How is the current conflict affecting you?

[TheGruffalochild]

This thread is intended to be a safe space to talk about how you are impacted by the current conflict. May be wishful thinking- but it isn’t supposed to be a place to take sides, place blame, or use inflammatory language. Nor is my intention to fill a thread with links to historical information and YouTube videos arguing either side.
Im just starting this thread because I’m feeling my mental health deteriorate from seeing and reading about so many scenes of violence on the news/social media. Of course all victims on both sides have suffered something unimaginable and I can’t even imagine how their pain compares to my discomfort. But I’d like to exchange on how every day people are affected and have a space for mumsnetters to support one another.
I know some have posted they’re waking in the night thinking about the events. I’m experiencing something similar - there is some broken scaffolding outside my home that rattles when it’s windy. The other night I initially woke with visions of someone firing at my house then realized it was just clanking bits of metal.

Please don’t take this the wrong way. I know how privileged I am to be safe in my home with all my loved ones around me. I know I could turn off the news - it will happen with or without me watching live updates. I’m so irrelevant in all of this. Yet at the same time I feel obliged not to look away from such massive and meaningless loss of life.

Its just awful. I think the world has shrunk . Im just happy where I live and for the grace of god im not gazan. Its terrible. Warcrimes going on with approval of EU. What a low. Im afraid of the power of politicians and what they can undertake in the name of faux outrage . Its all very very scary. Its hard to trust anyones intentions
I wonder whats goin on in israel. Is there unananimous support for this bombardment by netanyahu. Why do so many have to suffer on both sides. Its stupid people who are having a go at ordinary jewish people and their kids.

I do however support the right of others to support israel or palestine.Anyone see the furore over gigi hadid on insta???
The IDF had a go and id say she will be cancelled.
Im afraid to book any hols ( i know not a priority) as the world is so volatile

@ssd @EastofEden89 @royalwatchewr

Respectfully, can you PLEASE STOP.

Read the OP.

Do you have any evidence to back up such an outlandish claim?

That would be a no then.

Sorry @TheGruffalochild

Not another word from me. Wishing you well, take care.

How am I impacted? It is taking up too much of my time because if I have a decent TV station on, they will have interviews with quite knowledgeable people, and those are interesting.

The current conflict is making me think of all the things I have learned from people and books and programmes throughout my lifetime. I am reminded of the time when there was a postcard of Yasser Arafat shaking hands with an Israeli man - was it the one who was killed and I can't quite remember the name of (sorry), across the front of President Bill Clinton. I was told, probably when I was in Israel, that one important thing about that handshake was that the two men had not sat down to eat together, and that eating together would have been more of a good sign.

Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak are in the other room, talking about it, so I will go in there. PM's Question Time.

Surely the best way to keep this thread on track is to just ignore those intent on derailing it. What they want is to provoke a reaction - don't give it to them.

I have only read snippets of the news as its all consuming and I worry for my mental health if I get drawn in.

I feel anger that yet again innocent lives are being lost and for what exactly? The human race has endless potential to do good and yet wars keep coming, the innocent are tortured and slaughtered and the (most often) men in charge are kept safe, warm, fed and hydrated unphased by the abhorrent crimes they are commiting.

I feel helpless for the innocent people on both sides being sacrificed. I feel powerless to help and fearful of how this will evolve.

.

It’s really upset me. as soon as news was known of the massacres, there were people, plenty of people, including white non-Muslims, who turned their hearts and minds completely from the Jewish victims and instantly gave all their sympathy to the Palestinian victims. And not only that, but insisted on the need to understand those racist murders and barbarity from Hamas.

It really revealed how easily people, ordinary people, will forget the humanity of groups of people they have internalized do not deserve sympathy. Even to the extent of babies being murdered, women being gang raped.

I salute those individuals who attended the vigil for both Israeli and a Palestinian civilians.

I

@PurpleChrayne that's horrific, I can't imagine. Sending unmumsnetty hugs to you. Hoping for some positive news for you soon.

I didn’t want to say it, but I have had exactly the same thought. Seeing ordinary people, people who are my friends, turn their faces entirely away from the Jewish victims, and then ‘understanding’ the murderers and I thought, ‘this is how it starts’. This is how things like the holocaust start. By ordinary people who believe, even if unconsciously, that this group of people are not deserving of caring or concern. Not matter how appalling the brutality against them. This is how easy it is to get one group of ordinary every day ‘nice’ people to so dehumanize another.

It’s terrifying.

Thank you @Syrupyslop for articulating my fears so clearly.

I am Jewish and donate to an organisation calling Standing Together. It’s made up of Jewish and Palestinian members calling for an end to the fighting and providing aid, care and support to each others communities. It’s gives me a bit of hope that both sides are not completely polarised.

But it’s all utterly grim and hard to get to the facts as to who has/is doing what. As Mark Twain said, A lie can travel half way around the world, while the truth is putting on its shoes.

For the first time in a while when I was walking through the city centre and on the bus home, I was looking at people and wondering if they were thinking badly about me as I look Jewish. I didn’t stop for a falafel at the food van at lunch time, as it’s run by a Palestinian guy and I felt as if he would hate me or not want to serve me. I’m wary near home as it’s a very Jewish area. I can’t bear the atrocities on either side and how it is setting in motion the next generation of traumatised, revenge filled people.

