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.

Joe Biden also minimises the suffering with the way he discusses it, it sickens me. Do you think he is simply using this as a political strategy, or has he on top of this dulled his own emotions to the point where he can no longer effectively assess situations? Can he no longer entertain any feelings he might have about the death of thousands of innocent children, about children who have been left disabled and without their parents. Does he think it’s OK for children to live in fear and be treated like they are worthless.

What does he think about children who look up at the sky and ask what they did to deserve this.

Does he really think this is the only option available.

Glad you have been to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv but this doesn't make you an expert on what is happening now.
Secondly, the 7/10/23 was the catalyst that enabled the Israeli government to inflict hell on the Palestinian civilians. Netanyahu does not want the establishment of a Palestinian state post-war. He has made this quite clear on several occasions.
Finally, if you took the time researching the history of the birth of Israel ( from, obviously, different reliable sources), you would find numerous example of the violations of human rights carried out by the IDF.
For an up to date list, please look at the thread on this forum recording what the "moral army" is doing to Palestinians ( in Gaza and the West bank).

Netanyahu

Why would anybody refer to any thread? They are all just an overlap of the one before. Knee jerk, outburst, repeat, rinse, repeat. Anything new to add to your one sided glance into the history of the land? Anything to add other than dismissing Hamas' actions as just a catalyst? You don't know it all, none of you do. Your opinions are worth no more than anybody else's. Yet you talk with such disdain for those who dare to approach things from a different angle. Nothing is going to change.

@Overstudy We see and understand what is going on. We do not condone Hamas behaviour, nor can we ignore what Israel has been doing for decades to Palestinians.

I anticipate that in years to come when a Palestinian apartheid and genocide museum opens, the genocidal and oppressive nature of Israeli govt will be finally recognised by the masses.

Hamas is a bigger threat than just to the ME. They have to be contained which is why they have the backing of the USA and UK, where results of terrorism are infamous. Genocide is arguable in this case and scholars present different hypotheses.

"Genocide is arguable in this case and scholars present different hypotheses."

I hope you don't mean to suggest genocide is arguably acceptable?

The term is arguable. Read what I said, presented by different scholars. That is not disgusting, that is debate.

@Overstudy apologies I misread your post and corrected mine.

However, I will go with the consensus of many human rights organisations and the opinions of experts such as the former chief prosecutor of the ICC that this is a genocide.

Both sides accuse each other of genocide. Is one right and the other wrong?

You don't "contain terrorism" by genociding and bombing the hell out of a population you're already brutally oppressing. You can't bomb an idea out of existence. It will make it worse.

Very possibly. Both sides have clearly carried out war crimes. Israel is carrying out genocide. If Israel thinks it has a case for genocide against Hamas that can be investigated, if Israel chooses to engage with international humanitarian law organisations.

Why are you so angry?
Firstly, I wasn't aware that referring to another thread was no allowed or do you find the thread does not fit your narrative therefore you discard it?
Secondly, I did not dismiss Hamas' actions. There is a difference between excusing something and explaining it, a distinction you appear enable to make.
Thirdly, before I voice my opinion on anything, I arm myself with facts. I don't argue with facts. I research them from reputable sources and then apply critical thinking. In short, to understand the current violence, you have to understand how we got here.
Finally, you are right, my opinion is no more worth than anybody else's, that of course includes yours too.

@Toothyfruity does Hamas engage with international humanitarian law organisations?

Just because you say it - does not make it a reality.

If a terrorist organisations whole reason for being is for the removal of another legitimate country and murder of a whole people (beyond that country) and they have demonstrated it that's good enough I think.

Your fake ' they will have to prove it' is minimising and belittling.

Just want to put this graph here for those whitewashing Israeli aggression towards Palestinians. Not to mention their genocidal rhetoric, stealing of land, oppression of human rights etc etc.

Israeli and Palestinian deaths, 1987 to 2021

I'm not aware of any terrorist organisations signing up to international humanitarian agreements. We hold states to a higher level than terrorists ordinarily.

Well their whole reason for being according to you isn't the same as what actually happened during the massacre on October 7th. So dealing in facts, I'm not sure that it's a genocide but if Israel want to make a complaint it can be investigated. If Israel decides to cooperate for once.

@dreamingdays do you think this thread should be removed now?
I don't know how anyone can respond to some of these posters.

Why is it that we all sympathise with the occupied freedom fighters when they are fictional, like the Hunger Games? Katniss is forced to kill brutally to survive.
Or when it's the French Resistance who tarred and feathered ( and worse) suspected collaborators.
But here we are in reality and seems like we just can't see what is happening in front of us.

Actually the largest terrorist attack against British people was the King David Hotel bombing which Israel commemorated the 60th anniversary of in 2006.
From the pro Israel paper Telegraph in 2006:

"But Israel's celebration of its "freedom fighters" remains highly controversial at a time when it continues to pound Palestinian "terrorists""
Simon Macdonald, the British ambassador to Israel, and consul general John Jenkins, wrote to the mayor of Jerusalem protesting at the plaque. "We don't think it's right for an act of terrorism to be commemorated," their letter read.
The embassy said: "There is no credible evidence that any warning reached the British authorities." The plaque has subsequently been amended, dropping the implication that Britain ignored any warnings."

Israel celebrates Irgun hotel bombers (telegraph.co.uk)

Plus in the UK Parliament 2006:
"That this House notes that the sixtieth anniversary of the bombing of the King David Hotel fell on 22nd July 2006; recalls that 96 people died in this atrocity, which remains the highest death toll for British subjects in a terrorist attack; further notes that an event was held in Jerusalem to celebrate this event and that prominent members of the Knesset, including former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, attended; condemns terrorism unreservedly; and associates itself with the comments of Her Majesty's Ambassador in Tel Aviv and the Consul-General in Jerusalem, `We do not think that it is right for an act of terrorism, which led to the loss of many lives, to be commemorated'."

I'm not angry.

Here is an Interview with Gerald Green who served with the Palestine Police as Britain was preparing to withdraw.

Today I read how Joe Biden was ‘moved’ by his meeting with the families of eight US hostages.

Is he also moved by this? Or do they not matter enough?

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/14/middleeast/gaza-orphan-israel-hamas-war

Probably not, the Palestinian deaths, injuries and orphaned children are just a statistic it seems.

The pictures and videos coming out from Gaza the last few days are so unspeakably horrific and awful, and Israel said that they are going to continue for months to come. I’m in despair of it all, I rarely come on here now as I’m just sickened by so many posters casually dismissing the suffering of the Palestinian people.

Anyone minimising it as ‘unfortunately civilians die in war’ needs to go to Motaz Azaiza’s Instagram page and see the images for themselves. Not the slightly bloodied, bandaged people pictured on the mainstream media but the unfiltered firsthand images of severely injured and dead civilians including children and babies.

I can’t believe any decent person would see these images and still be advocating for this ‘war’ to continue.

😞

@Ixxy1980 totally agree. Over 18,000 killed of which at least 7,000 are children.
Whole generations of families wiped out. How many more have to die?