The double standards of free speech on Palestine amid Israel’s war on Gaza

[Ohlalalalala]

On UpFront, Marc Lamont Hill speaks to Dima Khalidi, director of Palestine Legal, and Ilan Pappe, renowned author and professor of history at Exeter University, about the limits to free speech on the Israel-Gaza war.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/program/upfront/2023/10/27/the-double-standards-of-free-speech-on-palestine

As the war in Gaza continues, why is the West cracking down on free speech?
A battle is playing out in the realm of public opinion on Israel’s war on Gaza.

While demonstrations have taken place across the globe in solidarity with Palestinians, there have been campaigns to silence critics of Israel’s actions.

Commentators, academics and even common citizens have reported increasing threats and retaliation for expressing their views or voicing solidarity with the Palestinian people, often in countries that proclaim to uphold values of freedom of expression and democracy.

Well said @MrsTerryPratchett

Well summed up as usual, Noicant

You're talking about Blair and the Iraq War, right? It's not a secret at all and saying what you said doesn't make you/ me anti British at all. I am British and I am not afraid to say it. He's a hypocritical liar who is responsible for the deaths of countless people. The irony is that he was appointed as Middle East Peace Envoy! I almost choked on my coffee when I heard that. They take people for idiots don't they?

Yes, absolutely. They either think we are all utter fools or otherwise deem our opinions as mere irrelevancies.

I think the fact that it's not a secret makes it even worse. I was slightly reframing it for the context, to demonstrate my thinking as to the rank hypocrisy when one 'good' (usually wealthy and powerful) country does something as opposed to a 'bad' (poor) country doing the same or equivalent.

And no, I'm not anti-British in any way. The vast majority of my countryfolk are decent enough people; I just don't tolerate/ignore/condone the most evil behaviour from certain individuals, just on account of their happening to be British too.

I think the whole nuclear threat is another case in point. People are (very understandably) terrified that one country will be the first to deploy nuclear weapons as an aggressive act of war (as opposed to just testing in the middle of the ocean), so we look to the 'good' countries - led by the USA - to keep us all safe from that prospect ever arising!

😆 Sometimes the simplest way to explain is through comedy. Thank you Tadhg Hickey.

Ok several academics have been criticised for supporting Hamas’s attack on Israel and are being investigated by their universities, is this what they mean by retaliation? There is a difference between showing support for Palestinians suffering at the moment and celebrating the murder of Israeli women and children isn’t there?

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/israel-palestine-uk-academics-ucl-oxford-cambridge-7sw2vr9ls

No-one should face threats of violence for using words.

The idea that academics couldn’t possibly so stupid as to support a terrorist organisation publicly is a bit laughable isn’t it.

I posted this link on another thread. Its by a writer who is often asked onto programs to talk about things from a Palestine POV and how they are expected to frame their responses. I found it an interesting read although I am aware some people's hackles will rise at it. No Human Being Can Exist | Online Only | n+1 | Saree Makdisi (nplusonemag.com)

Do you think a person who rapes, burns, beheads, kidnaps is a freedom fighter in any capacity.....?

Totally agree. Some posts are getting deleted only after they have been up a while. It seems some posters are targeting posts they don't like and eventually mn gives in a deletes them. So an interesting thread can have posts that clearly are against talk guidelines and still stand as maybe not enough posters reported them whilst others are deleted and are no worse than the ones still standing.

I remember gerry adams was always dubbed on tv. Even as a child i found it ludicrous. And im reminded of it now when hamas as mentioned in the news, the reporter always has to say something like 'hamas, who are a terrorist organisation ' or words to that effect. But for some people the Israeli government are a terrorist organisation too. So it seems like double standards.

I did not read the article and will certainly not.
The newspaper you're referring to is publishing everything related to what's going on in Gaza under ISAREL AT WAR. Just this clue alone gives you an idea about their editorial line regarding the topic. Only Israel! Where's the other side? At war? Against whom?
I like reading the Times & Sunday Times but not for anything related to what's happening in Gaza as I know I wouldn't get the unbiased truthful complete stories I am after. These small details are all part of the narrative dehumanising Palestinians and smearing anyone who stands with them.

My OP was copied from the description of the interview of Khalidi and Pappé.

Here's an interesting video:
"If the international media is objective it serves Hamas":

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cy9BZpWL9jE/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

Ffff, are you alright? I was responding to @MrsTerryPratchett along the lines of what she was saying. Stop trying to derail the thread please.

No. Rape and torture should never exist anywhere.

I was talking in general terms about armed conflict following oppression. I struggle with many armed conflicts. The ANC, La Résistance and the Sandinistas killed a lot of people, sometimes in horrifying ways. They were fighting against murderous, all-powerful enemies who wanted their destruction and obliteration. As far as I am concerned, their cause was just.

Everyone has a hierarchy of evil. Unless you're the student in Tiananmen Square, facing down a tank with a bag, you probably understand why oppressed people take up arms. Not against civilians, women and children, non-combatants. But generally why people fight as terrorists/freedom fighters when they are facing what the Palestinians are facing.

It's easy to think you'd be Gandhi when you are sitting in a nice home, not worrying that your children will be murdered. And that's on both 'sides'. It's important to understand that both the Israelis and Palestinians believe fervently that they are right. And many believe that any means are justified by the ends. Only one 'side' has tried to muzzle the ability to speak and be seen.

Important. Please share!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy7Q0NqOJoE/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

The petition on the bio.

https://instagram.com/shaunking?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Taking us for idiots! People like this are insulting our intelligence every single day. Sick of their narrative.

But they are getting away with it?
How come these idiots get voted in?
Am looking at uk government too

They get little reaction from the public because people have seen the Middle East portrayed as troublesome over the last twenty years or so, whilst Israel has always been warmly received. Many then see Israel as needing to be protected, regardless of their actions, protecting against anti semitism perceived is deeply ingrained in our psyche. Just take a look at this board over 200 replies to an adult saying they are feeling scared because they are Jewish and over 100 responses to the number of Palestinian children killed by Israel. Would that be happening if the situation was reversed?

The art of deception: How Israel uses ‘hasbara’ to whitewash its crimes

https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/the-art-of-deception-how-israel-uses-hasbara-to-whitewash-its-crimes-46775

"The Israelis have long relied on a public diplomacy strategy to dominate the arena of narrative control and information manipulation."

A very informative article. Hasbara has been used for a long time now. It's high time people knew about it.

Had not come across Hasbara before, thanks for the link it is eye opening and explains a lot.
https://hasbarafellowships.org/

Sad isn't it? They are so used to pushing the same narrative over and over that they don't even care if they look genuine or not. Pathetic.

The 2 videos from the article about I posted earlier:

Yes the whole world is seeing the genocide unfold and are very shocked by the behaviour of their governments.
It's the western "leaders" and the mass media who are either encouraging the onslaught, silent or looking elsewhere. Thank God for the people.

Watching the watchdogs: Fear in newsrooms silences pro-Palestine voices https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2023/11/1/watching-the-watchdogs-fear-in-newsrooms-silences-pro-palestine-voices

Thank god for social media.

The truth can't be hidden anymore.