respectful to either the civilians in harm's way, or the families of hostages and those killed in the atrocities.

I don't think @whatsitcalledwhen was saying it beggars belief that this sort of thing happens (we know that this sort of thing is happening and that it's happened in other conflicts), but that it beggars belief that someone looking at that situation would comment as though they saw nothing wrong with it.

Maybe people's reactions to your posts should give cause to reflect upon what you're saying and how you're saying it.

Fully defending an army who are committing genocide, and justifying their reasons for committing said genocide, is bound to be controversial. You shouldn't be surprised.

And it is a genocide. An entire population is trapped, is being bombarded and starved. There's no other word for it at this stage of the conflict.

Also, calling people "anti-semitic" when they criticise the IDF is bound not to go well for you.

God, what a pile-on!

OK, for what it's worth, here are my evil and disgusting thoughts:

It would be justifiable if this is not just an educational establishment. Dare I say it, Hamas are known to use such places as their base.

Of course, we have no idea what's going on here. Which is why I think we should hesitate to share this sort of image, as though we know the full picture.

You could perhaps say your thoughts on people taking commemorative photos outside of educational and other establishments they've just set on fire?

If you think it's justifiable, you could say why? (And that's not a case of "well, lots of bad things happen in conflicts" but actually explaining why you think it's justifiable).

@whatsitcalledwhen I'm not sure what you want from me. You already clearly consider me beneath contempt and anything I say is only going to make matters worse.

This might be the first war to be waged so much on social media. It is hard to know how to react to a photo like this without knowing what information they were acting on. Also, to be blunt, soldiers tend not to kneel weeping in front of the destruction they have created. It seems naive to think it beggars belief that this sort of thing happens in a war situation. I'm not really sure what else to say.

@Dibilnik

I said I wouldn't engage but I'm too baffled by your response not to.

What about my post implies I think Israel is behaving the way it is 'for a laugh'?

You've not reacted to the picture of IDF soldiers smiling in front of a school for deaf children. A school they have destroyed.

For you to respond to my post and ignore that it's unbelievable.

I don't understand how it benefits you to do that. To not say 'yes when it comes to that picture the behaviour of the IDF is completely unacceptable'.

If you were to acknowledge at any point the wrongdoing of the IDF it would go a long way to you having more meaningful discussions on here.

A school for deaf children. Destroyed. And they pose in front of it smiling. It beggars belief that you don't condemn that.

I'm not quite sure how burning down a school for Deaf children helps make people safer, but I'm sure someone will try to justify it somehow.

It's disgusting.

Outside a school they’ve just set fire to

Nothing says "taking things seriously" and "fully committed to hostage rescue" like a cheerful group photo outside a school.

Having said I would STFU, I do just want to respond to this because it's the whole point.

Threads like this make it seem that Israel is just doing this for a laugh. There is a bit more to it than that.

My god.

The complete absence of humanity is chilling.

@Dibilnik

it's a bit of a cheek to expect Israel to stop

I genuinely don't feel able to engage with you further after reading this.

The Israeli government is starving a population including thousands of children to death. People are watching their children slowly die from lack of food. It's an unthinkably cruel way to condemn children to death. The fact that Hamas have been unthinkably cruel too doesn't change that.

It's perfectly possible to condemn the Israeli government and Hamas while also expressing support for Israeli civilians and Palestinian civilians alike. Your refusal to condemn Israel's government unless you say 'but' afterwards in relationship to Hamas' behaviour is unbelievable at this point considering the ongoing civilian suffering in Gaza.

I do wish you well as an individual, as I would anyone, but really hope you reflect on your words about this situation when you look back on it in the future.

I can't believe that you don't know that you're being offensive but however. @Dibilnik

"it's a bit of a cheek to expect Israel to stop"
They're bombing civilians in their tens of thousands and deliberately starving people to death. How is a cheek to ask them to please stop committing genocide?

You're right, @Dulra. I'm not very good on social media (this is my only exposure to it) so I find it difficult coming to terms with the harshness of it. I think what got me going was the stuff posted on here in the immediate aftermath of 7 October 😱 Ever since, I'm probably sensitive to stuff that suggests indifference to Israel's plight, which (if you read the Israeli woman's AMA) could also be construed as including demands for ceasefire.

To sort of paraphrase other PPs, it is possible to condemn and despise the war while also feeling it's a bit of a cheek to expect Israel to stop, especially if we're judging that from a place of distant safety and comfort.

However! I sincerely do not wish to cause even more upset, to anyone, so I will now STFU 😊

I suppose I feel as though the hatred expressed here on MN belongs elsewhere, e.g. on Twitter/X or Facebook in forums of like-minded people. Here on MN, I'd expect a little more neutrality, or at least awareness that both sides might be reading it
@Dibilnik
I think what you view as hatred is anger and pain on both sides. People are extremely angry and distressed and I'm not sure why you'd expect different on a forum of randoms from all over the world. I have yet to read a thread anywhere on mumsnet where people are neutral, everyone always has an opinion one way or another and often expresses it in a less than diplomatic way.

What you have instead done is come on here and berate people for being understandably upset and wanting to talk about what is happening in Gaza.

That wasn't my intention, sorry if that's the effect I've had.

I suppose I feel as though the hatred expressed here on MN belongs elsewhere, e.g. on Twitter/X or Facebook in forums of like-minded people. Here on MN, I'd expect a little more neutrality, or at least awareness that both sides might be reading it. Some of the threads and comments I've read on here have been rather like rubbing the salt into a deep wound and the tone is often gleeful.

But this is social media! I've no idea why I expected MN to be any different. I'm going to take my own advice, grow up, and stop paying attention.