To have reservations about a friendship with a woman who refers to Israel's actions in Gaza as a genocide?

[Oodiks]

I like this woman a lot, but we have very differing world views, specifically her belief that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

We work at a university and were coming back from lunch together when she commented that she was pleased the protestors hadn't come back. I agreed, noting how nerve wracking it must have been for Jewish students on campus to run the gauntlet of pro-Palestinian / anti-Zionist posters in the encampment.

We'd been talking about the American election over lunch, and I thought we'd agreed that Kamala Harris was the better candidate for her views on climate change, if nothing else, but then my 'friend' commented on Biden/Harris sending arms "to support the genocide" and I was left kind of speechless.

Am I being unreasonable to feel unsure about continuing this friendship?

Oh god the pure think brigade are, as I predicted, here to toe the purity spiral line.

I'd give up on this thread OP - these people don't like plurality of opinion!

I think in the current climate, having friends and relationships with people who don’t think exactly the same as you is a very powerful thing.

It’s really hard when you disagree with something and it’s important to you, but you want to be polite and friendly. Personally I would have reservations, but I wouldn’t contradict or argue with her. It’s possible, indeed often really positive, to have friendships with people who have drastically different views. The problem arises when someone is intolerant of the other’s views. So I would stay friendly and see how things go. If she turns out to be horribly antisemitic or intolerant of any disagreement you can detach from her.

@Lemonadeand said it better than I did!!!

It's war. Civilians get killed.

The Blitz wasn't Genocide. Nor was Hamburg or Dresden, Coventry, or even Warsaw.

It's bombing in which Civilians get killed. Such is War. Always will be since men stopped slugging it out at close quarters in fields.

I feel sorrow and anger at all sides. But it's not a Genocide.

The majority view? Most people are against what Israel is doing.

I'll be honest - I think on this it's possibly best to just close the convo down. I've watched a great deal and I now say I seriously just don't have enough facts to know who is right and who is wrong. It's horrible on both sides and complex.

I'm personally terrified of what extreme Islamic views and people who support that can do. But, that's something I rarely say out loud too often

I am sure very good friends of mine have different views on very important things but we just avoid it in general or don't go into too much detail. It will always cause division!

Starting this thread in AIBU on today of all days. You knew what would happen.

It is not antisemitic to recognise that what Israel is doing is genocide. Whatever country was doing it, I would recognise it as genocide. War crimes are being committed—but we can’t say they are war crimes because it’s Israel committing them?

How can you lecture other posters for not considering other opinions when in your first post you stated that those who call it a genocide are all fanantics!

Stepping back a moment, I do think you should continue your friendship with this woman in the spirit of exposing yourself to important, different views.

As posters have said, her viewpoint is not hateful or prejudiced. It’s based on logic and aligns with what trusted and legitimate organisations such as the UN and the ICC are saying.

You may well strongly disagree - BUT surely the best thing for everyone is to continue the friendship not end it. We have more in common than that which divides us. Polarisation is a sure fire path to continued war and oppression. Common understanding and respect is the path to peace. 🕊️

Unfortunately there will always be those that throw around words such as genocide, fascist, apartheid, Nazis, far right without any ability to actually define them.

It's kind of a buzz word bollocks bingo.

If you think it's fine that tens of thousands of people have been killed, maimed, tortured, and denied food and aid, in a campaign that has featured explicitly pro-genocide statements and violations of international law, you should probably let her know sooner rather than later.

@marmaladeandpeanutbutter in your bubble maybe, in the real world people outside MC urban echo chambers don't care that much. Where I am/work it never comes up in conversation.

The international criminal court has an arrest warrant out for the Israeli prime minister
One of the accusations is genocide
I think your friend is correct and you should listen to her

100% this

You are right op. It’s not a genocide by any stretch of the imagination. The lack of understanding about the Middle East and this conflict in particular is astounding and depressing.

This seems really sensible advice. I am also very concerned about the anti-Jewish statements and feelings being expressed. 7th October 2023 was a watershed in how I felt about this.

Oh please. The whole AIBU is about the OP not being able to cope with someone having a different opinion to her. In a university of all places!

All these statistics are provided by the Hamas-run health ministry.

People in the UK are utterly batshit on Israel/Palestine issue. The handwringing and protests, it’s all very obviously antisemitism - how do I know? Because the other atrocities happening across the globe (Ukraine, North Korea anyone??) never register in their moral outrage.

Why do you think anyone here is a Hamas apologist?

The incident happened today because she commented on the lack of protests today.

It’s the 7th October, people. What do you think is wanted from this thread?

Behave. These are not targetted attacks on dangerous infrastructure. It is destroying shelter, hospitals, access to fresh water, access to food.