Dehumanising of Palestinians

[dreamingdays]

The persistent dehumanising of Palestinian civilians is everywhere, including here on MN and across social media, the news and more.

From branding all civilians including babies and young children as terrorists, to people saying innocent children sent to jail as deserving it, posts smearing all Palestinians with celebrating terrorist atrocities, others celebrating the death of young children (yes really), to politicians branding them “children of darkness”. To Palestinian men all lumped as Hamas or rapists. Palestinians called human animals or worse.

To the language used to describe Palestinians in the news is completely different, often using double standards. I also feel that leeway and downplaying is given towards people being racist towards Palestinians. It is brushed off or ignored or denied, not always taken seriously.

Maltreatment of Palestinian civilians is also ignored or excused or waved away and minimised, outright denied or ignored by many.

it just really gets me down. Please everyone, remember Palestinians are human beings. They have families, jobs, culture, skills, likes and dislikes, empathy and humanity.

if you see anyone displaying or downplaying racist attitudes, or making offensive dehumanising remarks please call them out. Please also take time to recognise and challenge dehumanising language used in the media and elsewhere.

On a broader level this dehumanising emboldens those undertaking their mistreatment, excuses and justifies illegal violence made towards them, as well as affecting each Palestinian on an individual level.

The same obviously goes for anyone using dehumanising language to anyone, whatever their nationality or religion.

Palestinians need support now.

Here are some statistics related to Palestinian vs Israeli deaths due to all the conflicts over the years.

Thanks for explaining.

Obviously any mob mentality behaviour is awful and in no way do I agree with it, it is even worse in such a violent context. Nor am I denying it happens.

One of the dangers of this conflict is to see a video of an event like that and assume it is the modus operandi for all or most or even a significant minority of a population.

I absolutely agree it is a danger of conflating a whole society with one mob on one day.

Also, I know without doubt that we too are well capable of mob mentality too. Unfortunately the terrible aspect here, and the difference, is how the leaders and Gaza seem to have incited this. It was stupid of them imo and does them no good in the eyes of the world.

Sorry for the mistakes. I meant the leaders of Gaza.

@ScrollingLeaves agreed, it is all too horrific to contemplate.

I agree OP
The latest plan to direct Gazans to none existent safe zones that move around depending on what IDF want to do is just one example. The Gazans are being treated like cattle, and if they can't move and get killed, well that's their fault for not doing what they were told.

Have also been on a thread where its been said repeatedly that Palestinians support Hamas, despite no elections for nearly 20 years, and Hamas being a violent terrorist organisation. How on earth can anyone know that Palestinians support Hamas?

That no states want Palestinians because they are anarchic trouble makers. Implying it's their own fault they are trapped in a city under siege.

And also that Israelis need to eradicate Hamas, there is no way to distinguish Hamas from Palestinian civilians, but I'm being goady and straw manning to point out the logical conclusion of that is eradication of Palestinians?

It's disgusting, I was originally behind the Israelis but the disproportionate nature if their respinse combined with absolute callous way Palestinians are being talked about has made me a lot less sympathetic than I was.

Thank you @AdamRyan for showing humanity when so many are not.

Thank you so much for this thread OP. I have been so disgusted by the Israeli government rhetoric concerning Palestinians and some posters on here, who not only seek to dehumanise Palestinians, but pathologize those who are concerned about them. It's absolutely sickening.

@feralunderclass thank you. It's very concerning.

Thank you OP for putting this so eloquently. These people have no way of escaping, are running out of food and water and they cannot even defend themselves! It’s the complete annihilation of the Palestinian people.

Not everyone has lost their way ❤️

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-67592468

Thank you @Aswad

thank you, that was a ray of sunlight amid all the current darkness.❤️

That's disgusting. I've reported you.

Who have you reported? Me for stating the obvious?

Yes you. Thats your opinion and its a pretty offensive way to refer to Israelis.

You can report me as much as you like but you cannot erase the ethnic cleansing that's been happening!

I appreciate you standing up for "the other side". Thank you :)

As a Jew and a descendent of Holocaust survivors and as just a human being, this dehumanising is, after the violence and death, the worst thing. I'm sorry but it really is like what the Nazis did to my grandfather's family and all other European Jews they had power over. It's a betrayal of their memories.

We aren't going to get anywhere if people can't moderate their dehumanising language. I hate it.

@Echobelly @AdamRyan thank you both

We should stand up against dehumanisation for anyone it happens to

I agree. The only reason I haven't commented on here before is because I don't agree with some of the comments on here and I don't want to get in to an argument about it. It's too exhausting and mentally draining. I think it's important though now that I have commented on this post that I also state that I of course don't think it's even remotely acceptable to dehumanise the Palestinians. I think it's utter insanity. I think the dehumanisation has gone both ways though, hence my not getting involved on here. It's so incredibly sad and I am not in the mood for an argument.

Let's just all hope for a lasting peace in the not too distant future