I'm not culturally or religiously Jewish but there is Jewish ancestry on one side of my family. My sister really takes after that side and looks very Jewish. I am hoping she isn't targeted for it, though the area she lives in is even less Jewish than mine is.

I really feel sad and concerned for those who are being affected directly from this, it's appalling.

I too am horrified by the whole thing. Wanton destruction of life for whatever reason is just not acceptable and those that think they are better and more powerful because they can hurt and maim and kill - weirdly all done supposedly in the name of a loving/caring god disgust me.

I got some comfort one day last week. I returned home from Turkey. The people in the airport included other British, Turkish and Jewish people. Turkey, like Britain, is nominally secular but a high proportion of people are Muslim. The 3 Jewish men (dressed traditionally) were treated exactly the same as anyone else. One was with his wife (or some close friend/relative) and baby. I saw Turkish men helping with their luggage. It's a tiny moment in a horrible situation but so pleased to see that in that moment people of whatever race or religion were respectful and decent toward each other.

I really really hope that a diplomatic intervention will take place successfully soon but I thinnk it is unlikely that anything can be done that conclude this situation. At best it will go back into limbo. I hope I'm wrong and that, some time soon there will be real and lasting peace

zara223

You are entitled to your own beliefs. Don't feel the need to apologise for them. I have different beliefs but do understand where your own come from. So long as we all don't hate on each others differences and show each other respect it shouldn't make a difference.

I feel your pain as a mother worrying about keeping your son safe. This is my worry for my children too.

Something I said my Muslim friend in the past was that if Jews in the UK are not safe then Muslims definitely won't be too. The truth is that when we get to the stage where the average person in the UK ignores Jews getting abused or minimalises it. Then they will definitely do the same to muslims as well. We are not quite there with this but in the last few years things have been changing fast.

Sorry not very comforting. This is what I see happening and how I feel though. Look after your son and keep him safe by doing whatever you feel is best.

NannyGythaOgg

Turkish Muslims are normally very nice open and friendly to Jews. One of the previous leaders run the country in a way that all faiths and cultures were welcome. I think the knock on affect of that has lasted generations. My Jewish father lived in Turkey for a long time. It is the current leader and his officials that have made it a worrying and uncomfortable place for Jews sometimes.

I love your airport story. A glimpse that all people can tick along and help each other. That in normal life people do exactly that on their own.

Thank you for this thread. I’ve been feeling so guilty about how bad I‘ve been feeling, because it seems so self indulgent when I and my family aren’t suffering in the slightest. I thought I was going a bit mad! Much love to all of you for whom this is closer to home xxx

it seems so self indulgent when I and my family aren’t suffering in the slightest

I think it's the saturation coverage. Noticed the same about Ukraine/Russia - lots of people in the UK talking about "the war" like it was actually the UK at war. Now with this. There are wars all over the place all the time but some get more reporting because of their political relationship with the UK/UK allies. You don't hear much about the war in Sudan for eg, not now most British citizens have left, but far more people are dying there than in Israel/Palestine rn. It's just not as politically relevant to the UK so it's not got as much coverage. It does have the effect though, this coverage, of making people feel more personally invested, even in situations where what's happening is very personally removed, for them.

And ofc some people are just drama llamas and will make any damn thing all about themselves lol.

Just so sad. Same shit, different year. I’ve been alive long enough to lose faith In peace ever becoming a reality in the region.
In situations like this, I pick one side; humankind’s. I don’t want people to die, Israeli or Palestinian, specifically babies, because they are our future, our children, and I hate that they suffer undeservedly in conflict. Does anyone deserve to suffer in conflict? It’s unbearable what is happening in Israel/Gaza.

I’m the daughter of a refugee who fled war and persecution; my father, who lost his entire extended and part of his immediate family. I think, for this reason and simply for the fact that I share planet home and this human experience with others, all wars feel personal. The loss feels very personal. I saw what such loss does to a person for the rest of their lives.

Message received. Apologies.

That is awful for you

Israel have done this to you by their barbarity and revenge back. I mean no one expected them to turn the other cheek to the truly horrifying hamas but literally 1000s of people are dead in Gaza. Caged there by israel to die of starvation . I mean that is just wrong
Both are barbaric israel and hamas. The idf actions are atrocities and are being called out by ordinary decent people the world over. You need to point the finger of blame at Netanyahu. Not your neighbours / friends. Everyone can see it for what it is a genocide by the name of israel

Sorry @cropcycle
Its very unfair your day to day living is being affected by events in israel- your friends should be able to not mix the two iykwim
Israel cannot control the opinions of normal decent people That war they have spectacularly lost on the world stage with this indiscriminate blanket attack on women and children in gaza with no supplies and no where togo
There is zero justification for it as there is zero for the atrocity by Hammas.
Israel is so powerful on the world stage they have war monger biden and von der leyen ignoring war crimes 😳. It beggarsa belief

I find this particular conflict extremely disturbing. I don't know why this one is affecting me more than others, but I find myself thinking of the poor people and children and imagining if it was happening here 💔 seeing babies and toddlers bedrooms splattered in blood just hits me at my very core that any human being could have it within them to do this.

🩷 I hear you

I'm appalled that this is happening. But as there is literally nothing I can do about it, I try not to think about it too much or I will get depressed, and that won't improve anything.