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?

Bloody hell, I’m stunned there are still people actually claiming that Hamas are freedom fighters. What sort of horrific statement is that?! Hamas are literally funded by Iran, the Government of which is calling for jihad and wanting elimination of other faiths. Have proper debate, fine, but don’t refer to a terror organisation as ‘freedom’ fighters. Fighting for whose freedom?! Jihadists?!

@Rosscameasdoody I'm glad you do. Says a lot about you. But it's okay to say something like that towards the Palestinians but woe betide us if we dare use a similarly disgusting analogy about Zionists.

Unbelievable really. However society is full of apologists, deniers and supporters of scum terrorists. Rape is never resistance. 'Freedom fighters' is a pathetic way, or disgusting way to describe rapists and murdering scum. I think some individuals refer to people who see terrorists as romantic saviours as delusional or 'useful idiots ' is another phrase I've heard some use.

Sadly, people actually do support terrorism.

Want to go down the route of barking mad rules within certain religious groups. Read all the rules in the bible and live with them to the letter.

Absolutely this.

I abhor what Hamas did. Have always said it. But the horrific things they did is always brought up ( and rightly so) but it seems that raping prisoners, parading in Palestinian women's underwear, setting a dog on a disabled youth, blowing up buildings in your loved ones names, writing crude messages on missiles, urinating on dead Palestinian bodies to name but a shocking few is forgotten. So don't give me the most moral army crap. Or that israelis just basically want to live in peace. That is just not true. It's all out there for you to research.
Meanwhile watch this, if you can bear to watch Al Jazeera that is.

Because it kind of implies you think that viewing Hamas as freedom fighters is valid. It's not. It's illegal.

That was me. And if you read my post properly and without prejudice, absolutely nowhere did I say that I supported Hamas - nor have I stated this in any of my previous posts. I simply stated the fact that one man’s’ terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter - happens wherever there is oppression and the language used is invariably determined by the oppressor. Examples of this all over history, including WW11. Once again 1300 killed in what was undeniably an outrage. 44000 killed so far in response. And the conflict continues, spearheaded by a prime minister who knows that the only thing saving him from a courtroom and a prison cell is the continuation of that conflict.

Like the Koran, Talmud as well as the Bible for example? Glass houses and stones spring to mind.

Nope. That’s not what I said. I don’t support Hamas in any way shape or form, and the attack on 7 October was indefensible. But there is fault on both sides here. 1300 killed in the attack and 44000 and rising since.

That's a false equivalence. Hamas is the ruling party in Gaza and their founding charter calls for people should seek out and kill all Jews. It's not an obscure sect of a religion, it's a founding charter for their government.

I'm not sure anti-Zionists actually understand what Zionism means.

@ThatLoyalRoseCrow so I can come back and live in Nazareth then?

The IDF investigates and disciplines soldiers for such breeches, Hamas encourages and rewards the same behaviors.

Tell me it's the same?

And, talking of propaganda, no, I'm not going to watch Al Jazeera.

YANBU
Children at my child's school are sent in wearing pro terrorist stickers on clothing/objects. Vile and worrying.

Can you give an example of what you describe as a pro terrorist sticker?

You don't have to be anti-Jewish or anti-semitic (I am not), but still think Israel behaves wrongly often on the world stage.

Al Jazeera pwahahaha give us a break - it needs removing from British screens - and the 10 commandments seem pretty sensible as far as religions go

As I can't imagine a British school allowing pro terrorist stickers

Same. I'm not sure why the existence of Jewish state is so offensive to you.

https://www.npr.org/2024/05/15/1250417719/israel-military-idf-investigations-icc

"The IDF investigates and disciplines soldiers for such breeches" The OP has lost all credibility with this statement. No army does this.

Thankfully we are not Israel and can freely watch Al Jazeera here.